San Domenico School

Our family is so grateful for San Domenico and feels fortunate to be part of the community. The SD community is kind, respectful, intelligent, diverse, and focused on doing what is right. Our daughters have thrived in the challenging, supportive, and beautiful surroundings. We deeply missed San Domenico when we moved out of state, however, this experience has made our family value all that is special and unique about SD even more. San Domenico feels like home with the one-of-a-kind opportunity to engage with remarkable students from all over the world. San Domenico is truly the best of all worlds, and our family would highly recommend becoming a part of this exceptional/purpose-driven school.

SD has been an incredible high school experience for my 11th grade son and 9th grade daughter. The academics and course offerings are rigorous, but the focus on students finding their purpose, the teachers' passion and commitment to really knowing their students, the global and diverse community, and the genuine kindness and supportive nature of the students are what stand out. Being in class with/having friends from countries all over the world has helped my kids build understanding, empathy, and compassion towards others from different backgrounds. Another special thing is the ability to participate in multiple sports/clubs. My son plays 3 sports at the varsity level which is an opportunity he probably wouldn't have at a larger school where he would likely be expected to specialize in 1 sport to make a team. My daughter participates in a dance ensemble which deepens her feeling of connection to the community and is a unique offering not available at most other local high schools.

My son started at SD in kindergarten, currently in 3rd grade. SD has been an exceptional school for him, socially as well as academically. SD focuses on the complete child, pushing them to be not only strong academically (age appropriately) but also encouraging/supporting them to be good humans, who care about their classmates/teachers. Curriculum is very strong and well planned. SD teaches the kids how to "think" and "feel" and encourages them to talk about what made them proud during the day and what they could have done better for next time. I appreciate that they strive to keep the kids young, which to me is important given how "fast" culture is these days. I want my son to truly enjoy his elementary school experience. I want him to be excited to go to school and learn, and every day that happens at SD .I also appreciate how the teachers pivot when my son needs additional support in the classroom. Beautiful campus. Teachers are truly incredible! We hope to be at SD through HS!

I have two sons at San Domenico, one in the Lower school and one in Middle school. San Domenico provides a strong academic curriculum, the curriculum supports every single child and your child will be engaged in their lessons. More challenging work is provided when required as well as offering additional support if needed. The Teachers are exceptional, their dedication is clearly evident. Most importantly, they love teaching. Not only do the teachers care about your child's academic growth but they also truly care about how your child is emotional. My son who is in Middle school told me that all his Teachers were kind, this warmed my heart. Additional social and emotional support is provided by two exceptional counselors, one for the Lower school and one for the Upper school. You are welcomed into the San Domenico family, with open arms. I personally have found everyone to be friendly and kind. In Middle school there are a wide variety of clubs offered during the school day, once again everyone is included and it is a great way for the children to come together outside of the classroom. In the Lower School, they will go on a hike or walk to the beautiful garden, and if they wish they can feed the chickens. For me, I can see how genuinely happy both my sons are at San Domenico. Children learn more when they are happy. San Domenico is truly the best decision we made for both my sons.

We couldn't be happier with our decision to send our son to San Domenico. The curriculum has exceeded what we could have ever hoped for and has surpassed our expectations for a comprehensive education. Their approach addresses the "whole" student on every level - academic, physical, and emotional. we have enjoyed watching our son blossom and become the student we knew he could be. The teachers are so committed and intuitive - we couldn't be more thrilled with his teachers and the community. We feel very lucky to have this opportunity to lay this important educational foundation for our son. We couldn't be happier with San Domenico.

A purpose-driven education drew us to SD for our kids in the 3rd and 9th grades in 2021. 3rd grade encourages kids to connect with passions and the needs of the world. High school seeks purpose in classes like world religions, philosophy, global studies & electives, sports, assemblies, spring trips, and community service. Faculty have consistently kind and respectful communication, an expectation of inclusivity, and positivity. Our 3rd grader who can be shy loves school and riding the bus. Our high schooler is developing relationships and felt comfortable enough to join a sports team. Academics are excellent. Our 3rd grader's learning differences are supported by teachers, a counselor, and tutoring onsite. Our high schooler was given the tools to step up to the challenging curriculum and he's independently managing his work. Care and consideration go into every detail. Students benefit from the school's maturity and the quest for improvement and innovation. We are delighted with SD!

We came to SD in the Fall of 2020, at the height of the pandemic. I totally blew us away with their competence and commitment to providing a positive educational experience for our 5th grade daughter. They expertly managed the unknown and put safety measures in place to allow kids to come to school. During that year, not only was our daughter safe as there were no class outbreaks, but she also received a great education. The class sizes were small, as promised, and the teachers were thoughtful, skilled, patient, and created an environment where our gifted daughter was challenged, engaged, and respected. Coming to SD has proven a significant improvement over our public school experience. Where our daughter was once bored, disengaged, and socially struggling, she is now thriving with a group of friends, excitement about what she is learning, and is overall very happy going to school for the first time in years. The teachers are really impressive - they are really the best of the best. SD provides great professional development to their staff/faculty, so the educational environment is rich in the things that count: modern pedagogical expertise, love of the learner, patience and dedication. We could not be happier.

