Wow, what can I say, I feel like we won the jackpot when we found Magellan. our daughter started in…read moreKindergarten and although she isn't very good at adapting or transitions, she immediately fell in love with her teachers and school friends.. There are no cliques and no bullying and when we have had issues we have raised them with the teachers and they have jumped on them to solve them immediately, and unlike other private schools there's no sense of entitlement from the parents or students. Also, because the school is so good at awarding scholarships not everyone is 'rich'! The school also has a great parent teacher association which offer weekly meet-ups and play dates as well as adult only events. Each class also has a WhatsApp chat group so parents can easily communicate with each other. If it sounds like one big happy family you'd be right, that's exactly what it feels like. In terms of academics my adhd child has thrived. Diagnosed at 4 we thought she would struggle but the school has been amazing at supporting her needs and accommodating her. They also offer many different seating types from a bouncy ball chair, to cushions on the floor and other such. It's very holistic and non political and offers many diverse ways of learning. They have a calming corner, encourage reading and emotional open communication as well many other ways of teaching emotional and academic intelligence. They teach in Spanish from day one and introduce Mandarin from 3rd grade, they also teach following the international Baccalaureate which is amazing. It teaches the children self confidence through weekly presentations and teaches them autonomy. Honestly this school is amazing and now it goes until 12th grade we are obsessed and so you will be too. But, sshh don't tell anyone about our secret slice of heaven.

My son has attended Magellan since the age of three years old-- he is now in second and we have…read morealready registered him for third grade. Hands down, my husband and I feel it is best decision we have made for his education. Although it can be a bit pricey, we have felt that it has been worth every dollar. He is growing up to be a well spoken, well thought, caring little human. I love that he is bilingual, but I really love his open minded views and his eagerness to learn. The teachers... the teachers have all been so amazing. They are loving, caring and really take each student's personalities and abilities into consideration as they grow from year to year. As I said, it's not the cheapest option and we do discuss yearly if we will be renewing his tuition-- and, with each year this answer comes easier and easier with an astounding "YES". We love the school, the community, the parents and look forward to many more years at Magellan!

The staff at Paragon make all the difference. You can see their commitment to the school and…read morepassion for the kids. We have 2 kids attending and like the diversity, high expectations, and school culture. They both love this school and enjoy events like "roller skating week", pool parties, lots of after school sport options and overnight trips. This helps them bond with both students and teachers. Paragon offers high academic standards mixed with life skills. We like the focus on a well-rounded education with academics at least 1 grade level above the standard. In elementary, they are also developing good social skills, learning responsibilities, and planning skills for future academic success. (For example, Paragon gives kids a daily planner to track their homework assignments and get parent signatures for visibility). In middle school, there are lots of team projects, hands-on opportunities, presentations, and field trips. (Projects like running a small business during lunch and breaks.) There are many resources for parents and a great community within and around the school. We recommend this school to friends also.

Our experience at Paragon did not align with the individualized, child-centered education that was…read morepresented when we enrolled. While the school offers a structured and academically rigorous environment, we found that the approach was not as personalized as we had hoped for our child's specific learning needs. The Valor program, which was described as providing additional support, functioned primarily as a quiet space for students to complete homework rather than a program focused on building executive functioning skills, learning strategies, or individualized academic support. Paragon's curriculum moves at a fast pace, with significant homework and testing expectations. For some students, especially those who require a more tailored approach, this can mean parents may need to provide additional instruction and support at home in order for their child to keep pace. We also found that the staff's experience and approach to supporting a wide range of learning profiles varied, and the level of individualized support did not meet what we had hoped to find. That being said, Paragon's main strength is its activity calendar. The school provides a wide range of activities throughout the year, and we found both the teachers and students to be kind and welcoming. For families looking for a traditional, academically challenging environment with a strong focus on homework, testing, and keeping students on pace, Paragon may be a good fit. However, for families seeking a highly individualized, child-centered experience designed around diverse learning needs, I would encourage them to ask detailed questions about the specific supports available before enrolling.

