Mission:
The Bay Area Directors of Admission (BADA) group exists to support families and schools in the admission process by promoting best practices. Members agree to collaborate in the process of implementing best practices that support smooth, respectful, and predictable admission experiences for both families and schools.
If you are a parent:
Welcome! We’re glad you found this site, and we hope it’s helpful as you explore educational options. Please reach out directly to the schools you are exploring to clarify any questions about admissions or school programs.
If you are a teacher:
We appreciate your partnership in supporting families. Sometimes, teachers receive our common recommendation form and are not sure where it should be sent. We wish we had the answer to that question, but you’ll need to contact the applying family to find out. BADA does not have access to that information.
If you are a school staff member interested in joining the organization:
Please contact Dana prior to filling out paperwork or paying dues. Please note that BADA is the consortium for K-8 schools, or subsets. We have member schools that have high schools, as well, but schools offering only 9-12th grades belong to a different consortium.
If you are a San Francisco Bay Area high school hoping to be listed on the ISSFBA website:
We are happy to discuss this with you. Please reach out to the BADA coordinator at bayareabada@gmail.com.
For more information about the Bay Area Directors of Admission, BADA, and the ISSFBA group:
Please contact our coordinator, Dana Nelson-Isaacs, at bayareabada@gmail.com. Thank you!
History
In the early 1990s, a handful of K-8 independent school admission directors in San Francisco started meeting annually to set a common decision mailing date and establish best practices in order to coordinate efforts to support families. Pat DeNezza from The Hamlin School, Jeff Escabar from Marin Country Day School, Lynn McKannay from Town School for Boys, Harriet Moss from Katherine Delmar Burke School, Pam Thorpe from Schools of the Sacred Heart, Edie Wexler from French American International School, and Dottie Wylie from Cathedral School for Boys were the founding members of The Bay Area Directors of Admission (BADA).
From there, our grassroots organization gradually grew, adding independent schools each year. By 2012, we had over 50 member schools and together were working with preschool directors to support parents through the independent school admission process. As of July 2019, our consortium has over 75 member schools and we are still growing.
BADA incorporated into a 501c6 in 2013 and is governed by a Board representing membership across our service area. We also use the Independent Schools of the San Francisco Bay Area (ISSFBA) as an identifying name and website.
Board members for ’22-23 are:
President: Amy Pearson (Mount Tamalpais School)
Vice President: Taryn Grogan (Nueva School)
Secretary: Stewart Dorsey (San Francisco School)
Treasurer: Nicole Start (St. Paul’s Episcopal School)
Program Chair: Roxy Nielsen (Episcopal Day School of San Mateo)
Members at Large: Tara Boland (Cathedral School for Boys), Donnie Smith (Redwood Day School), Jennifer Krasowski (Montessori De Terra Linda), Brian Barish (Charles Armstrong School)
We extend our thanks to past Board members:
Lisa Aquino
Dana Goldberg
Tracey Gersten
Jamie Moffett
Shelley Willig
Cheryl Jagoda
Mary Jo Heindel
Michael Thompson
Diane Boodrookas
Ben Harrison
Mandy Tachiki
Jennifer Clarke
Erwin Wong
Lauren Miller
Homa Hanjani
Jennifer Tyler
Joe Connolly
Pete Lavaroni
Maile Uohara
Christian Donovan
Yvette Bonaparte
Dunja Solari
Meeta Gaitonde
Jacquelyn Kurzer
NJ Han
Ida Gruber
Linda Vann-Adibe
Renée Thompson
Mission and Vision:
The Bay Area Directors of Admission (BADA) group exists to support families and schools in the admission process by promoting best practices, coordinated timelines, and open communication. Members agree to collaboratively implement best practices so as to ensure smooth, respectful and predictable admission experiences for both families and schools. Membership is open to independent schools in the Bay Area that share and agree to practice the mission of BADA by living the guidelines of best practices, adherence to protocols and deadlines, and maintaining open communication.
For more information about the Bay Area Directors of Admission, BADA, and the ISSFBA group, please contact our coordinator, Dana Nelson-Isaacs, at bayareabada@gmail.com. If you are a school staff member interested in joining the organization, please contact Dana prior to filling out paperwork or paying dues. Thank you!