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Academy of Thought and Industry at San Francisco

Discover your individual path to excellence

We are a modern Montessori-inspired high school in San Francisco, CA delivering a powerful education for independence, to develop curious, self-motivated adolescents who thrive in school and in life. Address: 2690 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94115. Phone: 415-683-5459. E-mail: sanfrancisco-admissions@thoughtandindustry.com

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Welcome to the future of middle and high school education!

ATI San Francisco's high school program is unique: a deliberately planned and charted curriculum of foundational skills that open a greater and greater number of possible paths. Our students don’t just memorize—they understand, apply, and integrate knowledge to pursue their own passions!

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What kind of student is a good fit for ATI San Francisco?

  • 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 and high school
  • Gifted and Talented students looking for an alternative to public high school

Why Choose ATI San Francisco?

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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.

Explore AcademicsRead Parent Testimonials
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Intentionally Small Classes

AT ATI San Francisco, 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
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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 San Francisco, we remove the artificial barrier between the vocational and the avocational; what's required for class and what's chosen for life.

View our High School CurriculumMontessori Education
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One-on-One Coaching

Every ATI San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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

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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 San Francisco Parent

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My son knew within 90 minutes of speaking with Michael Strong (Founder) that ATI, SF was where he wanted to engage in learning. The traditional system of education was just not working for him. ATI has a very distinct way of making a child feel seen, heard and valued. After only 3 months of being at ATI, I saw a big change in my son’s demeanor - a confident, bright-eyed boy emerged. I can attribute this to the quality of the connections this school has invested in... between faculty and students and amongst the students themselves. Connections that can not be replaced nor duplicated by anything electronic.

M. F.

ATI San Francisco Parent

two ati san francisco students sitting at a table working with a laptop experiment

The Academy of Thought and Industry is like a Trade School for CEOs. Really it is much more than that because the school inspires students with a clear trajectory toward how to create a magnificent life at the intersection of their passions and skills. I found ATI during a deep search for the right environment for my two very different gifted children who bring unique talents to the world, that were lost in public school’s common core.

Michelle T.

ATI San Francisco 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.

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Student Outcomes

ATI San Francisco’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 San Francisco'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

High School Humanities Guide

David O'Hara

High School Humanities Guide

David grew up in the California Bay Area and has since spent much of his life working and studying abroad. He holds a doctorate in English Literature and Creative Writing (PhD), as well as degrees in English Literature (BA, MA) and Publishing Media (MA). He is also a published author and playwright. His teaching career has been international and varied. He began by teaching introductory classes in English for undergraduates in Canada. He later provided tutorials and guest lectures within the University of Oxford. Between 2008 and 2012, he also taught and organized high school courses in both English Literature and Creative Writing at one of the more esteemed international summer schools in Oxford. Most recently, he was employed as a Language and Literature Teacher at an International School in Tallinn, Estonia. Besides teaching, he also loves film, old music, and the sea.

High School Math Guide

Michael Feinberg

High School Math Guide

Mr. Feinberg graduated from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT with a bachelor's degree in Theatre. He moved to California in 2003 and has been teaching ever since. He specialized in the role of Education Specialist in several schools throughout the Bay Area, including San Francisco, Alameda, Lafayette, and Piedmont. When not in the classroom, Mr. Feinberg enjoys being outdoors, reading, volunteering in the East Bay Regional Parks district, and playing board games.

High School Math Guide

Israel Iniguez

High School Math Guide

My name is Israel I love Music & Math, learning about computers and new & emerging technology, creating artwork and having fun I was born and raised in Oakland, CA and have been teaching/tutoring since I was in High School while enrolled in the Education Academy I have helped student understand their requirements to be eligible to attend a UC or CSU, taught students Mathematics for grades K-12 as well as colleagues, & studied Jazz and Classical Music in college

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
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Take a school tour

ATI San Francisco is situated at 2690 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94115. 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.

Learn more about our:

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

Get Started
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