Friday night was the St. Patrick’s talent show in Larkspur. St. Pat’s is not a huge school, only about 289 kids, but the gym was packed. There were 22 acts, from singers, musicians, a yo-yo artist, and the group that stole the show: four kindergarten boys, lyp-synching to “Sheri Baby” and impersonating the Jersey Boys. The place literally went nuts, with kids screaming their heads off, and a huge standing ovation. I hadn’t seen anything like it since my last Bruce Springsteen concert! You had to be there, I guess.

Saturday night was the annual Larkspur Corte Madera Schools Foundation fund raiser auction. Again, it was packed, at least four hundred people, and items selling like mad, with lots of “Only in Marin” items. A day at the Pixar Studios, with one of the animators, and lessons on how computer animation works  - $2100. How about a day at Industrial Light and Magic, private tour, and meet the people who made Star Wars? $2700. Tow days on a sail boat in the Bay, with Assistant Principal Chad Carvey? $4750.

The generosity of the parent community was overwhelming, and the final tally isn’t in, but they easily raised in excess of $100,000. That’s money that goes right into the school budget to fund all kinds of programs, like art, music, and drama.

Great communities make great schools, and they also make this a terrific place to live.

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My oldest daughter graduated from Redwood last year, and her teachers and overall experience was terrific. She worked hard, and received an excellent education. She starts at UCLA in two weeks, and I’m sure she is well prepared for it, thanks to Redwood.

This was my fifth Back To School night at Redwood, and it consistently is a great experience. Redwood pulls students primarily from Tiburon, Corte Madera, Larkspur, Kentfield, Greenbrae, and Ross.Parent involvement tends to be high at elementary and middle schools in all of these areas, and students are pretty focused.

The teachers though, are the real stars on Back To School night. The night is spent following your child’s schedule, ten minutes in each room, and each teacher gives a short presentation about themselves, the class, and what they hope to accomplish.

I am always amazed at the energy, enthusiasm, and absolute desire they bring to their jobs. Most of them are there by 7:15 in the morning, and available for consultation. They stay late, on some nights until 6 pm. They are all available by email, have “homework hotlines” with the day’s assignment on it updated daily, and are very responsive to parent questions or concerns.

Occasionally you read negative press about teachers. They’re lazy, overpaid, tenure is bad, etc. Not these ones. They don’t get paid much - many can’t afford to live in Marin County, which is a real shame - but their dedication is amazing.

One quick story. My oldest daughter had pneumonia last spring, and missed an entire week and a half of school. Her teacher, Robert Winkler, called one day and I answered the phone. I immediately began explaining she was sick, still keeping up with her assignments, and he cut me off. “I was just worried about her and wanted to make sure she was ok,” he said.

I have a client right now who teaches first grade in the Dixie Schools. She thinks she and her husband can’t afford a home here. I told her nothing would make me happier than to help a teacher get into a home in Marin. We’re getting close!

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