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Belvedere and Tiburon Education Facilities Focus on Younger Children

Beginning with nursery schools, and on to Pre-Kindergarten and on up to 8^th grade, the City of Belvedere and the Town of Tiburon offer educational institutions geared to 3 to 14 year-olds.

Why this younger concentration exists in these areas isn’t clear, since the demographics indicate that older people reside in these municipalities. The median age of residents of Tiburon is 48 and Belvedere is 56. But clearly, the distribution of educational facilities throughout the southern Marin County municipalities has been designed to fulfill the requirements for excellence through its varied, respected and often award-winning schools.

The Reed Union School District (RUSD) is the public elementary district that serves Belvedere and Tiburon. Its three school sites are located in Tiburon. They are Reed Elementary School, 1199 Tiburon Blvd., 415-435-7840, Elementary school for grades K-2; Bel Aire School, 277 Karen Way, 415-388-7100, Elementary school for grades 3-5; and Del Mar Intermediate School, 105 Avenida Miraflores, 415-435-1468, Middle school with grades 6-8.

District enrollment is approximately 1,035 students, with class size averaging approximately 22 students.  RUSD graduates attend high school in the Tamalpais Union High School District, as well as private schools in Marin County and San Francisco.

Ring Mountain Day School is an independent, co-ed preschool and elementary school. The preschool of Ring Mountain Day School is located in Tiburon, in an idyllic sunny setting surrounded by eucalyptus groves at the foot of Ring Mountain.

Completely renovated in 2000, the Ring Mountain campus includes 6 spacious classrooms, 2 outdoor play areas, office space and a faculty work area. Ring Mountain Day School, Preschool Campus is at 445 Greenwood Beach Road, 415-381-8181.

St. Hilary School is a Catholic day school located at 764 Hilary Dr. in Belvedere completed a multi-million dollar renovation in 2004. St. Hilary is a Primary Kindergarten through 8th Grade school.

Approximately 80% of the 270 students who attend St. Hilary are Catholic and the other remaining 20% come from other Christian and non-Christian faiths. The ratio of teacher to student is 1 teacher to every 8 students.

The Belvedere-Tiburon Child Care Center has three locations and a program that offers preschool programs, before & after school care, and summer camp. Locations include preschool site, St. Stephen’s Church, 3 Bayview Avenue, Belvedere, 415-435-4501; Reed Elementary School, 1199 Tiburon Blvd., Tiburon, 415-435-4366; and Bel Aire School, 277 Karen Way, Tiburon, 415-381-2243. Fees and schedules and contact information is at http://btccc.org/.

Also serving preschoolers in both Belvedere and Tiburon is Strawberry Preschool, located on 240 Tiburon Blvd. 415-388-4437.

Also located in Belvedere are Belvedere Nursery School and the Hawthorne Nursery School. Belvedere Nursery School is located at 15 Cove Road Place, 415-435-1661. It accepts 2 to 5 year olds. Also located in Tiburon is Hawthorne Nursery School at 145 Rock Hill Dr., 415-435-9757.

To those lucky enough to live in Tiburon or Belvedere, many fine educational opportunities exist. For those below the age of 14, many of these opportunities are close to home.

The CDP (Census Designated Place) of Kentfield has a population of fewer than 7,000, yet offers fine educational facilities for kindergarten through 12^th grade. It does this very well with two public schools and one private school.

The highly-regarded Kentfield School District at 750 College Ave., Telephone: 415-458-5130 comprises two schools with a total enrollment of approximately 1,000 students. They are the Anthony G. Bacich Elementary School and the Adaline E. Kent Middle School.  The District Superintendent is Mary Jo Pettegrew.

“The District has a strong academic program. Other programs include rich visual and performing arts, physical education, Spanish language, computer program and character education. Student achievement as measured by the 2005 STAR assessment places the District in the top 10% in Reading, Math, Language Arts and Spelling.”

“The average student teacher ratio in grades K-3 is under 20:1, and 23:1 at grades 4-8. The District enjoys the generous support of its active PTA, School Site Council, and the Kentfield Schools Foundation, a non-profit organization with a $1,000,000 annual goal.”

The Bacich Elementary School serves Kindergarten through 4^th grade with an enrollment of approximately 500 students. It is located at 25 McAllister Ave., Telephone: 415-925-2220. According to its Web site, Bacich is known for “its strong instructional program and core academics as well as visual and performing arts, health and physical education, and computer education.”

“Highly qualified teachers work together to develop curriculum and improve professional skills. Teachers are selected at each grade level to be a part of a site-based instructional decision making team. Student responsibilities are emphasized through a strong character education program.”

The Kent Middle School serves grade levels 5 through 8, with an enrollment of approximately 500 students. It is located at 800 College Ave., Telephone: 415- 458-5970. Like Bacich, Kent Middle School is known for its strong instructional program and rich offerings in the visual and performing arts, computers. It is also particularly strong in foreign languages.

