These tennis courts are funded by local taxpayers, yet they're locked and inaccessible to the very…read morecommunity that pays for their upkeep. If a facility is built and maintained with public money, it should be open to the public and not gated off for exclusive use. Tennis already struggles with a reputation as an expensive, country-club sport out of reach for lower-income families. Courts like these, funded publicly but kept locked, only reinforce that barrier. Kids and adults who can't afford private club memberships or lessons lose one of the few FREE ways to pick up the sport. Locking public infrastructure isn't just inconvenient, it's also a quiet form of privatization. The school gets the benefit of public funding without the obligation of public access. If liability or maintenance is the concern, there are ways to address that (posted hours, sign-in sheets, City of Austin partnerships) without shutting the gates entirely. Taxpayers deserve to use what they've paid for. OPEN THE COURTS!

Absolutely disorganized and not accountable at all. Was sick the first week of school but ended up…read moregoing Friday, went to every single class and the office during that day. By monday, my entire school id and and email was deleted. Every teacher and class that I had gone to and seen that day counted me absent after having conversation with them all. They said i was unenrolled for not showing up or leaving a note, but we I had showed up Friday and Left a doctors note for the week prior on Monday. Office staff had a very rude tone on phone and didnt help with anything in any sort of way.

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.

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!

My teen is in their second year at Griffin and we feel so grateful for this school. The staff is…read moreamazing and have been so supportive. I feel they genuinely care about my child and they are very responsive. It is also really wonderful to have a place where kids are encouraged to be themselves. The education is also top notch - challenging, but not overloading kids with homework and busywork. Class sizes are very small and teachers get to know each child.

You know how sometimes you think it would be fun to try a new hobby but then decide it's equally…read morefun and less trouble to have drinks with friends instead? Art+Wine night provides a solution to this dilemma. Show up with your favorite wine and whatever art skills you do (or don't) possess and Natalya will provide all the supplies and knowledge you need to paint something worthy of displaying in your home. The website shows the project that will be taught on each date so you can pick and choose which nights you want to sign up for. The classes are small which allows Natalya to give everyone individualized instruction. I've been to four Art+Wine nights and I see SO much improvement since my first painting! I had never used oil paint and after taking a 2 session oil class I left with a legit fruit bowl painting. Artists of all skill levels come to Art+Wine night and everyone learns something new or improves their technique. It's a great way to spend a Friday night and accomplish something while drinking!

As a former high school teacher I have sent both my kids to Westwood. My oldest just graduated and…read morereceived special education services all 4 years (but only 2 in science) and is now enrolled at ACC. He struggled for years to find a subject he really enjoyed besides Theater which he took 2 different classes his final 3 years. Then, his senior year he took Forensic Science and Sign Language. He loved them both and had great teachers. He now wants to study forensic science. My youngest was a freshman last year and got to take Chinese, Intro to Engineering, and Biomedical Science. He loved every teacher and rarely had homework due to the flex period they have built into the schedule. They both ran/run cross country and track as well. The track coaches are nice and encouraging and the cross country coach cares about the kids. Both programs are very flexible with kids and their academics. Our experience at WWHS has wonderful! The teachers and staff all care immensely about the students and there is a huge of variety of classes for students to explore. My kids aren't top in their class but they make mostly A's and some B's. For me, I know they will be well prepared for college and have a good foundation of what they want to pursue for a career. Lastly, WWHS is diverse and my kids have been able to find friends easily. My youngest is very shy and quiet, but he was able to find a group of kids to hang with for lunch. There's great variety not just with classes but with the students as well. We didn't experience any bullying or judgment from kids.

Isnt all its cracked up to be....that being said if your a A student and quick learner it's a great…read moreschool for you as a top school. If you have average learning or a learning disability, it's not for you.

(I am from Austin, idk why it says I'm from San Francisco but okay)…read moreLamar is an okay middle school. I am currently an 8th grader and I wish I could give this a 3.5 stars but whatever. Most of the teachers are pretty good. Especially the math teachers. I entered Lamar not very interested in math and now, I really enjoy it and I am taking Geometry. The ELA teachers on the other hand... the 6th grade ones are good and that's about it. Ms. Vouvray was my teacher and I have continued to be her student in writing electives in 7th grade and now in 8th grade. My 7th grade ELA teacher Mr. Teel is gone now, because he was so bad. Ms. Proffer is my current teacher and she is so weird. The science and history teachers are pretty hit or miss. The Fine Arts teachers... most are pretty good but one of the theater teachers is absolutely awful. He is bizarre and blows a whistle so loud, it's painful. Dr. Mondik, if you're reading this, please fire him. Very few students actually like him. Also the 6th grade PE coach. She must be on tenure because she is sexist and rude. How is she still teaching?! I love all the elective options and the school environment is pretty welcoming. If I had to recommend an elective, it would be either Culinary Arts or Essay Writing. One thing that I wish was different was the bathroom situation. Some teachers give you a limited number of bathroom passes per 6 weeks and that is very stressful. Also the bathrooms are straight up nasty. Overall, it's fine. Pretty safe, no one here is a murderer. (probably but we'll see). 6.9/10

Had to google this to leave my review, that's how bad it is. But glad to see there are others…read more The boys are ok. The girls are exceptional. Meanwhile in this society boys get five stars for existing, while girls get a mediocre applause for being exceptional. I'm so sick of this shit. Why do the choir ladies fawn on the boys so much? It's sick. Every director or other person who is presenting always talks about how the boys are their favorite. They literally say that. To the point that you were BOOed by the audience while praising the boys as your favorite. The audience is done - are you even listening? Can we please stop coddling the boys and finally give the girls the recognition they deserve?

