• In the fall of 2016, Edna Maguire third grade classes set out to find out more about the history of our school.  Most people knew Edna Maguire school opened in 1956, but didn't realize all the changes it has gone through over the years.  Classes interviewed people connected to the area and looked at several primary source documents including attendance records, report cards, invitations, emails, letters, newspaper articles and more.  Below is the timeline and our conclusions based on the information we collected.  We believe we uncovered more of our school's history, but also believe there is still more to the story of Alto-Edna Maguire.
     

    Alto-Edna Maguire Timeline

    1910 
    The Alto Dairy operated in this area until 1961. Notes.
     
    1848 
    These were the earliest attendance records we could find for Alto School. 
     
    1952
    Mill Valley 7th and 8th graders started attending Alto School.  
    Early students remember walking past cows on their way home from school. 
     
    Edna Maguire Junior High opened for grades 7 and 8. Notes.
    Alto became an elementary school.
     
    1972 
    Mill Valley Middle School opened.  All 7th and 8th graders moved to the new campus. 
    Alto Elementary moved onto Edna's campus and became Alto Edna Maguire School. 
     
    1981 
    Alto Edna Maguire School closed.  We heard this was due to declining enrollment.  
    Children in the Alto neighborhood attended Strawberry Point School.
     
    1982 
     While the school was closed, Smith & Hawkin rented space for their offices.  We read that a karate studio, Mill Valley Theatre Company and the Mill Valley Film Festival all rented space during this time as well.  Growing Enterprises of Marin had a space where they worked with adults with disabilities teaching them marketable skills.
     
    1985
    Smith & Hawkin started the garden.  They grew tulips and tested new tools.
    Smith & Hawkin also partnered with Growing Enterprises of Marin to teach adults with disabilities gardening skills. 
     
    1990 
    Edna Maguire Elementary School re-opened.
    There were too many children for the Strawberry Point School campus and the majority of the children lived in the Alto-Edna Maguire neighborhood.  Strawberry Point closed and Smith & Hawkin's offices moved to the Strawberry campus.  The Strawberry Point teachers who moved to Edna Maguire fought to keep the garden. 
     
    1996 
    The kindergarten classrooms (now rented by Marin Day School), the 5th grade classrooms and the library were added.  Alto field was fixed up. 
     
    The "old" Edna Maguire was torn down.  Notes.
    For 1.5 years the school was in portable classrooms. 
     
    2014 
    In January students and teachers moved into our new school. 

     
Last Modified on April 19, 2024