2/27/26

Dear Old Mill Families,

Our hearts go out to everyone touched by the tragedy at Castle Peak. We are holding all those affected in our thoughts. During times like this, we are reminded of how important it is to come together in compassion and support. I want to share how grateful I am to be part of this community. I’m deeply thankful for the kindness and strength we show one another. It’s this spirit that makes our community not just strong, but truly special.  If your student needs support during this time, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Parents and caregivers can also access additional mental health resources here.

Celebration Of Cultutes Night

Thank you to everyone who attended our Celebration of Cultures Night.  I think everyone would agree that the displays were impressive, the food was delicious, and the sense of community was outstanding!  SHOUTOUT to Boriana Fackler, Clara Daniels, and Alicia Davis Gaide for your leadership around this event!

Mural Complete!

Alex Fong has completed her mural on the exterior of Room #14/Garden area.  If you haven’t had the chance to take a look, please do so (morning drop-off is a great time to do this).  THANK YOU to the PTA (especially Carrie Gadda) for making this happen.  It is a welcome addition to the Old Mill campus!

Madeline Levine

We are delighted to share that, by popular demand, renowned psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Madeline Levine, Ph.D. will be returning to Marin County for a powerful and timely evening session focused on supporting adolescents’ mental health and emotional well-being.  Hosted by the Marin County Office of Education, this free virtual event is open to parents, caregivers, educators, and school staff throughout our community. The evening includes a live Q&A, giving participants the opportunity to engage directly with Dr. Levine.

March 25, 2026 @ 6:30–7:30 PM (No Longer March 10th)
Springtime Stress – Testing, Transitions, and the Road Ahead
As students face testing season and end-of-year transitions, Dr. Levine will offer tools to help them manage performance-related stress and approach future planning with confidence and emotional balance. REGISTER HERE!

Lunch Supervision

We need volunteers for lunch supervision.  Sign-up here!  As usual, come early, come often!  Sign-ups now open through MARCH!

The Board agenda for the March 5, 2025 Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees includes a budget update titled “2025–2026 Second Interim Report”. This report captures District revenues and expenditures through January 31, 2026. It follows the 2025–2026 First Interim Report, presented in December 2025, which reflected our financial status through October 31, 2025.

In December and January, District staff hosted drop-in meetings at each school site to update the community on the District’ financials. These presentations highlighted an ongoing deficit of approximately $2.2 million associated with the projected addition of nine Transitional Kindergarten (TK) classes in 2026–2027. Updated enrollment projections now indicate the need for twelve TK classes, increasing the projected deficit to approximately $3.1 million.

We are committed to transparency and clarity in our District’s budget. To that end, a Special Board Budget Study Session will be held on March 10 at 6:00 p.m. in the Middle School Library. We invite all members of our community to attend to learn more about District finances and our current budget status.

Announcement: Join our Community Financial Advisory Committee (CFAC)

The Mill Valley School District is reestablishing our Community Financial Advisory Committee (CFAC) as a sub-committee of our Budget Advisory Committee.  We invite community members to apply.

We are seeking Mill Valley residents and registered voters with experience or interest in finance, budgeting, policy, or financial planning who are willing to serve a two-year term. Meetings are held quarterly.

This is a meaningful opportunity to lend your expertise and help ensure a strong financial future for our schools and students.  Learn more and apply on the District website (www.mvschools.org/cfac).

As we continue to work to make our practices accessible, we appreciate the continued collaboration of our labor partners, budget advisory committee, and community-based parcel tax committee in supporting our District.

News, Notes, & Votes

Regular Board Meeting - February 12, 2026

Facilities

Resolution #15-25/26 – MVMS Interim Portables
The Board approved the lease of temporary modular classrooms for Mill Valley Middle School to provide temporary space during construction. The 28-month lease, including installation and removal, will cost up to $3,318,058.64 and will be funded through Measure G. 

Extension of Flint Preconstruction Services – MVMS Project
The Board approved a 13-month extension of preconstruction services with Flint totaling $2,410,320. This includes allowances for site investigation and early procurement of long-lead items. The work supports ongoing project planning and coordination of the MVMS renovation and will be funded through Measure G. 

Addendum No. 3 – Phase IIA Interim Housing
The Board approved Addendum No. 3 to the facilities lease with Flint for Phase IIA, which includes procurement and construction of temporary modular classrooms for the interim campus. The estimated cost is approximately $20,000,000 and will be funded through Measure G. 

Parcel Tax Resolution Language

The Board approved a resolution for a parcel tax measure for the June 2026 election. The proposed measure extends the existing parcel tax, currently scheduled to expire in 2029, and renews a supplemental parcel tax that expired in 2021.

New Board Policy and Administrative Regulation – Immigration Enforcement Response
The Board approved and waived second read of a new Board Policy and Administrative Regulation addressing the District’s response to immigration enforcement. The policy updates and consolidates language previously included in BP/AR 5145.13 and aligns District practices with current state law.

Language regarding optional training was updated to include mandatory staff trainings.  Policy can be seen here.

Next Board Meeting - March 5, 2026

Special Board Meeting: Budget Study Session - March 10, 2026

Upcoming:

March 4th: Walk & Roll To School!

March 20th: PTA Meeting and Lost & Found

March 25th: Talent Show @ 5:00pm

April 17th: PTA Meeting and Lost & Found

April 29th: STEAM Night

May 15th: PTA Meeting and Lost & Found

May 28th: Open House

June 9th: Field Day (morning)

Jun 12th: Last Day of School and 5th Grade Promotion @ 8:45am on Lower Yard!

Have a great weekend,

Jason Matlon

Principal, Old Mill Elementary