Choosing a school is one of the biggest decisions a family makes — and the right fit looks different for every child. Some thrive in a small cooperative preschool; others come alive in a middle school built entirely around adolescence, a farm-based campus, a program designed for dyslexic learners, or a boarding community half a world away.
The profiles below come from 18 schools across Marin, San Francisco, Sonoma County and beyond, grouped by school type so you can jump straight to the ones that match where your child is now. Use the links below to browse by category.
Boarding Schools | Early Childhood | Elementary & Middle Schools | High Schools | K–12 Schools | Schools for Learning Differences
Boarding Schools
Annie Wright Schools
Where Students Learn, Grow and Belong
Annie Wright Schools, an International Baccalaureate World School, serves students from Preschool through Grade 12. We offer co-ed programs through Grade 8, while separate Upper Schools for boys and girls offer day and boarding options in Grades 9 through 12.
Boarding is part of the fabric of Annie Wright. Students have called these walls home since the school’s founding in 1884, and today we continue that tradition with care and a belief in the power of community to shape students. Learning extends beyond class into meals, mentorship, movement, and shared purpose. When life and learning are intentionally intertwined, education is about becoming the best version of ourselves. Rooted in confidence and character, our graduates are prepared to become courageous, responsible, independent actors ready to lead in a complex world.
827 N Tacoma Avenue, Tacoma, WA
253.272.2216 | www.aw.org/ResLife
Hawai’i Preparatory Academy
A Place to Learn Like Nowhere Else
On Hawai’i Island, learning at Hawai’i Preparatory Academy extends far beyond the classroom. Founded in 1949, HPA’s Upper School is a close-knit college-preparatory community of around 300 students in grades 9 through 12. Its mix of day and boarding students represents more than 20 countries, bringing a distinctly global perspective to daily life on campus.
Boarding at HPA offers students the independence of living away from home with the support of dedicated dorm faculty, advisors, coaches, and teachers who know them well. Residence life is intentionally personal, creating an atmosphere where friendships deepen, leadership develops, and students build the confidence to navigate college and life beyond it.
The school’s location makes Hawai’i Island a living laboratory. Students can study climate, ocean systems, astronomy, sustainability, and Hawaiian culture in a place defined by extraordinary natural and cultural resources. Signature opportunities include independent science research in our award-winning Energy Lab, place-based fieldwork, advanced courses, athletics, visual and performing arts, and a senior Capstone experience designed to connect curiosity with purpose.
HPA also offers the breadth families expect from a rigorous independent school, including 21 Advanced Placement courses, multiple world languages, advanced computer science and robotics, and college counseling tailored to each student.
For mainland families, HPA offers something rare: a challenging education, an inclusive residential community, and room for young people to become capable, grounded, globally minded adults — all in one of the world’s most remarkable settings.
65-1692 Kohala Mountain Road, Waimea, HI
808.881.4321 | hpa.edu
Early Childhood
Belvedere-Hawthorne Nursery Schools
Leading Early Childhood Education in Southern Marin Since 1939
At Belvedere-Hawthorne Nursery Schools, our highly qualified teachers create a warm, nurturing environment where children feel safe, supported, and inspired to learn. With a 6:1 child-to-teacher ratio across all programs, we are able to know each child as an individual and support their unique development. Serving children ages 2 through 5, our play-based curriculum is grounded in child development research and the understanding that young children learn best through play, exploration, and meaningful relationships. Through thoughtfully planned experiences, children develop the social, emotional, cognitive, language, and physical skills that build a strong foundation for Kindergarten readiness and future learning. Every day, children are encouraged to explore, create, solve problems, build friendships, and develop confidence and independence. Our goal is to foster a lifelong love of learning while helping every child grow into a curious, capable, and compassionate learner.
