As a parent with more than one child at Mark Day School, what continues to stand out most is how…read moredeeply the school truly knows each student. Beyond academics, teachers take the time to understand who children are--their strengths, challenges, interests, and values--and help them discover how they want to contribute to the world around them. Mark Day School builds on basic structures of academic knowledge acquisition and focuses on something far more meaningful: developing thoughtful, reflective, engaged humans. The culture encourages students to think critically, speak confidently, and act with empathy and purpose. Public speaking, collaboration, and self-awareness are woven naturally into daily life, not treated as add-ons. The result is a community of children who are not only capable learners, but genuinely wonderful people--curious, grounded, and a joy to be around. Mark Day has a rare ability to shape students who will contribute to society in meaningful, positive ways, and as a parent, that gives me tremendous confidence in the education my children are receiving.

We were a new 6th grade family joining the MDS community. Our son was previously at Highlands…read moreChristian Schools in San Bruno from 18 months old (They have a wonderful toddler daycare) to the 5th grade. It was great for our son to be entering the 6th grade at a new school with another dozen or so new children from outside schools. The summer buddy family program gave us an opportunity to meet other rising 6th graders and their families. We cannot thanks these parents enough for the warm welcome prior to the start of the school year. In the 6th grade the kids are given their own laptops to be used throughout Middle School. The 6th grade 4 day Outdoor Ed trip to Pinnacle National Park fell on our sons birthday. It was his first time away without any parent chaperones and he loved it. The school dealt with COVID-19 by following the science and took great precautions to ensure the safety of the children. In late March 2019 there was a 2 week teacher training then the kids were back in school via Zoom. We continued to use distance learning in the 7th grade until the winter break when he returned to the classroom. He is now in the 8th grade and we feel grateful to MDS for keeping our kids and community safe. The teachers, administrators and staff are 100% vaccinated as are the students age 12 and older. The kids ages 5-11 are now catching up to reach 100% vaccinated. The high level of education and life experiences our son is getting at MDS has exceeded our expectation. He has made new friends and is excited to be looking at the next chapter of his education, High School. We highly recommend this independent school.

Graduated SRHS in 1972 and to this day I still have the fondest memories..In my freshman year of 68…read moreit was still uptight but by 69 all hell broke lose..We were smoking pot all over the campus, teachers, principle and deans were cool with it..Sometimes at lunch break we would have a keg of beer out on the soccer field..Teachers were great and we all went on to become successful..I'm still close friends with many and I was part of the 420 gang..Wish I could relive it again..

A school with issues that STILL produces fine kids prepared for college…read more San Rafael High School is a long standing (by long I mean founded in 1888) high school with tons of history. All students that graduate from here end up LOVING this school. I myself graduated in 2007 and I still have very fond memories of this school. Pros: A handful of teachers STRIVE and WORK non-stop to see these kids succeed. During high school I had EXTREME money problems and a professor even offered me 400 bucks to help me get by. I didn't take the money but, just goes to show you the lengths they'll go for their students. The music program is arguably one of the best for a public school (I mean, they even have their own recording studio and broadcasting station.) Furthermore, its a REAL school. You see your jocks, weirdos and gang-bangers all going here. It's not an isolated school and your child experiences true life. Also many ESL students go to SRHS and thus this school has large english department. From beginning English all the way up to AP english. Many school don't offer that. I personally fell in love with this school and will hopefully send my kids here someday. Cons: the school is so old that it was falling apart when I left. I believe now they are renovating it and it has gotten better. The school has many issues including a high turnover rate of teachers, seems like every year 5 teacher quit and 5 more are hired. Keep an eye on this school and don't listen to just the negative word-of-mouth comments.

I'm current student at Dominican University of California. Each week I go into two classes here to…read moredo my student observations. First I want to say how hard these teachers work at this school. They have so much passion for teaching and that is something i have not seen in other schools I have been to. I appreciate the six grade math teacher Mr.Promis a lot. He is very knowledgeable and kind to each of his students. As well as Ms.Ryan in the SPED department. She is so kind and respectful to each of her students. Both of these teachers bring qualities of a wonderful teacher. I inspire to be them -José

Our boys are thriving at this school, they are exposed to a number of different elective courses,…read moreclubs and athletic programs. They went from a small elementary school of 300 kids to the larger DMS student body and have made a lot of new friends. They feel safe and well supported by the amazing staff at DMS

