Sierra Verde Elementary School

7241 West Rose Garden Lane

School District

Deer Valley Unified District
Grade

PK, K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:15
Type

public

School Map for Deer Valley Unified District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on March 09, 2024

My kids (2nd grade and kindergarten) moved to Sierra Verde in the middle of the school year so I was really nervous about a number of things (kids making new friends, catching up with school work, adjusting to all the other new things, etc.), but I am so relieved and grateful to say that I couldn't be happier with this school, the teachers, the programs and everything else! The teachers were wonderful about helping my boys transition and adjust to this school by promoting an environment of kindness, inclusion and acceptance. The homework and projects are challenging enough that the kids have to put some thought and effort into their work, but manageable where they don't feel overwhelmed by it. I also love how well the teachers communicate with the parents to keep us in the loop for every upcoming event/field trip or assignment. Overall, this is truly a wonderful school and we are loving life as Sierra Verde Vipers!
Submitted by parent on December 15, 2023

Horrific leadership in the admin office, apathy among teachers, young and/or inexperienced staff at the school and district level. Discipline to keep students accountable is suboptimal. They will lie, cheat and steal to protect themselves, student well-being is a low priority for “Sierra Dirty” IMO. Should have been a sign to us when two other families on our street alone pulled their kids out to attend another school.
Submitted by parent on December 07, 2022

We love Sierra Verde and have two daughters there! The teachers and staff are excellent and accessible, the curriculum is solid, and we appreciate the culture of kindness. Highly recommend!
Submitted by other on June 05, 2021

Great school! Also super nice to have direct access from the greenbelt to the school - lots of parents walking their kids to and from the neighborhoods. You also see lots of older children riding their bikes and scooters back home, too. The school's crosswalk helpers wave to every passing car. Very safe and community-oriented.
Submitted by parent on May 16, 2021

My daughter had one beautiful Kindergarten year at Sierra Verde! She attended for early-entry Kindergarten since our home district does not admit 4-year-olds. As the parent of another child at a charter school, I can honestly say I had low expectations of this public school that we would "get through" this year. I could not have been more wrong; Sierra Verde impressed me at every turn. Our experience at Sierra Verde showed me how great a school can be, far surpassing the charter school in every regard.At Sierra Verde, my daughter received individual nurturing to her abilities from a positive and caring teacher. Her teacher involved me in her learning, asked me questions, communicated feedback, and incorporated my feedback. My daughter also loved each of her specials teachers in band, music, art, and PE. My daughter went in intellectually strong but came out even stronger because Kindergarten was treated as a leveled learning foundation, not a simple repeat of preschool that neglected its advanced kids. Sierra Verde and DVUSD clearly prioritize different learners' needs, based on the number of gifted learning opportunities that recognize not all "giftedness" is the same.My daughter and I both love the sense of school pride at Sierra Verde. I'm proud to be a Viper parent if only for one year, but once a Viper, always a Viper! I appreciated this year's weekly communication from both the school and the district. (The only thing I would gripe about would be some of the district's COVID policies, but at least those policies were made decisively and communiciated quickly, and most of the policies made sense, which gave me confidence in DVUSD leadership.)And in what may just be my favorite part, the pickup and drop-off procedures are thoughtfully orchestrated and flow so well that I felt zero stress or safety concerns.Every day was a great day in Kindergarten at Sierra Verde! I would not hesitate to enroll both my children at Sierra Verde if we could keep up the drive. Our experience was just that amazing in a year with so many challenges. I have every confidence in the school's ability to bring out the best in every child.
Submitted by parent on February 04, 2020

This is a great school! 5 of my kids have attended in the last 2 years and we love it! The teachers actually care about the students and do whatever it takes to help each child succeed!
Submitted by parent on July 30, 2018

We love Sierra Verde! Moved to The neighborhood just so my kids can go to the school;)
Submitted by parent on April 03, 2018

My children have attended SV the last 3 years and I have been nothing but satisfied. The teachers and staff have been amazing!
Submitted by parent on February 27, 2018

Very positive environment and great teachers. We are very happy with Sierra Verde.
Submitted by parent on October 05, 2016

Just moved here from MA and LOVE the school, teachers and students. There seems to be more homework assigned but it's manageable. The campus is beautiful and the playgrounds are vast. This is STEM school, so there is a big emphasis on science and math. There are tons and tons of extracurricular activities to get involved in, which helps when you're new in town and want to meet people. My kids have been welcomed with open arms into this awesome school. Like the school motto says, they really do try to "spread kindness like confetti" here at Sierra Verde!
Submitted by parent on September 02, 2016

My son struggled for the last few years in different schools, not reaching near his potential. He felt unsuccessful and developed a very poor attitude about school in general. It was so difficult as parents to watch, when all we wanted was to see our child do well and be happy. Then we moved and were fortunate enough to find Sierra Verde. The staff is excellent! They are so dedicated to the success of their students and very responsive and communicative. My son actually WANTS to go to school now! He feels valued and encouraged. The environment and students were very welcoming. He is doing so much better because at Sierra Verde its "cool" to be a good student. His grades are improving, he is actually learning and retaining information, and he is taking more pride in his work. Sierra Verde is very academically challenging which is taking some getting-used-to for our eighth grader, but the faculty's commitment to higher standards is helping our boy rise to the challenge. And he is realizing new talents like his knack for public speaking thanks to amazing teachers like Mrs. Chesbro who have inspired him to overcome his fears and excel. I can't say enough about Sierra Verde. It's just a perfect place for students to learn and mature where the focus is on education and personal growth. It's safe, well-organized and parent-friendly. They encourage and embrace parent involvement, and they really care about the kids! I am just sorry we didn't find them sooner, but so thankful they will be helping prepare our son for high school. A++++
Submitted by other on December 09, 2015

