Loving teachers and a wholesome environment. The kids are outside as much as possible. My daughter…read moreis in the preschool (sage) class. We transferred after having a not so great experience at a different school where the teachers were cold and burnt out... this is the complete opposite. The teachers are amazing. In particular, Ms.Carrie, is a gem... greets my daughter every time we do drop off, holding her hand and telling her how happy she is to see her! This is a nature based school and the have an amazing lunch program with organic healthy food. My daughter went from being a picky eater to now loving her veggies thanks to the lunch program. The director, Melinda, is fantastic, super smart and passionate about the school and loves every single kiddo. This is the best preschool in Novato!

We love Hummingbirds Nest. This is our first preschool experience where our dude loves being…read moredropped off, and tells us to pick him up from school as late as possible. The teachers are caring and supportive. He comes home singing songs about nature. They play outside a ton, even in the rain, which is perfect for us. He loves his friends there. His imaginative play is fully supported. He helps around our house more now because that is just normal, part of school too: chop veggies for soup (with safety knife), help sweep, etc. We've seen such a complete turn around in our son after a really tough school right before this (teachers there were cold, our dude said he didn't feel loved there, he revolted) and when another school closed suddenly. Melinda and team communicate openly with parents, which is so refreshing. (Note: ignore the for sale sign; that is for the property. The school stays). My mom taught kindergarten for years and knows a good school when she sees one; she also loves this place. Thank you to all the teachers and staff at Hummingbird Nest!

Great school they care alot about there students and their families. Anytime I had a problem either…read morein school or outside school they were helpful and more than willing to so whatever was needed to help my grandson succeed in class

When I student taught here, I hated it. The principal did not know how to run the school at all. I…read morehope she is doing better now. Also the fifth grade teacher I student taught was rude, mean, and would treat me like a 5th grader. She is not a person who should be teaching. Her name was Kate. Would never recommend this school for any future teacher or parent.

What a wonderful school community. I truly enjoy teaching my science enrichment program at this…read moreschool. The staff, educators, kids and families are very encouraging as a whole and eager to create a positive, diverse learning environment.

We started Jan 2024. I had a kindergarten boy and a 8th grade girl that started at Marin Christian…read moreAcademy. I see a huge changes in both of my children for the better. My son is now in 1st grade: He loves his school and looks forward to hearing about God and reading his bible. His reading and math skills have caught up as last year he was behind when we started at Marin Christian. We are so grateful to see how great he is doing and my son is so proud of his achievements here. My daughter was only at Marin Christian for Jan 2024 to June 2024, then transitioned to high school. She says what she learned in those few months have stayed with her and that she is much closer to God and this has helped her find her way at high school. She also was behind as she was home schooled over covid. In these few months this school was able to help with confidences and taught her what she was missing to do great in high school. She loved the middle school and we wished that we find this school sooner. Thank you Brenda

Fantastic local school that offers an alternative to public school. Great teachers and the school…read moreadministration is top notch. My children are very happy here and I feel they are receiving quality academia and being well-cared for. The MCA parents association offers ample opportunity to meet other parents and support the school.

Teachers were always good. Just a really liberal school. Lots of the kids end up going to…read morealternative schools afterwards. Or those outdoor learning schools.

Toured many preschools and found St. Francis to be the right fit for our child. While the school is…read morenot faith based we liked that the campus was at a church and tucked away. Immediately upon touring St. Francis we felt it was something special. It felt cozy and whimsical yet they offered structure and an established reputation. The staff are competent, caring, and enthusiastic about their work. We love our teachers so far and our kiddo is constantly doing things at school like art, cooking, and general play that support her current social and emotional skillsets. Definitely a great place to start your kiddos educational journey. We feel very lucky to be a part of the St. Francis community.

Great school with great staff. This school provides students with a lot of opportunities with…read moredesignated instructors for music, art & PE. This is often not the case for many schools. They also host fun activities throughout the year for students to attend with their families. The school is well kept and clean. It's a nice campus with up to date technology in the classrooms for staff and students to use.

because I went to school is pretty nice I love my teacher…read more It's pretty great going to school.

This is our first year at McKinley and we are so impressed! We love the diversity of the school and…read morethe student-centered and inquiry-based learning. Our child loves all the projects and simulations in class that make learning so fun! Spanish twice a week is such a bonus! The teachers are incredibly engaged and active in all parts of the school and the Principal is amazing. So dynamic and visionary. There is still a lot of work to be done and the Principal has big plans on growing the school and its many programs. We hope to see the new Performing Arts program take off as that is something that we miss from our old school. So much potential to get even better!!!