Our son is currently in kindergarten at Marin Waldorf School, where there are two teachers for…read moresixteen students. He can be shy, but he quickly formed strong bonds with his teachers and made friends faster than we expected. Within the first week, we noticed a real shift. He became more confident, independent, and better regulated at home. It truly felt like he had been longing for something he finally found. The school's emphasis on rhythm, storytelling, singing, nature, practical work, and the seasons suits him beautifully. He especially loves starting each morning with a short run near the ancient oak tree before circle time. The time spent outdoors has been incredibly grounding for him. The campus spans ten acres, with plenty of space for the younger children to explore and a separate area for the grade school students. The parent community has also been a wonderful surprise. Families are welcomed with coffee and tea at drop-off, which creates space to connect with other parents and the staff. There are also parent groups, music evenings, lectures, and seasonal festivals throughout the year. Most importantly, our child is genuinely excited to go to school each morning. As busy working parents, we feel very grateful to have found this school. We would wholeheartedly recommend Marin Waldorf School to families looking for a warm, nurturing, and thoughtfully run early childhood program.

This is an amazing school! Very respectful of childhood, development, and allowing students to be…read morethemselves. Emphasis on creativity and healthy relationships amongst the students, teachers and families. A great community that is supportive and striving.

I was a student at brandeis from 2021-2025 and have recently graduated so I feel like I'm qualified…read moreto review my experience. Many teachers were horrible at their job and instead of teaching would give speeches on 'growth mindset' and refuse to help while others would target specific students to get mad at and punish everyone for one kid's wrongdoings. A teacher once came to school high as hell and tried to make an explosive rocket and somehow that wasnt what fired him. School lunch is horrible and i got food poisoning numerous times. JS class Made me feel like being Jewish was nothing more than political debates and annoying packet readings. Children of staff members would get special treatment CONSTANTLY. Student body was nice but kinda cliquey. The field trips and art programs were all great tho! Also very good english and language classes. overall a 3.2/5

Let me start and say that I am grateful for the education that my kids got in Brandeis Marin…read more But all the "community " or "family " or any other big words they talking about went out the door in the minute we asked to leave the school. Don't let them fool you, this is a business and now it's clear that they all about the money. Sad and very disappointed.

Students confirmed with me privately that some teachers here are extremely unprofessional. A…read moredifferent teacher than the ones I mentioned in my previous Yelp review called a student a sexist, sexual slang term in front of other teachers and students and accused the student of wearing a certain kind of inner garment, which the student was not wearing. This student's outfit conformed to the dress code. None of the teachers confronted this teacher in front of students. I pasted the same Yelp reviews I wrote here to GreatSchools.org. But they mysteriously don't appear there.

My son attended St. Isabella from K through 8 and my daughter is currently in 4th grade. In that…read moretime we've had a few different principals but the current one, Mrs. Naretto, is by far the best. The size of the school, with one class per grade, is just right allowing everybody to get to know each other and the location, away from busy streets, with a large, grass field is safe. Aftercare is a particularly strong asset as you can use it on an hourly basis, as needed, with no long-term commitment. Teachers really care for the kids and the environment is supportive. I was not catholic when my son first started at SI (I have since become catholic). When we were considering schools for him I was not very religious and was unsure about a catholic education but my wife went to catholic school and felt strongly about it. I have since come to understand the importance of moral teaching, social justice and why it is important for your child, Christian or not, to understand that they are not the center of the universe (despite what mom and dad think!). In addition to giving our son an excellent education that prepared him for high school (he is excelling in his first year at Marin Catholic) SI taught him that serving your community and helping people in need are more than just nice ideas, they are the core of a well adjusted person and a valued member of society. Making a positive impact on the world is as important as knowing your times tables or what year the Declaration of Independence was passed. Maybe more so.

Hmmm....do I admit I went here? I'm certainly not going to give my graduation year!!…read more Oh, okay. The good: Excellent academics, great facility, gorgeous grounds, awesome teachers. My biology teacher even officiated at my wedding (love you Marty!). Lots of smart kids, lots of artistic kids, I suppose some athletes, but I was SO not one of them. The not-so-good: Yup, it's a snobby private high school in Marin. Lots of kids got really nice cars for their 16th birthdays, lots of entitled rich kids. But I wouldn't say I was ostracized for driving a 1983 volvo wagon... Because it's small, there isn't a lot of social diversity, and very little ethnic/socioeconomic diversity. And I don't even want to think how much it costs to go there now, or how much it will be in (gulp) 2018 when my son heads off to high school. I can guarantee the only way we'll afford to send him is is if he gets some alumni-kid scholarship!