I am so happy with the two years that my child spent at Sierra Verde. My student is now completing his first semester in high school making A's in Honors classes and I am realizing what an impact Sierra Verde had on him. I feel this is due to how well he was prepared for high school during his middle school years at SV. We were open enrollment at SV and chose this school because it was a Stem school and recommended to us by a high school teacher. We were very nervous in moving to a public school after being in a private Christian school. We found SV to be warm and welcoming! They do layout rules and expectations to the students upfront, but this is good. They have high standards for behavior and character and an extremely positive atmosphere-Yes! When any of the few concerns we had arose the administration reacted and solved the matter immediately. Because of this we felt very safe and frankly this school acted on its values and character pillars to the point that we felt it was more like a Christian school than the one we left. They are extremely pro active in constantly trying to improve the school. They set goals for everything and the students are taught to set goals as well. They have quarterly assemblies to celebrate successes. Despite the fact that SV is a stem academy, they have opportunities for every student to have a well rounded experience. My son was able to be in 2 bands, drama, cross country, NJHS and be on the morning announcement team. He fell in love with school again after moving to Sierra Verde. In 8th grade he learned to deal with and be successful with more challenging teachers. While there were a few rough spots in 8th grade the issues were addressed. The 7th grade teacher team is awesome! My son had grown to dislike Language Arts at his previous school, but Mrs. Chesbro changed that for good. LA is now one of his favorite subjects and even while now in high school he pulls out his notes from her class for reference, she remains his favorite teacher! SV is very family oriented. The principle and vice principle were very visible on campus and I think they knew every child’s name! Everyone in the front office is very friendly and helpful as well. It seemed like one big family at this school. I am so grateful that my son was able to end his elementary education on such a high note with his experience at Sierra Verde.
Submitted by parent on September 16, 2015

This school, teachers and Principal are all terrible! The academics are way over the top. The teachers don't care about you individually. They only care about getting a paycheck. Don't send your kids here!
Submitted by parent on May 29, 2015

My kids have been at the school since Kindergarten and I cannot tell you how much we love this school! The teachers are amazing ~ they are more than just teachers and love each of the kids! The academics are fantastic and the before school and after school clubs are the best (rubix cube club, minecraft club, math club, garden club, chorus, band, just to name a few).
Submitted by parent on April 17, 2015

This school is absolutely amazing! The teachers and staff really care about the children and do everything they can to help them succeed. I volunteer at the school 2 mornings a week and what I find so unique and wonderful about SV is that there is always a teacher or a staff member encouraging the students and pointing out when they do a good job. The principle is top notch. My daughter received a hand written note from the principle saying thank you for being responsible and having a Yes! attitude. I have never heard of a principle reaching out to a student for a job well done. My daughters teacher is amazing. She has grown leaps and bounds with her reading and math skills. Yes they teach common core but it is done in a way that makes sense. I am so thankful that my daughter has the privilege of going to a school that cares about each student as a person and not just a test score!
Submitted by parent on April 03, 2015

We did our homework prior to moving into the area. Sierra Verde impressed us on paper and on the tour we took of the school. We have been at SV for several years and we continue to be impressed with the school, staff and our children's education. We love being involved and welcomed into the school. The school is very challenging for my children and the teachers are willing to help when extra help is needed. Thank you.
Submitted by parent on August 07, 2014

The new common core is horrible and this school is pushing the new curriculum very hard. This school is very tough and they expect a lot from kids. The principal isn't a problem solver and pushes problems under the rug. The teachers are uncaring and the homework is crazy. Until we go back to the normal way of teaching and get rid of this common core than we are going to continue to fail our children and their education.
Submitted by parent on August 04, 2014

Unfortunately, I cannot give a star rating to this school, staff or district personnel, but I was required in order to post the following comment. I am glad I removed my daughter early in the year. The teaching staff and principal are in denial that the school offers a safe and nurturing environment in which to learn. Due to the horrid switch to common core (an untested method of teaching students) teachers there no longer taught, but became facilitators. Based on the recently released AIMS results, this school has dropped considerably in their point standings. While they are still an A school, these results show that teachers still need to teach subjects and allow students the freedom to develop whatever method they individually understand to achieve a positive outcome. This is key for a student to develop problem solving skills the private sector requires of its employees. Telling a student to figure it out is not teaching. On this path, you will continue to fail your students.
Submitted by other on October 22, 2013

My school is an amazing school. It is the A+ rated school. I love my school!!!
Submitted by parent on October 21, 2013

I moved my two sons from another school in the district because of the test scores, STEM program and the opportunity to keep both of them in the same school through 8th grade (they are 2 years apart.) I have been very pleased with the quality of instruction and the SAGE program that challenges gifted children in Math and Reading. I have had conferences with teachers when I have questions and found them to be informed about my kids and sincerely interested in their education.