The Iranian School of San Diego is entering its 38th year of instruction starting September 8th, 2025, welcoming hundreds of new and returning students. Each Sunday, students gather from all parts of San Diego to learn the language of Farsi from instructors and volunteers. 

As I spoke to Ali Sadr, president of ISSD, it was easy to see the immense success of the school as a whole. He shared with me that in its early beginnings, the school had about fifty students, but has since grown to over three hundred pupils. A large factor into the growth of enrolled students is the welcoming environment that the school provides, especially for the younger kids. 

“Typically, we welcome about 50-60 new students into our Pre-k and Kindergarten classes, and it’s important to me that these 5- and 6-year-olds feel embraced in their new environment,” Sadr said. ISSD has classes for all ages, and it is very common for the youngest of Farsi students to attend classes for all of their childhood, with many older students coming back after their instruction has ended to volunteer and become teaching assistants. Having Farsi school class in combination with their traditional education in American schools has helped their growth immensely, especially considering the tight-knit community that Farsi school becomes for students as they go up class levels. 

Because the school is operated independently and not affiliated with religious or political entities,  it has the freedom to modify the curriculum and educational format to best support the needs of the students as a whole. The textbooks and other materials are thoughtfully created to ensure efficient language learning and vary between age and proficiency level. Some of the created educational tools like workbooks have even been implemented in other Farsi schools across the country. One of the many values that ISSD encourages is having pride in one’s heritage and ethnic roots, resulting in intricately-designed assignments students complete in class. These assignments range from geographical to historical themes, enabling students to not only deepen their knowledge of spoken and written Farsi, but the origins and context behind the language itself. 

The ISSD is a uniquely “Farsi” school. In addition to being an educational institution, it also serves as a cultural center of various arts and specialties. This translates into a richly diverse curriculum as well as countless immersion activities for all students. Alongside traditional schooling on Sunday mornings, students can choose to participate in Persian dance classes, theatre, music and art classes. Students at ISSD have the opportunity to not only learn a language, but learn the customs and arts of the country itself. This has fostered not only a school-wide appreciation for the Persian language, but a genuine love for the beautiful Persian traditions that are intertwined with the school activities.

Though ISSD has formed a basic format for their curriculum over the years, it will continue to refine their educational and cultural standards to accommodate for any changes that could limit the students’ performance in school. 

As early as its initial opening to the San Diego community, this Farsi school’s mission was clear, says Sadr. “Our ultimate aim is for our students, through wisdom and effort, to become compassionate and upright individuals.” 

This article was written for the Yale Daily News’ 2025 Summer Journalism Program for high school students.