Terra has felt like San Francisco's best kept secret for our family. The biggest thing we noticed early on was how much our son genuinely looks forward to going to school. He comes home excited to talk about what he learned, what he built, and what he explored that day, which gave us confidence that we made the right choice. We visited a few public and private schools with a strong Mandarin immersion program. What stood out with Terra over time was how balanced the learning feels, both inside and outside the classroom. Academically, he has grown steadily in both English and Mandarin, and at the same time we have seen real growth in confidence, independence, and how he works through challenges. The outdoor program has been especially meaningful for him. Spending time learning outside each week has clearly shaped how he approaches learning. He often comes home talking about things he created or discovered in nature, and those experiences seem to stick with him in a way that traditional classroom lessons sometimes do not. The small class size has made a big difference for our family. His teachers really know him as an individual, including both his strengths and the areas where he needs more guidance. That level of attention has helped him grow academically and emotionally without feeling pressured to fit into a single mold. We have also appreciated how involved the parent community is. It feels collaborative, and communication between families and the school is very open. The after-school enrichment classes like engineering, cooking, and art have been another highlight because they give him more ways to explore interests he might not otherwise try. Terra is a smaller school, but for us that has created a strong sense of connection and support. Most importantly, our son feels happy, challenged, and excited to learn, which is ultimately what we were hoping to find in a school. read more

Our daughter has attended Terra since April 2024, including Preschool, Kindergarten, and summer camps, and we couldn't be happier with our experience. We're really proud to be a Terra family. The school places a strong emphasis on critical thinking, creativity, and emotional intelligence, and it truly shows in the way the children learn and grow. The staff are incredibly dedicated and do an amazing job partnering with parents. They're committed to building an inclusive, supportive environment and are always willing to work with families through both school-related and personal challenges. What initially drew us to Terra was the language immersion program, along with the focus on experiential learning and community engagement. These elements have given our daughter opportunities to thrive, develop a sense of responsibility, and feel meaningfully connected to the work around her. We also love the small class sizes, which allow teachers to give each child individual attention and build strong one-on-one relationships with students. Our daughter's teacher sends out thoughtful weekly newsletters detailing what the class has been learning across subjects, which makes it easy for us to support her learning at home. The school also holds three parent-teacher conferences each year, giving us regular opportunities to check in on her progress and address any concerns along the way. One of the most special aspects of Terra is the close-knit community. The school year starts with a camping trip that brings families together in a fun, relaxed way, and throughout the year there's an active parent WhatsApp group that makes it easy to connect, plan playdates, and attend social gatherings. Terra truly feels like a community, not just a school, and we're so grateful to be part of it. read more

My son started in Kindergarten at Terra Schools and I have loved our experience. I've decided to switch my younger son from his current pre-school to Terra Schools' pre-school program as well because of how strong I've found it to be. When I went through the Kindergarten application process, I toured a ton of schools across public, charter, and private (independent and parochial). I am the type of person that likes to dig deep and understand all of my options. The reason I ended up choosing to attend Terra is because: - Outdoor Nature: We came from a nature based pre-school and I saw the benefits of being able to regularly play outside. It was tough to find an elementary school that offered dedicated time in nature. Elementary grades at Terra have Earth Ed one full day per week, and pre-school has two full days. Earth Ed is led by Dylan, who has decades of experience and holds a PHD in environmental studies. He's great with the students. They love him. - Strong Academics: I asked every school I toured about differentiated learning, and they all gave an answer. However, Terra was the only one where the logistics made sense to me. They have banded classes for subjects like math and reading, which means that for those subjects, my son is grouped with students that are at the same level as him, not based on his grade or age. For example, he is in Kindergarten but he is in the 1st grade math group. - Quality of Teachers: The teachers go through a rigorous process before they are hired full time. They are highly qualified. They are also loving and caring. My son is excited to run to his teacher every morning (which was not the case at his prior schools). - Language Immersion: We are in the mandarin immersion program, but my son is naturally exposed to some Spanish as well and has enjoyed picking up some of the language. It's unique to be able to give him a multilingual experience in a fun, low pressure way. - Parent Community: There are multiple opportunities to connect with each other including coffee meetups, PTA meetings, mom's/dad's nights, and WhatsApp groups. I have met many awesome families at Terra that I now call my friends. My son is thriving here. I have seen noticeable improvements in his academic progress, his self confidence and his ability to advocate for himself. read more