15 Cove Road Place, Belvedere, CA
415.435.1661 | belvedere-hawthorne.com
Bright Stars Children’s Center
Nurturing Tomorrow’s Brightest Minds
At Bright Stars Children’s Center, we provide exceptional early childhood education in a warm, welcoming, and enriching environment where children are inspired to learn, explore, and thrive. Our premier infant, toddler, and preschool programs are thoughtfully designed to support each child’s unique journey through a balance of play-based learning and foundational education. With dedicated educators, engaging experiences, and a focus on social, emotional, and cognitive development, we create a place where curiosity is celebrated and confidence grows. Our philosophy is rooted in the belief that children learn best when they feel safe, loved, and encouraged to discover the world around them. At Bright Stars, we are committed to providing families with a trusted, high-quality childcare experience where every child has the opportunity to shine.
1055 La Ovejas Avenue, San Rafael CA 94903
199 Greenfild Avenue, San Rafael CA 94901
Accepting kids from six weeks to six years old. Open Registration Infant therapy Preschool program
Please contact Nahid at 415-310-7543, Brightstars81@yahoo.com
Sausalito Nursery School
Where Wonder Takes Root
At Sausalito Nursery School, our mission is to nurture a community of creative, curious, joyful learners through play-based education, compassion, and a sense of wonder.
Long before children learn to read, they learn something even more important: how to ask questions worth answering.
At Sausalito Nursery School, we believe wonder is the engine of learning. Through our diverse, play-based and emergent curriculums, children investigate, invent, create, collaborate, and discover that their ideas matter. They explore nature, solve problems, build friendships, and develop the confidence to follow an idea wherever it leads.
Founded in 1939, SNS is one of the nation’s longest-running cooperative preschools. As a cooperative, parents work alongside our experienced teachers, creating a community where children see the playful side of the adults in their lives. For over 85 years, our experienced teachers have partnered to create a community where curiosity is nurtured, creativity is celebrated, and childhood is honored as the foundation for a lifetime of learning.
Because learning shouldn’t begin with memorization.
It begins with muddy fingers,
And asking, “What if?”
With imagining what else could be possible,
And building it.
It begins with wonder.
625 Main Street, Sausalito, CA
415.332.0174 | sausalitonurseryschool.org
Elementary & Middle Schools
Brandeis Marin
Integrity. Kindness. Service.
Brandeis Marin is an independent K–8 Jewish day school where academic excellence, creativity, and community inspire bold thinking and joyful discovery. Our rigorous, interdisciplinary curriculum cultivates curiosity and critical thinking through exceptional arts education and immersive experiences that connect learning far beyond the classroom.
With outstanding faculty, small class sizes, and personalized attention, every student is known, challenged, and supported to reach their fullest potential. Grounded in Jewish values and enriched by a warm, welcoming community, Brandeis Marin is a place where every family belongs and lifelong friendships take root. Our students graduate as compassionate leaders, critical thinkers, and creative problem-solvers — ready to excel in high school and make a meaningful impact in the world.
If you’re looking for an exceptional K–8 education in a thriving community, you belong at Brandeis Marin.
180 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael, CA
415.472.1833 | brandeismarin.org
Chronos Academy
Teachers Make Learners
Students learn best when they know their teacher is truly glad to be with them. When students feel safe, seen and accepted, they are much more willing to try a new skill, guess the answer, or even teach others what they’ve been learning on their own. Chronos Academy teachers teach because they love kids, love teaching, and love to learn!
Chronos teachers connect personally with each student. They consider them colleagues: playing, building, and singing with them, brainstorming potential projects, and even learning alongside them a chronological history of all human innovation. They roll a ball down Galileo’s inclined plane and watch what happens, because they want to see it too. They memorize the countries of Eastern Europe and look up the mathematician of the week to tackle his unsolved problem.
The teacher’s enthusiasm sets the culture.
When a student has a burning question, Chronos teachers validate it, answer it, save it for later or even admit they don’t know. The student’s curiosity grows because it is celebrated. They engage with learning with more confidence, attempt difficult tasks, set big goals and tackle them with vulnerability and determination.
