Mark Day School discovers and nurtures what is finest in each child in a vibrant, inclusive learning community. Innovative and full of heart, Mark Day School strives to develop well-rounded critical thinkers in a challenging program that fosters academic excellence and responsible world citizenship. Our Mission Statement
At Mark Day School, we deeply know all of our students and because of this, we are well equipped to guide them as they learn and grow. For every student, there is a team of faculty, specialists, and administrators monitoring academic, social, and emotional progress. This important practice of truly seeing every student in our community is evident every day—when Head of School Joe Harvey greets students as they arrive at school, when students wave as they pass between classes, and when an Upper School student checks in with a Lower School student who had a hard day. At Mark Day School, students are the center of attention, and we care for them like family.
Individuality is celebrated here. It’s the norm to do your best every day, and students recognize and honor each other’s successes and passions inside and outside of the classroom. It’s a regular occurrence to see students nose-deep in a good book or sharing newly acquired knowledge about a specific topic of interest. Students genuinely love learning at Mark Day, and it shows in every project, assignment, and presentation.
With small class sizes, teachers can monitor academic progress and stretch each student just beyond the student’s comfort zone. In kindergarten and 1st grade, each class averages 16 students, with a teacher and support teacher in the room at all times. In 2nd through 5th grade, classes average 20 students. Our expanded middle school allows for smaller section sizes in 6th–8th grades for more individualized attention as they prepare for high school.
When it comes to learning, one size does not fit all. Our teachers know and understand how each student learns best in a rigorous academic environment. Teachers design learning experiences in multiple ways to engage multiple learning styles. Projects are often designed so that students can find the learning space that suits them best (quiet or busy) and work in a variety of configurations (solo or with a partner or group).
Mark Day School teachers have encouraged and respected my individuality from the beginning, and I couldn’t have asked for a better place to develop into the diverse thinker I am today. I have learned to express my emotions in a safe environment, and the fundamental teachings of the SEL program have encouraged me to have stronger friendships and an understanding of my own worth.
Lilah ‘20
We know that students do their best when someone expects something of them. At Mark Day, we place high expectations on our students to rise to the challenge, whether it’s earning a higher grade on a math test or facing a fear of heights during outdoor ed. With support from teachers and peers, we encourage students to lean in and try on, in the process proving to themselves they are often stronger, smarter, and more courageous than they first thought. These moments build a foundation that is central to success now and down the road.
As educators, we deeply consider the expectations we have for our students and how those expectations build healthy practices. Learning how to respond when things get a bit difficult is a consistent practice here, one that builds healthy habits, competence, and confidence, and demonstrates the value of hard work. These lessons students carry with them to higher education, relationships, careers, and beyond.
At Mark Day, we expect kids to be kids—and also rise to the challenge. We believe they are capable of doing so, and our belief in them often sparks confidence and a strong motivation to achieve. The art of teaching and learning is the discovery not just of how to work hard, but to find meaning—and joy— in meeting and exceeding expectations. These expectations are not just teacher to student, but also peer to peer; students are motivated and encouraged by their peers to work hard at whatever they want to achieve.
Most current and alumni families say that what they love most about Mark Day is the sense of community. As a former Parents’ Association President said, “The minute you step on campus, there is a sense of purpose and a sense of belonging.” It’s a place where everyone is welcome, where both students and faculty alike feel at home. We support each other within and beyond the walls of the classroom, coming together as smaller groups in mentors and clubs and also as a larger community at all-school events and gatherings. From kindergartners to 8th graders, we all have a special role to play and a responsibility to make sure all members of our community are seen and heard.
We come together twice a week for our all-school assemblies. It’s a moment when cross-grade friendships are cultivated and we are reminded that each class is part of a larger community. Students practice being good audience members, speaking publicly, and telling a joke or sharing a talent at our monthly themed assemblies.
We foster relationships between students of different ages early by partnering each kindergartner with an 8th grade buddy to read, play games, and do art projects. Other cross-grade student buddies include 1st and 5th grade buddies, and kindergarten and 2nd grade reading buddies.
