I found it interesting how the business responded to the influx of negative feedback on their…read moreGoogle reviews - they disabled them. Each time myself or another parent shared a poor experience on there, the replies came across as cold, generic, defensive, and frankly gaslighting, lacking any genuine empathy or understanding. Unfortunately, my in-person experience matched that tone exactly. The atmosphere earns a 1/5 at best. The building feels far more like a sterile clinic or office than a warm, inviting elementary school or preschool. The outdoor play area is extremely small and limited, with very little equipment for the children. Even small details like Christmas stockings with typed and stapled staff names suggesting high turnover, and awards displayed on the walls that are all several years outdated gave the impression that things have declined and aren't improving. Those old awards seem to be up there for a reason: nothing recent to replace them with. The staff interaction was the worst part, warranting a 0/5. I found them consistently rude, condescending, and disingenuous. They gossip openly about the director and each other in front of kids and parents. If your child is remotely unsettled, you're called to do an early pickup. Staff do not seem to enjoy their jobs, and it shows. You'd see kids walk out from the day with mucus dried and crusted from never being cleaned during the day. During a visit, I observed teachers chatting among themselves for several minutes while a young child slid down the slide and hit their head at the bottom and only got attention once he started crying. My own kid was injured quite badly by the teacher which is why we disenrolled immediately. My kid used to HATE it here, cried every day about having to go, and wow I can't imagine why. What struck me was how indifferent the staff seemed toward families leaving. When we decided to withdraw, there was no curiosity about why, no attempt to understand our concerns, and certainly no effort to retain us. It genuinely felt like it didn't matter to them whether we stayed or left. That complete lack of care or investment in the families they serve spoke volumes. This similar observation was also echoed in another Google review that's also now gone. Practical issues only made things worse - parking is severely limited, turning drop off and pick up into chaos with constant car horns and aggressive maneuvering. The overall operation felt disorganized and unwelcoming from the moment I arrived. I'm genuinely baffled that this place had a waitlist. We quickly found a much better option just down the road- one that actually feels like a school, with engaging play spaces and genuinely kind, warm staff. My kid LOVES the new school and is thriving there. I'm just sad that this was our first experience in a learning environment when there are clearly MUCH better options. I didn't even get into everything like the complete and utter lack of communication. Even for free, I wouldn't consider it worth the time or stress. Save yourself the disappointment and look elsewhere.

Insensitive and unprofessional staffs (leadership), we had terrible experience at nido. They only…read morewant easy babies who start early (before separation and stranger anxiety sets in) and do not have the training, patience or resources to work with older kids. My son cried for weeks, I got calls/texts everyday for early pick up. Several times I found him sitting on the floor or on the swing, crying by himself. I felt that they are massively understaffed. Some of the teachers are kind, nice and caring but they are overwhelmed. We found the nido leadership to be rude and incompetent. They implied that something is wrong with our baby and maybe he will need special care/attention. One of them said she "has not seen a baby who has so much social anxiety in her whole career". Anyway, we moved to a different daycare, my son took two weeks to adjust, he likes the teachers there and is thriving now!! We are actually glad that Montessori One didn't work out for us.

My nephew has attended Pathways Academy for the past year as a fifth grader. He previously…read moreattended public school in Rio Rancho with disastrous results. This school has been absolutely perfect for our family since he was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum as being a child with High-Functioning Autism. He is not in a special education classroom and is not on an IEP and does not need to be at this school. The school treats each child as an individual and educates them to their specific needs and abilities. The school has a four-day school week and there is no homework being brought home. My nephew has been allowed to advance at his own level, even up to the next grade level, and does not have the stigma of being treated like he is in special education. All children are on a behavior management program where they are rewarded for good behavior and he is frequently going on field trips. Bullying is treated appropriately and I'm ecstatic to hear my nephew be able to actually say for the first time that he has "friends." He has sensory issues with clothes and is allowed to wear clothes that are comfortable to him. I like this school because my nephew is treated like a capable child and for the first time in his life is enjoying school and really likes his teachers. It's a pleasure to see him come home from school in a good mood and a lot of his behavioral issues at home have greatly decreased since he has been enrolled at this school. I would totally recommend this school to any parent who has a child on the autism spectrum and/or has ADHD/ADD, or has any type of learning disability.

From the owner: Pathways Academy is a private non-profit school for children grades K-12. We have a diverse range…read moreof talented students, who thrive in our warm and home-like environment. Many of our students have struggled in traditional and/or special education environments before coming to us. We specialize in helping children with unique learning challenges reach their full potential in a caring and encouraging environment. We customize each child's education, working with students who have learning difficulties in reading, spelling, writing, math; focusing (such as ADD/ADHD); Aspergers or are on the autism spectrum. Pathways Academy is very proud to be accredited by the North Central Association.