Love, love love love love this school!! Amazing. We searched far and wide to find the right…read moreschool for our children. This is it. Nature based but they teach academics (pre-school level anyway). My baby is coming home teaching *me* spanish! They swim over the summer, hike in the nature reserve in the fall, my kids love it so much and we couldn't be happier with a school.

Wow, I have never been treated so badly at a school than I have at Summitt Elementary. Nicole who…read moreworks in the front desk needs to work on her customer service skills. She rudely interrupted me when I was trying to explain to her why I was trying to get into the school. I was appalled to think that someone can be like that. It didn't get any better once I arrived inside the main office. She was very clipped and short with me. Not sure if it was because I am a person of color but I have been told that she treats other parents of color the same way. I hope Ms. Greco reads this and talks to her about her manners because everyone else at Summitt is respectful and polite.

One front staff, Elizabeth, is extremely rude, ESPECIALLY towards Vietnamese parents. Love this…read moreschool but can definitely do without her nasty attitude. Not sure why she feels so entitled that she can treat and speak to student's parents the way she does but she sure do need to clean up her attitude or find another job to where she's not dealing with people. Perhaps one may get better treatment if they're not Vietnamese.

My husband and I brought our 2 yr old in to inquire about the school. Receptionist informed us that…read morewe have to setup an appt with the Director and she needed to ask her about her schedule first. As she said that, the Director came walking in but didn't even bothered to say hello or acknowledged us in any manner. She never on e looked our way as we were seated 5 ft away. She was rude and unwelcoming. When the receptionist asked her about setting up an appt with us (in front of our presence), she still didn't even look our way or bothered to show any courtesy or professionalism. She was agitated and annoyed that she was bothered by us and waved her hand to say she's too busy and walked off. That left us dumbfounded and we left immediately. The Director made it obvious that parents and possible newcomers are not priorities. If she decides to reply to this review, I sure hope it will be a sincere, genuine one instead of a generic one that she basically copies and paste for all her replies which makes no sense to the issue being stated. Lazy and insincere!

Being somebody who was raised based on Chinese education, tradition and values, I really wish my…read morechild could also be someday be fluent in Chinese and hold on to her root. This is why we visited AACC to inquire about the daycare service for our upcoming newborn. The visitation experience went from OK to worst in the second visit. In the first visit, the founder director Amy was kind enough to sit us down and explain the daycare philosophy and discipline to us. She spoke about not being a tiger mom but emphasized that there are 5 C's that they teach to the children and how brilliant it is to see children from AACC outsmart other kids when they go to elementary school later (i.e., not a tiger mom). I am sure all came from the passion and pride of Miss Amy. We like the food menu AACC has. It looks healthy and complete, nothing compared to the fish sticks, pizza rolls and bean tacos we saw in many other daycare. The caretakers seem nice and friendly. They look like they truly care about the children and the children seems to have a blast there. A little caucasian girl even busted out singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Start" in Chinese while we were there, that gave me a lot of hope. The building is old and poorly maintained. You can find duct tapes on the stairs, near the door and etc. When we walked into the infant room, the pungent smell of poo came right at us. It was hard to ignore the smell but we thought this could be a bad timing on our first visit so this was why we planned a second visit. Well, the smell was still there in the second visit. It was disgusting to say the least. We were curious about the security of the daycare so we asked the director why is AACC the only daycare we visited where there is no secured entrance. Instead of answering us directly, she chose to sarcastically tell us that she chose the parents to join AACC just as much as the parents chose AACC for their child. I thought she was being extremely rude and defensive. I have heard of her reputation before, and how the staff turnover is a bit of a challenge due to her style of management. After this interaction with her, we just cannot imagine how would we partner with her if we send our child to AACC. She does not seem compassionate and considerate of the parents' need but rather her way or the highway. We really want to like AACC but in the end, it is probably not for us.

