3/27/26

Dear Old Mill Families,

Lower Gate Bike Drop at Morning Drop-Off

Old Mill is partnering with TMAC to boost riding and walking to school - see image below for an update on our progress!

And for parents who are not sure where to park their bike (single or multi-seater) at morning drop-off, I suggest entering campus through the Lower Gate on Old Mill St.  You can park your bike near the bike rack when you drop off your kids (see pic below). Our ask is that you depart campus promptly at 8:15am when the second bell rings, so if you are on the Upper yard this means saying your goodbyes before the second bell.

Finally, the next Walk & Roll To School Day is on Wednesday, April 1st!  We look forward to seeing as many riders & walkers as possible.  SHOUTOUT to Nicole McClay and Kimberly Buss for spearheading this effort:)

Old Mill Budget Meeting

Join us for an upcoming meeting at our school site where district staff will provide important updates on the Second Interim Budget, share key takeaways from the recent Board Budget Workshop, and discuss how these efforts are shaping budget development for the coming year. This is a great opportunity to stay informed and engaged with the financial planning that supports our students and schools. We hope to see you there!  Dates are:

• Edna April 13th

• Old Mill April 14th

• Park April 15th

• Strawberry April 17

• Tam Valley April 20th

• MVMS April 21st

STEAM NIGHT!

Wednesday, April 29

5:00 - 6:00PM (project set up at 4:30PM)

Mark your calendars for our 10th annual STEAM Night, where K-5 students are invited to share a project in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and/or Math! 

Ask your kids to start brainstorming their projects now! Working with partners or a small group is fine. Many of the best STEAM projects start with an idea sparked from students' own curiosity or observations. Past projects have included crystal growing, popsicle stick bridges, the chemistry behind popping boba, paintings made with items found in nature, the effectiveness of sunscreens, 3D models of a Miwok village, and so many more! This is a casual event where kids will have designated space on tables in the MPR, and attendees walk around to view and learn about the projects.

Please submit your child’s project idea using this form by Friday, April 10. If you have questions, please reach out to Alison Shemyakin at alison@shemyakin.net.

Tee Off for Education

Kiddo!, Tam High Foundation, and the Mill Valley Golf Course are teaming up once again for an exciting community fundraiser benefiting Mill Valley students from TK through high school. Gather your friends, family, or colleagues and enjoy a fun, friendly tournament while supporting the programs that enrich our local schools. 

Date: Sunday, April 26th, tee times between 7:00 - 1:00 pm

Format: Four-person, nine-hole team scramble. Teams can register as adults, students, or mixed.

Click here to register and secure your tee time.

Questions? Contact us at info@kiddo.org.

ITAV Hike!

Lunch Supervision

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

Dear Families, 

As you know, we pride ourselves for our educational excellence in Mill Valley.  For the past three years, our elementary teams have focused on implementing evidence-based literacy programs to support the success of all students.  We are reporting strong gains in student achievement, including meaningful progress among historically underserved student groups, following a multi-year investment in evidence-based literacy and instruction.

Recent CAASPP results show the percentage of students exceeding grade-level standards increased from 40.88% to 47.83%, while the percentage not meeting standards declined from 6.51% to 4.83%. Growth is especially notable among student groups that have historically experienced disparities. The percentage of socioeconomically disadvantaged students exceeding standards nearly doubled (12.79% to 24.27%), and students who are both economically disadvantaged and Hispanic/Latine saw gains from 4.55% to 17.24% . Students whose families have a high school level of education also showed significant increases in advanced performance, while students whose parents hold graduate degrees increased their rates of exceeding standards by over 10 percentage points (46.35% to 56.43%) - demonstrating progress across all student groups.

We attribute these gains to a focused approach to strengthen multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). TK-5 teachers and administrators participate in ongoing training and coaching on structured literacy and practices grounded in the science of reading through district grade level collaboration days to support our adoption of CKLA, our new high-quality literacy program. This year, we have added a new literacy assessment and dyslexia screener, mClass DIBELs,  to our assessment protocol so that all classroom teachers have information about students’ reading performance and strategies to support their growth.  Coupled with our Targeted Learning Labs staffed by trained interventionists who deliver high-quality intervention supports, student performance on DIBELS also reflects our successful implementation of science of reading practices, as seen in the table below:

As California advances legislation such as AB 1454 and AB 121 to promote evidence-based literacy instruction, Mill Valley’s results demonstrate that the impact of this work has been underway. The district remains committed to ensuring all students have access to high-quality instruction and the opportunity to succeed. By working together - students, families, and educators - we can ensure that every child grows as a reader. Regular assessment, targeted instruction, and family support all play a vital role in helping students reach and exceed reading goals.

For more information, see the links below.

• For more information about Dyslexia Screening: IDA Universal Screening 

• For more information about MClass DIBELS

• For more information about MTSS: Amplify Complete MTSS Framework

• For more information about Structured Literacy: IDA Structured Literacy (MTSS) Approach

Thank you for your continued partnership in your child’s learning journey!

Upcoming:

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