Woodside Priory School

What Woodside Priory School does

Woodside Priory School is an independent Catholic Benedictine college preparatory school founded in 1957 and located at 302 Portola Road in Portola Valley, California. The school serves 427 students in grades 6-12 through a day program (regional Northern California draw) and a boarding program for grades 9-12 (approximately 50 students in Benedict House and Scholastica House dormitories), with a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio, average class size of 13, and 80% of faculty holding advanced degrees. It operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit under the governance of a Board of Trustees and is affiliated with the Benedictine Fathers of the Priory monastic community.

The school's product portfolio centers on the core day and boarding college preparatory programs, supplemented by specialized summer offerings including the English Language Institute (WPELI, a four-week international immersion program with residential pricing of $9,450 and day pricing of $7,560) and the Summer Enrichment Program 2026 for rising 5th-9th graders. Ancillary programming includes the Dorm Honors Program (developed with the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania and Challenge Success at Stanford University), Willow Commons Adult Ceramics, and structured wellness and DEIB initiatives. The technology platform is limited to a learning management system (prioryca.myschoolapp.com) for course delivery and student records, with no public API or AI/ML capabilities.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition (subscription/recurring), with the school disclosing that tuition underfunds actual cost of education by approximately $5,200 per student. This gap, plus financial aid distributions exceeding $4 million annually (1 in 5 students receives assistance), is subsidized by Annual Fund donations, endowment income, an annual Gala, planned giving, and a portfolio of Shop for Cause affiliate partnerships (Amazon Smile, eScrip, Good Eggs, Honey Bear Trees, Kasumisou Gallery). The school's go-to-market is a traditional direct-to-consumer admissions funnel: prospective families apply online, attend campus visits and events, complete transcript review and recommendations, and matriculate into either day or boarding tracks. The school reports a 2,600+ alumni network, 63% students of color, and 20% Catholic student identification, with geographic reach primarily Northern California for the day program and global for boarding and WPELI.

Name

Woodside Priory School

Legal name

Woodside Priory School

Website

https://prioryca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Woodside Priory School is an independent Catholic Benedictine college preparatory school founded in 1957 in Portola Valley, CA, serving 427 day and boarding students in grades 6-12 with a 7:1 faculty ratio, plus international summer English and enrichment programs, operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded primarily by tuition and philanthropic giving.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portola Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Primary revenue from tuition for day and boarding programs. A Priory education costs about $5,200 more per student than tuition provides, subsidized by fundraising.
2. Annual Fund Donations: Annual Fund is the cornerstone of philanthropy at Priory, providing critical support to the School's operating budget. Covers the gap between tuition and actual cost of education.
3. Shop for Cause Programs: Partner programs including Amazon Smile (up to 8%), eScrip grocery cards (up to 5%), Good Eggs (10%), Honey Bear Trees (up to 15%), and other retail partners donating percentages of purchases.
4. Summer Enrichment Programs: Revenue from Summer Enrichment Program 2026 (rising 5th-9th grade) and English Language Institute (WPELI) - Residential Program $9,450, Day Student Program $7,560.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Woodside Priory School delivers college preparatory education to grades 6-12 students through a Day Program and Boarding Program, grounded in Catholic Benedictine values and featuring a 7:1 student-faculty ratio with average class size of 13. The school supplements its core academics with summer offerings including the English Language Institute (WPELI) for international students and a Summer Enrichment Program, plus residential programs such as the Dorm Honors Program developed with University of Pennsylvania and Stanford.