At the heart of the Brentwood and Crestview neighborhoods, Brentwood Elementary is one of the best…read morekept secrets in Austin. Brentwood was built in 1951 and hasn't changed much since then. The classrooms are quaint, the teachers are friendly and communicative, and the administration is extremely pleasant to work with! We love Brentwood for their commitment to building community both in and outside of the classrooms. The emphasis on lifeskills (like integrity, honesty, courage, etc) and the Tribes curriculum have spilled over into our daily home life. I catch my kids saying, "Mom, thanks for displaying the lifeskill of friendship by making macaroni for lunch!" Sounds dorky, but it has worked for us! We also love Brentwood's diversity, both economic and racial, and the extra mile that the teachers and staff put it to build bridges across the divide. We're proud to say that our kids will attend through the 2020's (damn, we're gonna be old)....

Our current 7th grader attended Brentwood for 4th and 5th grade. We loved the community, the…read moreteachers, the music teacher, the physical education, the effort that was made to go green! Our 4 year old will be attending Kindergarten next year, and while some of our neighbors have chosen Gullett, I am truly commited to Brentwood. The diversity there is very important to my husband and I and my now 7th grader really learned a lot about other cultures. Highly recommended. Why drive to another school when it is in our neighbor and walking distance. We love Brentwood!

As a parent of three children at Austin International School -- in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 2nd…read moregrade -- I can wholeheartedly say this school has exceeded every expectation. All three of my kids enrolled without any knowledge of a foreign language, which was initially a little nerve-wracking. My second grader was placed in a dedicated French as a Second Language support class, and it made a world of difference. Within a year, he had genuinely acquired the language in a way I didn't think was possible so quickly. My two younger ones jumped straight into the regular classroom, and they too have picked up an impressive amount of French in just one year. One of the most memorable surprises was hearing my kids come home and naturally speak French -- something I never expected to happen so soon. But perhaps the most touching milestone? They now ask me to speak French with them during part of our day at home and correct me when I make a mistake. The language has become something they take pride in and genuinely enjoy -- it's no longer just school, it's part of who they are. Academically, my kids are thriving too -- my second grader's MAP scores showed a remarkable jump from where he started before joining the school. What sets this school apart, though, goes beyond academics. The teachers clearly love what they do and love the kids they teach. Their enthusiasm and dedication are visible every single day -- they are engaged, motivated, and create an environment where children genuinely want to learn. The broader school community has been nothing short of wonderful. Warm, welcoming, and supportive in every way. The Head of School deserves special recognition for the outstanding leadership and tone set at the top -- the culture of this school reflects that every single day. If you're looking for a school where your child will grow academically, linguistically, and as a person -- Austin International School is truly special and we couldn't recommend it more.

I have sent several emails regarding the dates of DELF exams and have not received any responses…read morefrom the school. Yesterday I called and had an unpleasant conversation with your receptionist who told me that she had no the dates of the exam and can not even tell me when students had DELF earlier this year. She was in a hurry to hang up the phone apparently, because the conversation with a client was something that irritated her a lot. Bizarre school.

We are new to Highland Park Elementary this year. Love it. The transition into the community has…read morebeen easy for all of us- parents and 2nd grader. The teachers work together and git r dun! The PTA is a force to be reckoned with. Our heads literally spin trying to keep up with all the activities and enrichment, but in a good way. Truly inspired. If you are shopping schools/neighborhoods- you owe it to your family to pay HP a visit. 60 years of providing a top notch, well rounded education and counting. We are happy to be a part of the impressive legacy. Go Scotties!

I miss this school so much. I am in seventh grade but I went to highland park from grades Kinder…read morethrough Fifth grade and enjoyed it very much. The staff is very nice which is great. The principal knew everyone's name which I thought was crazy considering how many people were there! If you are considering taking your child there for Elementary school, I would strongly recommend doing it. This school truly deserves 5 stars.