The Chinese American International School has taken ownership of Mercy SF after 40 years of renting out spaces. CAIS bought Mercy’s Campus, and Mercy has transferred their Campus to the Chinese American International School. 

The closing of Mercy SF in 2020 impacted many students, as the announcement of Mercy SF closing down was a shock to many. The campus, which was founded by the Sisters of Mercy, had to close its doors due to not having sufficient funds after 68 years. 

Former student Amanda Montalbano ’22 said,  “I felt sad, and it was a bit of a perplexing experience because it was out of the blue. I imagined myself graduating from there.”

Mercy announced their closure back in January 2020 due to not having significant funding to maintain the campus. 

The Chinese American International School was founded in 1981, and was the first Chinese and English bilingual immersion school in the United States. The independent school teaches preschool through eighth grade alternate days teaching various subjects with Chinese-speaking teachers, as well as teachers who speak English. 

Now that it is official that CAIS has taken ownership, former students were taken back because the campus they once knew will never be the same. 

Montalbano said, “I was kind of at a loss for words, but I kind of saw it coming because when they closed the campus I knew someone else was going to take ownership of the school. I’m just sad that it won’t be the same.”