Lead with love.
Understand the rights and needs of others.
Embrace innovation as a way of thinking, learning, and engaging with the world.
Create positive, lasting impact.
These commitments—rooted in our core values of love, justice, innovation, and impact—guide our work as Head of School and Chair of the Board of Trustees. They are present in every decision we make: setting tuition, evolving programs, and building meaningful relationships with children, families, and colleagues.
As we share our 2024–25 Impact Report, we invite you to notice the many ways you, your children, and your fellow families have helped shape Prospect Sierra and extend its values into the wider world.
Highlights
This past year our community leaned fully into its values and partnered to create meaningful change. Together, we:
- Launched The Learning Center (TLC), a new program supporting students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences
- Welcomed the second cohort of the Equity Action Program, offering two additional qualifying families a tuition-free education for grades 6–8
- Admitted our first cohort in partnership with The Children’s Education Initiative (TCEI), fully funding two students from kindergarten through 8th grade
- Began schoolwide learning in Universal Design for Learning (UDL), with early-adopter teachers leading the way toward inclusive instructional practices
- Expanded outdoor learning, partnering with Vincent Medina and Louis Treviño of Café Ohlone to transform the Avis upper hillside and completing Grizzly Hill, our new outdoor learning space at Tapscott
We also welcomed Markus Mullarkey into a new role as Chair of the Board of Trustees this year. Markus has been on the Board for the past three years, having served on and led the Finance Committee during that time.
A Note From Our New Chair
It’s an exciting time for me to be making a transition into this role after joining the Board a few years ago. I’ve spent the past 10 years as the COO and now President/CFO of Caliber Public Schools, a nonprofit public charter school organization that has a lot in common with Prospect Sierra. We also serve TK–8 students here in the East Bay (Caliber has campuses in San Pablo and Vallejo). And just like Prospect Sierra, we’ve struggled with and and ultimately thrived despite the many challenges that the world has thrown our way these past years. I’m excited to continue bringing that experience to Prospect Sierra as we continue to advance the mission and success of our schools in the years ahead.
I also have a particular love for Prospect Sierra as a neighbor here in the community. I grew up and have lived near the school for practically my whole life, and attended Richmond and Albany public schools. And after time away for college and graduate school I came back and have lived less than a mile from Prospect Sierra for the past 20+ years with my wife, Amy, and our two kids. It means the world to me to be able to support such an amazing school right here in my neighborhood.
Which is why I’m looking forward to spending more time at school and meeting as many of you as I can in this new role. And I’d love to hear any input that any of you have on how I can help continue the legacy of the Board Chairs whose footsteps I’m following.
Thank You
Impact doesn’t happen without people, and you made it happen.
Whether you drove students to new places on study trips, served pizza, logged miles in the Move-a-thon, donated time or resources to our Spring Fundraiser, led committees, served as a PSPA officer or room parent, or stretched yourself to give to the Annual Fund, your care and commitment made a difference. We are deeply grateful.
As leaders in this remarkable school community, we know the world will continue to challenge us. Our best chance to meet those challenges, and to solve complex problems, comes from doing the work together.
We invite you to spend time with this Impact Report as a reflection of what’s possible when love leads the way.
