The Marin School

150 North San Pedro Road

San Rafael, CA 94903

25 Reviews

School District
Grade

8-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by other on May 06, 2023

It's no surprise that this school is going out of existence. There was some good work done here for sure. Some great teachers and many great students over the years, with great parents backing them up. But for too many years the administrative leadership here was incompetent and eccentric, even vindictive and unethical, and they promoted those who went along for the ride, while pushing down and out those with more integrity. You cannot keep behaving like that and expect to survive in the long term. HR at this school was notorious among educators and other people in the know, which prevented the school from ever getting on a secure footing. Most people who worked here never again wanted anything to do with the place after leaving. So the school squandered, over and over, any chance of creating a long term community of support in a wider way, which is what healthy schools need to do to stay healthy. Also there was some strange secret lurking under the history of this school from early on, and the cover up of that shame harmed the school's culture and community standing forever after. Try to find out the name of the first head of school and its founders, which is info commonly shared by any school, and see how you draw a total blank here. Even if an organization does good sometimes, it cannot also keep doing the opposite of good behind the scenes and expect to prosper. You cannot keep hurting people and refusing to correct your ways without consequences. Those consequences, sadly for the good people still involved with the school, are now happening. Those responsible need to take a long overdue look in the mirror and hold themselves to account. What a shame, in so many ways.
Submitted by parent on October 07, 2021

My son studied at this school and it is clear that the teachers are dog water.
Submitted by parent on February 27, 2021

The Marin School is a wonderful, supportive school. My son attended TMS for one year after the school he had been attending abruptly closed. The teachers, students and administration could not have been more welcoming. The quality of the education is fantastic, the environment is supportive and I respect and trust the administration who really partner with the broader school community. The transition to distance learning in the spring of 2019 was quite smooth and I love how creative they were in making a memorable graduation experience (drive-in movie style) despite the pandemic. If a small school environment is what you seek, I highly recommend TMS.
Submitted by parent on October 21, 2020

Our daughter is a senior at The Marin School (TMS) and we couldn’t be happier. We feel so lucky that we found TMS and decided that the commute from San Francisco would be worth it. It has been, and more. We were looking for a school that could provide individual attention and differentiated learning for our daughter while also challenging her academically. We have had first-hand experience with schools that say that they provide this, but in fact don’t. It can really only be done with dedicated teachers and a small student:teacher ratio. We knew TMS had a small student:teacher ratio when we applied, but found out how talented , dedicated and caring the teachers are at TMS once our daughter started in 9th grade. She’s now a senior and has grown tremendously and is well prepared for college. We are honestly blown away by the ability of TMS to provide excellent, supported, standard and honors courses for core subjects. We’re impressed by the school's ability to meet the needs of all students not just because of its size, but because it’s so rare. We were initially concerned about the social life at TMS because it’s small, but through clubs, lunch, where all grades are combined, and the culture at TMS, our daughter has always had many friends, with friends in different grades. We are highly satisfied.
Submitted by parent on October 02, 2020

The Marin School is a fabulous, small high school that both challenges and supports its students. Our son has been a student at TMS for over two years, and the teachers and small class sizes have brought out the best in him academically. The teachers are very talented, develop close connections with the students, and truly care about both the students and the school community. The administration, led by the recently retired and now the new head of school, communicates frequently and thoroughly, so one always knows developments and priorities. Given its size, TMS students are not part of a large social pool - that might be a good fit or not for any particular student. What one does find is a culture of kindness and the development of tight friendships and camaraderie. The school, unlike so many other high schools, is not a pressure cooker for the kids; they graduate with strong self-awareness and -esteem, and a sense of direction. I highly recommend this school for any family that, in the interest of their kids, is open to exploring a school that is a little off the map.
Submitted by parent on December 02, 2018

The Marin School was a great find for our family. Our freshman is thriving there. From the great teachers, to the small class sizes, to the beautiful campus, our son has found a place where he can learn and grow. We live in San Francisco and are very satisfied with the transportation option. Overall, we feel very "at home" with TMS.
Submitted by parent on October 30, 2018

The Marin School is a fantastic fit for my son. The small learning environment, the close connection with teachers, the open and responsive administration are all reasons why I'd recommend this high school! He especially loves the creative "Outside the Walls" week. Last year his group created a STEM arcade that was open to the public in a local mall. Impressive!
Submitted by parent on October 30, 2018

Excellent. The staff and faculty are very responsive and caring. It has helped my daughter find her interests and inspires her. I feel like she is finding who she is and developing her unique interests. She is taking honors classes and having fun. She also spends time in the FabLab - their maker space deserves special mention as it is particularly good and run by a a teacher who did movie special effects.
Submitted by parent on October 24, 2018

The school is welcoming, pulls students up to meet their potential, has a great corp of teachers, and has a culture of kindness where each kid can be his or herself. We are very happy to have our child at TMS and to be part of the community.
Submitted by parent on May 31, 2018