The Family Association (FA) connects parents and guardians to build a social network and organize volunteers. Throughout the year, it handles a variety of events, fundraisers, and programs on behalf of the school. All parents and guardians are part of this close group, with many coming together to carpool, hike, and more.
Kindergartners through 3rd graders meet monthly in mixedgrade groups called “families” to participate in fun activities. In the Upper Division, small groups of 7th and 8th graders come together weekly for mentors. In both of these moments, students in higher grades have an opportunity to step into leadership positions.
Affinity groups are safe spaces for students to come together with a common identity. Research has shown that affinity groups benefit healthy identity development in kids and adolescents. Facilitated by faculty and staff, affinity groups embody our commitment to establishing and sustaining a diverse and inclusive community.
At Mark Day School, we believe that diversity, in its many dimensions, is required for an excellent education. A diverse community enriches the experience of all members—students, families, and faculty—and helps us be a stronger and more vibrant school. Working alongside people with different cultures, traditions, and beliefs, and learning to embrace a range of perspectives and opinions, is not only enriching, it is essential for academic excellence and responsible world citizenship. Simply put, diversity makes us better thinkers, better collaborators, and better community members.
We know from experience that a classroom of students from different backgrounds engages in deeper discussions and creates a richer learning opportunity. We strive to ensure that the composition of our school community reflects the diversity and multicultural composition of the communities in which we live. Families and employees at Mark Day are part of a socially responsible community striving to become conscious of, and teach about, all aspects of diversity and inclusiveness. It is our responsibility to actively seek to educate and raise awareness about how to address systemic racism and to reconcile and heal acts of prejudice and intolerance.
As a school committed to diversity, including socioeconomic, we strive to make a Mark Day School education available to all qualified students. Inextricably linked to diversity is inclusion, or the opportunity for each and every student and family to feel full membership in the life and community of the school. Our Indexed Tuition program is a system that places all families on a tuition spectrum. Currently, almost 25 percent of students pay tuition below the top of the index, and we are committed to helping as many families afford tuition as we can.
When visiting campus and seeing student learning in action, what is visible ranges from the seemingly mundane to the truly remarkable. One might see students engaging in a small group discussion about a novel or testing their creation of a volcano replica in the Creativity Lab. But what makes Mark Day School an extraordinary school is what people often don’t see, which is the immense thought, preparation, and research that is below the everyday line of sight.
Every facet of our program and every single decision come from careful consideration and extensive research. Academic excellence is and always has been the backbone of a Mark Day education. We regularly refine our cohesive curriculum and assessment system as we evaluate current trends, techniques, and research. By focusing first on the goals and aspirations for our graduates, Mark Day School teachers are constantly nurturing the school’s strengths in achieving our mission to provide a “challenging program that fosters academic excellence.”
To thrive in the current century, students need to master a more complex set of skills than ever before. While the traditional skills and competencies of foundational literacies such as math and the humanities are critical, current research and experience tell us that they are not sufficient. To that end, we created four cross-disciplinary literacies that are interwoven through our curriculum—media and information literacy, social and emotional literacy (SEL), eco-literacy, and cross-cultural literacy. We challenge students to see all literacies not as silos, but rather as interrelated systems that reflect the complexity of the real world.
From kindergarten to 8th grade, our nine years of curriculum are thoughtfully interconnected, seamlessly woven together, and always evolving. In the classroom, projects, units, and lessons combine literacies and skills so that students are simultaneously practicing and building upon what they learn. For example, in one project, 4th grade students use research, math, and engineering to build a bridge from toothpicks and glue that will hold significant weight. Another example is the annual trip to Costa Rica for students taking Spanish, where they are immersed in language learning and culture as they work alongside students from our partner school, Pan-American School.
