Back to top
Home | The Marin Preschool Guide | Rainbow Montessori of Marin

Rainbow Montessori of Marin

Our mission is to provide a full curriculum of Dr. Maria Montessori’s philosophy and principles of education for children ages 2.0 to 6.0. We strive to inspire a passion for excellence in each child; to nurture curiosity, creativity, and imagination; and to awaken the inner spirit. We emphasize learning with respect for all people and cultures. Teaching inner peace and personal fulfillment, we strive to create a carefully-prepared environment so that our children will freely interact and grow in peaceful harmony with their friends, family, and society.

Hours:

  • Full Day 8:30 am – 2:45 pm or Half Day 8:30 am – 11:30 am placement
  • Morning Care and After-School Care (ASC) from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm
270 Miller Avenue
Mill Valley, CA 94941

Comments

Well run, adored by children,

Well run, adored by children, and appreciated by parents. We moved into the area from Texas, where our children were also attending a Montessori school. We had initial concern over how well our kids would fit into a different Montessori program, but the transition was easier than expected based on the strength of the teachers and the community that Ms. Candace has built around the children and their parents.

We have two kids in the school, one in pre-primary and one in the primary class. We also make use of the early morning care as well as the after school care - the whole package!

In the pre-primary class, Ms. Norma and Ms. Yessi make a perfect team.

Ms. Norma strikes a great balance between ensuring that the kids are learning to be polite and attentive while still being warm and caring. She is the disciplinarian in the classroom, but the kids still go to her for comfort. Ms. Norma is also not afraid to give parents pointers, whether it's on what to pack in their lunch, or how to address issues that might otherwise slip under the radar. Her honesty, for someone like me, is priceless because I'm pretty new to this parenting thing.

Ms. Yessi seems to have boundless energy, and the kids look to her as a role model for how to have proper fun. I've seen her diffuse a toddler's meltdown with a smile and a few kind words, and having volunteered for playground duties with her on several occasions, I think she would be one of the first people I'd trust to make sure my kids are safe.
The primary class is run by Tabatha. She is the child whisperer. We heard great stories about her from our oldest child for weeks before we finally met her. We can confirm that she's all that - someone that's born to handle the madness of a dozen three to five-year-olds on a daily basis. She's as patient as the earth, and truly loves working with children and watching them grow. I could say I'm envious of how well my oldest child listens to her or recalls lessons she has taught him, but I'm mostly thankful.

Rounding out the team is Ms. Linda, who shares primary duties with Tabatha, and then rolls over into after-school care. My children get the most one-on-one time with her, and she has worked wonders with my oldest child in getting him to focus his energy. She has raised five children of her own, so I'm assuming she learned this skill as a matter of survival, but I'm heartened to find my oldest child, despite being at the end of a long day at school, not wanting to go home until he finishes the project Ms. Linda has him working on.

The largest hurdle the family had to get over before enrolling was the vacation schedule, which is more generous than most places in the area. This is a big factor for families with two working parents, but we have learned to navigate through their schedule - divide and conquer! Also, keep in mind that kids need time off too.

TLDR - This place has done great things for our kids, and has shown us parents just how much they are capable of if you have the right people surrounding them.