The Prairie School

Our kids switched to The Prairie School from public school and we couldn't be happier! Unfortunately the old saying is true, "you get what you pay for" and these days a private education far surpasses a public one (at least in Wisconsin). The teachers and staff truly care about the well-being of our children. When kids are spending so much time away from home it is reassuring to know that they are being cared for so well all day at school. My boys were walking out of school just the other day and they both said We love Prairie School . If you knew the struggles that we went though when our oldest was in public school you would realize how life changing that statement truly is! We now have kids who love to learn and they will take that with them throughout their entire life priceless!
—Submitted by a parent

The independence and success our three kids are presently experiencing--in their mid/late 20's--we feel is directly connected to their experience at Prairie. The bar was consistently set high, and they learned to both produce--and be respectful. We are still stunned by what we paid over the years, especially for university. The money we spent for Prairie is now reaping us (and the kids) great rewards.
—Submitted by a parent

The Prairie School is awesome. We can't say enough positive things about this school - it's families, teachers and the opportunities it has provided. It's been a great thing for our two sons who both have developed a wide range of friends who all are great kids. This opportunity to attend this school is one of the best things we could ever have given to our children, and a big part of the 'cozy blanket feeling' we hope they carry away from their childhoods.
—Submitted by a parent

Placed two children one of which graduated from the school. Parents can be rather quirky and affected, especially the moms that are for the most part exceedingly aloof and unapproachable in my opinion. Many of the fathers in my opinion seemed beaten down and exhausted, Teachers are decent, however there seems to be TONS of memorization and busy work. Teachers seemed rather stressed out and in clickish groups. Not really sure they are encouraging ALL STUDENTS to think creatively outside of the box. Uber liberal to a fault in my opinion with a rather apparent fantasy land complex, which sets many of these kids up for a let down later on. Please understand that wealth and privilidge are often accompanied by rampant substance abuse. Be Warned !! If we had to do it all over again not sure it was worth the 25k plus per year to send two children here for so long. The top %10 within the public schools do just as well academiclly. Having said that affording your children the opportunity to be around that type of wealth, access and privilidge certainly has its advantages. If they stay away from the bad things and make the right friendshipsThe Prairie School experience is like no other.
—Submitted by a parent

This school was a blessing for our child. Prairie far exceeds the quality and standards of any public schools our older children attended and is certainly one of the finest college preps schools in the nation. The teachers are dedicated, caring and concerned for the best interest of every student. The extracurricular activities are outstanding as well as parent involvement. The only negative is that the boys high school basketball coaching is horrendous.
—Submitted by a parent

With two children at the school, I can attest that they are getting the best educational experience they could receive in the SE Wisconsin area. This is a child-centered school that is not forced to follow ridiculous NCLB test-them-to-death standards, allowing for true in-depth learning to occur. The teachers are all dedicated, and work tirelessly, but a large part of what makes the school work in concert with the teachers is that all of the families are also invested in the proper education of their children, allowing for higher standards to be met. In your average public school with average clientele, it is impossible to shoot very high when not everybody is on board with what is important. The only downsides: While the school professes low tuition compared to its class of school, they continue to raise tuition considerably each year, despite the economic times. This is hitting many hard, and effects the school's parent climate considerably. The Upper School is solid in its content, but extremely old-school in its delivery. They need to become more current in their methods, and not so focused on output and fact-regurgitation.
—Submitted by a parent

We have three kids at Prairie, they are excellent at all grade levels. We had been at another private school in the area and can say without question Prairie is the best around.
—Submitted by a parent

Both of my children graduated from Prairie School. They were very different in every way yet Prairie was able to help each of them find their strengths and work around their weaknesses. Each graduated from outstanding universities and have gone on to become successful and productive members of society. The core of education they received at Prairie helped set them on their path. The extra curricular activities; be they sports, drama, music, art or other endeavors are without equal and make the price of Prairie worth every penny.
—Submitted by a parent

The Prairie School is a business, not a school. The teachers are outstanding, but the administration has little concern for the well being of the students. The students at the school are excessively cliquey and those who are included in the cliques are left to fend against torment from their peers. This may cause psychological problems including depression. Essentially, if your children are not accepted by the students, expect to pay more than the price of tuition, for you will be paying for numerous visits to the shrink.
—Submitted by a parent

I have been going here for 5 years and I love it. There are endless opportunities at this school
—Submitted by a student

my oldest son is graduating this year and i am very glad to have known he has gotten a great eduaction throught this great school
—Submitted by a parent

I am extremely fortunate to be a student at the Prairie School. Out of all the schools that I have attended, Prairie is by far the finest. The administration, the teachers, the quality of the resources...everything is simply amazing. I really hope to get the most out of my next four years here!
—Submitted by a student

Prairie has been a wonderful experience for all four of our children. The faculty has always been attentive to the students needs, and even though the tuition is high they will work with parents who are in financial straits and need a little help. The courswork prepares the students well for college and the activities and expectations prepare the children to be supports to society. The facilities are beautiful and well maintained, and the support this school recieves from the private sector is outstanding. If you have never been aware of the Prairie School, look into it, it is a beautiful place to learn and grow. And to address the cliques ganging up on one another, this is nothing more than student peer presure, no gang activity involved at all. This is a good student body, with great students leading it. And the faculty stays on top of any egregious behavior.
—Submitted by a parent

The elementary and middle school have been awsome, great teachers who care and spend their time and want to help the students learn. The highschool is the opposite, teachers who dont care, bias leadership the only nice thing about the high school are the building and students
—Submitted by a parent

Both of our children, son and daughter, attended this high school. We found that the coursework prepared them well for college. There are opportunities to pursue your child's interests in almost any extra-curriclar activity.
—Submitted by John Barry Stutt, a parent

I went to Prairie from kindergarden through 9th grade. For the most part, Prairie is a wonderful school. There were only a few things I did not care for at Prairie. My class was very segregated. There were three main cliques, and often, one clique would gang up on another. However, not all of the classes are like that. My brother's class was wonderful. Everyone got along just fine. It just depends on the class for that year. I also have reason to believe that I have dyslexia, but was never tested for it at Prairie. This is something that surprises me since the students and teachers have such a close relationship. I finished school at a public school, which I felt offered a comprable education; however, I feel that most of my college success is due to attending Prairie and the base education they provided.
—Submitted by Annie Frankovis, a former student