Dear Tam Valley Families,

Happy May! We had another busy, joyful week here at Tam Valley!

TK Dance
Earlier this week, our TK students showcased what they’ve been learning to those they invited. Thank you for sponsoring this enrichment, Kiddo! And thank you to our Kiddo! donors for making this happen.

A Standing Ovation for Second Grade! 

Bravo to our second-grade stars! We were treated to an unforgettable performance this week, filled with catchy tunes, boundless creativity, and so much heart. A massive thank you to Ms. Klaubert and the entire second-grade team for their hard work in bringing this pure magic to the stage. We also have to mention those beautiful, Broadway-worthy costumes—amazingly designed and hand-crafted by Ms. Klaubert and our many volunteers! Thank you for such a joyful and show-stopping event.

Class Placement for 2026-2027

At this time of the year, families begin to think ahead to the next school year. As the end of the year nears, we are hard at work planning for the upcoming school year. Part of that process includes assigning children to their new classes. We take into account many factors when forming class groups. We consider gender, learning styles, social and academic strengths and challenges, friendships, work habits, and diversity, among many other variables to create equitable classroom communities. Children are at the center of our process, and teachers consider each individual child. We aim to create an optimal learning environment for all students at Tam Valley. 

We respectfully ask that parents do not request a specific teacher or friend for their child. There are far too many interrelated factors to be considered when constructing classes to be able to accommodate a particular placement. It is very difficult to successfully build balanced classes based on parent requests. Teachers take the process of class placement for your child very seriously, and we ask that you trust our process and professional judgment. Please do not put teachers in an uncomfortable position by making a request. Thank you for your cooperation. 

Join Us for the Spring Garden Cleanup! 🌷 It is time to spruce up the Tam Valley garden for spring! We are hosting a community cleanup on May 23 and 24 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Please feel free to show up at whatever time works best for your schedule—many hands make light work! Students are more than welcome to come help out as long as they are supervised by a parent. Please email Ms. Jen at jenjen.nassiri@gmail.com to let her know when you can stop by.

$535 Raised for the Milo Foundation! 

Our Student Council's hard work has truly paid off! We are so proud of our student leaders for organizing such a successful fundraiser to support the Milo Foundation. They put so much thought and effort into choosing the charity, creating posters, delivering speeches, and running the donation days. Ultimately, they raised a fantastic $535 to support animals in need. Way to go, Student Council and thank you to Ms. Hunter and Ms. Finn for leading our Leaders of our school!

Open House
Join us for Open House on Thursday, May 28th, from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM! We warmly invite families to celebrate the hard work and achievements of our students.

Enjoy the Art Show featuring students' beautiful creations, displayed in the MPR and hallways. Be sure to explore the Library with Ms. Wong, the Music Room with Ms. Klaubert, the Learning Center, the TLL Room, the Tiger Lounge, and the PE Room with Ms. Lim. Additionally, stop by the Garden at 5:30 PM to kick off the evening. We look forward to celebrating together!

Art Show Help!

It's that time of year again! The Tam Valley Art Show will soon be on display, showcasing all of our children's beautiful artwork + art teacher Ms. Bloch's incredible range of creative projects. As every child will have a piece on show, we need lots of help mounting and hanging the art. Please consider signing up for one volunteer session or more — it's easy and fun! 

Measure E – Mill Valley School District Parcel Tax Renewal

Measure E, on the June 2, 2026 ballot, renews parcel tax funding for the Mill Valley School District. The District's existing parcel tax funding is expiring soon, and, unless renewed by local voters, the District will lose one quarter of its current budget, approximately $12 million a year in locally controlled funding. A funding loss of this magnitude would require additional cuts to teachers, academic programs, and services. Seniors who own property in the district may apply for a senior exemption. More information about the measure, including the full text and impartial analysis, is available through the Marin County Elections Office and the attached one-pager from the district.

Moving Next Year? 

If your TK-4th-grade child will NOT be attending Tam Valley in 2026-27, please notify Amy Trapp (atrapp@mvschools.org) as soon as possible. Thank you.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Warmly,

Lisa

News, Notes, & Votes

Regular Board Meeting - April 16, 2026

Superintendent Report

Superintendent Kaufman introduced Middle School coding teacher Ms. Petrini and her students, Arabella Dellinger, Chloe Besnard, Stella Rimbert, Jayda Wilma, Maggie LaPlante, Izzie Brousseau, Luna Zucchi, Arya Forbes, Paige Rose, Cameron Saghezchi, Quinn Levinthal, Gregory Kane, Ian Keast, Michael Heaven, and Nathan Rekhtman, who presented their ”Petting Zoo” robotics projects to the Board, showcasing the culmination of their projects. Students demonstrated technical skills, creativity, and problem-solving as they confidently shared their work. This project highlighted the value of hands-on, project-based learning supported through Prop 28 funding for expanded arts and music education, with appreciation extended to Sarah Petrini and Katie Fisher for their leadership and to all students and staff for their hard work and commitment to engaging, future-ready learning experiences.

Consent Agenda

The Board approved the consent agenda, which included routine items such as minutes, payroll, and enrollment updates, as well as several contracts related to ongoing modernization projects and two agreements with the City of Mill Valley. Trustees noted their appreciation for the continued collaboration between MVSD and the City.

Student Learning and Programs

Director of Education Kate Sprague provided two informational presentations: the YouthTruth School Climate & Feedback Report and DIBELS Data and Progress Monitoring. She shared an overview and analysis of the data, highlighting key findings related to student experience, school climate, and literacy progress. The presentations and her full breakdown of the data are available for review using the links above.

Financial

Assistant Superintendent Paula Rigney presented the bi-annual developer fee study, which recommends updated levels to be assessed on new construction within the City of Mill Valley. A public hearing was held, after which the Board voted to approve Resolution 17-25/26, adopting the fee study and increasing facilities fees.

Board Operations

Trustees approved Resolution 16-25/26, designating May 19, 2026 as the Day of the MVSD Employee in recognition and appreciation of the dedicated staff of the District. The resolution honors the commitment, professionalism, and care that employees bring to supporting students each day, and acknowledges the positive impact their work has on creating safe, engaging, and high-quality learning environments across the District.

Next Regular Board Meeting: May 14, 2026