Core Values & Portrait of a Graduate

In 2020, representatives from the MP&MS leadership team and board of trustees joined a working group, led by veteran educator and independent school advisor Al Adams, to define and distill the institutional core values that distinguish the MP&MS learning journey. Over the course of six months, in collaboration with key constituents and subcommittees, the Core Values and Portrait of an MP&MS Graduate documents took shape. These living documents represent both what MP&MS stands for today, and what we aspire to be as a flourishing and evolving educational community.

We Value Courage, Curiosity, Connection

Our core values at Marin Primary & Middle School are rooted in the importance of developing character through courage, inspiring curiosity, and fostering a connected community. We measure our success by the behavior and accomplishments of every student, in every classroom, every day.

Portrait of an MP&MS Graduate

Marin Primary & Middle School offers a learning journey that amplifies each child’s inherent strengths, helping them to build the intellectual skills, social awareness, and emotional courage that will serve them throughout their lives. 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 their development is a building block to ensure future success in the classroom and beyond.   

As graduates, MP&MS students emerge with a passion for inquiry and empathy. They are:

  • Empowered Learners who think critically and creatively, are self-directed, and develop a personal relationship with learning.

  • Authentic Advocates who learn with and from each other and teach the group to respect the individual. MP&MS graduates know who they are, how they learn best, and how to advocate for themselves and others.

  • Confident Contributors who develop strong alliances with teachers and adults based on mutual respect. Our graduates communicate with ease and confidence one-on-one and in front of a group.

  • Playful Innovators who are inspired to create, innovate, and play as they learn.

  • Empathetic Leaders with big hearts, who are community-minded and are driven to make a difference. 

You will love who your child becomes at Marin Primary & Middle School.

"I think what I've carried with me to high school is the school's emphasis on belonging and empathy. The faculty & staff created a safe and compassionate environment where we could be ourselves and taught us how to respect and be supportive of one another. I am so grateful that I attended a school that considered these values central to its mission and think it helped me develop into a confident, caring high school student ready for college."

-Graduate from the Class of 2021