What an incredible school! I've had the privilege now twice to attend a school performance because…read morewe have a friend on staff. What I wouldn't give to have attended a school like this. The grounds are immaculate. It has so much charm and none of the pompousness you may expect from a place like this. The performances we saw were very well done and so much fun to watch. The only down side is I have to start saving now because my 5 year old says she wants to go here when she's older.

The blue is a little faded. The bridge is pretty close to just straight up falling down. All things…read moreconsidered. It's ok

One of the most beautiful campus architectures of any high school I've ever seen. The layout is…read moreamazing, the facilities look brand new and updated, and the sports programs (especially the Basketball team) are prestigious and other-worldly. The neighborhood around it is rather an eyesore, especially with the surrounding hills, but the school itself is beautiful.

We transferred here after two years in a local public school and cannot be happier. The campus is…read moreextraordinary and filled with beauty all around, from the redwoods to the babbling stream. Education with purpose is not only their motto but one they truly live up to. The community and staff are down to earth and kind and inclusive and educated and driven and all around wonderful. They truly shape the minds and the character of the students to be sharp, creative, and conscientious members of society.

so I just want to review their hiring process. I was asked to do two not in person interviews that…read moreseemed great. then they told me I had to go to the campus and they expected me to be there from 7:50-1:30 on a work day interviewing with different school admin. I did as much as could because like most people I actually have to work a job that pays. After spending 4 hours there I told them I'm sorry I have to get to my other job. You would think that investing that much time would result in being hired. But no it did not. All I can say is any other place would have respected a persons time and not wasted half of their day. they would have gotten all the people together and had a panel interview. so I mean all I can say is that I feel really disrespected by this staff. Who does that? I dunno. if you like bougie people that clearly do not mind wasting your time this is the perfect location for you. And sorry I do have to say this because you must be an extreme elitist to think wasting half a work day doesn't impact the average joe. it does. if someone who has helped open wellness centers and is on the 40 under 40 list for the north bay business journal isn't good enough for them, then who is? thanks! Not only this but the person in charge Stacy Cohen, left me several times during this 4 hour stink to wait on the admin who had not received any copy of this interview schedule from the day before. She had emailed me the night before this schedule telling me she had been sick on her travels but when I got there and she was coughing all over the place she continue to tell me she wasn't sick. One of the people she had set up to interview me never even showed up. They were not even on the campus that day. So I sat for an hour of my time waiting for someone who isn't there to show up in a library while I could have been at my actual job. So not only is this snobby elitist behavior but inconsiderate and rude. If this is what you want from your admin staff of your school please go here. Not to mention being extremely combative over things that made no sense. She apparently got angered when I shared an answers from one of her staff as if this was my opinion. A major lack of ability to take any criticism, it was an extremely unprofessional interview in which at the end I still offered to come back another day to meet with these other people who could not be there that day and since I was leaving. Instead they just waited till after the holiday weekend to tell me no thanks.

I would never send a kid to this school as long as Skip Kniesche has any position of power. Having…read morebeen a student at this school first hand and experiencing Skip's form of leadership as a Vice Principal, this man will overlook any signs of distress in your child. If you have a kid who doesn't fit in completely, he will likely ignore your child and dismiss them. I even came back to the school 10 years later to request a specimen I had lent the school that had magically become a permanent fixture of theirs without my consent. Who did I speak to? Skip! And he was extremely rude and unpleasant. What did it take in order to get him to treat me like a human and return my property? My FATHER had to call. Yes. I was 18 years old and my father had to come to the school in order for Skip to get off his butt and treat me like a person. Shame on Skip. Shame on this school. If you have a kid who's an outcast, or if you have any personal home issues going on and are hoping for a school to be somewhat sensitive to those struggles, do not send your child to this school.

Terrible school. The people who greet you in the office are extremely rude, and can be heard…read moretalking badly about parents constantly. You can tell they genuinely dislike the job. Kids there are very judgmental, and teachers do little to nothing about bullying! It doesn't feel like a safe environment, and the education moves far too fast for most students. I would absolutely NOT recommend sending any students here. The older kids are quite rude to the 5th graders as well, and the electives aren't funded well enough at all. The PTA spends all it's money on "teacher appreciation WEEK". Yes, I said WEEK. They dedicate a whole week to giving to teachers who rarely help students. DO NOT SEND A STUDENT HERE. This school depresses many people, and personally, it brings me to a dark place remembering going there. I was immediately so much happier after graduating, I wouldn't even consider going back to visit even after all these years!