My daughter started 9th grade in the fall of 2020. We are impressed with how the school finds multiple ways to engage the students through the difficult limitations of the pandemic. Students` wellbeing and their learning is really in the center of all decisions and designs of the school. My child is socially shy, academically driven and love art and music. She is challenged in her schooling, which was not the case in her previous school. She gets the social, emotional support she needs to learn about herself and her subjects. The teachers, administrative staff, school counselors and friends (from different grades) are so open and available/inclusive, that she feels safe to reach out to communicate with others and advocate for herself. The well-rounded resources of the school allow her to expand and grow new interests in sports and music. She has access to amazing musical instruments and friends who are great musicians. And she has become friends with many international students and getting to know foreign cultures first hand. As a parent, I appreciate the seamless communications from school that really brings the community together for the children. I really feel that the school is our partner in creating a safe, fun and engaging place for my child to thrive and grow in.

SD has been and continues to be an amazing school for many reasons:1- making learning fun2-SEL approach to learning3-amazing, fresh food at cafeteria4-helping develop a whole child (emotionally, socially, spiritually, physically)5-the teachers and staff pay attention to each student and help them develop educationally6-superior education7- teach students to be independent, empathetic, socially responsible and how to be good human beings8-students have fun and enjoy going to school here each and every day and they are HAPPY9- the SD community is amazing and there are all sorts of families, making life long friends10-every decision SD makes, there is a lot of thought and communication with the community and student11-the campus is breathtaking and peaceful12-Diverse sports, amazing music and theatre productions and fabulous art program!! and I can go on and on and on. Truly the best school on the West Coast in my humble opinion.

This is our first year at San Domenico, and our daughter is in fourth grade. I have been incredibly impressed at the level of excellence this school has shown us in the short time we have been enrolled. From the top-notch, gorgeous campus, to the high level of academics, we have been nothing short of blown away. Our daughter has made a seamless transition to her new school, thanks in part to all the highly skilled teachers and staff. We felt that she needed a school that would allow her to be her best self while encouraging critical thinking and social-emotional development in her everyday curriculum. When I am on campus, I see children that are happy and excited, ready to learn and be challenged in a supportive manner. The athletics and after-school programming is also very robust, and has quite a lot to offer - there is truly something for everyone. We are so thankful to be part of this lovely school!

We had many reasons for picking San Domenico, and there are some great public and private schools in Marin. If Impressive campus aside (Music Conservatory, 500-acre campus, state-of-the-art Aquatic Complex, etc.) the emphasis on community and giving kids a purpose in their work was what stood out most. We have been so happy to discover it is possible to provide kids with the highest academic program we wanted, but minus the competition and bullying that is sadly present around the Bay Area these days. If you want your kids to fall in love with learning and also consider the broader community, San Domenico is your school.

San Domenico is such a wonderful school for so many reasons! I have three boys there who are all different and each is supported and challenged as they need it. The teachers and staff are very communicative, so you always have an in-depth knowledge of what is going on in the classroom and around campus. In addition to robust math, English, history, language curriculum, my children especially love the garden and science class where they really have an opportunity to see and do new and unique experiences. They integrate new classmates seamlessly and quickly and with a lot of thought and care. All of my children were very comfortable within a week. The community is lovely! I have met so many wonderful parents who really care not only about their children`s education but also about the making of their whole person and the child`s daily experience. My kids love the soup snack and cafeteria and it makes life so much easier for me. My 8th grader started in 6th and we are so grateful to the school for helping him become a very happy, secure, confident boy who is very ready for high school.

Working at San Domenico has been one of the best experiences. It's an outstanding school community and students receive an incredible education. The focus of the whole student is evident from their pre-k program all the way through the high school. Truly the best of the best!

I graduated from San Domenico several years ago and was extremely well prepared not only academically, but also as a person. I will always treasure the relationships I had with the teachers at San Domenico. They are not only dedicated to their craft, but they really care about each student and always encouraged us to get outside our comfort zone and try new things! High points for me were the basketball program, the music program and the visual arts. Awesome school!!!

I have been in many different private schools, but there is nothing like San Domenico. I consider this school very special because it has students and teachers from all around the world, which is great because we get to know many different cultures and even learn other languages. SD is a community that not only has the best teachers and coaches, but also has very nice and smart students that are always willing to help each other. Academics are great, students get in the best colleges in the United States and other countries like China, England, Mexico, Canada among others. But what I enjoy the most in San Domenico is the art and athletic programs that are offer to every student. I like them because they are very organize with flexible schedules and also really fun.