Living examples of emotional maturity, positive leadership, and a growth mindset, teachers mentor their students holistically so they become life-long learners too.
Chronos Academy is a WASC accredited, independent TK-8 school where bright, precocious and gifted children gain knowledge and skills to become innovators of the future.
110 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur, CA
415.383.2283 | chronos.academy
Good Shepherd Lutheran School
Guided by Values. Driven by Knowledge. Enriched by the Arts.
GSLS serves preschool through eighth grade, providing a close-knit learning community where every child is known, valued, and challenged. Intentionally small class sizes allow for individualized instruction, meaningful relationships, and the confidence students need to grow academically, socially, and emotionally.
A robust academic program is complemented by weekly instruction in STEM, Spanish, visual and performing arts, music, physical education, and leadership opportunities that foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. Through social-emotional learning, service, outdoor education, and a strong sense of community, students develop character alongside academic excellence.
Grounded by a culture of kindness, respect, and integrity, Good Shepherd is a welcoming community where students are challenged, supported, and inspired every day.
1180 Lynwood Drive, Novato, CA
415.897.2510 | gslsnovato.org
Marin Horizon School
The world isn’t divided into subjects.
Neither is our children’s future.
At Marin Horizon School, we believe academic rigor isn’t about memorizing more facts — it’s about understanding ideas more deeply. Here, students build strong foundations in every subject while making meaningful connections across them. They learn to think like mathematicians, scientists, historians, writers, and artists, then apply those lenses to real questions and real-world challenges. Whether they’re studying a watershed, designing an engineering solution, or exploring the history of a community, students discover that the most important problems don’t fit neatly into a single subject. Solving them requires curiosity, critical thinking, and the ability to connect ideas, recognize patterns, and apply learning in new ways. From Toddler through Middle School, every experience is intentionally designed to meet children where they are, challenge them to think deeply, and help them develop the confident voice to shape the world they inherit.
305 Montford Avenue, Mill Valley, CA
415.388.8408 | marinhorizon.org
Marin Primary & Middle School
Be connected. Be curious. Be courageous.
At Marin Primary & Middle School, we inspire joyful learning, honor each child, and build connections to empower all students to make a difference.
We believe that it’s deep connections — between students, with teachers, and with ideas — that help kids know themselves and push through boundaries in school and in life. Every day, we strengthen these connections so that our students are able to tackle new ideas and challenges, pursue goals with optimism and courage, and apply all they learn to the world they’ll inherit.
From preschool through eighth grade, we engage children in a warm academic environment that embraces growth and honors the journey of learning. Each stage of development is a building block to ensure future success in the classroom and beyond.
MP&MS sets itself apart with extensive experiential learning opportunities. Through our specialist classes and our outdoor education program, Open Sky, our students explore and develop interests and skills beyond the traditional curriculum. Students spend time in music, art, drama, library, Spanish, projects lab, physical education, and garden classes every week.
From our Treeschool program for preschoolers to field trips with primary students and overnight excursions in middle school, every student gets the privilege to experience nature and learn outside the classroom often. These diverse experiences complement and enrich the student experience at MP&MS. You will love who your child becomes at Marin Primary & Middle School!
20 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur, CA
415.924.2608 | mpms.org
Millennium School
We Know Middle School
Celebrating our 10th year this fall, Millennium is a 5th-8th grade all-gender independent middle school in San Francisco, founded on the latest research in adolescent development, mindfulness, and experiential learning. Our program meets the needs of early adolescence — balancing innovative academics, real-world experiences, and personal growth. Our teachers aren’t just educators — they’re skilled Guides who understand the magic and challenges of the middle school years. Our academics are mission-aligned, relevant, and personalized to every student. Our core curriculum combines experiential STEM and Humanities Quests with engaging language, math, and art blocks. Learning extends beyond the classroom through expeditions, wilderness days, camping, and travel. At Millennium, students are seen and known — and our engagement data confirms the sense of connection and belonging families feel. At Millennium, we empower students for a lifetime of well-being.
