A mix of MTS fifth graders in a group with arms around each other outside

The MTS Experience

The Mount Tamalpais School experience is one of joyful, engaged learning.

A day at MTS is full of joyful moments: a first grader building a mini farm to work through measurement and the cost of running it, a fourth grader drafting their "Where I Come From" poem, an eighth grader teaching classmates about the genetic disorder they studied. Students aren't just happy at MTS. They're genuinely engaged and inspired and taught by experts who know their subject and know them.

Families experience that same engagement. Parents and caregivers share stories in the classroom, volunteer throughout the year, and gather, on and off campus, at events that turn into friendships lasting well past graduation.

Joyful Learning

Joyful Learning - Departmentalized Instruction

Teachers as Experts

Math is taught by a mathematician. Science, by an engineer. From Kindergarten on, MTS students learn every subject from someone who specializes in it, not a single teacher covering it all. Learn why we departmentalize here.

Joyful Learning - Young and Capable

Young & Capable

Protecting childhood and building real capability aren't opposites at MTS. Uniforms, no phones out on campus, and shared recess across every grade give students the structure to stay kids. But "young" doesn't mean sidelined: our fifth graders lead the Lower School, and every grade takes a turn running a school-wide Gather. Childhood is not a renewable resource, and we make the most of it.

Joyful Learning - Joy & Rigor, Together

Joy & Rigor, Together

Overcoming hard challenges naturally creates joy. MTS students write real lab reports, debate authentic ideas, and solve problems with no easy answer, and they do it with the kind of focus that comes from truly loving the subject. Serious learning, seriously fun.

Joyful Learning - Close to Nature

Five Acres, Inside and Out

Set on the shoulders of Mount Tamalpais, our five-acre campus puts students outside almost as often as in, moving between classes in fresh air, learning science in the garden, and playing on real grass with the mountain as a backdrop.

Student playing guitar during enrichment class

Joyful Learning - Human Intelligence, Intentional Technology

Human Intelligence, Intentional Technology

Technology at MTS is a tool, not a habit, guided by a published, grade-by-grade philosophy on AI and digital wellness. Always human. Always intentional. Learn more about Technology at MTS here.

Joyful Learning - One Connected Community

One Connected Community

Every student is matched with buddies from two other grades, building friendships and mentorship that cross age lines all year. It's one of the ways a K-8 community this size stays genuinely connected within one campus.

Learn More About MTS

Get some quick stats about our K-8,
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MTS at a glance

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Read about some of the latest classroom projects and fun events on our blog!

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