The other school in Kentfield is Marin Catholic High School, at 675 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Tel: 415-464-3800. It serves students from 8^th to 12^th grades and is a college preparatory school.

The school’s Web site announces with pride that 99% of its graduating class in 2009 are attending college (including junior colleges) with 92% matriculating at four-year colleges and universities.

Some of Marin Catholic High School’s accomplishments include:

• Over 250 academic and leadership certificates, awards and medals were earned by 2009 graduates.
• Appointments to the US Naval Academy, West Point and the US Coast Guard. 
• Community service totaling more than 30,000 hours, with 21% of its graduates contributing double the number of required hours.

There is a rich student life at Marin Catholic High School beyond the academic and community services achievements. Students travel to foreign countries, serve on Student Government, or participate in one of over 18 different clubs that both keep students busy in meaningful activities, and also equip them for their future endeavors.

While Kentfield is a small community, clearly its residents have high standards for its students, whose accomplishments at its three educational facilities are quite extraordinary.

Mill Valley, California Offers a Plethora of Prime Educational Opportunities

There is no shortage of excellent educational choices – both public and private – to be found in the Town of Mill Valley, California, which is one of the most sought-after towns in which to live within affluent Marin County.

Public Elementary Schools: Mill Valley’s five public elementary schools include: Edna Maguire School, 80 Lomita Dr., 415-389-7733; Old Mill School, 352 Throckmorton Ave., 415 -389-7727; Park School, 360 East Blithedale Ave., 415-389-7735; Strawberry Point School, 117 E. Strawberry Dr., 415-389-7660; and Tam Valley School, 350 Bell Lane, 415-389-7731.

Attendance at the various public elementary and middle schools is determined by where the student lives. There are also four private schools that serve pre-kindergarten or kindergarten to 5^th grade students in Mill Valley. Each of them is discussed below.

Public Middle School: The only public middle school in Mill Valley is the Mill Valley Middle School, 425 Sycamore Ave., 415-389-7711. This school and the five public elementary schools above are administered by the Mill Valley School District, 415-389-7700. While there is only one public middle school, there are four private schools that serve middle school students.

Private Elementary/Middle Schools: The amazingly varied private elementary, combined with middle school offerings in Mill Valley include the Greenwood School, 17 Buena Vista Avenue, 415-388-0495, Grades: K-8; Marin Horizon School, 305 Montford Avenue, 415-388-8408, Grades: PK-8, Montessori school;  Mount Tamalpais School, 100 Harvard Avenue, 415-383-9434; Grades: K-8 and the Ring Mountain Day School, 70 Lomita Drive, Grades: K-8, 415-381-8183. Please note that the preschool campus of Ring Mountain Day is in Tiburon.

Public High School: The only public high school in Mill Valley is the Tamalpais High School, 700 Miller Ave., 415-388-3292. The school received the California Distinguished School award in 1999, 2005 and 2009 and has been ranked in the top five percent of American high schools since 2005 by the Washington Post. There are no private high schools within the municipality of Mill Valley.

Among the numerous famous graduates of Tamalpais High are Courtney Thorne-Smith, class of 1985, actress (Melrose Place, Ally McBeal, According to Jim); Kathleen Quinlan, class of 1972, actress (American Graffiti, Apollo 13, Oliver Stone’s The Doors, Breach) and Mario Cipollina, class of 1972, musician (Copperhead, Soundhole, Huey Lewis and the News, Terry and the Pirates).

Some of the famous athletes who graduated from Tamalpais High include Sam Chapman, class of 1934, (high school & college all star, California Golden Bears; Philadelphia Athletics & Cleveland Indians); Art Schallock, class of 1943, MLB pitcher: Yankees (1953 World Series), Orioles and Joe DeMaestri 1946‡ – MLB shortstop: A’s, St. Louis Browns, Chicago White Sox, Yankees, 1957 All Star, 1960 World Series.

Other notable Tamalpais High graduates include Peter Shor, class of 1977, mathematician, MIT, MacArthur Fellow; Montgomery McFate, class of 1984, anthropologist, defense analyst; and Sarah Austin, class of 2004, Manhattan-based Internet personality, and founder of Pop17.

Among the honors received by Tamalpais High School in 2009, was the Mock Trial Team, which placed sixth in the nation at the National High School Mock Trial Championship in Atlanta, Georgia. Over 2,000 mock trial teams competed and 40 states had championship teams.

While there are only two educational institutions in the small Town of Ross, California – one public and one private – much can be said about their quality. For a town of only 1.6 square miles and fewer than 2,500 people, this speaks volumes about the expectations of affluent residents of Ross and the surrounding areas.

The public educational institution in Ross is its K-8 Ross School, which has received the designation, “California Distinguished School” for three of its academic years – 1989, 1993 and, most recently, 2008. The student teacher ratio at the Ross School is 13 to 5. Even more impressive, the school recently ranked 26th out of 873 elementary public schools in California.

