Hiba Academy Bay Area is a premium, independent, non-profit, international school. We provide a dual language education—in Mandarin and English—with just the right balance of world-class academic rigor, lived multicultural experience, and personal wellbeing.

We are new to San Francisco, but we are not a “start-up” school. Far from it. We are part of Wellington College Education–an innovative, global network of international schools, that currently empowers more than 10,000 students in China, the UK, Thailand, India and soon Indonesia and South Korea. Wellington College Education has its roots in Wellington College, one of the most prestigious co-ed boarding schools today in the UK. It was founded by Queen Victoria in 1859.

Hiba Academy Bay Area opens in fall 2026.

The Hiba Academy Bay Area campus is 99 Rhode Island Street in San Francisco’s Design District. The neighborhood is bounded by Townsend and 16th streets, west of Mission Bay. The Design District is evolving fast. Close to the school, there is a concentration of upscale showrooms, distinctive restaurants, and the California College of the Arts.

Hiba Academy will open in the fall of 2026 with classes of PK3, PK4, Kindergarten and Grade 1. At capacity our campus will serve 450 PK3 to Grade 5 students. In the longer term, we will expand to middle and high school.

Children entering Kindergarten must be 5 years old by September 1.

Our teachers and families are local and from all over the world. An international element is present in all of our teaching and learning, and in all of our community activities. Our curriculum intentionally fosters a global mindset. Students develop the cross-cultural competencies they will need to thrive and make a difference in an interconnected world.

At Hiba Academy Bay Area our 50:50 dual language model–in Chinese and English–ensures seamless transitions between the two languages. A bilingual person can speak, read, write, understand, and think in both languages in multiple contexts and without hindrance.

Being bilingual, and becoming biliterate, enhances cognitive flexibility. This enables problem solving from differing perspectives and in multiple ways. The acquisition of two languages enables deep engagement with the various academic disciplines and building an understanding of our complicated world.

It is never too early to start learning Chinese or any second language. Acquiring language for very young children is as natural as breathing. The earlier children are exposed to a second language the better.

At Hiba Academy Bay Area, we welcome children of all language backgrounds. Many of our students will begin with little or no exposure to Chinese, and that is perfectly fine. Our immersive approach is designed to support all learners, with individualized guidance to ensure each child thrives. Learning in two languages is not only entirely possible—it is a meaningful, lifelong gift for every student.

We will open in the fall of 2026 with classes of PK3, PK4, Kindergarten and Grade 1. No previous Chinese is necessary for any of these grades. In future years, qualified children entering in Grades 2-5, with little or no previous Chinese will receive individualized and small group, scaffolding to bring them up to speed.

The cognitive advantages of bilingualism hold true for all languages. Fluent bilinguals in any combination of languages benefit from what neuroscientists call an Executive Functioning Workout. In the frontal cortex of the brain there appears to be some degree of activation of both languages, and some negotiation between them, constantly. This supports meta-thinking and problem solving. It also enhances multi-tasking, sustained focus, and screening out distractions. In young children, this is precisely what’s needed for academic achievement. The bilingual advantage manifest in any combination of languages is clear!

Mandarin and English are contrasting languages. This certainly plays into cognitive agility. Keep in mind that Mandarin is a tonal language, without verb conjugations and gender emphases; and its written characters have a profound internal logic that reveals meaning directly, unlike an alphabet that can be sounded out. Like all languages, Mandarin and English come loaded with particular cultural attitudes and history. Having two distinct windows on the world enhances critical thinking and is the fore structure for an international mindset.

The standard written language of Hiba Academy Bay Area teaching materials is simplified characters. However, it is acceptable that individual students may prefer to use traditional Chinese characters in their writing.

Being well means doing well. We ensure student well-being precisely because children are being meaningfully challenged. They are told to “have a think” and to “have a go.” They are encouraged to try, and to take risks. There is tension and release when a child has worked hard in a supportive social environment and experiences an “Aha!” moment. It feels good to be in the flow of the learning zone. Children own their knowledge when they have earned it by persisting—whether by solving a tricky problem, obtaining a non-inflated grade for excellent work, or finally realizing that they truly understand.

A key element that sets Hiba Academy apart from the other Mandarin immersion schools in San Francisco is our direct bridge to China. As an arm of Wellington College Education, Hiba Academy Bay Area is part of something much bigger, something genuinely International.