During my time visiting eSibonisweni and KYP, I enjoyed giving the small kids piggy back rides and playing soccer with everyone. Even though we live all the way across the world, it is still easy to make friends with people. When I hosted a KYP teacher, Mo, at my house, we got along really well and shared our experiences together. I found that these relationships united the two cultures.” Roshan, ‘21
Our partnerships are founded on the idea that we all have something to give and something to receive; they are reciprocal in every way, from the long-lasting friendships that are formed to the learning exchanged on campus and abroad. Through our global partnerships developed over the past two decades, students build relationships with people from different cultures and communities, developing the skills to thrive in our diverse society. They reach beyond their own experience and develop habits that both promote personal growth and contribute to the common good.
Since 2001, we have built relationships with eSibonisweni, a rural school that helps us gain an understanding of the issues that affect rural communities in a different country, and Kliptown Youth Program (KYP), which serves as a resource for many families in Soweto. Since 2004, we have sent delegations of students and families to South Africa every other year, and have also welcomed delegations on campus and into our classrooms.
Our partnership with Er Xiao has been in existence since 2008. We have been fortunate to host large delegations—one as many as 70 students and teachers—from Er Xiao, as well as send a small group of 7th and 8th students learning the Mandarin language to Beijing every spring. While they are abroad, our students learn side-by-side in the classroom, stay with host families, and explore the area and culture of Beijing.
Through our partnership with Pan-American School, students have the opportunity to both host students and travel to Costa Rica. Particularly for students taking Spanish, these opportunities have a significant impact on their linguistic education and cultural discovery. Exchange students are in 7th and 8th grade, and each visiting delegation spends time with students in the lower grades, so the whole community shares in the experience.
At Mark Day School, social and emotional literacy, or SEL, is in all that we do. We believe that social-emotional work is integral to children’s development, so it’s infused into every aspect of our curriculum and daily life, not just talked about but acted on continually—from weekly scheduled classes to the playground. Throughout their time at Mark Day, students learn how to recognize and manage their own emotions effectively in a variety of situations, employ techniques and tools when they encounter challenges, demonstrate empathy and compassion, and make responsible and ethical decisions.
Starting in Kindergarten, students begin learning about TOOLBOX tools, a set of 12 skills that help them navigate through the intricacies of everyday life and relationships. This common language helps students understand emotions and address conflict or challenges in a constructive, effective way. Grounded in research, the TOOLBOX method encourages mindfulness and allows students to build on these skills as they mature through grade levels.
Recognizing and responding to the needs of others is integral to our mission as a school. Service supported by learning in and beyond the classroom encourages students to become local and global citizens with compassionate habits of heart and mind. Each grade has its own way of participating in community engagement, and we have developed trusting relationships with many local organizations over the years, including GLIDE, Downtown Streets Team, Casa Allegra, Adopt-a-Family, Whistlestop Wheels, KIVA, and more.
Our SEL program, developed and supported by our school counselors, draws on a variety of resources to help children develop both as individuals and members of the community. We have two school counselors, one who primarily supports Lower School students, and one who supports students in all grades. At least one counselor is on campus every day during school hours. In addition to implementing our SEL program, our school counselors work closely with teachers and division heads to ensure coordinated support for individual students.
Our media, technology and innovation program develops the habits of mind students need to thoughtfully interact with the information they encounter and gives them the tools to use their own voice and creativity to express themselves in video, audio, and the written word. Media fluency is developed over a student’s time here, beginning in the Lower School with integrated lessons about, for example, cereal advertising and reading nutrition labels. Gradually, students begin using iPads in the classroom for a variety of applications, asking increasingly sophisticated questions in the area of media and information literacy. As they move through the Upper Division, students hone their critical thinking and creativity, increasing the tools at their disposal and opportunities to express themselves across different media.
The Creativity Lab is a space for students to create with their hands and minds, test new ideas in real time, and learn to make their way through problems large and small. It encompasses a Think Tank for brainstorming, critique, and robotics, a collection of tools from glue guns to laser cutters to Adobe Illustrator, and an outdoor Maker’s Court where students can build structures bigger than themselves.
Our Learning Commons, or library, holds more than 15,000 volumes for recreational reading and research purposes. The ground floor is geared toward books and resources for students in grades K–3, while the second floor is for grades 4–8 and includes two study rooms for small group collaboration or tutoring. Furniture in both spaces is movable and adaptable to each class’s specific needs.
