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Montessori middle school in Fort Mason

Academy of Thought and Industry at Fort Mason

Discover your individual path to excellence

We are a modern Montessori-inspired middle school (Grades 7-8) in Fort Mason, CA delivering a powerful education to develop curious, self-motivated adolescents who thrive in school and in life. We are located in the same building as our sister school, Guidepost Montessori at Fort Mason, which serves children ages 3-12 years old. Address: 3741 Buchanan St, San Francisco, CA 94123. Phone: 415-429-2008. E-mail: fortmason-admissions@thoughtandindustry.com

Two ATI Fort Mason middle school students looking through microscopes

Welcome to the future of middle school education!

In ATI Fort Mason, middle schoolers develop foundational skills in a way that opens up new possibilities. We teach our students to understand, apply, and integrate the knowledge they acquire.

ati fort mason students standing outside reaching for a tree branch

What kind of student is a good fit for ATI Fort Mason?

  • High-achieving students who are looking for an intellectually-challenging school
  • College-bound students looking to get into competitive institutions
  • Ambitious teens looking for a small, private school and a more personalized learning environment
  • Homeschooled or virtual school students looking for more opportunities to socialize and excel
  • Students who are looking for a supportive and accepting community
  • Advanced students looking for a Montessori-inspired middle school
  • Gifted and Talented students looking for an alternative to Fort Mason public middle school

Why Choose ATI Fort Mason?

Academic Rigor at ATI Fort Mason

Academic Rigor for the Real World

Students are challenged and get the preparation they need to be successful in school and life. Our graduates go on to college, create their own companies, and become global citizens.

  • Students do real work in the world
  • They serve as a productive members of the community
  • They realize their natural desire for independence
View Student OutcomesDownload the Program Guide

We foster a love of learning

Learning is a lifelong pursuit, and we help students discover their own love of learning and watch as it motivates them to expand their knowledge.

Read Parent Testimonials
ati fort mason students sitting at a desk writing and discussing

Intentionally Small Classes

AT ATI Fort Mason, we choose to have small class sizes because we believe that is the best way to give students the personalized attention – through our unique teaching and coaching structure – that they need to grow and explore.

In a small school community, our students learn and practice self-governance, interdependence, and conflict resolution, gaining a sense of ownership and pride for the community around them.

Explore our Campus and Student Life
ati fort mason students studying at a table

Learn by doing, not by lecturing

Our Montessori-inspired learning pairs learning academic foundations with real life skill building. Dr. Montessori emphasized that teens should do real work: not just in school, but fully in the world. At ATI Fort Mason, we remove the artificial barrier between the vocational and the avocational; what's required for class and what's chosen for life.

View our Curriculum for Middle SchoolLearn more about Montessori Education
ati fort mason students studying at a table

One-on-One Coaching

Every ATI Fort Mason student is paired with a coach, who meets one-on-one to help define the student's values, set goals, take risks, and chart their own path. The coaching curriculum has been built by educational experts and psychologists to support the process of self-creation that is so fundamental to adolescence. The coaching process emphasizes:

  • Self-worth
  • Self-efficacy
  • Self-creation
Learn more about Coaching

Small school communities, globally connected

ATI Fort Mason is a tight-knit community that is also connected to a global network, allowing students to learn from industry experts, take part in unique electives, find mentors in your field, and connect with peers around the country and world.

All ATI Schools
Accreditation by Cognia and WASC

The Academy of Thought and Industry Fort Mason has received accreditation by Cognia™ and WASC, the Accrediting Commission for Schools Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Earning accreditation from the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission means that the system and all of its domestic and international schools are accredited, and that ATI is recognized across the nation as meeting the Cognia Standards of Quality. ACS WASC accredits elementary and secondary schools; non-degree granting adult schools; and supplementary education programs.

What Parents are Saying

ati fort mason student sitting in front of laptop smiling for photo

ATI is a positive, necessary, well-crafted and refreshing alternative to traditional "big box" school teaching methodology. We found it an ideal fit for our child who benefitted from their empathetic and open minded approaching to education which fosters a self-motivated mindset. I can happily and enthusiastically endorse their program for the positive impact it has had on our son.

Robert T.

ATI Fort Mason Parent

ati fort mason students sitting at a desk performing an experiment

ATI has been a godsend for our family. Our son needed a break from the academic pressures of boarding school but still wanted a rigorous learning experience. We're not sure how we would've made it through this year without the support of ATI.

Abigail T.

ATI Fort Mason Parent

Frequently Asked Questions

We charge tuition on a monthly basis during the 10 months the school year is in session. You can find the monthly price displayed on the tuition rate sheet. You’re also locking in the rates that you see displayed for future years.

Learn More about Admissions, Tuition and Financial Aid
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Student Outcomes

ATI Fort Mason’s ultimate goal is to create students who thrive: living happy, fulfilled, and productive lives. We work with each student to identify their own values, set specific goals, and learn how to achieve them. This process gives them a sense of accomplishment, and prepares them for a variety of paths in life.


