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Marin Academy Independent School, 9th-12th. Bay Area.

Last month, Marin Academy Research Collaborative Independent STEM Research (MARC ISR) students and MA faculty Amy Straus...
10/06/2026

Last month, Marin Academy Research Collaborative Independent STEM Research (MARC ISR) students and MA faculty Amy Strauss and Ellie Beyers welcomed Sophie Haase Cox ‘20 to campus to share her experience as a MARC alum and a doctoral student in Biology at Stanford.

Sophia was in the third class of MARC, where she set up research on how best to support the growth of healthy Pseudo-nitzschia algae in a lab setting. She received her undergraduate degree in biology at Stanford in 2024, her master’s in 2025, and is now working towards her PhD! Sophie has contributed to research projects along the way, including conservation work with prairie dogs, coral bleaching experiments, fish behavior studies, and now her own research on how species diverge.

After her visit to MA, current MA students shared that they connected with her journey, took away practical lessons about scientific research, and left with a stronger appreciation for the opportunities MARC provides. In their words:

“Her passion for her research was palpable, and she spoke about her work with a lot of joy!”

“Her advice was to learn as much as you possibly can about whatever it is you're working on - the more you learn, the more exciting and complex something is, and the more curiosity and questions are sparked”

Mark your calendars, Wildcats! 🐾Our Fall Wildcat Rally BBQ & Wildcat Wear Sale is coming up on Friday, October 16, from ...
10/02/2026

Mark your calendars, Wildcats! 🐾

Our Fall Wildcat Rally BBQ & Wildcat Wear Sale is coming up on Friday, October 16, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. on the MA Redwood Deck and Championship Field.

Join us to cheer on our teams, enjoy some free food, and check out the brand-new Wildcat Wear. Whether you are a parent, student, or alum, we cannot wait to gather as a community and show our school spirit.

See you there!

📷: Mandy T.

What’s the winning strategy? 🎲 Marin Academy’s Math Team spent a recent lunch playing Liar’s Dice, working in groups to...
10/02/2026

What’s the winning strategy? 🎲 Marin Academy’s Math Team spent a recent lunch playing Liar’s Dice, working in groups to explore just that.

From the team:

"Our mission is to prepare students for local math competitions, develop creative problem-solving skills, and build a community of students excited about math! We hope to inspire students to approach challenging problems in new ways and incorporate mathematical thinking into their everyday lives."

Leaders of the team are Jennifer L. ‘29, Elizabeth B. ‘28, Asher K. ‘28, and Danny S. ‘28.

From studying spiders in her Berkeley backyard to leading the Leonard Learning Lab at Yale University, Julia Leonard ’07...
09/30/2026

From studying spiders in her Berkeley backyard to leading the Leonard Learning Lab at Yale University, Julia Leonard ’07 has followed her curiosity every step of the way. 🔬

At Marin Academy, Julia explored interests in art, Japanese, and science, and found opportunities to take those interests further through hands-on research.

Today, as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Yale, Julia studies how children decide what deserves their effort, what helps them persist through challenges, and how adults can support that learning.

“A lot of seeds were planted and nurtured at MA,” Julia reflected. “I didn't realize how special that was until I studied psychology and thought more about education.”

Her work on children’s persistence and motivation has also been recognized by the American Psychological Association with its Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions to Psychology.

Read more: https://www.ma.org/alumni-portal/news/alumni-spotlight5

Students in John Hutchinson’s "Justice in America" elective visited the San Rafael Public Safety Center to connect their...
09/30/2026

Students in John Hutchinson’s "Justice in America" elective visited the San Rafael Public Safety Center to connect their coursework with real-world civic systems. To learn about daily operations and community policing, the class toured the facility and held a Q&A with Captain Berringer and Officer Marshall.

Tea with a side of 18th-century British history! ☕️🇬🇧Last week, students in Derek Anderson's Advanced Historical Researc...
09/28/2026

Tea with a side of 18th-century British history! ☕️🇬🇧

Last week, students in Derek Anderson's Advanced Historical Research Methods class brought their discussions to life. As they analyzed London’s economic rise, William Hogarth’s didactic etchings, and the complex royal genealogies behind the Scottish rebellions, they shared a cup of tea.

Left to right: Iris W., Tatiana T., Beckett H., Jaden L., Jackson F., Rani H., and Kelly K.

Introducing From the MA Bookshelf, a new series by Marin Academy that offers a glimpse of what people in the MA communit...
09/25/2026

Introducing From the MA Bookshelf, a new series by Marin Academy that offers a glimpse of what people in the MA community are reading and learning.

Today, MA CFO Mike Joyce reflects on a book he revisited this summer: Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less by Leidy Klotz:

Klotz explores a simple but powerful insight: when we try to improve something, our natural instinct is often to add without first considering whether improvement might come from simplifying or redesigning what already exists.

That idea is especially relevant in schools, where we are continually inspired to create new opportunities for our students. But over time, even worthwhile programs and commitments can accumulate, adding complexity, stretching people’s capacity, and placing pressure on institutional resources.

Thoughtful subtraction is an act of stewardship and organizational clarity. It means understanding what is working, listening to those affected, and making deliberate choices about where our attention and resources can have the greatest impact.

At MA, that work begins from a strong foundation. Our new strategic plan, Future-Ready, Human-Centered, is grounded in our mission, shared values, and the defining elements of an MA education—including original inquiry that draws across disciplines with real-world impact.

As we bring the plan to life, Klotz’s ideas offer a valuable lens: in addition to considering what we might add, we should also ask what we can simplify, redesign, or let go of to focus our energy on what matters most.

Learn more about MA’s strategic plan: https://www.ma.org/about/strategic-plan

Future-Ready, Human-Centered: Marin Academy's Strategic Plan for 2026–2034 is here.Years in development and shaped by hu...
09/22/2026

Future-Ready, Human-Centered: Marin Academy's Strategic Plan for 2026–2034 is here.

Years in development and shaped by hundreds of voices across our community, students, faculty, alumni, and families, this plan sets our direction for the next 8 years.

Emerging technologies are transforming how knowledge is accessed, created, and applied. Yet critical thinking, compelling expression, adaptability, empathy, and courageous curiosity, the qualities that have always distinguished an MA education, are more essential than ever.

Learn more about Future-Ready, Human-Centered: https://www.ma.org/about/strategic-plan

Straight up Mt. Tam and back down again. Our Boys XC team turned a tough climb into a masterclass in teamwork. Proud of ...
09/21/2026

Straight up Mt. Tam and back down again. Our Boys XC team turned a tough climb into a masterclass in teamwork. Proud of this crew. 🏃🏻‍♂️ 🏔️

📷 Photos: Jon Bretan

MA senior Fletcher Matthiesen ’27 is on the cover of the September issue of Kentfield and Ross Living Magazine.In the fe...
09/21/2026

MA senior Fletcher Matthiesen ’27 is on the cover of the September issue of Kentfield and Ross Living Magazine.

In the feature, Fletcher shares how his experiences at Marin Academy have shaped his interests and sense of purpose—from captaining the MA Mountain Biking team to exploring electrical engineering, computer science, and applied genetics.

“I took part in the Marin Academy Research Collaborative (MARC). I’m in the Applied Genetics research class, where we worked with Stanford on crossbreeding flies using CRISPR, a gene-editing tool.”

Beyond MA, Fletcher serves on Marin County’s Search and Rescue team, where he helps manage and deploy the team’s fleet of e-bikes during search efforts.

Congratulations, Fletcher!

Address

1600 Mission Avenue
San Rafael, CA
94901

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+14154534550

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