Mill Valley Schools

Evaluating the local school system is an important factor for many families who are contemplating the purchase of a new home. When looking for a school that will meet the needs of your child, you will find that the community of Mill Valley offers many quality choices, both public and private.

Public Schools in Mill Valley

Mill Valley is served by two public school districts; Mill Valley School District on the elementary school level and Tamalpais Union High School District, which includes Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley.

Mill Valley School District is a well-respected public school district comprised of five elementary schools and one middle school.  It serves Mill Valley and the unincorporated areas of Alto, Strawberry Point, Tamalpais Valley, Muir Beach, Panoramic Ridge, and Homestead Valley.  Students enrolled in Mill Valley Elementary School District consistently score well above the state average on the California Standards Tests (CSTs).  Support systems include GATE (Gifted and Talented Education), Special Education, and academic support for English language learners.  Before and after childcare is available at all elementary schools in the Mill Valley School District.

Tamalpais Union High School District provides secondary school education to students coming from ten elementary districts in Marin County.  It includes three comprehensive high schools (one in Mill Valley), all of which have been designated as California Distinguished Schools, and two alternative schools.

 

Maguire (Edna) Elementary School

80 Lomita Drive

Mill Valley, CA 94941

(415) 389-7733

Grades: K-5

Maguire Elementary School is a highly rated school, educating students in grades Kindergarten through 5.  The school's 2006 API ranked in the top 10% of schools in California with a comparable grade range.  In 1998 Maguire School was selected as a California Distinguished School.

 

Old Mill Elementary School

352 Throckmorton Ave

Mill Valley, CA 94941

(415) 389-7727

Old Mill School

Grades: K-5

Old Mill School has a student body of just fewer than 300.  The  Old Mill School won the California Distinguished School Award in 1998.  This was the third time Old Mill School had earned this award since the program's establishment in 1985.  George Cory, composer of I Left My Heart in San Francisco, was a student at Old Mill School.

 

Park Elementary School

360 East Blithedale Ave

Mill Valley, CA 94941

(415) 389-7735

Park School

Grades: K-5

Park Elementary School is a Kindergarten through 5th grade school that serves slightly over 300 students.  With a 2006 API of 904, Park School is above the state goal of 800.  Parent support and involvement is strong at Park Elementary School, with parents, teachers, and the principal working as a team to accomplish school-wide goals.  In 2002 Park Elementary School was awarded the California Distinguished School award for the third time.

 

Strawberry Point School

117 East Strawberry Drive

Mill Valley, CA 94941

(415) 380-2490

Strawberry Point

Grades: K-5

Strawberry Point School is a Kindergarten through 5th grade school, and participates in the State Class Size Reduction Program, as do all schools in the Mill Valley School District.  This supplemental funding allows districts to reduce class sizes to 20 or less in grades K-3.  California Standards Testing (CST) scores reflect a high level of academic proficiency in students attending Strawberry Point School.  Strawberry Point School was named a  California Distinguished School in 1989.

 

Tamalpais Valley Elementary School

350 Bell Lane

Mill Valley,  CA 94941

(415) 389-7731

Tam Valley School

Grades: K-5

Tamalpais Valley Elementary School was chosen as a California Distinguished School in 1997.  With an API score of 931 in 2006, it is in the top 10% of all schools in the state with a comparable grade range.  The school offers after school enrichment classes through a program run by the Mill Valley Parks and Recreation Department.  Formal identification of Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) students occurs at the end of fourth grade, with "clustering" beginning in 5th grade.

 

Mill Valley Middle School

425 Sycamore Ave.

Mill Valley, CA 94941

(415) 389-7711

Mill Valley Middle School

Grades: 6-8

Mill Valley Middle School educates over 700 students coming from the five elementary schools in the area.  The average class size in 2005/2006 was 22-24 students, which is below the state average of 29.  2006 API results rank Mill Valley Middle School in the top 10% of all schools in California with a comparable grade range.  California Standards Test (CST) scores rate Mill Valley Middle School students as above average in all academic proficiency areas.  Mill Valley Middle School has earned the California Distinguished School Award four times.

 

Tamalpais High School

700 Miller Ave

Mill Valley, CA 94941

(415) 388-3292

Tamalpais High School

Tamalpais High School serves students from Mill Valley, Marin City, Sausalito, Stinson, and Bolinas.  Tamalpais High School has a comprehensive curriculum, which includes Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) classes, foreign languages, technical arts, and an on site Regional Occupational Program (ROP).  Tamalpais High School provides opportunity for travel and language immersion through its Global Studies program.  Past Global Study trips have included France, Spain, Cuba, Vietnam, England, Ireland, and Italy.  All of the Sock Hop scenes of the 1973 film American Graffiti were filmed in the boy's gym at Tamalpais High.  Interesting alumni include the actress Eve Arden; Joe Breeze, one of the inventors of the mountain bike; John Cipollina, lead guitarist for Quicksilver Messenger Service; and Pat Paulsen, statesman and comic.

 

Tamiscal High Alternative High School

305 Doherty Drive

Larkspur, CA 94939

(415) 945-3750

Tamiscal High School

Grades: 9-12

Tamiscal High School is a small independent high school within the Tamalpais Union High School District.  The Tamiscal curriculum offers a program that allows a high school diploma, but not necessarily the courses needed to gain entrance into a university.  University entry courses such as foreign language and upper level lab sciences must be taken elsewhere.

 

San Andreas Continuation/Alternative High School

599 William Ave

Larkspur, 94939

(415) 945-3770

San Andreas Alternative

Grades: 9-12

San Andreas High School offers a program for students who have difficulty in a large school setting.

 

Mill Valley Private Schools

In addition to the excellent public schools, there are several private campuses in Mill Valley.

Greenwood School

17 Buena Vista Ave

Mill Valley, CA 94941

(415) 388-0495

Greenwood School

Grades: K-8

Type: Waldorf inspired

Greenwood School is a coeducational elementary school offering a dynamic education that recognizes the developmental phases and fosters the emerging capacities of each child. Enlivened education is filled with vitality, enthusiasm and spirit of imagination. Greenwood School also offers after school programs with age appropriate activities led by trained teachers and staff.

 

Marin Horizon School

305 Montford Ave

Mill Valley, CA 94941

(415) 388-8408

Marin Horizon School

Grades: Preschool-8

Type: Montessori inspired

Marin Horizon School is a Montessori inspired, coeducational day school serving students  from nursery school through 8th grade.  Horizon School offers an after school enrichment program, after school athletics for students in grades 3-8, extended before and after school care, and a highly-acclaimed summer camp.  The preschool campus is located in Tiburon.

 

Mount Tamalpais School

100 Harvard Ave

Mill Valley, CA 94941

(415) 383-9434

Mount Tamalpais School

Grades: K-8

Type: nonsectarian

Mount Tamalpais School is a coeducational day school, enrolling students in grades Kindergarten through 8.  In addition to traditional elementary school curriculum, Mount Tamalpais School teaches both French and Spanish to students in grades K-5.  Middle-school students choose one language for more in-depth study.  In addition, all 8th grade students take an introductory Latin I course.

 

Ring Mountain Day School

70 Lomita Drive

Mill Valley, CA 94941

(415) 381-8183

Ring Mountain Day School

Grades: Preschool-8

Type: nonsectarian

Ring Mountain Day School offers curriculum based on a traditional liberal arts education, emphasizing science, humanities, and the arts equally.  Ring Mountain Day School has programs for students from preschool through 8th grade.  After school enrichment classes welcome children from outside the school, however priority for enrollment is given to Ring Mountain Day School students.