Teachers' changing rates are too high, seems like they can't keep teachers long term, my kid was there and he has teachers changed for 3 times in one semester. Then I checked their teachers comments on the school, it's really bad. read more

We've been incredibly impressed with this school's summer camp and preschool program. After being referred by other preschool families, our son attended camp last summer and absolutely loved it, and we quickly understood why. The programming is truly special. Between the language immersion, outdoor adventures, and the way they naturally spark curiosity, it feels like such a thoughtful and enriching experience for kids. It strikes a rare balance of being both structured and fun, while still allowing kids to explore and be themselves. Equally impressive is how well the school is run. The communication, organization, and overall experience for parents is some of the best we've seen. Everything feels intentional, seamless, and incredibly well thought through. Most of all, the teachers and staff stand out. They are kind, engaged, and clearly passionate about what they do. You can feel the care they put into creating a warm, inspiring environment for the kids. We've truly been blown away and feel so lucky to have found this community. We love it here. read more

My daughter transferred into the Terra Spanish preschool program last fall, and I can honestly say she is thriving. At her former preschool, she was anxious and quiet--often stoic and apprehensive about going to school. Every morning she would try to make deals with us about when we would come pick her up. Within a week at Terra, all of that school anxiety was gone. She now looks forward to going to school and is often a little disappointed when we arrive to pick her up at the end of the day. Our family has a rule in life: to follow our intuition and lean into the people and places that feel right to us. Terra has been exactly that. The teachers and administration, the parents and children, are kind, honest, and deeply collaborative. Together, they create a school environment that feels truly special and nurturing. We feel incredibly grateful to have found Terra and we're excited to continue into the TK/Kindergarten program next Fall! read more

You'll be so glad you looked into this school. Our daughter joined Terra Schools at 2.5 years old at the start of the new year, and she is absolutely thriving. Her teachers, her friends, and her days at Terra are all she talks about, and she looks forward to going every morning. As a first-time mom, I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Our daughter feels seen, supported, and encouraged to explore and learn in her own way, and the growth we see day to day has been incredible. The outdoor education program is especially wonderful, offering meaningful, enriching experiences that foster curiosity and confidence. I also deeply appreciate the ease of communication and transparency between families and staff. Receiving photo updates, sometimes daily, has been so meaningful. I often use them later to spark conversations with my daughter about her day. The teachers and staff are remarkable. They're thoughtful, supportive, warm, and excellent leaders. Our family feels so grateful to be part of such a welcoming and intentional community. read more

Our child attended the Mandarin preschool and grew a ton from experience. He absolutely loved the outdoor school/field trip days and all the extracurriculars. He has grown a lot over the last couple of years thanks to this school! read more

