San Domenico was the first boarding school I visited on my trip to the West Coast of the US, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The school is located in Marin County, about 20 miles north of San Francisco. It sits on 515 sprawling acres of wooded hills, but you wouldn’t be able to tell, as the campus doesn’t feel too spread out. Driving through San Anselmo and approaching the school felt like a safe and suburban environment far removed from the bustle of the city, with kids walking and riding bikes along the road. The first thing I noticed when I reached the campus of San Domenico was the extensiveness of the facilities, evidenced by the horse riding stables that greeted me at the school entrance. The buildings and grounds look fairly updated and blend in with the woodsy surroundings, while exhibiting a well-designed school campus that take advantage of the year-round temperate weather with lots of outdoor facilities. Other notable facilities are a 10,000 square-foot gymnasium, a music conservatory, swimming pool, tennis courts, and a one-acre organic garden.
San Domenico is a co-ed school from pre-kindergarten to 8th grade, and an all-girls day and boarding school from grades 9-12. The student body is fairly small, with 165 total high school students. The school was founded by Dominican Sisters fostering an environment that seeks “openness to study and learning through all facets of life on campus.” In addition to strong programs in athletics and the arts, it also encourages students to positively impact the world through service and sustainability programs. San Domenico is a great school for girls that want a small, intimate learning environment with one-on-one attention, removed from urban distractions.