The Digital Media Lab houses a spacious room built for students to work independently or side-by-side on laptops, record material in two sound booths, and create their own media using the green screen. Here, students explore ideas across multiple forms of media, ask questions about the messages they encounter, and collaborate with peers.
“One of my favorite Outdoor Ed experiences is Point Reyes. We learned from a naturalist, who taught us about how to preserve and enjoy the natural environment. The hikes were challenging, but my classmates and I encouraged each other to keep going. I will always remember all of the fun memories.”
Sidney ‘23
For our students to become effective stewards of the planet, they need to be able to apply informed decision-making to support a sustainable lifestyle. Our goal is to develop environmentally literate students who understand the environment in total—both its natural and human-made aspects. Students explore the relationships between the complex systems of the Earth, an interdisciplinary process of inquiry, to solve problems, make decisions, and take action. There are a multitude of educational opportunities to do so through our organic garden, outdoor education program, and participating in keeping our campus sustainable.
Situated on the southwest side of campus, our organic garden serves as an outdoor classroom, with fruits, vegetables, flowers, native plants, and chickens. This space is cared for by school families and integrated into the curriculum across grade levels. Our 1st graders, for example, study the life cycle of redworms and become stewards of the worm bin, and our 3rd graders help grow food for the Marin County Food Bank.
The outdoor education program for grades 3–8 gives students opportunities to explore the natural world during unique and rewarding field experiences. Outdoor education trips are invaluable in strengthening students’ relationships, both with one another and with their teachers. Students develop self-reliance, independence, cooperation, and trust. Outdoor ed trip locations include Walker Creek, Coloma Outdoor Discovery School, Point Reyes, Pinnacles National Monument, Yosemite, and the Deschutes River in Oregon.
In 2019, our Learning Commons and Creativity Lab Project was awarded LEED Platinum status for its environmentally sustainable design and the Green California Outstanding Building Leadership Award for Zero Net Energy. Green elements include solar panels, bioswales, natural light through walls of glass, and a strict reusing, recycling, and composting program. These green spaces serve as living embodiments of our commitment to campus sustainability and enhance the education of our students in environmental literacy and responsible world citizenship.
Classrooms at Mark Day expand well beyond four walls. Student life underscores our commitment to integrating disciplines, creating community, and offering many opportunities to pursue and expand interests. Whether it’s choosing between 10 lunchtime activities, participating in the school play, joining mathletes or the chess team, or diving into a new hobby after school, students have ample opportunity to explore their next passion.
We offer two theater productions every year that are open for students in grades 4–8. Productions take place at Marin Center’s Showcase Theatre on a full theatrical stage. Parent volunteers and students design and craft costumes and sets and help with stage makeup. Recent plays include The Lion King, Jr., Annie, Jr., and Newsies, Jr.
Clubs have developed around environmental issues, films, chess, gardening, and more. These groups provide a forum for students to explore their passions, develop leadership skills, and make a difference in their school community and beyond.
Our enrichment classes after school are held on campus, taught by experienced teachers from our school and members of our community. Each course is designed to help students develop a love of learning and explore new and different experiences. Popular classes include Let’s Get Cookin’, Kung Fu, Tinkering, Basketball, and Rock Band.
As a student, I was one of the kids who found running a mile every day in P.E. very challenging. I looked forward to my birthday “running pass,” and wished I could have more birthdays solely to get me out of running. I realize now that the program set me up to establish a healthy routine, a lesson I’ve taken with me into my adult life and have been able to apply to much more than physical fitness. Chris ‘06
“ ”
We know based on widely published research that physical activity has positive effects on academic learning. Physical development is brain development. Therefore, it is important for students to move throughout the day—not just at recess and lunch but also in a more structured setting that allows for additional skills to be developed. Through our P.E. program, students learn to pursue lifelong fitness and wellness as part of a healthy, active life, show respect to teammates and opponents, and appreciate the effort, improvement, and achievement in oneself and others.