Other differentiators are the promise of a seamless PK3 through Grade 12 bilingual journey and the energy and excitement in becoming part of our Founding Family community.

Our bilingual curriculum also sets us apart. The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP) is concept-based and fulfils UK, Chinese and IB benchmarks. Our teachers co-plan, deliver, and continuously reflect upon Units of Inquiry. These interdisciplinary units are taught harmoniously and jointly in the two languages. PYP presupposes a constructivist approach to teaching and learning, encouraging children to ask their own questions. Along the way PYP Units of Inquiry incorporate Shanghai and Singapore math, research and evidence-based thinking, as well as extensive hands-on activities.

It is well known that teenage students in Singapore and China earn the highest PISA math and science literacy scores in the world. At Hiba Academy Bay Area, both Shanghai math and Singapore Math are at the core of our bilingual curriculum.

Singapore math emphasizes a multiplicity of approaches to problems. Using bar modelling students naturally progress from hands-on manipulation of concrete objects, to rendering colorful pictorial representations, to later creating abstract entities to visualize and to internalize a mathematical idea.

Shanghai math incorporates the best of Singapore methodology, with an unwavering focus on mastering the fundamentals. Math is the universal language of pattern and quantity. It is axiomatic–with each unit building on prior knowledge. At Hiba Academy each lesson is meticulously structured around one or two core objectives. Complex topics are made accessible by breaking them down and approaching them stepwise. Teachers work vigorously at each stage to ensure that children achieve mastery before advancing to the next level. This enables them to build their skills and make connections incrementally without cognitive overload. Teachers adjust the pace of the class using continuous formative assessment and scaffolding interventions as individual needs arise.

Along the way, Hiba Academy students explore ever more variations on a mathematical concept and its practical applications. They are encouraged to collaborate with their peers, ask their own questions, and take risks. In this way they learn to recognize recurring patterns and make connections.

Our teachers elevate mathematical skills out of formula and abstraction. They minimize rote memorization of procedures. They do this with confidence knowing that math is everywhere. Hiba Academy students undertake collaborative, real-world projects that address open-ended problems. These projects are often hands-on and build bridges across other academic disciplines.

Beginning in the Early Years, the logical structures inherent in both languages of instruction are emphasized. Age-appropriately, students learn to communicate through a math problem with line-by-line defensible logic. Students come to appreciate the precision as well as the austere beauty of mathematical proof.

At Hiba Academy Bay Area, mathematics is not just an academic subject—it becomes a lens, and a tool, for interpreting and reshaping the world. Achieving mastery before advancing to the next level is robust preparation for future readiness. Our graduates emerge as fearless, agile thinkers equipped to navigate evolving technological and global landscapes.

We will recruit teachers and staff internationally and locally. Many of our educators will come from Hiba Academy’s flagship sister schools in China, where they have spent years honing their craft. All our teachers are familiar with the needs of bilingual learners, even those who come to a language as a novice. They embody Wellington Colleges’ values-driven educational philosophy. They will ensure student wellbeing, an international mindset, and will set high expectations for our students in and outside the classroom.

Worthy of mention is that Wellington College Education is recognized in China as an “Employer of Choice.” It is the four-time winner of HR Asia’s Best Companies Award. Our teachers identify themselves as lifetime learners. Hiba Academy strongly emphasizes ongoing training fostering individual professional growth.

The uniform serves as a consistent visual representation of Wellington College Education heritage and values. It helps students feel a sense of pride and belonging.

The Hiba Academy Bay Area uniform is charming and elegant. It includes several options including very practical, stretchy sportswear as well as more formal options. The uniform keeps a focus on learning. Students feel comfortable and relaxed. They are free from the potential distractions of fitting in or making choices about what to wear.

Students enter the campus after 8:00 am. The regular class day runs from 8:30 to 3:30 pm.

Our activity-based after-school program continues until 6:00 pm. A 7:30 am drop-off is available.

We offer healthy snacks mid-morning and at the end of day.

We ritualize eating our lunches together unhurriedly. Most children bring custom packed lunches from home. An outside lunch option will be available.

We will open applications for fall 2026 on August 18, 2025. You can jumpstart your application by submitting an Inquiry on our Ravenna portal.

Click here to view our Application Process and Timeline

Click here to view Tuition and Affordability

Call or text us at (415) 930-0165; or email us at admissions.bayarea@hibaacademy.org