San Francisco (August 7, 2026) - The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) celebrated the opening of Mission Bay School on August 6, with a ribbon cutting event to commemorate the grand opening of the school. SFUSD has delivered on our commitment to delivering a new school in Mission Bay – a vision over two decades in the making, on a lot that was designated for a public school in the 1998 Mission Bay Redevelopment Plan.
The school addresses a gap in elementary school options in the high-growth neighborhood of Mission Bay and surrounding communities in the eastern side of the city, which do not have sufficient access to public elementary schools. The school design has been an exciting opportunity for SFUSD to build a campus suited for 21st century learning, tailored to support the SFUSD Graduate Profile and in service of innovative and collaborative instructional programming. The Mission Bay School was funded with the voter-approved bond funds, and delivered by the Bond Program in partnership with McCarthy Builders and DLR Group.
“This new school allows the district to deliver on its commitment to ensuring that every child, in every neighborhood, has access to high quality schools,” said SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Maria Su. “This beautiful campus was designed to inspire curiosity, collaboration, and a love for learning. I am excited to see students embrace opportunities to thrive at Mission Bay School for generations to come.”
It will open for Pre-K, TK, and Kindergarten students on the first day of the new school year, August 17, 2026, and grow to a 550-student elementary school serving Pre-K through 5th grade. The building also includes space for the Mission Bay Hub, a linked learning program for high school students across the district to prepare for careers in health and bioscience and engage with local partners in these fields.The school is a long held vision of Mission Bay community members, memorialized in the Mission Bay North Redevelopment Plan. Delivery of the school project required collaboration across many organizations, including UC San Francisco, the San Francisco Office of Community Infrastructure and Investment, Mission Bay Development Corporation, SFMTA and SFCTA, and the City/County of San Francisco.
“Mission Bay School represents an investment in our students, our families, and the future of San Francisco,” Board of Education President Phil Kim said. "We celebrate this milestone because of the support of San Francisco voters and the dedication of countless community members, educators, families, and public partners who kept this vision moving forward.”
The land parcel was formally transferred from UCSF to SFUSD in 2022, although the plan for a school in Mission Bay has been in the works since 1998. UCSF has also been a long-term partner in helping to support the Mission Bay Hub, and many other science and health programs at SFUSD.
“San Francisco is opening the first new school in over 10 years here in Mission Bay. This neighborhood is on the rise, and a new school is exactly the kind of investment that will help families put down roots here,” said Mayor Daniel Lurie. “What was once an industrial area with abandoned rail lines and empty lots is now home to world-class medical care, beautiful bayfront parks, and a growing community of families. And now, they will have what every neighborhood needs: a local school. This is what a Family Opportunity Agenda looks like: investing in housing, childcare, transit, and public education. I want to thank SFUSD and our teachers and welcome all the students and families who will be walking through these doors in a few short weeks.”
Mission Bay School’s attendance area is the current Daniel Webster Elementary School attendance area: the area encompassing Embarcadero, SoMa, Potrero Hill, Dogpatch, and Mission Bay neighborhoods.
"Today is a day to celebrate the Mission Bay community and the kids who will call this school their own for generations to come," said Supervisor Matt Dorsey. "This school is the result of years of hard work, unrelenting advocacy, and determination from families and leaders who came together to make it happen. As Mission Bay and our eastern neighborhoods continue to grow, this school is an investment in a family-friendly future that reflects 21st century urbanism. Let’s go, Mission Bay!"
Ahead of the opening of Mission Bay Elementary School, the SFMTA has completed street safety improvements designed to help students and families travel safely to and from school from day one. Through the Mission Bay Quick-Build Project, community-identified safety concerns have been addressed with traffic-calming measures, protected bike lane enhancements, reduced speed limits, and high-visibility crosswalks around the school. Developed through the San Francisco County Transportation Authority's Mission Bay School Access Plan, the upgrades create safer, more comfortable routes for everyone who walks, bikes, rolls, takes transit, or drives in the area
.
"We want to ensure kids have the safest possible commute to school, no matter how they get there, at this beautiful new school and every other in San Francisco," said SFMTA Director of Transportation Julie Kirschbaum. "Creating safer streets around schools is a priority across San Francisco, and as Mission Bay welcomes a new school, we've delivered safety upgrades so the surrounding streets are ready from day one. With lower speeds, clearer crossings and protected bikeways now in place, children and families can get to and from school with greater safety, comfort and confidence."
See ribbon cutting and building photos here.
Learn more about the new school in Mission Bay here.
Learn more about the SFUSD Bond Program here.
###
