5 Makin Grade
Ross, CA 94957

Overall, I’d give Redwood High School 4 out of 5 stars. The school has a pretty competitive environment — a lot of students really push themselves to get the best grades, which can be motivating but also very stressful at times. Some kids can be a bit mean, and I did have a few teachers who weren’t the nicest.That said, most of the teachers were genuinely kind, supportive, and passionate about what they teach. They helped me rediscover my love for learning and actually made me excited to come to school again. Despite a few negative experiences, the good definitely outweighed the bad.

Where to start... Shout out to Mr. B! The kids want to work so hard in his class. What an inspiration he is for them at an age when most kids feign indifference (middle school). They learn to think deeply and critically for themselves. And that Fab Lab! (Fabrication Labratory) 3D printers, woodworking, and a few other things that I don't even know the name of, but the kids can't get enough of this hands-on elective. Engineering comes to life here. An English Literature classroom organized around a comfortable set of sofas conducive to the sort of discussions we all experienced at university. A laptop for each child in grades 6-8. The new and respectful Superintendent is running the school, not the parents. Thank goodness. (This issue comes up a lot in Marin.) And the best part? It is a K through 8 school. Families keep their children on one campus longer, as is typical of the private school structure. The community of parents is tight, when you find your core group. The downside is that there is zero financial diversity. Most families donate $3k per kid per year. Not exactly "real world" experience. Not sure that issue can be solved. Gorgeous town, though.