Our child started TK at Terra SF in October last year. We are about 5 to 6 months in. We have been very happy with the schoo. The atmosphere of the school and the TK/K teacher have been absolutely incredible for our son. I'll give an overview of things I love, the issues I've seen, then my summary. First the great. The staff. The head teacher Shauna, the TK/K teacher Tian, Wendy, and Johanna have been such a good support system for our son. Our son was sometimes difficult in his preschool. He was academically very strong, but struggled with the social dynamics and handling frustration. Within a few weeks of joining, we already noticed that he was more aware of how he was feeling at home. Over the last few months, he has been able to talk more about how he feels and what he wants. It's not a magic pill, but we've worked with Shauna, Tian, Johanna, and Wendy to develop healthy ways for him to talk about what he wants and to handle the disappointment when something doesn't go his way (e.g. making a backup plan when his favorite book is taken). He comes home talking about his emotions in new ways and is able to teach us how to help (e.g. talking about his frustration as the Anger Ogre from one of his preferred books and calming it down with tea and honey). Nowadays, he comes home more relaxed and is more excited about going to school. We (his parents) have also learned how to be more accepting when he isn't feeling his best and how to listen and support him better. Academically, the teachers have been able to keep him challenged in math, reading, and Chinese while supporting this development. He has been ahead in these subjects and every week his teacher helps tune his work to help him develop where he is weakest. In the beginning of the year, he really struggled to complete worksheets independently and follow the directions, so he got lots of homework he knew how to do, but where he had to read the directions to do it right. I could go on and on about the academics being really tuned to my kid, which I really appreciate. Every week, they take the kids out for Earth Education day. They recently have been doing a unit on cooking and restaurants in the TK/K class and for Earth Education, they spent time foraging miners lettuce and made "Miner's Miso." My child is very engaged with all these lessons and has been teaching me about plants and animals in San Francisco and Marin. The parent community has been great. We have a few closer friends already and have helped out with school events over the fall and winter season. We aren't the most socially active people, but we have found our place to help support the school behind the scenes. Ok, so what's wrong? Mostly I see little growing pains. The core administration team and teachers have been together for a while and have a coherent vision and a ton of trust in each other. The San Francisco location and the collaborations with parents are sometimes unpolished in little ways. To give a concrete example, the parent association was recently collaborating with the school to bring in a healthier hot lunch option that we are very excited about. Once, the communication was spread over email, the school-tracking app, and a PTA-run WhatsApp group and the messages didn't say exactly the same thing so there had to be a second message sent out to consolidate the information. This sorts of little gaps are visible to us parents, but nothing shows up that hurts the kids' experience. The building and the grounds are gradually being renovated. The in-use rooms are clean and renovated and some of the other rooms haven't been fixed up yet. The core of a good school is the people. The parents at staff around my child at Terra SF is so passionate and skillful at supporting our kids in areas of growth that are important to us: connecting the children with nature, building their social and emotional skills, and matching their academic level. Their passion has been infectious and through watching them and getting feedback from the staff, I've become a better parent. read more

Our two children (4 & 6) started attending Terra last Fall, and have been loving it since. As parents, we've really appreciated the transparency, accessible communication, and individualized support that Terra's teachers and admins have provided. We didn't realize it, but one of our kids is particularly proficient in math, so Terra has been advancing him along, all while keeping his education enjoyable. One of the most important things for us when looking for a school was a place that values social-emotional learning. As we've seen teachers and admins navigate pre-K and K relationships (and spats), we've been happy with the approach Terra has taken to help our kids understand their emotions, others' emotions, and find workable solutions (rather than simply someone being punished). Every moment is a learning opportunity! Our kids really Earth Education; one of our children isn't as physically-inclined, but he's gained so much confidence, strength, and grit because of the frequent outings. Our kids are on the Mandarin track, and we've definitely noticed an increase in their use of Mandarin. Prior to Terra, we were barely using Mandarin in the home. Now they're speaking Mandarin with common phrases and requests! It's a small community, which has been great to get to know parents. The parent community has been really great in terms of asking questions, getting advice on parenting, and navigating the challenges of raising kids together. I do agree with Brian W. about things being new; we knew that when we signed up. For us, it's been an opportunity to help shape the school into what we want for our kids. But yes, there is some polishing and renovations that are still forthcoming! We're glad our kids are at Terra, we definitely feel they're getting a well-rounded experience! read more

Our kids started at Terra this Fall and they are thriving. We're so happy to see the confidence, strong friendships and a love for learning that they have gained this year. Some of things we love about Terra: Strong Academics - Our children thrive with the individual attention & customized curriculum. Earth Education - Our kids get to go on field trips once a week! They love it & come home bursting with stories & knowledge. Hiking outdoors has made them stronger both physically & mentally. They know that they can accomplish hard things when they keep trying. Social Emotional Growth - Terra has helped our children to be kinder, to better understand & communicate their needs/emotions & to better understand others. Mandarin Immersion - We spoke very minimal Chinese at home before Terra. Now our children use phrases at home and even occasionally correct our pronunciation! We love Terra. The teachers & administration really see & appreciate our kids for who they are. We're so glad we made the choice to come here. Our children are happy & thriving and we're grateful to be part of such a vibrant & supportive school. read more

