Lower School
(Grades K-4)
At Marin Horizon, the Lower School years are the essential building blocks of a child's education, laying the groundwork for lifelong love of learning.
Our Lower School students build self-confidence and moral courage, develop communication skills, and practice how to work cooperatively in a joyful, safe, and academically engaging classroom setting.
A Journey of Self-Discovery and Intellectual Growth
Our young scholars are embarking on a journey of self-discovery and intellectual growth. They learn to see the world with inquisitive eyes, asking questions and seeking answers that fuel their understanding. They begin to develop critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. And they begin to appreciate the beauty of different cultures, the logic of mathematics, and the creativity of literature.
Embracing challenges with resilience and collaborating with empathy, our students grow into confident thinkers, caring classmates, and responsible community members. They are not only absorbing information but gaining a deeper understanding of self, community, and the world. They are shaping their personalities and developing the skills and values that will guide them throughout their lives.
A Deep Sense of Belonging
Marin Horizon recognizes that children benefit from an environment where social and emotional growth is intentionally nurtured and developed. Our Lower School endeavors to create an environment for our students that allows them to feel comfortable, safe, and confident, creating a sense of deep belonging. We celebrate our differences, share our perspectives, and cultivate a vibrant community.
Victoria Huerta-Miller
Director, Lower School
Meeting students at their academic frontier.
At Marin Horizon School, our expectations are high, so our students are challenged academically from a young age.
Our project-based curriculum means that students are grappling with complex, multi-layered questions, exercising their creativity, and pursuing their individual curiosities and passions. Our intentionally designed scope and sequence, along with our thoughtfully selected core curriculum, results in deep learning and cognitive engagement. And our ability to differentiate instruction supports students' interests and ambitions as well as learning styles.
Explore our curriculum.
Social & Emotional Learning
When families visit Marin Horizon, they often comment, “It feels so friendly and warm.”
At Marin Horizon School, social and emotional learning is part of the fabric of our school. In addition to an academic focus, our faculty and staff work with students – intentionally and proactively – to cultivate self awareness, self management, healthy relationships, and accountability to one another.
Our teaching teams subscribe to both the Responsive Classrooms program and restorative justice practices to create an environment for these human to human interactions to thrive. In addition, both Lower School and Upper School teaching teams meet regularly to discuss the mood and pulse of each classroom, as well as individual students, with the intent of providing support where needed, often in collaboration with families.
“We prioritize the size and composition of our classes and intentionally design our campus layout to create conditions for kids to grow into amazing young people!” says Anna Varnay-Truong, Director, Curriculum & Instruction.
Learning and thriving outside of the classroom.
Our Outdoor/Experiental Education program is a hallmark of the Marin Horizon experience. We're located in the heart of Mill Valley, at the foot of Mount Tamalpais, surrounded by open spaces, trails, and towering redwoods. Students will explore the wonder of the natural world during class outings, day trips, and overnight adventures. They practice skills to interact safely with wild spaces, and learn about environmental stewardship.
Starting in Kindergarten, students experience their very first overnight, without parents and guardians, at nearby China Camp. In Grades 1-5, they're farther away from home at a rustic residential camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains. As they gain new skills, they're taking on more leadership roles with the younger campers.
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