A San Francisco private school with a popular Mandarin immersion program informed staff and families it will close at the end of the school year, blindsiding parents who were unaware of any talk of shutting the site.

Angry parents immediately launched a petition drive Thursday to stop the closure of the Stratford Schools’ 14th Avenue campus in the Richmond District and work with city officials to “address lease negotiations and permitting challenges.”

“This news – delivered without warning or prior community engagement – has shocked and dismayed families and staff alike,” said Hilary Ong, in the petition she started. “Many of us have made life-changing decisions based on our commitment to this school: purchasing homes in the Richmond District, enduring long commutes, and investing years of loyalty and tuition in the Stratford educational model.”

The school’s website included no mention of the closure Friday. Instead, it announced an expansion of its elementary school Mandarin immersion program.

School officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Stratford School, which started in 1999 in the back of a Danville church, is now a chain of more than 30 campuses offering preschool through high school education across California to more than 9,000 students.

Stratford has four sites in San Francisco.

Tuition at the 14th Avenue campus ranges from just under $25,000 for 10-month preschool or prekindergarten to $31,000 for the elementary school Mandarin immersion program.

Founded by a former educator, the schools are now operated by Campbell-based Spring Education Group, “majority-owned by investment funds administered by Primavera Holdings Limited, an investment firm owned by Chinese persons and principally based in Hong Kong with operations in the United States, China and Singapore,” according to the Stratford’s website.

The 14th Avenue school petition, signed by nearly 300 people as of Friday morning, called on the corporate owners to meet with families to discuss the reasons for the closure and possible alternatives. They also demanded clear transition plans for students and staff as well as continuity of the Mandarin immersion program at another San Francisco site if the 14th avenue campus is ultimately closed.

“This community deserves honesty, respect, and genuine problem-solving – not a corporate email and quiet withdrawal,” according to the petition. “The lack of transparency and accountability has deeply eroded trust, but we believe it is not too late for Stratford to demonstrate integrity and leadership by engaging with families and finding a solution together.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

This article originally published at S.F. families stunned by decision to close private school owned by Chinese investors.