Unfortunately things went downhill with this school. We started out really liking it but it was poorly run which led to high turnover of teachers and a shortfall in cash that led to the school year ending two weeks early. read more

We chose to send our son to Terra this year on the fly and it was one of the best decisions we've made for his development. What this school has offered him has been absolutely wonderful! Outdoor Ed has noticeably increased his sense of confidence and fostered the curiosity he already had about the outside world. The Spanish immersion has been such an incredible component as well. In addition to those two very unique offerings - the core curriculum for subjects we would expect is also done in a student driven, flexible way catered to their interests. Their questions and curiosity drive the lessons and discussions. We can't say enough about this wonderful school and the staff there who care immensely about the children. read more

Our 3 daughters have attended Terra Marin for 5 years. It has been a life-changing experience for them. The teachers are an absolutely incredible group; they are so attentive and supportive. The academics are just right - our daughters' progress is measured, and they are met academically at their just-right level. The outdoor time has increased our children's confidence; and they often surprise us with their practical outdoorsmanship knowledge and skills. We feel beyond fortunate to be a part of the warm, engaging community. read more

Terra Schools - DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) Time: A fan favorite - Elementary Schools Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great school. Our daughter started spanish immersion program here, last summer. Indoor outdoor program. She enjoys her day here. The teachers Emili and Maria are great. The principal or owner, Wendy is very involved. Every time I see her I get a very positive vibe. She will make this school very successful and popular I believe. Rest of the staff has been very good also. No complaints. I would highly recommend. read more

Terra Marin is worth writing a review for. The staff of teachers are caring and genuine. The care and attention they give each student and their needs by far exceeds any of our expectations. Wendy and her staff will do their best to accommodate each student's learning profile and needs. This is one of those schools a parent can drop off their kids and feel at ease knowing they're being held, understood and heard. read more

This is the School I wish had existed when I was in elementary school. Our daughter loves Terra Marin. She enjoys going to school, learning to read and write, math, science and building things in class. I thought I was dreaming when I heard about a school that models our values of kindness and curiosity, and combines outdoor learning with learning different languages. At Terra Marin, I do not need to enroll my child in extracurricular classes to give her exposure to Music, the Arts or foreign languages. These are part of the curriculum! On top of a comprehensive curriculum, Terra Marin has fabulous teachers who care about the children in their care. She loves her teacher Riva, loves her schoolmates, loves Earth Education with Alex, Outdoor Education, Theater class with Aiden, Art with Jasmine, Music with Kat and Spanish class with Israel. My daughter came to Terra Marin worried about not being able to read, probably as a result of me trying to teach her during the pandemic. Well, no more. She is sounding out words and learning to write without fear of failure. As parents that work full time, aftercare is an important consideration for us as well. She loves to stay in aftercare with the preschoolers and Preschool teachers, Emili, Maria, Jose and Patricia. The only thing she doesn't love is Mandarin, but she will thank me later. ;) In addition to the wonderful curriculum and teachers, every year they put on community events like the Lunar New Year Festival and a full length play with the school from K-8th grade. It has been incredible to have our Kindergartner be a part of these whole school productions. The kids support each other from K-8th grade, and learn to prepare and perform on a given day. I have been very impressed with the vision that Wendy has for Terra Marin and the level of execution to that vision and values. As part of our process on deciding where to send our daughter, we visited several other independent schools and our local public school. It was easy to see that most schools claim to value different learning styles, kindness and curiosity. With careful examination, i found those to be claims, rather than the reality of the schools. At Terra Marin, the parents teachers and students have formed and supportive community and I am grateful that my daughter gets to be a part of it. I can tell that everyone that works at the school is valued and that they are a part of this mission. The Administrators, Johanna and Rebecca, really care about the school and the kids. The bus drivers, Mel and Michael, take pride in keeping our kids safe on their way to and from O School and Earth Ed. The teachers of the upper grades: Pippa, Andy, Izzy, Chloe, Alex, Lesley, Mike and Aiden are incredible. I look forward to my kid being in each of their classes, even though my child and Riva made a pact that she would stay in Riva's class forever! I really want to thank Wendy and Shauna for being the incredible forces behind this community. I am grateful they decided to open this school in my town and that we are a part of the community. For our family, Terra Marin provides a safe and healthy environment for our child to grow and learn. read more

We moved our son 4 years ago from Willow Creek to Terra Marin School, we love it there.

