Sierra Elementary School

My son is attending Kindergarten here in the full day program. I can not say enough good things about his teacher. She is excellent!! My son is already reading and it's only half way through the school year. I am so impressed with the staff and teachers here. I am so happy this is my homeschool. The parent involvement here is exceptional. I can not wait for my younger son to start here.
—Submitted by a parent

We have lived in a home a few blocks from Sierra Elementary for over 25 years. We have watched "three generations" of kids and are on our fourth attending Sierra. We have known the children, attended their functions with their families, and can say nothing but good about this school and the impact it has had on the children, their families, and our neighborhood as a whole. What a pleasure to walk past the school and see the whole area covered with cars when there is a PTA meeting or open house or student activity going on! What a joy to walk past when the children are outside at recess and hear the high-pitched squeals of the children laughing and playing with one another. The values taught by the teachers, the support given to all by the principal, and the family involvement are exceptional at Sierra. We sometimes feel "guilty" that we do not have a child who attends Sierra - seems as if we ought to make our home available to someone who does. This school is one of the biggest "selling points" of our entire neighborhood and one of the best assurances that our children will grow up to be well-educated, "solid" citizens.

Great school . The kids there are really nice. I was new when i started there, and i was immediatly accepted by pretty much everyone.

This school has great teachers, a great principle, close to 500 PTA members. If that stat itself doesn't speak volumes then I don't know what does. We have a new principle who came in August 2010 and is pretty receptive to any complaints. Yes, as there is everywhere, there can be bullying, however with our new principle there is NO tolerance for bullying and if you speak to him immediately he will address the issue with all involved and will not be close any complaints until the bullying is solved.
—Submitted by a parent

We choiced into Sierra for three years until we bought a house in the Sierra articulation area. As a school administrator I knew how to evaluate schools. I was looking for a school where there was very little teacher turnover, a happy, positive environment and an ACTIVE PTA. I knew I would be extrremely involved at my kids' school and I didn't want to be the only one leading up the band. Sierra has almost 500 PTA members, higher than any other school in the area. The overall feeling at the school is happy and friendly and I want that environment for my kids. Sierra offers a down to earth feeling, there is very little, "Keeping up with the Jones'" like at other area schools my friends go to, and I value that for my children. And the teachers.... they are amazing, there is almost no turnover because they love the Sierra community and don't want to leave. A great Principal is icing on the cake, and we got a new one in August 2011, he is the best. A+++ School!
—Submitted by a parent

Sierra, Oberon and Ralston Valley are an incredible trio of schools! Our children have been enrolled in these 3 for years and we are amazed at the foundation for life they have fostered in our children. Due to staffing policy changes affecting the number of open enrollment these schools can now take, we know of five families that have moved into the school boundaries. Why? The teachers, principals and community are dedicated to the growth of the whole child regardless of academic needs both high and low. Sierra teachers have come to soccer games and band concerts for our children, worked before and after school with struggling kids, etc... The 6th grade team is well known for bridging students successfully from the comfort of the elementary world to the grown up life of middle school by instilling in them the confidence and skills to know that they can do it. One child of ours was quite a struggling student and not only went up in all areas on his 6th grade CSAPs but actually jumped from Partially Prof to Adv in math! Graduates in our neighborhood attend prestigious universities. It isn t a surprise that most of the teachers/staff also bring their own children to these schools.
—Submitted by a parent

I thought this school was going to be a great school after reading all the reviews, but boy was I wrong. One of my children have been bullied and physically assulted by aother student and when I addressed the situation to the teacher , my child was told ( stick up for yourself, you know that this other student acts like this) we than addressed the problem to the principal and were told well if you have a problem with it talk to my boss than, I have already spoke to the teacher. This is one of the most unprofessional principals I have come across. My child also neede help in a subject and I was told well I guess he will have to get help with it next year at the middle school. How lazy and unprofessional of the teacher not to offer tutoring help. I am transfering my children.
—Submitted by a parent

I fell in love with this school beacause of the great principals, teachers, students and parents. My children love going to school and Sierra has such has an amazing community feel where parents and teachers worked together to support one another and do what's best for the school and the kids. We feel very proud and blessed that we have such a wonderful school in our neighbourhood!
—Submitted by a parent

Sierra has wonderful teachers and students and is a great school!
—Submitted by a parent

Sierra does well in academics due to two factors: Parent Involvement and Location. The PTA organization has more members than any other school in the entire district. This provides them with significant funding and unparalleled momentum benefiting the students on many levels. I recently moved to the area primarily to enroll my two children in Sierra. The neighborhoods are established middle to upper-middle class and rentals and foreclosures are few and far between relative to the Denver metro area.
—Submitted by a parent

This school gets great scores on the standardized tests because they teach to the test. The principal seems really focused on test scores and image. The teachers are great, though they don't seem that they are allowed to deviate from the 'script.' Problem solving, critical thinking, and integrated learning are lacking. We are drowning in worksheets and busy work. In defense of Sierra, I don't think its much different than the rest of Jefferson County. Our kids are learning to do multiple choice and regurgitate information better than any other kids I know...too bad that is not what life is about.
—Submitted by a parent

The love the teachers have for educating the kids really show. Our boys have been here for three years now. They both have improoved in reading and math. When my two boys come home and say school was great, that makes everything alright.
—Submitted by a parent

My Daughter went from 1996-2003. We felt the school was great overall. Sierra did get a new pricipal the last year. And it looks like he will continue on the great path they started on.
—Submitted by a parent