Many of our students choose to pursue higher education, and to date we have a 100% placement rate for college-bound seniors. In addition to their coach and guides, students work with a full-time, licensed college counselor.

Here is where you will find some of our recent ATI graduates:

Meet ATI Fort Mason's School Leaders and Guides

In Montessori education, a guide is a teacher, but not a teacher in the way that's presented in a traditional school model. A Montessori teacher, or Guide, is a facilitator who journeys alongside students in the process of learning and self-construction and guides them toward their innate human potential.

Our Team

Head of School

Emily Doman

Head of School

Emily is an Arts and Art History educator who anchors her teaching through the visual. She received her Bachelors in Art History and Arts Education from the University of Illinois and her Masters in Visual and Critical Studies from the California College of Arts. In her Masters she studied the efficacy of ethnically specific arts exhibitions and how their presentation often signifies contemporary conflicts in museum practices. In her professional career she has worked at the Art Institute of Chicago in Museum Education, at notable San Francisco non-profit Root Division as the Education Director and at various schools both in San Francisco and New York City. She believes art is a means for understanding culture and a tool for creating community and comprehending the self and others. In her free time Emily enjoys being a mom and creating a life with her two young children and partner. She has a passion for nature, loves gardening, plants, flowers, and flower arranging. She is excited to bring her experience and passions into to Fort Mason this year and activate an appreciation for perception and visual thinking.

Assistant Head of School

Maria Adamo

Assistant Head of School

Humanities Guide

Jessica Lane

Humanities Guide

After Jessica Lane received a bachelor’s degree from Chapman University, she became dedicated to exploring the process of personal growth and the gap in adolescent self-development support. Jessica became certified in mindfulness, integrative wellness, and life coaching, yoga, and therapeutic drumming, and began teaching youth using these techniques. Jessica then decided to earn her Masters in Teaching and her Single Subject Credential in English from Loyola Marymount University. She is currently a student in the LMU Masters in Education program. She has worked one-on-one and in class settings with diverse groups of students from Montessori Schools to Boys and Girls Clubs to homeschool organizations. Jessica now focuses on creating course curricula from the lens of mindfulness and individualized learning to produce an atmosphere of thriving individual development, and integrative, improved education programs. She is excited to be guiding Humanities at Academy of Thought and Industry, Fort Mason. She looks forward to providing self-directed, activity-based lessons that encourage self-exploration and community awareness along with a culture of work and knowledge so that the next generation can cultivate thriving communities and healthy change.

Middle School Science Guide

Nick Wagner

Middle School Science Guide

Nick Wagner is an Alum of K-8 Montessori education and has received a Bachelor’s of Applied Sciences in Environmental and Outdoor Education from the University of Minnesota Duluth. During his studies, he worked with schools, community centers, and private entities providing opportunities for students to explore the natural world and further their knowledge of the sciences and themselves. As a Program Director for an Environmental Learning Center, a Wilderness Therapy Instructor, and an Environmental Science Educator, Nick has guided students of all levels to better understand life sciences, earth and space sciences, ecosystems, engineering, climate and Social-Emotional Learning through adventure education, therapeutic education, and hands-on science curriculum. By learning and inspiring students, he has found his love for teaching through inquiry-based experiential and kinesthetic methods that engage all learners and inspire lifelong learning. Nick is excited to foster the skills, knowledge and experiences that the Montessori model has brought him for his students and future generations.
Guidepost Montessori at Fort Mason children

Guidepost Montessori at Fort Mason

In addition to ATI Fort Mason, our building houses Guidepost Montessori in Fort Mason, one of the most trusted Montessori schools in San Francisco. Our programs include:

  • Children's House program for Pre-K and Kindergarten children ages 3 - 6 years
  • Elementary school program for ages 6 - 12 years and grades 1 - 6
  • Middle school program for ages 13 -14 and grades 7 - 8

Our school is conveniently located in the heart of Fort Mason off of Beach St. and Buchanan St.

Learn more about our programming for children 3 - 12 years

Start your journey with us

Learn

Learn about ATI by attending one or more of our upcoming events and virtual info sessions

Attend

Consider a attending Shadow Day on campus to experience a day in the life of an ATI student

Apply

Submit your student application to ATI, which includes the option for financial aid (if necessary)

Start

Work with Admissions to prepare for your first day of school! We can't wait to have you join our community
ati fort mason map location

Take a school tour

ATI Fort Mason is located at 3741 Buchanan St, San Francisco, CA 94123 US, in the same building as our kindergarten and elementary school, Guidepost Montessori. We'd love for you to come and visit!

Attend a program overviewBook a Tour

Experience school on your terms

Join a school community designed to support your education with coaching, small classes, and a commitment to our core values. Engage in deep study and personal exploration as a student at ATI.

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Visit Higher Ground Education to learn more about our mission to make learner-centered education the mainstream.

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