I can't say enough amazing things about Prospect Sierra. Our family feels incredibly grateful to have found this school and be a part of this wonderful community. Prospect Sierra is a truly exceptional elementary school (K-4 at lower and 5-8 at upper) that fosters a welcoming and vibrant community where diversity is celebrated both among students and faculty. There is a strong emphasis on emotional intelligence woven throughout their curriculum which feels balanced with their focus on academics. The school provides a warm and nurturing environment for holistic development and has the support of learning specialists, a wonderful school psychologist, etc. The faculty is beyond exceptional and in my opinion what sets Prospect Sierra apart. The teachers and administration are all dedicated educators that embody PS's commitment to leading with respect and joy and creating an environment that fosters a love for learning. My daughter is genuinely excited and happy to go to school every day! Prospect Sierra has a very well-rounded enrichment curriculum that creates a rich and engaging learning experience. Specialty classes include drama, music, art, Co-Lab, and Spanish to name a few. With two teachers in each classroom we certainly feel the personalized attention and extra support. The afterschool program is also wonderful and my daughter has enjoyed participating in the afterschool program classes such as cooking, legos, chess, judo, etc.! The campus and the physical spaces including the classrooms and enrichment rooms are beautiful. The school does an exceptional job with communicating with the parents (via emails, a fabulous newsletter, etc) and there are plenty of opportunities for families to get involved (as much or as little as they want to!) including volunteering in the specialty classes, driving for field trips or leading a school committee. The school is also extremely committed to diversity which is woven throughout the curriculum. As part of the professional development, they recently sent a large number of the faculty to a POCC conference, there are family cohorts and racial cohorts for students including a Black, AAPI, LatinX, Pride and Swana cohort and lots of cultural celebrations throughout the year. Beyond 5 stars! We have had the best experience and pinch ourselves everyday that PS is a part of our family and our child's development. read more

My children love this school, and at the end of each day, they do not want to leave! This is a well-resourced, beautiful school perched at the top of the El Cerrito Hills. The school culture, which has become our home culture, is one of overt and active kindness. My children learn in an environment of safety and celebration of difference, and from my perspective, the school's administrators actively seek to build community wherever possible, and the faculty actively work to remove all barriers to learning. read more

Prospect Sierra School blue checkmark Private EL CERRITO, CA Add To List Private School Prospect Sierra School This school has been claimed by the school or a school representative. grade A Overall Grade Private PK, K-8 EL CERRITO, CA Rating 4.45 out of 5 11 reviews Back to Profile Home Visit School's Website Prospect Sierra School Reviews Rating 4.45 out of 5 11 reviews Rating 5 out of 5  Excellent 8  reviews (73%) Rating 4 out of 5  Very Good 1  reviews (9%) Rating 3 out of 5  Average 1  reviews (9%) Rating 2 out of 5  Poor 1  reviews (9%) Rating 1 out of 5  Terrible 0  reviews (0%) Rating 5 out of 5  Prior to our two kids attending Prospect Sierra School, my k-college public school education had me scratching me head about the value of an Independent School. Boy, did my eyes get opened FAST. PSS provided excellence across the board: Academics, Administration, Community, Cohort. Greatest gift we couldn't have given our children, AND our family. The small community also made for great accountability and engagement. I went in to it not appreciating how great it would also be to have our kids' education unlinked to the annual budget and union fights and ever evolvin government's take on curriculum. Yes, we were extremely fortunate to have this option; AND tuition assistance IS available. read more

A+++ experience, just finishing TK. Classroom, teachers, school community are incredible. Had moved from another well-regarded school, totally different story. Super big fan. read more

Amazing school with a very strong community. It has a challenging curriculum including teaching children the importance of empathy and critical thinking. One of my favorite things is they emphasize public speaking which is such an important skill that builds confidence in all of their students. read more

This is the lower-school (K-3) campus of Prospect Sierra, and used to house just Prospect before the 2 schools merged. The playground is huge and has some great new jungle gym equipment-- the park across the street is also a child's paradise with a little creek, woods, grassy areas, sandboxes, etc. The teachers were terrific when I was here decades ago... don't know how much things have changed but I have fond memories. read more

Our son started Kindergarten this year at Prospect Sierra. We have had a wonderful experience as a family, and out son is thrilled with it. It is a warm and friendly community, the teachers are dedicated, and the curriculum is progressive and deep. The campus is gorgeous! read more

It has taken me a long time to write this review but I feel like I have to. Prospect Sierra is a beautiful school that says all the right things to get you to enroll. But if your child is high energy or has an independent spirit at all, this is not the place for them. The school talks a good game about diversity, but ask them how many kids of color make it through from Kindergarten to 8th grade and how many leave. If you have a black or brown child, DO NOT PASS GO until you have spoken very frankly with other parents of kids of color about their experiences. If you have a boy who has a lot of energy, talk to other parents with similar kids. Sadly this school will erode your child's confidence and self esteem if they don't fit the narrow mold of what makes for a good Prospect Sierra student. Also the amount of bullying we saw and heard about was shocking for a school that prides itself on social emotional learning. My child attended the elementary school for 2 years and I watched him fall apart completely in this environment- we had to spend time and money on therapy and evaluations and OT to keep him marginally functioning at Prospect Sierra. Then all of these things became completely unnecessary as soon as we switched to another school where he wasn't under so much pressure to perform in a very particular way. Just be careful and do your research, since they do a great job selling the school as something it isn't. It is a great school for (mostly white) kids who fit their mold but that's about it. read more

My third child is happily enjoying 2nd grade here at PS. Great program and tremendous people behind it. Nothing is forgotten or overlooked. They are up to date on curriculum, learning in the Whole Child approach, service learning, and super enjoyable facilities on top of that. Parent community is warm and inviting with lots of ways to participate and engage with a wide range of Bay Area families. I have 19 and 16 year olds who also went thru the K-8 program and they continue to be in touch with (and go to high school and college with) the cohort they met and played with at PS. read more

Spectacular school: Brilliant, dedicated, caring teachers; Warm, effective administrators who really know the kids; fabulously smart, kind, and creative students. The best. read more