We are so happy to be part of Terra Marin. They are a top notch school. My boys received a warm welcome by their peers and teachers and felt a sense of belonging and acceptance from day one. This school lets students follow their passion and go as far as they want academically. I love their outdoor earth science program. Not only is it wonderful for them to bond and learn more about their natural world, it also is an excellent break from classroom learning. Terra Marin's faculty really care about their students and pay attention to their students on an emotional and academic level. I highly recommend this school, they are a jewel! read more

Our 1st grade daughter and preschool-aged daughter both started at Terra Marin 2 months ago. When we toured, we were amazed by the super friendly teachers and administrators, the school's promise of differentiated learning by ability (in math and reading, students are grouped by ability level rather than grade), the strong social-emotional component, and of course the lure of a full day per week in nature. We were wondering, "What's the catch?" Two months in, our high expectations have been blown out of the water. Our daughters are happier than they have ever been. They were immediately assessed are are being taught at their exact level in each subject. They are having so much fun making robots, building rafts for the classroom hamster, and analyzing fairytales that I don't think they even realize they are learning. They come home and teach me social-emotional concepts that are profound to me and make me want to be better. We are Terra Marin lifers! read more

Terra Marin School is a new private school located in Mill Valley CA. We joined the community this past fall (son started 1st grade) and could not be more grateful for the school and larger community. The teachers/staff are beyond thoughtful, supportive and innovative. The schools pedagogy and values are refreshing and innovative even for this progressive area of the country (SF Bay Area). The school curriculum is well balanced in servicing the "whole child". The school size allows a flexible and nimble learning approach that is not found in any other type of school. Between the outdoor experientially based learning opportunities and commitment to challenging the students at their academic needs it really is an idyllic learning community. We are very appreciative of the whole Terra Marin community (staff, faculty and students). read more

We have absolutely loved Terra Marin for our kindergartner. Between the school and the amazing staff and teachers, it has been a truly fantastic experience for our family. She comes home most days excited to tell us about something new she learned or experienced that day; whether its a song they learned in mandarin class or an experiment they conducted in science or some new amazing fact about nature she picked up in outdoor ed. The teachers and staff really seem to work hard to understand our daughter and connect with her, including writing lovely letters to us each Friday afternoon about something our daughter did special that week; a weekly tradition that we have come to love. read more

Terra Marin has been wonderful for our family. Our son has attended since day one, attracted by the vision the school had for an integrated academic and outdoor education program with language learning. Every year the school added more: theater teachers- a big school musical! social emotional learning specialist, and extra teachers so all the kids can learn math at the same time and be in a class that fits their level. So a first grader who is doing 4th grade math can be in that class. Although my kid isn't super advanced in math, by being in classes with a range of ages he has learned that it is NORMAL for kids to be diverse. This means that kids don't do the competition/shame thing. My kid learned to read right on the same schedule as his older brother (who graduated from a top college with a degree in philosophy)- both of them didn't read till 8. In another school my kid would have felt badly about himself. He didn't. The outdoor education is linked statically with higher test scores and this doesn't surprise me because I've seen how it does something far beyond classroom learning. In a classroom only one kind of attention is useful. Focused, narrow attention. The ability to look at the board and listen to the teacher and tune out the windows and the other kids. In outdoor education the super fun games are teaching the kids increase a broader range of attention skills. They scan the filled and trees looking for which kid has the squirt bottle, they plan a strategy to catch that kid, they focus on plants to identify the ones that they need to win the game. They are learning to switch their attention from small, to scan, to internal thought and back again. Think about driving- it takes a lot of different forms of attention. Outdoor education does that. TM has diversity in a lot of ways that most private schools don't have- more class diversity, more nuerodiversity. We are an LGBTQ family and we are not the only one. Because of outdoor education and TM leadership, the pandemic didn't close us down. We were open from June 2020 onward. We shifted to small pods. We stayed outdoors. We tested 3x a week the entire school and staff. Considering that there are still many variants to go (Covid has only so many amino acid combinations it can make so there are a finite amount of variants) I am relieved my kid is in a school that can rise to the occasion as we don't know if another set of lock downs or some other fresh hell might happen. I've also appreciated the leadership's commitment to high quality teachers. Hiring has been consistently impressive. And, although this sounds cold, I am thrilled that leadership is willing to let go of teachers. In the first year of the pandemic a new teacher, who looked great on paper, was my sons teacher and by thanksgiving it was clear to me it wasn't working- nothing criminal, nothing horrible, just not a fit. By January my sons class was integrated into another class with a fabulous teacher and the other teacher moved on. I really appreciated the commitment to the kids. The growing pains for the school have been about organization and that has been annoying to parents. It didn't make it worse for the kids. Every year has improved. read more