I have been a student of this high school for about 2 years and I can tell you that there are so…read moremany ups and downs that I have with the school. One of the first thing I want to tell what I like about the school is the science fair. As much as what people dread about the science fair, it is a place where I get to speak about my research to a panel of researchers that have a common interest in what I am doing. Therefore, I learned a ton throughout such programs, along with many others that the school has to provide to me as a student. Because of these learning experiences, I grow as a student. However, there are some concerns that led me to give it 4 stars instead of 5 stars. I found that the school still follows the conventional schooling that most public schools follow. It is through this which results in high stress and bullying, which then leads to the underscoring of the school. Furthermore, the uniform policy does not change how it leads to a cutting-edge school (although compared to other public schools, it is). But overall, I still love the school and I wish that every low-income students and parents who are seeking to give the best transformative school comes to here before considering others.

I am extremely disappointed with how this school has treated my son. In the short amount of time he…read morehas been here, a former staff member harassed him--following him to the restroom, making comments about his clothing, asking other students personal questions about him, and constantly picking on him. We reported these concerns and had a meeting about it, but all we were told was that she was no longer at the school. While things slightly improved afterward, nothing was done to address the harm that had already occurred. To make matters worse, another staff member not only went around asking another student for my son's phone number, but she actually called him after school to ask about drama happening at the school--nothing school-related, and nothing appropriate for an adult to discuss with a student. This behavior was completely unprofessional and unacceptable, yet the school chose to ignore it. Despite ignoring repeated misconduct by their own employees, the school immediately moved to expel my son the moment he was involved in one fight--while defending himself. Given everything he has endured, this feels like retaliation. The difference in accountability between a child and adult staff members is alarming. There are also major communication issues at this school. Many teachers struggle with a language barrier that leaves students confused about instructions and assignments, and little effort is made to fix it. This is especially harmful for students with 504 plans, who rely on clarity and support--not additional obstacles. Overall, sending our child to this school has been one of the worst decisions we could have made. Even in such a short time, it has become clear that this school is not here to support or protect its students. This experience has been unfair, discouraging, and completely unacceptable. Students and families deserve far better.

My son has been doing great! They have excellent band directors and his teachers have all been very…read morekind and communicative! It has been a great transition to middle school.

This place is cool has a great curriculum and been there since I was a teen it was AWSOME math…read moreeasy good grades

Caring staff and great programs!…read more Pay your teachers more money. They work so hard to prepare our children for the world. ACC now is tuition free as well.

so to start, the admin are all miserable. along with the AP's who just all seem like they hate…read morechildren and their creativity. on top of it, going to this school is like walking to the gallows. Absolutely no freedoms for the students, terrible layout. Basically half the school blocked off because of unnecessary construction and getting to class takes longer than it should. then, the teachers get and if you are late when there is thousands of students taking the same route because there's literally nowhere else to go, obviously theres traffic. in no world should it take three minutes to get inside through a door to get to a class, then have to walk across the entire school the long way because of an unnecessary barricade. Teachers have attitude, admin hate when they have to do their job, and AP's are mad at everyone just because they have a sad and miserable life.

I can't express how wonderful AJA has been for our kids over the last 5 years. They use a…read moreProject-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum, where my kids have gained skills crucial to success later in life: teamwork, communication, creativity, executive functioning, but most of all CONFIDENCE. PBLs take a kid's natural curiosity in a subject and show them how to combine ALL their school subjects (STEM, Social Studies, Language Arts, Hebrew, art and music) to present what they've learned. The kids learn how to present starting in kindergarten-- I'll never forget the first time my kid presented their Portfolio, I had no idea this 5 year old was capable of being so prepared, articulate, and confident. My jaw must've dropped a foot. I was just blown away!!! This child comes with some extremely unique, diagnosed developmental and learning challenges that, I've realized in the years since, would likely be too challenging to work with in a public school class three times bigger than his is. At AJA my kids get so much individual support, not just from their teachers but from every adult in the building. Academically, my kids are thriving. The expectations are high, and the teachers have been so talented and creative in their approaches to supporting my kids (not by coincidence-- they are constantly doing new faculty trainings). Our more neurotypical child has thrived and been encouraged to really push herself as well, and as a result has discovered proclivities for math specifically. I've wondered if, in a much larger class, this kiddo might have been kind of lost in the mix as a good-enough B student. Money well spent in my opinion! And then there's what brought us here: the Jewish education. I can see the way the school integrates Jewish values into the kids' daily lives. I see my children actually enjoy participation in Jewish culture and tradition, and apply lessons from our ancient texts to their modern day lives. They know exactly who they are and where they came from. They teach me stuff now!!! It makes a Jewish mother proud.

Awful and abusive admin with no experience. Subpar teaching with unqualified teachers. Very little…read morematerial covered academically. And despite deep promises, absolutely no support for ADHD and other special needs. These people cannot get their stuff together! I love that my boy got a quality religious education. But his regular academics were beyond awful. Terrible classroom management. My son was bullied and nothing was done about it. They finally have a new board, but I would wait 5 more years to see if they iron out their issues before I sent my child there!