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About SRCS
San Rafael City Schools
Lifting student achievement. Every student, every day.
The San Rafael City Schools community ensures that every student receives an empowering education. High expectations and skillful individualized instruction enable each student to embrace their own learning, think critically and experience success.
Our welcoming school climate ensures that our diverse community of students, families, staff and community members are treated with dignity and respect, creating opportunities for participation, engagement and support. Every student graduates college and/or career ready, able to take responsibility for a future that includes life-long learning.
SRCS includes the San Rafael Elementary School District and the San Rafael High School District, with a total student population of approximately 7,000. The two districts are governed by one school board and one district office administration.
The Elementary District is composed of nine schools. The High School District provides secondary education to students residing in two elementary districts: Miller Creek Elementary District and San Rafael Elementary District. The High School District has two comprehensive 9-12 high schools and a continuation high school. Click here to learn more about our schools.
Every student will be a confident learner, an effective communicator, a critical thinker and a positive contributor to the global community.
Our Mission: Lifting student achievement. Every student, every day.
We Believe:
- Every student has a fundamental right to a quality education that supports their path to achieve their full potential.
- Students thrive in physically, and emotionally safe environments that are conducive to learning for all.
- Students, families, staff and community members are empowered and responsible for the success of our students.
- Our community has a shared responsibility for everyone’s success and encourages everyone’s participation.
- We value integrity, honesty, and truthfulness and believe in the inherent dignity and worth of every individual
- Each student receives rigorous instruction and support and is held to high expectations so that they can foster critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication skills in order to master the Common Core State Standards while continuing to be college, career and community ready.
- Provide all staff with differentiated professional development with a focus on collaboration, alignment, and high quality staff retention and support, so as to maximize student learning and achievement.
- Manage our resources responsibly, transparently and in alignment with District goals and priorities so that the District is able to focus its efforts to move the needle for student success.
- Develop and implement highly effective two-way systems of communication between the District and its stakeholders to ensure increased awareness about, participation in, and support for decision-making about the District’s goals.
- Establish effective systems and a welcoming environment that allow staff, students and families to feel safe and included so that they can participate fully in student learning and the school community.
Originally established by City Charter in 1861, the San Rafael City Schools has for generations understood the importance of providing a safe, challenging and culturally rich learning environment that provides our students with the opportunity to realize their maximum potential and prepare for the challenges ahead.
The first public school in San Rafael was established in 1861 with 25 students at the corner of Fourth and B Street.
San Rafael's first public school was located at the corner of Fourth and B Streets, in a building that previously held a private school, The San Rafael Institute. This school on B Street remained San Rafael's only public school for 26 years and laid the foundation for the many schools that would follow. As the city's population grew, so did the number of schools. In 1850, San Rafael claimed a population of 323. By 1920, it had grown to 5,512, and the San Rafael City Schools had grown to include four elementary schools and one high school. Between 1950 and 1970, as the city's population continued to grow, a new phase of rapid building ensued. Today, the San Rafael City Schools is comprised of twelve schools that serve over 5,700 students.
In accordance with the City Charter, the San Rafael City Schools represents two separate school districts: one for elementary grades (K-8) and one for the high school level (9-12). Both Districts are governed by one five-member Board of Education and share a Superintendent. Students of the San Rafael Elementary School District are part of the San Rafael High School District.