Product overview

Woodside Priory School is an independent Catholic Benedictine college preparatory school (grades 6-12) offering a Day Program and Boarding Program as its core educational offerings. The school supplements its academic programs with specialized summer enrichment offerings including the English Language Institute (WPELI) for international students and a general Summer Enrichment Program for grades 5-9. Additional programs include adult enrichment through Willow Commons Adult Ceramics and a Dorm Honors Program for residential students. The school operates with a focus on Benedictine values of spirituality, hospitality, integrity, individuality, and community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Day Program Day program for students in grades 6-12, offering college preparatory education with a Benedictine Catholic foundation. Many day students enter as sixth graders and graduate after seven years at the Priory.
• Boarding Program Residential boarding program for grades 9-12. Approximately 50 students live on campus in Benedict House (boys) and Scholastica House (girls) dormitories, with full-time Residential Faculty providing mentorship and support. Open to domestic and international students.
• English Language Institute (WPELI) Four-week summer English immersion program for middle school students (grades 6-9) from around the world, using Northern California as the classroom. Features experiential learning including nature exploration, marine science, Silicon Valley technology workshops, and San Francisco cultural experiences. Residential Program: $9,450; Day Student Program: $7,560.
• Summer Enrichment Program 2026 Dynamic hands-on summer learning experience for rising 5th-9th grade students, featuring academic seminars (woodworking, cooking, creative and academic courses) and full- or half-day sports camps. Sessions run June 15-26 and July 13-24, with no classes during July 6-10.
• Willow Commons Adult Ceramics Welcoming hands-on ceramics studio course for adults, taught by Priory's Art Department Head Reed Sullivan. Participants explore handbuilding techniques with emphasis on experimentation and personal voice, working with clay from raw material to finished fired work.
• Dorm Honors Program Program supporting 11th and 12th grade boarding students to develop skills for living happier, healthier lives. Curriculum developed with the Positive Psychology Center at University of Pennsylvania and Challenge Success at Stanford University. Students use Fitbit Inspire HR wristbands to monitor physical health and engage in daily psychometric surveys for psychological wellbeing monitoring.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of faculty have advanced degrees
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Peninsula BridgeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPriory is a Peninsula Bridge partner, supporting educational access programs.
• POCISminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPriory is a member of POCIS (Program for Instructional Science or similar educational consortium).
• Amazon SmileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazon donates up to 8% of purchases to Woodside Priory School when customers shop through smile.amazon.com (EIN: 94-1399274).
• eScripminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGrocery card program where Draeger's, Piazza's, and ClubCruise donate up to 5% of purchases to Priory when registered.
• Good EggsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline grocery delivery service that donates 10% back to Priory when using code PRIORY at checkout.
• Honey Bear TreesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChristmas tree and holiday décor retailer with locations in Redwood City, San Mateo, and San Carlos that donates up to 15% during holidays.
• Kasumisou GalleryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMenlo Park-based online retail gallery donating 10% of all purchases year-round to Priory through their Community Partners program.
• Benedictine Educators Network North AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational network connecting Benedictine schools for professional development and shared resources. Website: benetna.org.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Menlo School: Independent secular college preparatory school in Atherton, CA serving ~790 students grades 6-12. Direct peer on geography, grade span, college-prep mission, and Bay Area family demographic; differs as non-faith-based and without boarding.
• Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton: Independent Catholic (Society of the Sacred Heart) PK-12 school on a single Atherton, CA campus serving ~600 students. Closely comparable in mission (faith-based college prep), Bay Area geography, scale, and coed day structure; differs in religious order (Sacred Heart Nuns vs. Benedictine).
• Saint Francis High School: Catholic (Archdiocese) coed college preparatory school in Mountain View, CA serving ~1,700 students grades 9-12. Direct peer as a Bay Area Catholic coed college-prep institution; differs as diocesan rather than Benedictine, larger, and without boarding.
• Junipero Serra High School: Catholic (Archdiocese) all-boys college preparatory school in San Mateo, CA serving ~900 students grades 9-12. Comparable as a Bay Area Catholic college-prep institution serving similar family demographics; differs as all-boys, diocesan, and without boarding.
• Bellarmine College Preparatory: Jesuit Catholic college preparatory school in San Jose, CA, serving ~1,650 students grades 9-12. Directly comparable as a Bay Area Catholic boys' college-prep institution with similar mission emphasis on academic rigor, faith formation, and service; differences include all-boys, larger scale, and Jesuit rather than Benedictine tradition.
• Crystal Springs Uplands School: Independent secular college preparatory school in Hillsborough, CA serving ~550 students grades 6-12. Highly comparable in scale, Bay Area geography, college-prep mission, and grade span; differs as secular without boarding or faith-based identity.
• Pinewood School: Independent secular K-12 college preparatory school in Los Altos Hills, CA serving ~600 students. Comparable as a small, academically rigorous Bay Area prep school targeting college-bound families; differs as non-faith-based and broader K-12 span.
• Castilleja School: Independent college preparatory school for girls grades 6-12 in Palo Alto, CA serving ~430 students. Highly comparable in scale, college-prep mission, Bay Area location, and grade span; differs as single-gender and secular.

Broad incumbents

• The Harker School: Large independent secular K-12 college preparatory school in San Jose, CA serving ~2,000 students. Comparable Bay Area college-prep mission and target demographic; differs as significantly larger, Silicon Valley-associated, and without boarding or faith-based identity.

Others

• St. Benedict's Monastery / Benedictine Schools Network: Network of Benedictine K-12 schools across North America. Compares as part of the same religious educational tradition (Benedictine Educators Network North America is a Priory partnership), though individual member schools vary widely in size, geography, and boarding vs. day structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/paxpanther
• Facebookfacebook.com/woodsideprioryschool
• Instagraminstagram.com/woodsidepriorypanthers
• Xx.com/woodside_priory

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles29 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Woodside Priory School