888 Turk Street, San Francisco CA
415.992.8520 | millenniumschool.org
Saint Patrick School
Inspiring Smart Minds and Kind Hearts
Our educational environment consists of an innovative curriculum which cultivates engaged learners and encourages students to work to their full potential. Our school community fosters an enthusiasm for learning and inspires students to be critical thinkers who lead with compassion.
We believe that a partnership with parents helps our teachers motivate our children in developing their unique talents and gifts with confidence which prepares them for success in premier high schools. We invite you to tour St. Patrick School to learn about our programs and to hear about how we partner with the parent community to educate the whole child.
Together, we help our children grow to be STAR students. Skilled Learners – Thoughtful Individuals Active Christians Responsible Citizens
120 King Street, Larkspur, CA
415.924.0501 | stpatricksmarin.org
High Schools
Marin Academy
Future-Ready. Human-Centered.
At Marin Academy, students think, question, and create— not chase the “right” answer. With an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio, students are truly known by teachers who challenge them to engage with complex, challenging ideas, consider diverse perspectives, and turn learning into action.
Students conduct research alongside scientists at top universities, tackle problems with nonprofits, interview civic leaders, run youth service organizations, compete in championship athletics, and perform original music.
MA students develop capacities — including compelling expression, empathy, intellectual flexibility, and courageous curiosity — while keeping relationships, belonging, and wellbeing at the heart of learning.
Students come from more than 50 Bay Area zip codes. With free tuition for admitted students whose families earn less than $100,000 per year, plus substantial support for many above that threshold, an MA education may be more accessible than families expect.
1600 Mission Ave, San Rafael, CA
415.453.4550 | www.ma.org
Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory
100% College Acceptance
Located in the heart of San Francisco, Sacred Heart Cathedral is a private high school that offers a rigorous and innovative academic curriculum complemented by an outstanding arts program and a renowned athletics program. Our dedicated faculty ensures students receive the best education within a diverse and inclusive Catholic community of faith.
SHC offers 27 AP courses, opportunities to compete in 24 sports, transportation to and from Marin and state-of-the-art facilities, including a 300-seat theater equipped with a sound and lighting booth, a spacious theater workshop, a 12,000-square-foot library, a 1,500-seat Pavilion, fitness and athletic performance centers and a dining hall that serves freshly cooked, nutritious meals.
With a 100% college acceptance rate, many highly selective colleges and universities compete for our students, including Harvard, Notre Dame, Stanford, UC Berkeley and Yale. Visit SHC today.
1055 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA
415.775.6626 | shcp.edu
Sonoma Academy
We believe in teenagers.
Teenagers are wired to ask hard questions and test limits. They crave novelty and exploration and human connection as they seek to understand the world around them. They are neurologically wired to challenge, and to be challenged. In short, they are exactly what our society needs at this critical moment.
The teenage years are transformative, and high school is too important a time to leave up to chance. That’s why we created a school built to harness the superpowers of teenhood: the natural drive to take risks, to seek challenge, and to find a sense of identity and belonging.
Our inspiring teachers craft a curriculum that goes beyond the college-prep basics, with courses designed to encourage you to ask hard questions, stretch, explore, and find true joy in learning, all within a warm and inclusive community where you can be yourself.
Sonoma Academy graduates are equipped with the skills they need to succeed in college and career, no matter what their individual path. Most importantly, they develop the self-knowledge and confidence they need to chart their own course and thrive in unprecedented times. We don’t just prepare you for “the” future…we prepare you for your future.
We invite you to our beautiful campus, nestled at the base of Taylor Mountain in Santa Rosa. Come experience what’s different about SA.