P.E. classes are held daily for all K–8 students. Lower School P.E. centers on varied movement exercises and physical activity. Students learn to cooperate, to play and compete ethically, and to build a habit of fitness. In the Upper School, students learn goal setting, teamwork, and responsibility. Success is based on consistent participation, effort, good behavior, and sportsmanship. Students also run at the beginning of class every day, with opportunities to improve their mile and times throughout the year.
Our athletics program offers a variety of sports teams for students, including volleyball, cross country, flag football, basketball, golf, track and field, and volleyball. Mark Day School is a member of the competitive Marin County Middle School League for a variety of sports; most of our teams do not require tryouts and do not cut players. Our coaches are guided in their work by the school’s Seven Pillars of Character and the principles of the Positive Coaching Alliance. Above all, we value sportsmanship and effort. oloribus, quid qui omnisi consedi quid qui omnisi consedi quid qui omnisi
Our alumni make up a diverse and notable group—educators, business owners, engineers, artists, lawyers, graphic designers, musicians, historians, and more. Students who graduate from Mark Day School are well equipped with the tools and experiences they need to carve their own path and succeed in whatever life and career choices they make. They are leaders in their community who actively seek opportunities for growth and engage in responsible world citizenship. We are proud to call them alumni, and enjoy when they visit our campus following graduation and beyond.
Archie Williams High School
The Bay School of
San Francisco
The Branson School
Cate School
Drew School
Marin Academy
Marin Catholic
Phillips Academy Andover
Saint Ignatius College
Preparatory
San Domenico School
San Francisco University
High School
Sonoma Academy
Tabor Academy
The Lawrenceville School
The Marin School
The Thacher School
The Urban School of
San Francisco
Redwood High School
Tamalpais High School
Terra Linda High School/
MSEL
San Rafael High School
San Marin High School/
STEM
Stevenson School
Novato High School/MSA
COLLEGES
American University
Bard College
Barnard College
Berklee College of Music
Boston University
Bowdoin College
Brown University
Bucknell University
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Colorado College
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Emory University
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Kenyon College
Lehigh University
Middlebury College
Northeastern University
Northwestern University
New York University
Occidental College
Pitzer College
Purdue University
Rhode Island School of Design
Rice University
Scripps College
Stanford University
Swarthmore College
Tufts University
Tulane University
University of Chicago
University of Michigan
University of Pennsylvania
University of Washington
UC Berkeley
UC Davis
UC Irvine
UCLA
UC Santa Barbara
University of Miami
USC
Vanderbilt University
Wake Forest University
HIGH SCHOOL: Marin Academy ‘12
COLLEGE: University of Pennsylvania ‘16
CAREER: Customer Success and Operations Manager at Convex Labs
“Mark Day taught me the true value of two very important things—communication and community. Going into high school, I felt beyond my years in my comfort with public speaking and writing, which has carried over to help me immensely as a businesswoman today. Further, Mark Day instilled respectfulness in me towards my peers and a sense of obligation to make those small classrooms a positive environment. That’s exactly the kind of mentality I bring to my work team today.”
HIGH SCHOOL: Marin Catholic ‘14
COLLEGE: UC Berkeley ‘18
CAREER: Data Scientist at Capital Group
“The most impactful thing I learned at Mark Day was how to learn. How to approach a tough problem, work hard for a worthwhile goal, find the interesting tidbit in a story and expand it into something larger. It’s one thing to learn long division, but it’s another to gain an appreciation for the art and power of mathematics. And Mark Day taught me both.”
HIGH SCHOOL: The Branson School ‘17
COLLEGE: UC Berkeley ‘21
“Mark Day instilled within me a lifelong passion for learning, exploring global cultures, and embracing diversity. I am so grateful for my nine years at a school that encouraged curiosity not only academically, but through extended classroom experiences such as community engagement and daily runs in P.E., to name a few. To this day, I can still list each outdoor education trip I went on from 3rd to 8th grade—a testament to how impactful and joyful those times were.”
