Mount Tamalpais School

I attended Marin Horizon in the early 2000s, from 3rd through 8th grade. Those years were extremely formative for me, but unfortunately were not a good time - in fact I remember them today as being the worst years of my life. The academics at MHS may have been good, but are rendered irrelevant by the brutal, ceaseless bullying I experienced, the scars of which haunt me to this day. I have memories of horrible things my classmates did to me while teachers stood by and did nothing. It pains me to think that my parents spent so much money for me to be treated so poorly, and even today I wonder how I made it through those years of misery and came out the other side. Today I’m 32 and have a wonderful and fulfilling life that I am extremely proud of - everything I have is not because of, but rather in spite of, my time at MHS.

The school’s promotional materials and visual aids are misleading and deceptive. Notably, some teachers, particularly those in the preschool division, lack formal education or relevant experience. Some demonstrate a lack of understanding of child development, while others exhibit poor treatment of children without any knowledge of child care. Furthermore, there are instances of bullying and harassment among teachers, which are subsequently denied. The management appears to be unaware of the issues occurring in the classrooms, and both HR and management lack the necessary skills to address staff conflicts effectively. The high turnover rate among teachers is attributed to the poor treatment they receive from management. Teachers who have been with the institution for over a decade are employing outdated teaching methods. The institution’s primary focus appears to be financial gain rather than the well-being of children. Consequently, it creates an unfavorable and toxic work environment.

Academics are a bit slow in lower school, but they improve as students move up.