What an incredible experience we've had at Terra Marin! School is now my daughter's "happy place." Their teaching philosophy is untraditional in a way that makes school "not-boring," and I think every single teacher is fabulous! They work very closely with the students on an individual basis to make sure each child is maximizing his/her unique potential. The staff is both enthusiastic about what they're doing and also quite caring so that school is a bright and safe place where kids can focus on learning. read more

This is an amazing school in a beautiful setting. Their focus on outdoors is backed by years of research and I specially love the idea of spending a day a week in nature. The founder and head of school, Wendy, is a visionary leader. She is incredibly intelligent, resourceful and pragmatic. Wendy is impressively well-versed about best practices in education and she is bringing her wealth of knowledge and skills to building a truly innovative school. But above all, the biggest asset for a school is its teachers, without whom no school could thrive. I met many of the teachers and was greatly impressed by their experience, their passion and their vision. They employ an integrated holistic approach to education that really works! read more

Get into this school while you can!! It's new and growing fast, the administration team is well seasoned as is the teaching staff. They bring a fresh persecutive to education with one full day a week in earth education, classes based on skill level, so wonderful for those ready to soar and looking for challenge as well so those that need more time or attention to certain subjects. My child is part of the upper school and the teachings on the many different types of intelligence have been so powerful and comforting allowing him to realize he can't & doesn't have be good at everything and that this is a place to be accepted as you are. It is a wonderful community all working for the betterment of each student. We are still in the quarantine for Covid and couldn't have been happier with the way Terra Marin organized within days a complete schedule of interactive video classes, learning & connection has continued and the school is always looking for ways to improve. read more

We began at Terra Marin with their outdoor education camps. We were SO impressed with the knowledge that my kids were learning - both language AND ecological! We then started there with a 2nd grader and TK (mandarin immersion). Honestly, I couldn't imagine a better place for both of my kids. My older has struggled in public education and with tremendous support from his teacher and ALL levels of the administration, he's absolutely thriving at Terra Marin. My younger is also having a very special experience (she's literally become fluent in Chinese!!!) -and both kids LOVE having outdoor education two days/week. My husband and I laugh sometimes at how awesome their lives are! Wouldn't you love to be bussed to incredible locations all over Marin county - Lake Lagunitas, Tennessee Valley, Muir Beach and a host of Mt. Tam sites!!?? Another aspect that is unique and special about Terra Marin is the yearly school musical. I was involved with theatre my entire childhood and I can honestly say it supported my growth and development in countless way (building confidence, creativity, learning how to problem solve, working in teams etc). This past weekend, we all joined a bunch of other families and painted the sets as they prepare for performances next month. The sense of community is SO strong! Our family feels so grateful to have found this incredible school. read more

