Anthony G. Bacich Elementary School

My son transferred to Bacich for second grade and is now finishing the third grade. His second grade teacher was very good and the current one is one of the best teachers I've ever met. We moved from Marin's Reed school district which I also gave excellent marks on this site. Kentfield and Reed are both considered in the best of Marin's public schools. Bacich has more real families -- fewer late model Mercedes and more mommies that look like mommies instead of actresses on their way to a red carpet event.
--Submitted by a parent

In reviewing the lower parent post, could have easily been mine. I have wanted to post for some time, and wish I had. After selling our dream home in Bret Harte Heights of San Rafael with the best views in Marin - moving our child out of Coleman which was API challenged but still a far cry better than the Canal schools; so he did not have to attend the ESL experience of Davidson, we too sold and bought in the Kentfield School District. Regret, regret, regret. Our child stopped learning once he attended A. G. Bacich. This school is more interested in telling the children what a privilege it is to attend A. G. Bacich instead of educating them. Elitism at its best. I enjoy the effort A. G. Bacich exerts in enriching our children, I am an advocate of enrichment. But come on folks!! . a little teaching to??!! How about math, science, geography, English, or here s a stretch Spelling? After our monumental move, our child now attends St. Pat s where he is again thriving, for a cost that makes me swallow every time I write that check. Like the poster below, could have kept the dream home and sent him to St. Pat s.
--Submitted by a parent

After several years of being denied very legitimate "Interdistrict transfers" for my two children that Kentfield's School District may maintain their exclusivity, my husband and I sold our beautiful home in the hills of San Rafael to relocate to Kentield, CA that our children may have the "privledge" of attending the much heralded A. G. Bachich Elementay. The Interdistrict transfer process is a joke at best, as the lady at the Kentfield School District Office proudly professed to my hsband and I that "Kentfield has not approved an Interdistrict transfer in six years", and seemed proud by this. Our children had been attending Glenwood in San Rafael, an exceptonal distinguished blue ribbon school. A. G. Bachich's focus on enrichment is taking presedence over the academic side of the house. Do not misunderstand me, I am an Environmental Engineer and have received my Ph.D., so appreciate enrichment, however to the extent A. G. Bachich has denigrated their curriculum and standards is all but sad. Our children arenow in private school and both being challenged again and more importantly, LEARNING! A. G. Bachich was a poor choice which resulted in adversely impacting us financially.
--Submitted by a parent

We, too, moved to Marin for the public schools in 1st grade. We came from a private school. My child was several years ahead in reading /vocabulary /comprehension ability (verified by testing) and the principal refused to find a way to meet her needs. At the beginning of the year, our teacher was willing to find creative ways to meet her needs (and even asked me what I thought would be helpful in the classroom), but it suddenly stopped in Nov. and my child was required to file lockstep with the rest of the class and stopped learning. NOT A SCHOOL FOR THE GIFTED CHILD. We are now back at a private school that is years ahead of Bacich in curriculum and teaching approach (true differentiation, not what Bacich thinks it is) and our child loves school again. I applaud the last reviewer for leaving midyear. Your story is not unusual.
--Submitted by a parent

Our family relocated from S.F. so our kids could go to public school in this district. We had high hopes for Bacich and enrolled our oldest child in Kindergarten (in 2008). Unfortunately, by midyear, it became clear that our child hated school, had essentially stopped learning, and had a dismissive and 'un-warm' teacher who failed to proactively deal with the situation (such as communicating concern about our daughter's lack of progress and coming up with a plan). We also had a frightening experience after our daughter was left completely unsupervised; while we received an apology from the principal, the teacher was surprised to learn-from us-that she had been faulted for the situation. We recognized the danger of keeping our child in a school environment that had reversed her love of learning, and we withdrew her midyear. She now thrives in a private school. I can only hope our story is unusual.
--Submitted by a parent

Excellent school. Gives children a great foundation. I feel that it is the best elementary school in Marin.

Bacich has been a wonderful school both of our kids have gone all the way though now. We have been exceptionally happy with the curriculum and the Teachers. The facility is fantastic. The only drawback is a few over entitled parents. This I guess is a problem in most schools that serve such an affluent population. The staff seem to deal with this well.
--Submitted by a parent

This is a fabulous elementary school. There is high parent involvement. Children in K don't just read about butterflies, they have butterflies in their classrooms. They have computer time once a week. They have both music class and chorus. The teachers are caring and dedicated. So is the principal.
--Submitted by a parent

Great public school. Great parent involment.
--Submitted by a parent

Bacich is a wonderful,neighborhood school which is able to provide top quality public education to it's students, in large part because the parent community takes such an active role, both financially and through volunteer efforts. There is a strong emphasis upon hiring and retaining top quality, dedicated teachers, and the Administrative staff couldn't be better.
--Submitted by a parent