3/6/26

Dear Old Mill Families,

Thank you for another great week. Next Friday, March 13th, is the last day of Trimester 2 for the school year. Progress Reports for Trimester 2 will be sent home on Wednesday, March 18th.

Daylight Savings is this weekend. Please adjust your clocks accordingly so students arrive to school on time on Monday. 

Spring Village Fest

Spring Village Fest is next Wednesday!  Please join us at the Mill Valley Community Center for this fun event. Details and RSVP link below.

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month! Don’t miss this spring’s Mill Valley PTA DEI event Spring Village Fest: Neurodiversity, Disabilities, Belonging, on March 11 from 5-7pm at the Mill Valley Community Center. RSVP here and sign up to lend a hand here! We will also be hosting a quiet hour from 4-5pm. We will limit amplified announcements and music during the quiet hour, and we expect smaller crowds during that time. Find a visual What to Expect guide here. Families can enjoy:

️ Therapy dogs with Marin Humane & Dr. Gila Dorostkar

️ FREE slice of pizza for kids from deaf-owned Mozzeria (pizza purchase available for adults)

️ Face painting and glitter tattoos

️ The Bubble Lady

️ Music and movement with Emily Bonn

️ Outdoor games

️ Crafts & a community mural

️ Sensory exploration bins

️ ITAV 20th birthday cupcakes

️ Quiet zone

️ Information & resources about neurodiversity and disabilities
We will also be celebrating the 20th anniversary of It Takes a Village, our special education PTA - one of the only PTAs of its kind in the Bay Area! Janet Miller, founder of It Takes a Village and former MVSD School Board Trustee, will be joining us to celebrate this milestone with the community! RSVP | Volunteer 

TMAC Biking & Walking Update

The City of Mill Valley's Traffic Mobility Advisory Committee (TMAC) has selected Old Mill School as the initial pilot for an exciting new program around student independence via regularly and safely biking & walking to school. We should be proud to be recognized as a close community that cares about these kinds of enduring habits for our students.  If Old Mill is able to meet the goal of doubling the average number of students biking & walking to school and 25% more students walking (on days with good weather) Mill Valley will sponsor a special assembly in June to celebrate. Mill Valley believes more kids biking and walking to school can help reduce traffic in Mill Valley as well as foster more independent kids.

The program includes specific ideas on safe drop off options for student to then walk the rest of the way to school, bike safety training, and more (see pic above).  Measurement on progress is collected anonymously via a counter located as the back gate (by the bike rack, and where this winning mural “Rock and Roll”). A banner will be up in front of school and updated every 2 weeks as we track progress (see below).

Lunch Supervision

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

Board Budget Study Session
On Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at 6:00 p.m., the Board will hold a Budget Workshop in the Middle School Library. The agenda for the meeting is attached. During the workshop, the Board will review the district’s current financial status and discuss the assumptions that will guide the development and adoption of the 2026–2027 budget, as well as the district’s multi-year financial projections.

Members of the Budget Advisory Committee, MVTA, CSEA, Kiddo!, PTA, and the Parcel Tax Committee have been invited to participate in table discussions with Trustees during the workshop. Audience members will also have an opportunity to provide feedback using note cards.

In April, Assistant Superintendent Paula Rigney and I will visit campuses again to provide parents with updates and an opportunity to ask questions.

Spring Village Fest
I would also like to highlight the Spring Village Fest, sponsored by our PTA DEI Committee, on March 11 from 4:00–7:00 p.m. at the Mill Valley Community Center. In recognition of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, this gathering is designed to provide families with a welcoming space to learn more about neurodiversity and disabilities while connecting with community organizations and local resources.

To help ensure the event is accessible and comfortable for all, a Quiet Hour will be held from 4:00–5:00 p.m., featuring limited amplified sound and a smaller, more relaxed environment. Activities throughout the evening will include therapy dogs, arts and crafts, sensory exploration opportunities, outdoor games, music and movement, and informational tables. 

The event will also recognize the 20th anniversary of It Takes a Village (ITAV), Mill Valley’s special education PTA. Janet Miller, founder of It Takes a Village and former MVSD School Board Trustee, will join the community in marking this meaningful milestone.

Opportunities such as this reflect our community’s ongoing commitment to awareness, inclusion, and fostering a strong sense of belonging for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

Upcoming:

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