Terra Marin School is a one-of-a-kind school in Marin county! I had the privilege of helping to launch Terra Marin as an employee, and my son also attended their amazing program, which has grown over the past four years. The wonderful teachers and administration at Terra Marin School create an enriching, memorable, and positive learning environment for their students, including unparalleled enrichment classes of Mandarin, drama, outdoor education, music, etc. The small class sizes enable teachers to spend more time with each student, and the students have a real sense of self and belonging. The director hires qualified and caring educators and staff who are outstanding, and there is a feeling of community through cultural events, gatherings, and welcoming families. My son felt at home at TMS, was excited about learning, and our family continues to feel part of this community. I can't say enough good things about this school! read more

We chose this school because it was different than all the rest! The staff/teachers are caring and supportive. The curriculum is both challenging and interesting. They utilize the Harkness Method which helps children learn how to interact and work with one another. Those kids who are introverted find their voice and those who are extroverted learn to give everyone a chance to express their ideas. We took a chance on a brand new school and it has paid off wonderfully. Our son is happier, more thoughtful, less anxious and looks forward to going every day. read more

Our son signed up for Terra Marin's Winter Camp and loved it! Because of the positive experience, we signed him up for a 3-week trial of Terra Marin's Outdoor Education MicroSchool program in which the students' curriculum is delivered 5 days a week, entirely outside, at various parks throughout Marin. He comes home happy and tired (and a little dirty), all of which is a welcome departure from the months upon months of virtual learning he has shown up for since Covid re-shaped public school education this past year. Even though we are new to the program, I am impressed by the teachers, curriculum and administration. Each week, the academics include science, writing, reading, math, and more. My son wakes up eager to go to school, and returns home with exciting news about his day. This Outdoor Education Microschool is making a significant, positive impact on my son and by extension, our entire family. We are thrilled to be part of it! read more

We chose Terra Marin School this year for middle school (6th grade). My son has really thrived in the small school, small class setting. He loves school! His teachers make learning fun and he seriously cannot wait to get to school in the morning. He has a full day of learning in nature bi-weekly and my son really looks forward to those days of hiking, building fires, searching for deer tracks, etc. For English class, I have really appreciated the diverse book choices the teacher has made, she has chosen books by an array of diverse authors and voices with content that appeals to boys as well as girls. The English teacher utilizes the Harkness method of round-table discussion, everyone participates and no one can hide nor take over the conversation. The school has each student write their own play, direct it and perform in other classmates' original plays. They call it a Fringe Festival. My son is excelling in math and has just been assessed mid-year and re-sorted to a more challenging class. The kids learn by ability rather than traditional grades. There is a mix of 8th, 7th, 6th and 5th graders in his math class. He is studying Mandarin but also had the choice of Spanish. His musical education is first-rate! He has music theory, digital music and ensemble built into the curriculum. For enrichments after school, he is enrolled in Rock band, private piano lessons and digital music. Since the COVID-19 closure, the school quickly put together virtual lessons using Google Meet and Google classroom and my son is being challenged with an amazing curriculum being delivered virtually! It's a new school, two years old, and growing quickly. Do yourself and your child a favor and take a look! read more

Our son started 6th grade at Terra Marin this fall & we are absolutely thrilled. The teachers are warm, nurturing, committed & highly skilled. The project-based program & Harkness method of teaching have been a game changer- our son is finally seeing that learning doesn't only happen in boring lectures!. The kids get one full day of outdoor ed every week, which has very quickly established a sense of unity and camaraderie among the classmates. Having searched long and hard for the right environment, we are so grateful to have have found a place where our son's kindness & empathy are celebrated & valued & where his education is being tailored to meet his unique needs. Terra Marin is truly special! read more

We have an 11 year old in 6th grade going to this school. We have to say its been one of the best elementary/middle schools experiences we've had. The teachers and administrators are fantastic, very hands on and I feel like they REALLY CARE. They care about the school, the programs, the parents feedback, but mostly they care about the students. So many times people get caught up in asking about educational philosophy, curriculum, programs, etc, but at the end of the day you can have the best philosophy, programs, curriculum, but if the teachers and administrators don't care, it won't matter. If they do TRULY CARE about the students, then whatever their philosophy, or programs, the teachers that really care will want to make sure that the students are getting the most out of their days, and live up to their potential. They are passionate about what they do and want the very best for the kids. That's all you can really ask for. read more