The new moniker comes after “an exhaustive, deliberate and productive process” and “truly speaks to our vision and what we seek to provide for all of our students, staff and parents alike,” school officials said, pointing to the name’s Latin roots of “Earth” and “sea.”
“There is beautiful imagery evoked by the name Terra Marin, being the place where the Earth meets the Sea,” said school founder Wendy Xa, a former vice president at Goldman Sachs and a mother of two who founded the Mandarin immersion Presidio Knolls School in San Francisco in 2008 as a preschool before expanding it to a K-8 program. “At this school, where the earth meets the sea, we are dedicated to helping our students get grounded, set down roots and develop a firm foundation of skills (social, emotional and academic) from which they will grow and soar.”
School officials said that classes are filling quickly, the staff and faculty are almost all on board and they’re hosting weekly tours on Tuesdays at 9:30am throughout the summer. RSVP here. The first day of school is set for September 5.
Terra Marin officials call the school “a progressive and inclusive K-8th grade program, dedicated to honoring the gifts of students while providing a safe and supportive environment in which they can inquire, explore and challenge themselves both in and out of the classroom.”
“Our mission is to spark curiosity and intellectual wonder in every child,” Xa said.
All elements of Terra Marin’s program “seek to internally motivate students, create a sense of belonging, safety and acceptance and allow for leadership and agency over their own unique learning journey.”
“Whether it is with our Harkness inspired teaching method or our robust Nature Discovery Program, Terra Marin is intentionally designed to inspire not pressure, embrace not change, and empower versus demand the best in each child,” Xa said. “We believe that when children are heard, valued and inspired they become leaders, self advocates and impactful members in our society.”
The school is accepting applications on a rolling basis. The school’s full-time program is K-8th mixed grades and revolves around a core curriculum, while its adjunct Homeschool Support part-time program is targeted to 5th-8th grade students seeking an additional learning resource outside of the home.
Xa and her team plan to renovate parts of the Ring Mountain building, including the front facade, Forté says. They took over the building earlier this month.
The 411: Terra Marin School holds weekly tours on Tuesday at 9:30am through the end of summer. 70 Lomita Drive. REGISTER & MORE INFO.