The Town of Ross, California is only 1.6 square miles in size with a population of fewer than 2,500. Yet, Ross is well-known as one of the most affluent towns in the United States. This speaks volumes about the expectations of the residents of Ross and the surrounding areas when it comes to education. There are only two educational institutions in the small town, one public and one private.
The Ross School
The Ross School, serving K-8, is the public educational institution in Ross. The school has received the designation, California Distinguished School for three of its academic years, 1989, 1993 and, most recently, 2008. More impressive is the fact that the school recently ranked 26th out of 873 elementary public schools in California. The Ross School has a notable student teacher ratio of 13 to 5 with an enrollment of less than 400 students.
The mission of The Ross School is “to build a solid educational foundation for all students while inspiring, guiding, and challenging them to learn and reach out to the world with compassion, integrity and courage.” The educators, administrators and board are dedicated to excellence and regard education as a respectful partnership: student, home, school, community.
The school is currently undergoing extensive construction projects to improve and update its facilities by making significant alternations to existing spaces, including renovation and demolition as well as new construction. The Ross School is located at 9 Lagunitas Road in Ross, CA in Marin County, and its telephone number is 415-457- 2705.
The Branson School
The Branson School, a private school officially established in 1920, has roots that go back to 1916. Perhaps Branson’s most famous alumna is Julia Child, the celebrated author and French chef. “Branson is committed to encouraging students to engage in a life of purpose, passion, and fulfillment,” said the school’s head, Woody Price.
Branson is a co-ed, independent, college-prep day school with 320 students enrolled in grades 9-12. There are 50 teachers on Branson’s faculty and half of them hold advanced degrees. The student-teacher ratio is 8 to 1 and the average class has only 16 students.
Branson’s 17-acre campus includes 31 classrooms, a science center, a writing center, a computer lab, a theater, a family center, an art gallery and a library with 12,000 volumes. The athletic center, a learning center and music, art and dance studios complete the physical plant. In addition, Branson is linked throughout its campus with a fully integrated fiber optic and wireless network. Its athletic facilities also include access to fields and a gym at the College of Marin in nearby Kentfield.
Branson’s address is P.O. Box 887, 39 Fernhill Avenue, Ross, CA. Its telephone number is 415-454-3612.
For a top-notch education that includes both public and private institutions, Ross, California’s highly-regarded Ross School and Branson School are both winners.
David DuPont is a principal with The DuPont Group, a residential real estate firm in Marin County, California specializing in Marin County real estate and Ross California homes for sale. David is a Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) and has consulted more than 50 individuals and families in buying and selling real estate in the San Francisco Bay Area.