TMS is a fabulous school for our child. The small class size and great teachers & staff make all the difference. They really care about each individual student. Being so small, less than 100 students in grades 9-12, enables TMS to give each student everything they need, whether it be more challenge, tutoring or emotional support. We are extremely happy with this school.
Submitted by parent on April 20, 2015

My son is happy here and is getting an excellent education. I feel like the teachers truly care about him, his well-being, and his future.
Submitted by parent on January 28, 2015

I can t overstate the positive impact this school had on my son s education. My son is a non-traditional learner with an amazing mind. At his first high school he was a square peg being squashed through a round hole and was demoralized. Graduation looked unlikely. Then we switched to The Marin School and our only regret is that we did not do it earlier. The school worked patiently with my son as he regained his confidence and it was beautiful to see his previous love for learning gradually re-ignited. He graduated with a sense of accomplishment and community. He was prepared to enter a top college engineering program where he has completed his first term fully engaged, with great grades. None of this seemed likely when he entered TMS a few years ago. The teachers at TMS are amazing. They have impressive credentials and could teach anywhere, but they choose TMS because it is where they feel their teaching ability has the greatest impact. TMS is not for every kid. By necessity most of its resources go into its teachers so the extra-curricular offerings are limited. But for high-potential kids that are non-traditional learners, there is no other school that comes close to TMS.
Submitted by parent on March 25, 2014

This is a fabulous high school, unique in how it treats the whole person, and accepts the as they are. My daughter feels comfortable, and confident, and very proud of the success she has had in her first year of high school, after years of struggling in her studies. She loves her teachers, and thinks of them as family. She has made more friends in her first year at The Marin School than in her previous eight years of school! Wonderful student body!
Submitted by parent on March 24, 2014

The faculty at The Marin School are world class. They teach to each students' strengths and they individualize to each students' needs. The staff truly care about the students and they go out of their way to create a sense of community. The students are responsible and they care about each other. They learn to think critically, write well, and they are self-empowered to care about their own education. The school stays on top of the usual problems faced by all high schools. The kids are happy and they want to learn. I have been thoroughly impressed with all aspects of this school. After six years of having my children at this school, I think it is the best high school in Marin.
Submitted by parent on December 12, 2013

What a gem! One of my boys started here in the fall of 2013 and has blossomed in ways I never thought I would see. He is a very smart child but not always a traditional learner. This school allows the teachers the opportunity to get to know the kids as individuals and help them achieve their personal best. The academics are challenging and the special classes like Art and Music are beyond fabulous. The creativity and warm community are also a huge plus! The administration is top notch and the college counselor is also a bonus. This is definitely one to check out!
Submitted by parent on October 27, 2013

My son has just begun his second year at TMS and is enjoying school for the first time ever. The teachers are talented educators AND are experts in their subject areas. They're also perceptive about the learning styles of different kinds of students. The school offers a nice variety of electives and extracurriculars, from music and drama to engineering (check out the Fab lab in you take the tour). Non-faculty staff (coach, counselor, college counselor, librarian, learning specialist etc.) are all talented, caring professionals and always have time for students.
Submitted by parent on October 26, 2013

Small but Mighty! With a student body of <100, this four-year, college-prep independent high school offers high-caliber individualized instruction from some of the best teachers I've ever met. My daughter's classes average about 8 students. TMS's recent move to its beautiful new San Rafael campus means plenty of space for state-of-the-art classrooms; art, film, and music studios; Fab Lab; and theater. The unofficial motto there's no back row at The Marin School is a great description of a learning environment that's challenging, engaging, and inspiring for any and every student.
Submitted by other on October 24, 2013

This school is great! The students are wonderful and smart, the teachers are amazing, engaging mentors.
Submitted by student on May 27, 2013

The Marin School is what saved me. I was falling to the back of the classroom in a big, public school. The Marin School's personalized attention is what made me a more outgoing person. The teacher-student relationships at The Marin School are something all other schools try to replicate. I could not be happier at this school. There are no cliques; everyone is so friendly and so welcoming! I made friends within the first ten minutes I was at The Marin School. It really is a welcoming community that all individuals can thrive in. While some Negative Nancys focus on the problems of The Marin School, it really is extraordinary that such an experiential and progressive small school can succeed. Most of the other private schools in the area are pressure-cookers, but The Marin School is unique. We don't value extreme homework and stress levels. We value learning. We value teaching our kids true life lessons and learning valuable things. This school is a blessing. I think the new Head of School is doing a superb job, bringing in more students while still staying true to the morals of the school philosophy. I would probably still be in the back of a classroom if it wasn't for this school.
Submitted by student on February 17, 2013

This is the most god awful school on the planet. the school advertises " a high school that fits you" but all i found was cold shoulders and turned backs. the new director of the school was purely interested in profits. i would recommend this school for no one.