I would not recommend this school to my worst enemy. The staff and administration seem FAR more…read moreconcerned with potential liability than the overall well-being of the students. And quite frankly, many seem under-qualified for the positions they hold. This school is incredibly understaffed and underfunded - and it shows. To start - my first grader was allowed to walk away with a stranger on the FIRST day of school because his teacher "assumed" the adult he left with was a parent. When I spoke to the principal the next day, she asked me if my six-year-old "knew where he was supposed to go" and stated she did not have a full understanding of the transition process because she was new. She then attempted to place blame on the Boys & Girls Club and my child. When another student's family member mentioned to the teacher how chaotic the first grade classrooms were due to a lack of staffing/support, parents were swiftly sent a notice that they would not be allowing family volunteers back into the classroom until the "behaviors" were under control. Seems counterproductive. When my son's behavior was in question and I had asked to observe in the classroom, I was quickly limited to 45 minutes and had to be accompanied by an administrator. I was told this was standard policy. My son showed no behaviors during my observation time. When I mentioned this, his teacher stated she "didn't think he would show behaviors while I was in the classroom". I brought this up during a meeting with the superintendent, he seemed to question the limitations placed by the school and stated they should be welcoming me to observe if there is such concern. Mind you, he had previously been principal at McKinley Elementary. When my son was sick and asked to call me during school hours, he was told he could not contact me because he did not have a fever. When I questioned this with the teacher/administrators, I was told that the school typically does not let students contact their family members for illness related matters unless a fever is present. A family member of another student had witnessed an adult in the cafeteria yelling at my son for kicking a milk carton and was so bothered by it that she felt the need to intervene by telling the staff member that she was being inappropriate. Though my son's teacher was made aware, she was not the one who informed me about what had happened. I was notified by the family member who was witness to the incident days later. I was also told by my child's teacher that administration had prevented her from speaking to me about certain matters regarding my child and my concerns. We only saw results/change when we went above school administration by notifying the district office and superintendent about our experience. The current principal's exit was announced less than a year into her new position and it's clear to see why. These are just a handful of examples. I have spoken with many families who have shared similar experiences. In my opinion - there are MUCH better elementary school options within the PCS district and within our community. I encourage any family considering McKinley Elementary for their young ones to do their research beforehand, tour other schools, and talk to family/friends who are familiar with McKinley Elementary. We felt comfortable having our child attend McKinley due to their "stellar" reputation and it was a huge mistake. Don't let the awards plastered all over the school fool you. I hope this review helps to inform other families.

Well, if you want 'inexpensive' schooling for your K-2 grader(s). Want heavy parental involvement…read more Exceptional teaching and unbelievable infrastructure and accoutrement (I don't think they teach French, can't you tell). Send your kid to a great public school system (The Reed Unified School District). I didn't learn my multiplication tables until the 4th grade but in the middle of the 2nd grade they are into multiplication, division already! They have a strong emphasis on the 'three R's" but blended into modern methods. The teachers are just phenomenal. Thank you Gillespie, Spindler, Raiche, McLernan, Modlin and Eagen!!!

Key points I wish I had known: LACK OF DIVERSITY -take a look at reddit, news articles, google…read morethese 3 words: marin county racism. See if its a good fit for your family values. THE WEBSITE for the schools here makes the school appear more diverse than they are, one of the minority kids doesn't even attend these schools- I don't know about the rest, but you should visit the area when the school is released and determine for yourself if the website is consistent with what you see with your own eyes. Also take a look at staff composition of school staff, Town staff, police and emergency staff, and the composition of the kids in the after school programs. HIRE TUTORS- apparently its a well known secret that most hire private tutors etc. and this is reflected in the scores of this area. The private tutors and learning centers may fill you in on what the real deal is in the area. Hope this helps you before your kid is set back years. Also be aware that the learning centers in local distance all have ties to the schools/staff. PENSION FIASCO - read up on the articles that explain why /how this county is luring young families here. SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS read about the election and what they did to Matt Nagle and what his platform was. The "DISCRETION" built into rules and if they are arbitrarily applied. WATCH BIG LITTLE LIES-I heard that everyone who wants to move here should watch it. I gave an extra star because everything does look pretty. It's a shame people are moving here from the city thinking their kids will get a better education.

As an alumnus (1959 - 1967), I'm disappointed that the school has chosen trendiness over substance…read more I will not give my opinion on teaching "the gender non-binary" to second graders. But I will note that parents seem to be afraid of giving their opinions, which was certainly not the case when I attended the school. In second grade, my teacher Miss Williams read "The Princess and the Goblin" to us. There was no question that the school was patriotic and valued a classical education. Today the decision makers claim that the school is just following the vision of its founders, who emphasized educating "the whole student." But I doubt that the founders would approve of what the school is doing today. The insincere virtue signaling that pretends to be social justice is not a grass-roots phenomenon but rather a fashionable elite pose that allows the unjust to pretend they care when they really do not. Imposing this on children can only be described as a travesty. The parents are trapped because it's the powers above them who have imposed this on the rest of us, and careers and reputations are at stake. Instead of socially engineering students, my alma mater needs to get back to teaching the basics and treating students as the unique individuals they are rather than as representatives of groups. The motto of the school when I went there was "A spirit always surging." Today, I would say "cringing" is a more accurate description.

Our child just completed first year here. This school has surpassed our expectations and we are…read morealready looking forward to the next school year. The environment is friendly, fun, supportive, and progressive. The facilities are fantastic, and there is ongoing construction and improvements happening. There is an emphasis on the overall child, not just academics. If your child is lucky enough to have Doug Zesiger as their teacher, I have nothing to say but the best things about him. It is sad to see Dierdre leave, though - as she has been fantastic :( Step-up day was a moving experience, and it was so cool to see the 8th graders 'stepping down', and stomping their feet when the kindergarteners 'stepped up.' It was a very memorable day! I know it sounds like I am going on about this school, but I really can not imagine a better environment for my children. There really was nothing negative I can say at all about this year. I know a few parents had gripes about the bus and after school offerings, but that is maybe all I can even think of (very minor in my opinion). We applied to a number of independent schools in San Francisco and Southern Marin and were accepted to all, but MCDS was our top and standout choice. We couldn't be happier after our first year and without hesitation highly recommend this school. I have no doubt this school is one of the best in not only the Bay Area, but in the country.