Principal's Message
Welcome to Mar Vista Elementary School for Advanced Studies!
Mar Vista is a model community school where parents, community members, teachers, and school staff work collaboratively to ensure that every child receives rich and meaningful learning experiences during their formative elementary years. We are commited in educating the whole child – supporting each student's intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development. Our approach emphasizes learning that is child-centered, age-appropriate, engaging, differentiated, and hands-on. Our goals are to deliver a rigorous, high-quality curriculum; offer dynamic arts and enrichment opportunities; and foster daily experiences that promote curiosity, creativity, and meaninful engagement for all learners.
Below is a selection of hte outstanding programs we offer throughout the school year – led by exceptional and highly qualified educators:
- Music and Chorus
- Visual Arts, Theater, and Dance
- Computer Lab and Technology Integration
- Science Lab
- Spanish Classes
- Wonder of Reading Library
- Enrichment PE – organized physical activities, team sports, sportsmanship, healthy living - to build the body and mind
- Spirit Series – history comes to life through theater, literature, and character building
- Growing Great – gardening and nutrition for healthy living
- Calm Classroom in partnership with UCLA Cares – support the emotional well-being of students through mind-body exercises for calm and mindfulness
- Social Emotional Learning – support the growth and development of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relational skills, and responsible decision-making
- Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) Mathematics in partnership with UCLA Mathematics Project – approach to teaching and learning mathematics by building on what children already know and extending their mathematical ideas, solving problems using real-world contexts and multiple strategies, attending to student thinking, and helping students to build deeper levels of conceptual understanding which progresses to abstract representations.
- Science of Reading and Balanced Literacy – approach to teaching and learning foundational literacy skills through structured and child-centered literacy. In addition to explicit and systematic techniques and lessons, students are provided opportunities for choice, authenticity, independence, process, and time. Our goal is for our students to develop the skills and strategies necessary to be fluent and confident readers and writers who display agency and independence.
- STAR Education after school programs – STAR offers a variety of Nova classes like band, theater, dance, visual arts, sports, cooking, and so much more (fee based) as well as daily after school Galaxy childcare (fee based).
- Full-time Instructional Coach and Coordinator to support the instructional programs
We are deeply grateful for the generous support of our parents and community members, who volunteer countless hours, serve on committees, share their expertise and talents, and contribute to our school in countless meaningful ways. This strong collaboration among all stakeholders helps create an exceptional academic environment and a vibrant school community – making Mar Vista truly the place to be!
Mar Vista is proud to to parnter with the following esteemed organizations that support the professional development of educators:
- Cahn Distinguished Principals Fellowship
- Costen Foundation for the Art of Teaching Fellowship