2500 Farmers Ln, Santa Rosa, CA
707.545.1770 | sonomaacademy.org
K–12 Schools
San Domenico School
Purpose-Driven Excellence Since 1850
As California’s first independent school, San Domenico has been blending tradition with innovation for 175 years. Located on a stunning 515-acre campus in San Anselmo, SD offers a K–12 education where academic excellence meets purpose-driven values.
Here, students are known, challenged, and inspired. Our graduates leave prepared not only for college, but for life — equipped with the resilience, compassion, and clarity of purpose needed to lead in a fast-changing world.
Whether you’re seeking a school that supports your child’s academic potential, emotional growth, or leadership development, SD offers a proven path grounded in values and alive with possibility. Come explore a community where students grow into the kind of people the world needs most.
Learn more at sandomenico.org
1500 Butterfield Road, San Anselmo, CA
415.258.1905 | sandomenico.org
Summerfield Waldorf School & Farm
Education Rooted in Meaning and Purpose
Summerfield Waldorf School develops independent thinking that leads to a true experience of meaning. This process begins with a hands-on experience in Preschool; progresses with rigorous academics, practical and fine arts, athletics, and immersive skill-building in the Lower School; and culminates in a search for individual meaning and purpose in High School.
Central to Waldorf Education is a recognition of and respect for the child’s unfolding individuality. Nurturing the whole child (hands, heart, and head), our approach meets our students’ specific needs at each developmental stage.
A top-rated private school on a 38-acre campus in beautiful Sonoma County, Summerfield Waldorf School was founded in 1974. We are the only school in the state that integrates a working Demeter Certified Biodynamic® farm into its campus and curriculum, from parent and infant classes through Grade 12.
655 Willowside Road, Santa Rosa, CA
707.575.7194 | summerfieldwaldorf.org
Schools for Learning Differences
Sterne School
Founded in 1976, Sterne School is the Bay Area’s premier school for neurodiverse learners, specializing in dyslexia, ADHD, and language-based learning challenges. Sterne creates an inclusive environment where students can drop their guard, build their confidence, and engage their curiosity. Guided by custom Personalized Learning Profiles, every teacher is a learning specialist dedicated to helping students thrive.
But specialized support does not mean compromise. Sterne seamlessly pairs tailored instruction with full-scale opportunities, ensuring students never sacrifice their passions and interests. Whether taking the court in competitive athletics, shining on stage, joining student clubs, or exploring the world through international travel, Sterne students do what they love every day. They graduate as confident self-advocates, backed by a 100% best-fit college placement rate at top universities worldwide.
838 Kearny Street, San Francisco, CA
415.922.6081 | sterneschool.org
Winston Preparatory School – Marin County
Success Starts with Understanding
When a school understands your child, challenges become opportunities — and learning comes to life. Winston Preparatory School, located in San Rafael, provides an individualized learning environment for students in grades 3-12 with diverse learning profiles, including ADHD, dyslexia, and NVLD.
Why does the Winston Prep model work? Instruction is built around each student’s unique learning profile, allowing teachers to focus on strengths, address challenges, and foster confidence. Students receive daily 1:1 instruction with a dedicated Focus teacher who supports academic growth, executive functioning, self-advocacy, and social communication skills. Small class sizes where students are grouped by learning profile and ongoing assessment allow for individualized and responsive programming. This unique approach helps students build independence, confidence, resilience, and the skills needed to succeed in school and beyond.
The results? Students experience extraordinary transformations in their lives and learning. Winston Prep has a 99.7% high school graduation rate. More than 80% of graduates enroll in colleges and universities, compared to just 33% nationwide for students with learning differences. This year alone, Winston Prep graduates have been accepted to more than 100 colleges and universities.
Students are accepted on a rolling basis, so your child can start thriving without delay. Join an upcoming Open House by visiting winstonprep.edu/open-houses. Have a question? Contact Pavati Zeno, Director of Admissions, at pzeno@winstonprep.edu.
1 Saint Vincents Drive, San Rafael, CA
415.993.5533 | winstonprep.edu
