What was once two acres of cracked asphalt behind Everett Middle School is now a lush, multi-use outdoor space that captures stormwater, supports student learning, and offers a model for climate-smart urban design. 

Students at the San Francisco public school returned this fall to a transformed campus in the heart of the Mission and Castro districts. Gone is the heat-reflecting blacktop. In its place: rain gardens, a permeable turf field, a shaded seating area, and sports courts designed for basketball, volleyball, and even pickleball. But the most impressive part of the makeover isn’t just what students can see — it’s what the yard can do.

Thanks to green infrastructure upgrades, the new Everett schoolyard can capture and manage up to one million gallons of stormwater each year. Instead of rushing into the city's sewer system, stormwater is now absorbed into the soil or stored in a cistern for later use. It’s a big win for both the neighborhood and the environment, especially as San Francisco prepares for more intense storms fueled by climate change.

“This project shows what's possible through strong partnerships. With support from the San Francisco Unified School District, the San Francisco Education Fund, a private donor, and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), we've created not just a system to manage stormwater, but a beautiful, educational space for students in the community. The green infrastructure helps rain soak into the ground, reduces flooding, and teaches the next generation the value of building climate resilience,” said Dennis Herrera, SFPUC General Manager.

The Everett project is part of a growing movement to reimagine urban schoolyards as multifunctional spaces that combine education, recreation, and environmental performance. It was made possible by a unique public-private partnership: The SFPUC provided foundational funding through its Green Infrastructure Grant Program which covered roughly one-third of the nearly $6 million project cost. Additional funding came from the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) and a private donor working through the San Francisco Education Fund. 

The Green Infrastructure Grant Program has funded 29 projects across the city including 10 in partnership with SFUSD with a combined goal of capturing over 18 million gallons of stormwater annually. The long-term vision: to manage 1 billion gallons of stormwater a year by 2050. As the project at Everett Middle School shows, we’re on the way!