The mission of The Ross School is, “to build a solid educational foundation for all students while inspiring, guiding, and challenging them to learn and reach out to the world with compassion, integrity and courage.” The educators, administrators and board are dedicated to excellence and regard “education as a respectful partnership: student, home, school, community.”

The Ross School is currently undergoing extensive construction projects to improve and update its facilities by making “significant alternations to existing spaces, including renovation and demolition as well as new construction.”  Serving under 400 students, the Ross School is at 9 Lagunitas Road in Ross, CA, which is located in affluent and sought-after Marin County. The school telephone number is 415-457-2705.

The other school located within the borders of Ross is the private Branson School, which was officially established in 1920, with roots that go back to 1916. Perhaps Branson’s most famous alumna is Julia Child, the celebrated “French chef.” According to Woody Price, the head of the school, “Branson is committed to encouraging students to engage in a life of purpose, passion, and fulfillment.”

“The School strives to help young people develop the moral imagination to be open and responsive to the struggles of fellow human beings; to develop passions that enlarge their souls; to develop a love for the truth, and a desire and a conscience that drives all of us to try our best to make our community, our nation, and our world better.”

Branson is a co-ed, independent, college-prep day school. There are 320 boys and girls enrolled in grades 9-12. Branson’s faculty has 50 teachers, half of whom hold advanced degrees. The student faculty ratio is 8 to 1 with an average class size of 16.

Branson’s 17-acre campus includes 31 classrooms, a science center, a writing center, a computer lab, a theater, a family center, an art gallery and a library with 12,000 volumes. The athletic center, a learning center and music, art and dance studios complete the physical plant. In addition, Branson is linked throughout its campus with a fully integrated fiber optic and wireless network. Its athletic facilities also include access to fields and a gym at the College of Marin.

Branson’s address is P.O. Box 887, 39 Fernhill Avenue, Ross, CA. Its telephone is 415-454-3612.

For a top-notch education that includes both public and private institutions, Ross, California’s highly-regarded Ross School and Branson School are both winners.

Sausalito School District, which is located at 630 Nevada St., 415-331-3507, operates three schools that are shared by students from the City of Sausalito and the unincorporated community of Marin City.

 These include the Bayside Elementary School, which serves K through grade 6 and is located at 630 Nevada Street, Telephone: 415-332-1024; the Martin Luther King Jr. Academy, at 610 Drake Ave., Telephone 415-332-3573, which serves 7^th and 8^th graders; and Willow Creek Academy, a K through 8 Charter School at 630 Nevada St., Telephone 415-331-7530.

 Willow Creek Academy recently received an award of $25,000 from State Farm Insurance to locate the original Willow Creek and initiate a creek restoration program. Located in the Willow Creek Watershed, Willow Creek Academy is engaged in this project to locate the creek somewhere above the Rodeo Creek freeway exit.

 Willow Creek Academy was initiated to ensure that Sausalito Marin City students would be able to attend a K through 8 school with the municipal boundaries, instead of having to travel elsewhere to attend school. It is felt that building a strong public school identity is important to the culture of the community. During the first three years, the Academy increased its enrollment from 37 to 104 students. In 2009, a second kindergarten class was added.

 The Oak Hill School, located at 441 Drake Ave., Tel: 415-331-7601, is geared to children with autism and other developmental differences, which is accomplished by modeling “innovative educational practices, harnessing the power of relationships to inspire social, emotional and intellectual growth.”

 Located in Marin City, California, Oak Hill School provides an academic and therapeutic program for children from kindergarten through adolescence, K-12. In fact, the school serves children from school-age through 22 years, with a variety of diagnoses including “non-verbal learning disability, autism spectrum disorder, as well as sensory integration, regulatory and multi-system developmental disorders.”  The staff at Oak Hill School includes “special education teachers, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, creative arts therapists and psychotherapists.”

 While the range of disabilities among children served by Oak Hill School is ‘broad, classroom groupings cluster together children with similar academic levels and learning styles. Oak Hill’s program includes classrooms of children with strong verbal skills and academic potential as well as groups of children with emerging language abilities.  Children who have struggled in traditional classroom environments have an opportunity at Oak Hill to develop academic and social skills, improve self-esteem and become leaders among their peers.”

“Oak Hill’s mission is twofold:  First, to create a “best practice” learning environment for Bay Area children with developmental differences and their families; and second, to offer a model program for dissemination and training to other educators nationwide.”

 Finally, the Marin School, located at 100 Ebbtide Ave., Suite 500, 415-339-9336, is a private college preparatory high school serving 9^th to 12^th grade students.

 “All classes at The Marin School are taught college seminar-style with a 7:1 student: teacher ratio. Everyone is engaged because there’s no back row at The Marin School. In addition to our interactive curriculum, The Marin School offers students travel experiences off the beaten path from Ghana, West Africa, to the slopes of Peru’s Machu Picchu to the streets of Paris. The Marin School was recently featured on KRON 4′s Best of the Bay Series as Best High School in Marin County.”