Marin School Newsletter: October 16, 2026

Dear Marin Families,

We’re barreling through October! Your kiddos looked absolutely fabulous for picture day. If your child happened to be out sick, we’ll have make-up day this coming Wednesday (Oct. 21). Speaking of students being out, you may have heard the flu is raging. Please make time for flu shots as soon as you can.

A few other quick reminders:

• Share the posting for our fourth-grade position with anyone you think may be a good fit for our Marin community. https://www.edjoin.org/Home/JobPosting/2282298

• Sign up if you’d like to join the School Site Council (SSC). The Site Council is the principal’s advisory group and is pivotal in determining actions and making budget decisions to help students. Meetings are held on Tuesdays from 4-5:30pm. This year, meetings will be Dec. 8th, Jan. 19th, March 2nd, and Apr. 20th, with an additional meeting added in May if needed to finalize the site plan and budget. Please complete this form if you are interested in serving on the School Site Council this year. 

• Halloween is coming! Just a reminder that no weapons of any sort are allowed at school as part of costumes. Please make sure costumes aren’t too scary for the littles (no blood, masks, gore). Students should come dressed in their costumes for the day. Thanks!

A few other exciting pieces of news:

• The Corkeen has been repaired near the yellow slide. Please make sure to stay off of it until Monday so it can fully cure.

• Our Annual Full-Release Drill will be on Wednesday, Nov. 4. In preparation, please check that you have completed the Supplemental Emergency Information Form. 

• SchoolCARE is looking for a few volunteers to help with their very important fundraising efforts for our schools. Please consider this opportunity. Details below.

• ​Albany City volunteer opportunity The City is hosting a planting event on Saturday, November 7th, from 10am to noon at the rain garden at the southwest corner of Marin Avenue and Santa Fe Avenue. Come get your hands dirty, meet your neighbors, and help restore a healthy rain garden that captures stormwater and supports local habitat. All are welcome and refreshments will be provided. Here is a link to the City’s webpage that includes an event signup: https://www.albanyca.gov/City-Calendar/2026/Rain-Garden-Planting-Event

Have a great weekend!

With appreciation,

Ginger

Join the SchoolCARE Board

SchoolCARE (www.albanyschoolcare.org), our all-volunteer nonprofit dedicated to raising funds for vital staff positions in Albany schools, is looking for new board members! For the past 25 years, we’ve supported staff positions that make a lasting impact on students’ education—but we can’t do it alone.

We urgently need passionate new board members to help with fundraising, event planning, community outreach, and more. No experience or special skills are needed—just your enthusiasm and a little of your time. The board meets virtually just once a month for an hour and twice a year for longer in-person meetings.

Sign up at: www.albanyschoolcare.org/volunteer.html

Join our committed team and help us continue supporting public education in Albany! 

Rossana Ramírez,

SchoolCARE Board President

Contact us at: board@albanyschoolcare.org

Donate to the PTA!​

STEM Day, October 24th 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!  We need a lot of volunteers to pull this off so please sign up here.  There will be baked goods available for sale to benefit the PTA and fifth grade field trip! ​

Yonsei Fundraiser Wednesday, November 4th from 11:30-3 and 5-9:30, Yonsei Handrolls will donate 20% of sales to Marin Elementary!  Join your fellow Marin families for a delicious lunch or dinner out and support a local business and our PTA too! ​

General PTA Meeting Everyone is welcome to come hang out, meet other parents and learn a bit about how we're spending our funding this year. The meeting will be held in the upstairs space at Anuhuac at 7pm on Thursday Nov. 12. The online business meeting portion of the evening will be from 7:30-8pm for those joining virtually. The PTA will provide appetizers (until funds run out) and all are welcome to order food or drinks as you like!  ​

Turkey Trot Save the Date for Marin's First Turkey Trot! Start Thanksgiving morning with fun and fitness. Marin Elementary PTA is hosting a family-friendly 5K and 1 mile kids run in Tilden Park on Thursday, November 26th. The 5k will start at 9am and the 1 mile kids run will start at 10am. Kids under 12 can choose to run the 5k, the 1 miler, or both! This is a fun run to support the PTA and 5th grade outdoor education overnight. Parking is at Tilden Nature Area next to the Little Farm and the course will be an out and back along Wildcat Creek Trail. Timing will be unofficial — we're not using bibs or chip timers, so finish times are for your own satisfaction, not for the record books. More information, registration and volunteer signups can be found here.

Community Partners

• 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

• About the PTA

• Join the PTA or donate here

• Volunteer with the PTA

• Marin Directory – See ParentSquare post from October 8

From all of us on the Marin PTA, have a fantastic weekend! 

Teacher & Staff Appreciation Lunch — 4th Grade Families, October 21st October is 4th grade’s month to help the PTA and school celebrate an appreciation lunch for our teachers and staff! Pizza is covered — we just need 4th grade families to help with drinks, fresh fruit, veggies, chips, and desserts for our ~80 staff members. Sign up and view details here: [Sign Up Link]:   https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A45A5A92BAAF4C43-66450608-teacherstaff#/ Look for more details in the email from your Room Parent! Thank you for helping us show our teachers and staff some love! — Teacher & Staff Appreciation Committee ​

Make Up Picture Day on Wednesday, 10/21

Blue Note Photography was at Marin taking pictures this week and will return on Wednesday, Oct. 21, to photograph anyone who was absent. As a reminder, the photographers took multiple photos of each child and no order forms or payment are required. 

A few weeks after picture day, Blue Note will send gallery photos and ordering information directly to the email address you have on file in Aeries. If you expect to find an email and don’t see one, check your junk folder for anything from no-reply@gotphoto.com 

If you have any questions regarding your photos, you can visit blue.photo for more information or send Blue Note Photography an email at hello@blue.photo 

SWANA Diwali Celebration Southwest Asian and North African Parent Engagement Group is hosting a Diwali celebration on Nov. 1, 4:30 - 6:30pm in the Ocean View MPR. ​

Superintendent's Community Update

Community Update from the Superintendent – September - October 2026

AUSD & Community Events & Announcements

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