About Us
We are San Francisco's only International Baccalaureate PYP and MYP, Reggio Emilia inspired, Italian Immersion World School!
Founded in 2002, La Scuola International School – the only Reggio Emilia inspired, International Baccalaureate (IB) and Italian language immersion school in the world – is serving the Bay Area with two San Francisco campuses (Preschool - Grade 8), and one new campus in Silicon Valley (Preschool - Grade 1). Our Silicon Valley campus is an IB Candidate school, pending approval in March 2025.
We are Open to the World
Our mission is to inspire brave learners to shape the future. Every day, it’s the students at La Scuola who ask challenging questions and lead their learning across languages, across cultures, and across subjects.
The Benefits of Attending La Scuola International School
Inquiry within the International Baccalaureate Curriculum
The International Baccalaureate (IB) program began as an academically challenging program for high school students and has evolved into a curriculum framework used by over 5,000 schools worldwide in PreK-12 that encourages critical and creative thinking, expression of knowledge in various modalities, global perspective, and foreign language acquisition. IB students are known for having a growth mindset, developing strong cognitive skills, high executive function, and are generally psyched to learn new things and solve problems.
Reggio Emilia Approach® - From Preschool to Age 99
The Reggio approach nurtures collaboration, inquiry, experiential learning, and the Hundred Languages® to express themselves. We believe this approach is valid throughout a student’s educational journey. The Art, Music, Garden, Environmental Studies, and Design Ateliers are places where theories are put to the test and students create a better understanding of the world around them.
Language Immersion
Your child does not need to speak Italian! We aim for our students to be bilingual (though many are multilingual). By learning English and Italian simultaneously through the Montreal Model of Language Immersion, they develop better attention, decision making, and planning skills than monolingual students. Italian especially benefits students with a strong foundation in Latin word roots and imparts an increased appreciation for art, music, food, and history. Speaking another language develops a child’s empathy and connectivity to the world.
Beginning in Grade 4, the Spanish language is also introduced. This continues in Middle School, where our students participate in either a "beginner" or "advanced/intermediate" curriculum for this additional language.
The school is recognized and accredited by the Ministero Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (MAECI) as a Scuola Paritaria.
We use the Montreal Model of Immersion, which looks like this:
Preschool: 10% English – 90% Italian
Grades K - 1: 20% English – 80% Italian
Grade 2: 30% English – 70% Italian
Grades 3 - 5: 50% English – 50% Italian
Grades 6 - 8: 70% English – 30% Italian
Specialist subjects are taught in English and Italian.
Children are not required to speak Italian to enroll in Preschool, Kindergarten, Grade 1, or Middle School. Students applying to Grades 2–5 are evaluated for language proficiency as part of the admissions process. In Middle School, language classes are categorized as beginner/intermediate or advanced.
Global Citizenship: Open to the World
Our students are open to the world. They understand the global and local context. They engage with people that are different from them to form their values and they know that great ideas come from collaborating with different perspectives.
Right to Beauty and Joy
The environment is the third teacher. We believe that students who come to learn in a space that is beautiful and joyful will forever associate learning with beauty and love.
Pedagogy of Relationships
We prioritize trusting and loving relationships between teachers and students. This approach helps secure the child’s emotional wellbeing and leads to more successful learning. Feeling supported, seen, and heard are so important in creating the nurturing and empowering environment that helps children grow and flourish. There will be a lot of empathy, respect, and hugs!