Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions:
- What time is early dismissal?
- How does one enroll a student in Old Mill School?
- How many teachers are there at Old Mill School?
- How many students are enrolled at Old Mill School?
- How can I get involved at Old Mill School?
- Can I visit the school to check it out?
- What is the bell schedule for Old Mill School?
Website Questions:
- I don't want to manually check for updates to this website. Would you send me an email when there are new entries?
- What computers and web browsers does this website support?
- Who should I contact with questions and/or comments about this website?
- What if I find a mistake or typo in one of the web pages?
Wellness & Nutrition Questions:
- My child was sick last night, but is feeling fine today. Should I bring my child to school?
- My child will not be attending school because of illness. Who should I notify?
- What do I do about lunch?
Child Care for Before and/or After School:
- What are my options for child care before and/or after school?
- What if my child just wants to play at school after classes are over?
What time is "early dismissal"?
"Early dismissal" is at 1:45 pm. "Early dismissal" occurs on Wednesdays throughout the year and during parent/teacher conferences in the Fall and applies to all grades except Kindergarten.
How does one enroll a student in Old Mill School?
Residents within Mill Valley School District boundaries may enroll in Mill Valley Schools. Please see this page for a description and map of the school district boundaries. Which elementary school (of the 5 in the district) your child will be assigned to is determined by a series of factors including proximity to the school, and enrollment numbers at the various classes in each school. The District Office will provide complete information on the enrollment process to families new to the district.
How many teachers are there at Old Mill School?
Please see the Staff menu item for a complete list of all teachers (not including our very valuable teacher's aides).
How many students are enrolled at Old Mill School?
There are 290 students at Old Mill School. Complete demographics for our school can be found at Just for the Kids California.
How can I get involved at Old Mill School?
Parents: Our PTA is extremely organized and active. Our co-presidents, Robin Moses and Jan Hudson, will be glad to hear from you and assist you in finding ways to participate in and help Old Mill as a parent.
Volunteers: If you are interested in volunteering to help out at Old Mill, contact the Principal regarding your specific interest and experience. There are many ways that community volunteers can assist.
Can I visit the school to check it out?
School tours are available for prospective parents. A schedule for visits is usually published on the website by the end of November. The tours are led by student docents and end in a chat with the principal and PTA president. Parent visitors are encouraged to call for a tour appointment if they are interested. We limit each tour group to no more than 20 visitors. New Kindergarten parents are provided with several options to visit and become familiar with the school and the classrooms prior to starting school in the Fall.
Prospective parents, please note that school placement is designated by the Mill Valley School District Office, not by Old Mill School parents or Old Mill School personnel.
What is the bell schedule for Old Mill School?
Grades 1 thru 5 start school at 8:30 am and end school at 2:50 pm, except on Wednesdays when school lets out at 1:45 pm. Kindergarten starts at 8:40 am and ends at 1:40 pm every day.
I don't want to manually check for updates to this website. Would you send me an email when there are new entries?
Please visit our Main Page, and look for "Receive Website Updates via E-Mail!" on the right side. Enter your email address, click on "Subscribe" and your email address will be added to our subscription list. You will receive an e-mail when a new posting is made to the main page.
What computers and web browsers does this website support?
This website should display properly in any modern web browser on Windows or Macintosh computers. In general, you should use the most recent web browser version available for your computer. For Windows computers, make sure you are running Internet Explorer Version 7, which is available from Microsoft's Download Center. If you are using Firefox under Windows use "Check for Updates..." from the "Help" menu to make sure you have the latest version of Firefox. For Macintosh Computers running OS X, use "Software Update" to make sure you have the latest version of the Safari Web Browser.
Who should I contact with questions and/or comments about this website?
Please see the following entry: Who Did This Site?
What if I find a mistake or typo in one of the web pages?
Our webmaster, Myron Tuttle, makes lots of mistakes, especially when it comes to the English language. If you wouldn't mind, please email your correction to webmaster@oldmillschool.org. (See the entry Who Did This Site? if you wish to provide feedback or other comments that are not corrections to the existing site.)
My child was sick last night, but is feeling fine today. Should I bring my child to school?
Please read When to Miss School if you have a child who is not feeling well. You might want to print
 When to Miss School  |
 Healthy School Pt. 1 |
 Healthy School Pt. 2 |
My child will not be attending school because of illness. Who should I notify?
Lynn Frazier, the school administrative assistant, keeps the attendance records. If your child will not be attending school, or is arriving more than ½ hour late, you should call her at 389-7727, x2500. If you do not call her, she will call you to inquire about your child. If your child is enrolled at EDS, they should also be notified at 383-1308.
What do I do about lunch?
Your child has 3 options for lunch:
- Bring a bag lunch from home - If they bring a lunch from home, it should be convenient enough for them to open and serve themselves. Of course, low-waste or no-waste lunches are preferable to having lots of things for them to throw out.
- Sign up for the school lunch - The school lunch is ordered on a monthly basis, and can be ordered for one day or all days in the month. The sign-up will be sent home monthly.
- Sign up for the PTA hot lunch program - The PTA hot lunch program is very popular. This is a program managed by the PTA, with the food provided by local restaurants (e.g., Stefano’s Pizza, Grilly’s, and Pasta Pomodoro). It is a favorite of many of the Old Mill students. There are two sessions of this program, and there are no changes during that time. (Hint: some families visit the restaurants to try out the lunch item before they sign up.) IMPORTANT: The kindergarten teachers have requested that, if your child orders the PTA hot lunch, that they NOT order cookies (too difficult to get them to eat the nutritious part of the lunch first) or tube yogurts (too difficult for them to open or eat cleanly).
These options can be used in combination. For example, you may want your child to bring a bag lunch 3 days a week and use the PTA hot lunch program for the other 2 days.
What are my options for child care before and/or after school?
Marin Day Schools Extended Day Services (EDS) provides child care on campus before and after school. They have a morning session from 7:30 until 8:30 (8:40 for kindergartners), an afternoon kindergarten session from 1:40 until 3:00, and a full afternoon session until 6:30pm.
In addition, the Mill Valley Parks and Recreation department runs after-school enrichment programs at all Mill Valley elementary schools, including Old Mill. They offer a broad variety of classes and activities, some for all ages and some specifically for the younger kids or older kids. Many parents and kids make great use of these programs. Your child can participate in these programs even if they are also enrolled in EDS. The enrichment teachers will pick up your child from either EDS or class, and either return them to EDS or wait for you to pick your child up.
There are three calendar sessions of enrichment classes each year, and some of the programs are very popular, so if you don’t get your desired program at first, you have two more chances during the year. There is an additional charge for these programs (and no discount from EDS for missing time if your child is also enrolled there). The sign-ups for the first session occur sometime in the first few weeks of school, at the Mill Valley Rec Center. Your child's teacher will provide information about the enrollment process before each session.
What if my child just wants to play at school after classes are over?
For all grades except kindergarten, Mill Valley Parks and Recreation offers an enrichment class called "Supervised Play" from 2:50 to 4:00 pm, either outside in the upper yard or in the auditorium/multi-purpose room.