Prospective Families

Prospective Barnard Families

ATTENTION SAN DIEGO PARENTS:
Choice Priority Application window for Fall 2024-25 is Oct 2 – Nov 15, 2023!

Do you have a child that will be entering Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) in the coming years? Is Mandarin immersion right for your child? Do you want your children to have an exceptional experience in elementary school? Consider Barnard Mandarin Magnet Elementary School!

This page offers many resources to answer your questions about our school. 

Take a Virtual Tour!

Tour Barnard from the comfort of your own desk! Visit the Tour Our School page on our web site to find videos of our classrooms, student ambassadors, and Barnard parents.

Come Tour Our School!

Contact the office at (858) 800-5700 to reserve your spot for an in-person school tour and meet our Principal and some of our students! School tours are available on the following dates:
September 26, 2023
October 3, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 2023
November 7, 2023
January 9, 2024
February 13, 15, 2024
March 12, 2024
April 9, 2024

Fast Facts about Barnard Mandarin Magnet Elementary School

  • Tuition-free enrollment. Barnard is a TK-5 public magnet school in the San Diego Unified School District, located in Pacific Beach. Interested families should apply in the fall via the District’s “Choice” program.
  • Multilingual academic excellence. 80% Mandarin immersion in kindergarten; 50% immersion in grades 1 – 5. California Standard Common Core English and Math instruction.
  • Language and culture. Ancient Chinese arts, such as abacus, tai chi, calligraphy, music, and dance, are integrated throughout the curriculum.
  • Well-rounded programs. Before and after school care available*, in addition to a variety of enrichment programs.
  • Supportive community. Our PTA brings additional social, artistic, athletic, and academic opportunities to every student.

Take a Closer Look!

  • Take a tour.  Weekly tours for prospective Choice applicants are offered in the fall prior to the Choice application deadline. Additional tours are scheduled January through April. Contact the Barnard front office for more information and reserve your spot: 858-800-5700.
  • Meet our parents. We asked some Barnard parents at a recent coffee event why they chose our school for their kids and what they love about Barnard. Watch this video to find out what they had to say.
  • Visit some of our classrooms. See our classrooms! Watch these videos for a glimpse of our wonderful teachers and their classrooms. 
  • Meet our PTA.  Our PTA board is eager to support our teachers, students, and families in every way possible. Get in touch anytime if you have ideas, concerns, or just want to chat.

How to Enroll

Choice into Barnard. To enroll your student at Barnard you must submit a Choice application to SDUSD in the fall the year before your student begins school. The last day to complete a Choice priority application for the 2024-25 school year is November 15, 2023. Information can be found here. Some grades still have spaces available for the 23-24 school year. Contact the office at 858-800-5700 for more details.

If you want to speak with a parent of existing student(s), please contact the PTA Board here.

Transfers. Students from outside the San Diego Unified School District may apply to transfer into our school mid-year. Contact our front office at 858-800-5700 for more information.

Helpful Web Sites 

Need more information? 

  • Contact the PTA board if you’d like more information. 

We hope to meet you soon!