Applying to Proof
Affording Proof
A school designed for kids who love math
Proof is a full-curriculum school where students explore beautiful, demanding mathematics in unusual breadth and depth; encounter literature, history, science, and the arts in courses that are every bit as rich and ambitious; and grow up among kind and curious peers in a healthy and joyful environment.
Small by design
In our small school, students know β and are known by β people throughout the community. Friendships stretch across grade levels, older students look out for younger ones, and teachers often work with the same students at several points from sixth through twelfth grades. Being small also gives us flexibility to help students run with their ideas, whether they want to build an electric guitar from scratch, write and stage a play, organize a field trip, or help shape next yearβs electives. At Proof, students donβt simply belong to the community; they help make it what it is.
Thinking, seeing & growing
through mathematicsβ¦
β¦with plenty of time to βstruggle with itβ β’
Real understanding takes patience, and the willingness to stick with it. Extended class periods give students time to grapple with unfamiliar problems, test ideas, debate interpretations, run experiments, and iterate on their work. They might devote a whole afternoon to two difficult math problems, research and refine a single extended essay over a semester, or carry out a long-term project from its first spark to a polished final product.
Beyond core content, classes often focus on specific themes or topics, inviting students to dive deep, develop genuine expertise, and put their knowledge to work in increasingly sophisticated ways. Teachers know when to lead, when to push, and when to step back. Students leave Proof ready to approach unfamiliar problems with confidence, change course when an initial approach fails, and turn their ideas into work of real substance.
Love math?
There are many ways to love math. Students may take deep satisfaction in puzzling through a difficult problem, relish the rush of a math competition, or become absorbed in an open-ended problem with no known answer β and many enjoy all three. What our students share is curiosity: they notice patterns, enjoy applying familiar ideas in unfamiliar ways, and want to know not only whether a claim is true, but why. At Proof, students learn to reason carefully, pursue deep understanding, communicate their thinking clearly, and persist when challenged. We look for students who bring curiosity to the full curriculum, kindness to the community, and a willingness to grow.
We take learning seriously. We take being a kid seriously, too.
Outside the classroom
At Proof, there is room to do things simply because they sound fun. At break and lunch, students head for the ping-pong table, improvise games from whatever is on hand, make everything from crocheted creatures to intricate origami tessellations, or jam with an informal band in the biology lab. Wednesday activities and Build Weeks bring an ever-changing mix of workshops, clubs, and creative projects, from setting routes on the climbing wall and exploring philosophy to singing with our school choral group. Enthusiasm is contagious. Proofniks are unafraid to be beginners, are generous with what they know, and are eager to invite others into whatever has captured their imagination.
Outreach
Sharing what we love is part of our mission. Proof students help lead public math festivals, elementary and middle school students join us for summer camp, and our campus serves as a host site for competitions such as the Bay Area Math Out Loud Olympiad. Bay Area educators also gather at Proof through the San Francisco Math Teachersβ Circle to explore rich mathematical ideas together. These programs invite people of all ages to experience mathematics as creative, collaborative, and delightful, while giving Proof students meaningful ways to share what they know and love with the broader community.
Not a school where everything happens,
but a school where anything is possible.
Mia, 8th grade
Favorite math class so far has beenβ¦
Algebra 2b. I learned a lot and the way the class was formatted made it fun.
Find me at break...
Chatting with my friends + eating their food. :-)
What about the commute?
One thing I recommend is kind of getting into a rhythm with the commute. I chat with my friends and maybe do a little bit of homework while I'm on public transportation. If you have other Proofniks on your bus, train, or other modes of transportation, itβs fun to chat with them!
Pasha, 9th grade
If not math, thenβ¦
Music! I appreciate the ability of music to say anything without saying anything.
Find me at break...
Playing table tennis or on the climbing wall.
What makes Proof School?
The community and the great teachers.
What about the commute?
I ride Caltrain. Itβs long, but when you have friends on the way with you, it's a lot of fun!
Tori, 12th grade
My favorite math class has beenβ¦
Symmetries and Orbifolds. Never would I ever have thought that tiling wallpapers and pretty pictures could be so mathematically oriented. I love being able to create things that looked cool, and then lift the hood and find a world of mathematical rigor and implications for other fields like linear algebra.
Find me at break...
Chatting with friends and eating Trader Joeβs snacks!
I want prospective families to knowβ¦
If you love math, this is the place for you! If you're not sure about math yet, that's okay too! Proof is more for students who love learning, diving deeply into niche topics, and exploring what you're interested in.
