Marin School Newsletter: September 4, 2026

Dear Marin Families,

Our first Marin Morning!

It was great to see so many of you at Marin Morning! It’s an absolute treat to have all of our K-5th grade kids together. Thank you to Ms. Marina, Mr. Naiff, Mr. Andrew, Ms. Willa for their coordination and to our parent Brian for bringing us “Marin Morning” blend!

We also enjoyed our Marin International Potluck! You showed up with bells on, even with cloudy skies. We had homemade bread from Eritrea, dumplings from all over Asia, Cincinnati Chili, fabulous homemade cream-filled doughnuts and so much more! Thank you to the PTA team of volunteers for organizing and to each of you who made something, brought something, and spent time in community with others!

And a shout out to Hattie Freschl and Lila Both for their hard work knitting the Dolphin Hats themselves! They raised $170 for our PTA last night through their sales and will have these available again at Movie Night.

Celebrating Our Readers

Results of the 20 Book Reading Challenge are here. See attached table and graph that shows our amazing growth year over year.  220 students participated this year - a 35% increase over last year and a new record! We’re proud of all our kiddos for their participation and I love seeing all the kiddos with books in hand. 

Scholastic Book Fair is Coming!

Also book related…The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to Marin soon! Be on the lookout for information about the Book for Every Dolphin fundraiser and volunteering opportunities. 

Mark your calendars now for weekend events. 

Book Fair Open Hours

Fri. 9/25  6:00 - 7:30  movie night shopping 

Sun. 9/27 12:00 - 4:00 weekend shopping 

Mon. 9/28 - Friday 10/2  

• 8:00 - 8:25 before school shopping for grown-ups only (with own children in attendance)

• 12:00 - 12:45 1st - 5th grade shopping at lunch recess

• 3:05 - 3:35 after school shopping for 1st - 5th, except Wed.

• Wed - 1:30 - 2:00 - after school shopping for TK-5th

Sat 10/3 12:00 - 4:00 weekend shopping - last day of the book fair

National Parks Passes for 4th Graders  With Labor Day on the horizon and knowing many of you love to camp and hike, I’m passing along the reminder that 4th graders can get themselves and up to three others into national parks for free through next summer! Sign up here before you hit the road. https://everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm Some third graders asked me to make sure to let you know, parents, so thanks to them for thinking ahead. Our family taking advantage of the National Parks Pass

Lastly, I just wanted to thank those of you who have reached out to connect with me or your teachers - either to collaborate around your child’s learning or with celebrations about their experience here at school. We appreciate you all! I hope you and your family have a fabulous long weekend. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday!

With appreciation,

Ginger Cook

Principal

gcook@ausdk12.org

New to the Marin Community?

Wondering how to get involved, or what the PTA is? We're parents, teachers, and staff working together to support our students and build a strong Marin school community! There are two easy ways to get involved:

1. Become a PTA member. Membership makes up a significant portion of our funding, with no expectations or commitments attached. It often comes with perks too, like free movie night tickets! And it's tax-deductible as a non-profit donation.

2. Sign up to volunteer. We'll reach out throughout the year for both specific and general opportunities, big or small.

Headlands Brewing Night No need to plan dinner! Join fellow Marin families at Headlands Brewing on Wednesday, September 16th from 4pm - 7pm. 10% of sales go directly to Marin PTA!

Movie Night: Friday, September 25th!  Join us for pizza at 6:15pm, followed by a family movie in the Marin Multipurpose Room (MPR) starting around 6:45pm. Grab tickets here — admission is FREE for Turtle, Dolphin, and Dolphin Circle PTA members (join here!).

Ocean View’s Fall Festival Ocean View School invites Marin and Cornell families to join their Fall Festival on Saturday, October 3rd, 11am–3pm. This event brings students and families together from across the district for a day of games, activities, food, and fun!

STEM Day The PTA-sponsored STEM Day event is back by popular demand. Happening at Marin School on Saturday, October 24th, 11am - 1pm this is a FREE day full of learning and exploring for the whole family, including lunch! If you are interested in volunteering or have ideas to contribute, please email Joel Weber (jmw654@gmail.com), this year’s STEM Day Chair.

Community Partners

• AEF Night at Little Star: The first Monday of each month (Labor Day is the next one), 10% of every order goes to AEF. Dine in, take out, or delivery. Give yourself a break from cooking and help fund the next classroom grant. 

• Giants: $15 off Giants tickets AND $5 to Marin PTA with code MARIN

• Sports Basement: Sign up for a Sports Basement Basementeer Membership and select "Marin Elementary School" as your charity — 10% of your purchases go directly back to our school, all year long!

Useful Links

• PTA Website

• About the PTA

• Join the PTA here 

• Donate to the PTA here

• Volunteer with the PTA here

Coming by the Office/Late Pass - Anything for Kids

Arriving late? Need to drop something off? Please stop at the office! 

Drop Off

Thank you all for continuing to keep the white zones clear in front of the school on Santa Fe and on Curtis. This white zone is for a brief stop to let your child out of the car. Please remember to stay with your vehicle so we can keep the zone clear for others. Just a heads up, Albany Police are monitoring Albany schools and giving tickets for parents who leave their cars to walk their students in. We appreciate your help!

AUSD Events & Announcements

The AUSD Events & Announcements page features districtwide events and opportunities for AUSD students and families. 

Affinity Groups - Please Join!

Parent/Caregiver involvement is an essential pillar of the Albany Unified School District community. Our Parent & Caregiver Affinity Groups offer a wonderful opportunity for families to connect, collaborate, and support one another through initiatives that foster student academic growth and social-emotional well-being.

AUSD warmly invites all parents and caregivers to join a group(s) that aligns with your identity and helps support our students and schools. Please explore the options below and click the link for the group(s) you would like to join:

Albany Disability Squad

Albany’s Pride (LGBTQ)

Asian Pacific Islander Parent Engagement Group (API-PEG)

Black Parent Advisory Group (BPAG)

Familias Latinas de Albany

Jewish Parent Engagement Group

Southwest Asian and North African Parent Engagement Group (SWANA)

If you have any questions about the Affinity Groups overall, please contact Deb Brill, Executive Director of Student Services. If you have any questions about joining an Affinity Group on ParentSquare, please contact Linda Williams, Attendance and Family Engagement Coordinator.