Edna Maguire Elementary School

We just got back from 1st grade Back to school night. I feel so lucky to be part of this school. Our teachers are warm, caring, and wonderfully professional. It's clear that they take pride in what they do and spend a lot of energy being the best they can be. Plus, it is a child focused environment. KG was equally great. We love this school.
—Submitted by a parent

I have very mixed feelings about continuing my children's education here. On the one hand it is true the Lisa Zimmer and her staff and teachers are excellent and very hands-on. There are teachers here willing to put in extra time and effort to help kids like mine who are struggling to stay focused in the increasing onslaught of media distractions and working, tired parents. There is enough monetary wealth in this community to provide a good art and music program here, as well as athletics, and there are many very if not overly involved parents volunteering in the classrooms and providing all sorts of support. But beware, this is a very big school, and in 4th grade there are only 3 teachers, which means a giant bump up in class size to nearly 30 students. There is tons of homework starting in 1st grade, and my kids feel bored and overwhelmed. The bottom line here is if your child can self-regulate and do well academically this can be a good school for you. If you are a stay-at-home parent of a child who has challenges and you have the time to micromanage their school experience and be the squeaky wheel your kid will get what they need here. The rest of us are struggling.
—Submitted by a parent

This school only works if your kid fits in "the box". Children that learn differently or ask a lot of questions are marginalized. There is also a big push to get 'out of the box' kids into Special Education so that they are not considered when the STAR test results are tabulated. This results in an artificially high test result for the school. Some teachers are highly committed and amazing and some are not. If you get a great one, you have a great year, if not then you definitely suffer. Added minus: recess is a school wide, barely supervised,free for all.
—Submitted by a parent

Great Teachers for the most part. The district and the local admin not super responsive to parents. They have work to do concerning oversight of kids as they move from school to after-school activities and programs.
—Submitted by a parent

This is our first year at Edna Maguire and I am truly impressed. It feels like a private school. Our teacher is amazing. She is incredibly responsive, thoughtful and caring. The teachers are instilling a love of learning as opposed to demanding every five year old learn to read whether they are ready or not. Also, we love the outdoor garden complete with chickens! Great school!
—Submitted by a parent

Great teachers, great staff, great kids, great parents! Great library! Great music department! Great afterschool programs! Great garden! This school has it all!
—Submitted by a parent

My son is in second grade! We love this school.The garden is the best, the teachers and staff are the best! We are happy to be at Edna!
—Submitted by a parent

Outstanding Principal and teachers. Best of the BEST.
—Submitted by a parent

I am in my third year being a part of Edna and I find it hard to believe the less than par reviews I've seen posted. Lisa Zimmer is an excellent principal who not only is a great listener to parents but she acts on finding solutions to issues. She is a do-er. The teachers are all stellar. Yes, parents have their preferences on who they get each year it seems but really, there are no bad teachers. It is a loving, special place. I feel so blessed to be a part of this school.
—Submitted by a parent

We moved to Mill Valley over a year ago and this is our second year at Edna Maguire. Mill Valley School District only assigns new students to one of the 5 elementary schools after proof of residency is established. In many cases, like ours, it may not be the neighborhood school - New Residents Beware! Overall, teaching quality is good; Administration is a bit indifferent; and parents pretty 'cliquely.' Another interesting data point is that they sure do love to garden!
—Submitted by a parent

Our child moved to Edna Maguire from a private school... we love the attention of the teachers, the facilities are excellent, Lisa Zimmer (the principal) and Leslie Fielder (assistant principal) are amazing, attentive, and caring. From the first day we came to Edna Maguire until today we've felt welcomed and our child has enjoyed it tremendously while learning and progressing. We can't wait 'till our second one is able to go there. If you could design an ideal public, elementary school, you would design Edna Maguire.
—Submitted by a parent

Please do not consider this school if your child has special needs. The principal will not return your calls and the children get lost in the mix. Not a good community to be part of if your child has challenges.
—Submitted by a parent

We are also in our second year at Edna, having moved from another Mill Valley neighborhood and school. The school seems more 'diverse' than the other school, which means that not everyone is white and upper middle class. What makes the school different and good, however, is the principal Lisa Zimmer who is a strong and capable leader who loves 'her' kids (the students) and her teachers. In a school district setting where there are so many politics and sensitivities, her forthright, positive approach is great. The other thing that distinguishes the school is the large physical 'plant,' i.e., fields, the garden (of course) and enough space for kids to run around and play safely. Finally, of course, it's the teachers. As we experienced elsewhere, however, and as appears to be universally true whether it's Edna Maguire, Marin Country Day, or Stanford, there are outstanding teachers and ones who are not.
—Submitted by a parent

My child has attended this school for the past 2 years. Edna Maguire is an excellent public school. The principal is 'hands on' and the students adore her. The teachers are excellent, but have very different teaching styles. The school has a lot of 'international diversity' compared to other Mill Valley schools (almost 30% of the students are minority). Since it's a public school, there are 2 major fundraisers that require annual donations from parents. This year, parents were expected to make an annual donation of $750+ to the Kiddo fund (arts, music, teacher projects, etc.) and raise $300 per child for the annual Steeplechase fundraiser. Throughout the year, teachers request donations of smaller items that are not funded by the school district. The school depends on the help of MANY parent volunteers. You will see parent volunteers regularly in the classrooms, library, and garden.
—Submitted by a parent

I'm surprised no Edna Maguire parents have posted here recently. Edna Maguire is a terrific school with lots of involved parents, wonderful teachers, and a talented, enthusiastic principal who makes a point of getting to knows her kids. It really feels like a community. The school is more diverse than I expected and is more reflective of the larger Bay Area than some other Marin County schools. We are in our second year at Edna and have nothing but good things to say about it. As far as we can tell, the school fully deserves its excellent rating.
—Submitted by a parent

Both of my children attend Edna Maguire Elementary School. It has been a wonderful experience for them and for us as a family. The teachers are enthusiastic, innovative and energetic. The Principal is a leader who is usually on the playground during recess and lunch and who knows each child's name. And the families of the school are friendly and have a sense of community.Parent participation and volunteering is encouraged. The school is situated in a setting that is surrounded by grass and trees. The school also prides itself on it's extensive garden which is often used by the teachers as a hands-on learning environment.And through Kiddo, there is the availability of art, music and dance. We have had an very positive experience at Edna, a school in which the children and their unique manners of learning come first.
—Submitted by a parent

Known as the Mill Valley garden school, Edna Maguire's Children's Garden is one of the school's greatest assets. The adminstration and faculty are wonderful. There is a great deal of parental involvement and a true sense of community spirit.
—Submitted by Leigh Shevchik, a parent