Natural beauty, open space, charming small towns, seemingly endless possibilities for outdoor adventures – just a few of the reasons why we love where we live. For parents, however, what starts the list is the number of quality public schools.

In Marin, six elementary schools, three middle schools and three high schools have been recognized as California Distinguished schools. (For Distinguished School honors, schools “must meet a variety of eligibility criteria including designated federal and state accountability measures based on No Child Left Behind, Adequate Yearly Progress, and the Academic Performance Index requirements.” *)

Title or not, Marin public schools offer a body of caring, qualified, seasoned teachers and resource specialists, cheerful, renovated classrooms with low student-teacher ratios, modern facilities, and access to high-tech learning experiences. What’s also significant is the amount of parent involvement and community support that helps fill the gaps that state budget cuts bring: it’s not uncommon for school foundations to raise $500,000 or more each year to help maintain classes in art, music and PE.

Marin is also home to a variety of excellent private schools of all grade levels and educational philosophies, such as Montessori and Waldorf schools; we even have one of the few French Lycee campuses in the Bay Area.

The North Bay offers much to nourish the soul. The quality of our public schools assures that our young minds are nourished as well.

Resources:

Marin County Office of Education

Sonoma County Office of Education

Neighborhood Navigator: Research public, private, and catholic schools and districts 

* Source: 2010 Distinguished Elementary Schools – California School Recognition Program

Follow along as the full list unfolds 100 Reasons Why We Love Where We Live

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Posted by:  Frank Howard Allen Realtors

Having lived in Kentfield for almost 15 years, it’s great to know you can get a great education for free in Marin County, and specifically Kentfield.

Here is a recent article in the Marin IJ that talks about our most recent school awards in Marin.

Both of my daughters have grown up going to Kentfield schools, having started at Bacich Elementary and moving on through both Kent Middle School and Redwood High School (located in Larkspur). I am proud to say the Kentfield schools are not only free, but the school system will actually save me $25,000 next year.

How can a school district save you $25,000, you say?

My daughter Lindsay graduated from Redwood with honors and took a multitude of college-level Advanced Placement (AP) courses during her Junior and Senior years in high school. As a result, not only was she ready for college, she started out at the University of California with almost enough credits to make her a sophomore! I am proud to say Lindsay is graduating this spring in only three years, enough to save me $25,000 over the course of a college year!

This is just another reason to encourage your friends and family to move to magical Marin County, where not only do we live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, but we also have one of the finest school systems in the country!

Posted by:Rick E. Smith

I was standing outside an open house yesterday when I overheard an elderly gentleman tell another couple, “Sun Valley Elementary does a pretty decent job, but when you get to middle school, you better watch out. The middle school and high school are not good.” Wow, what a statement. Unfortunately, this man is grossly misinformed.

You see, I have two boys. The oldest is Charlie who is 16. He is a junior at San Rafael High School; he also attended Davidson Middle School. Daniel is 10. He is in fifth grade at Sun Valley Elementary School and will be attending Davidson next year. Both of these kids are well balanced, bright children. If you ask Charlie (4.1 g.p.a.) when the lights went on regarding academics, he will tell you, “6th grade math.” Ask him who is favorite teacher is and he’ll say, “Mr. Kordick, 6th grade Social Studies.” Yes, there are a slew of highly respected high school teachers that he likes now, but his middle school teachers held the keys that unlocked his academic vault.

Two weeks ago, I attended a function at Davidson Middle School. I was able to “shadow” a student through her morning classes. I am truly impressed by the mutual respect that the students and teachers hold for each other. The classrooms are clean and decorated with projects the students are working to finish. I was able to experience some great intellectual exchanges between student and instructor. The kids are not disruptive nor are they disrespectful. There seems to be a lot of learning going on at Davidson Middle School!

There is a large population of diverse ethnicities that attend the San Rafael City Schools. Our family looks at this cultural and ethnic diversity as a huge “plus.” One “gets” to experience different languages, different viewpoints and different cultures. This is real life! Take a look at California, where our children will one day work and co-exist with so many vastly different people. California is a conglomeration of ethnicities from all over this planet and our San Rafael City Schools reflect the melting pot that is California.

Next time you or someone you know wants information regarding San Rafael City Schools, I highly recommend making an appointment with the principal to see and experience the school firsthand. I promise you will be impressed beyond your wildest dreams. You can contact the school district through its website at www.srcs.org .

Posted by:Mark Machado