I can't say enough good things about Cottonwood. It is a gem in every way. The teachers are…read moreutterly dedicated to the kids and to providing an exceptional learning experience. The format encourages creativity, independent thinking and problem solving skills, artistic ability, confidence and fun. It is a loving, supportive community of parents, teachers and administrators and the kids thrive there. The students are encouraged to self-motivate, manage their own workload and be self-sufficient, all of which are the skills we all need to be truly successful in life. The school focuses on community service, equality, tolerance, peace, and a global perspective. The teachers teach and talk "up" to the kids (not down). Beyond incredible academics, the kids do the most amazing things, from learning musical instruments and music, to writing their own plays and creating the sets and costumes, to learning about the local eco-system, to learning organic gardening, to learning to give back to the community through multiple events throughout the year (we sponsor families in need during the holidays, recently volunteered as families at a local food bank, and do a food drive in the fall). The kids come away from Cottonwood not only light years ahead of their peers in all academic disciplines, but they also come away with an open-minded, global perspective, the ability to empathize, to control their own actions and reactions to the world, and to be clear and confident about who they are no matter what is going on in the world around them. The buildings are a bit less than stellar (nothing like a fancy school with a big endowment), but I like it that way because the focus in on the quality of the education and of the community, not on status or prestige. That said, the school has a very high percentage of kids that get into the top middle and high schools in the area. If the buildings were fancy, I think it would attract a very different kind of parent. That is why I'm almost afraid to share all of this because it is such a special place - I don't want the secret to get out! :-) We are so lucky that we found this very special school.

Letting my son post under my account…read more I went to school here for a year in 1st grade when I was 7. I loved it! Jaiden

My main criticism of Acton Academy is that my kids are the happiest they have been at school. Since…read morewhen was school supposed to be fun? More and more they seem to have adopted the the idea that they can do things for themselves. Acton focuses on the "hero's journey." It's an idea whose time has come - that the purpose of education is ultimately to find your calling and become a messenger of positive change. Instead of a cookie cutter set of curriculum, kids work at identifying their passions and incorporating them into their objectives. The staff is truly dedicated to understanding each student's strengths and weaknesses so that the students are growing towards self direction and self motivation. Why settle for just book smart? Acton instills a love of knowledge-a love that creates momentum for a richer life.

I have three very different kids all of whom are thriving here. My oldest, 13, had previously been…read morein four different school structures from private Christian to public to classical academy charter to home school. He needed a challenge and to rise to a sense of ownership which he is doing. My girls are both different (one task oriented, one super creative) and both are fully themselves and engaged and love their community.

This school is a hidden gem in Albuquerque. Safe, high academics, supportive & loving environment.read more

I love our school! I have 2 children currently enrolled (K and 2nd). The 2nd grader loves his…read moreteacher and his classmates. She makes learning something to be discovered, like treasure he finds every day. He is always wanting to learn more about whatever they are currently studying. The Kindergartener loves his teacher too. He is learning so much and becoming a very inquisitive child. He is making great friends with the other children and learning how to talk with adults. It's wonderful that both kids are encouraged to interact with God on a personal level every day. They are asked to memorize scripture and pray regularly. Eastern Hills Christian Academy is an amazing place where my children are safe. They are learning every day and are being taught by people who want the same things for my children that I do. I never doubt that the people who work there love their jobs.

Ms. Cohen is amazing! The Homeschool classroom is such a fun, enriching, and rewarding place for my…read moredaughter. She has made friends, is learning valuable lessons, and enjoying every moment. Highly recommend to everyone!

Our family loves the homeschool classroom. We knew we wanted to homeschool but we wanted our kids…read moreto have a social experience as well. This is how school should be. The one room schoolhouse method works by providing all the kids with multi age support and friendship and the results are friendly, kind kids of all ages. Kids work at their own pace and thereby really learn their stuff. We would be really struggling without this amazing resource. Thankyou Ms. Cohen and all your helpers

Sunset Mesa did not have online learning during the pandemic in 2020 and we removed our child. It…read moreseems as though they didn't want to adjust their tuition. We re-enrolled our kids, hoping Sunset Mesa's policies would change for the upcoming year. One week before school starts we receive an email that masks will be optional indoors for unvaccinated elementary students. A parent asked Alan Mask what it would take for him to reconsider his decision and he said that it would take more parents complaining, which goes to show that Sunset Mesa is weighing their bottom line against your child's well being. Delta variant cases are increasing as we speak, but Sunset Mesa wants your money! Sunset Mesa is a business, and your child's well being comes second!

Since it's so hard to find good review for Albuquerque preschools, I decided to help. If you're…read morelooking for a good preschool for your kids, Sunset Mesa is an awesome choice. Why do I like Sunset Mesa? Mainly, unlike other preschools in the area, Sunset Mesa tries hard to be an actual school. Instead of me paying to have someone keep my daughter distracted with Sesame Street and sugary drinks, they try hard to teach her something. Since starting at Sunset, I've noticed that both her reading level and math skills have improved dramatically. My daughter also really enjoys the other students since the teachers keep fighting and bullying out of the classroom. The childrens' parent seen to be mostly Sandia employees or military. Also, a child has to be at least two and potty trained before the school will admit him or her. The price is steep compared to other places in Albuquerque. To me, the place is worth the money. Preschool is definitely somewhere a person gets what they pay for.