KEEP YOUR CHILD AWAY!! Horrible school with horrible staff. 8th grade principal is a major B****…read morefor lack of a better word. They have low test scores and don't push kids to their maximum potential. Definitely there just for a paycheck

Columbia Middle School is one of the best middle schools in Dekalb and I'm speaking from…read moreexperience. I went there for 3 years and it taught me not only how to read and write but how to deal with real life situations including cooking! Columbia has not only led me to be in the top 5% of my graduating high school class but also created another successful African American man from Dekalb County.

If you want your kids to be more than just smart, to be Great human beings, This is your place. The…read morewhole culture puts being caring, honest, upfront, and respectful front and center. I see it in my kids every day. (ok, almost every day. They're still humans! :)) But they really do learn in a much more varied 'landscape' of people, of cultures, family structures and points of view and they are better for it. Plus they are getting all the tools for great conflict management skills, a key predictor of happiness. And that's the icing on the cake of solid academics. My kids are learning, and most importantly, they are happy and confident, they feel loved and like they "belong" at their school. (They beg me to stay at aftercare to play with their friends!)

When it came time to find a kindergarten for my son, I knew that I wanted a setting with small…read moreclass sizes, skillful teachers, and a focus on academics. However, as a psychologist, I also knew that I wanted a school that had a focus on social-emotional development. I feel so lucky to have found the Friends School for my son. They sincerely practice what they preach. My son has ADHD, and the teachers were exceptional in identifying his needs, using targeted strategies to assist him, and communicating with me about ways to support him. Despite his challenges, they never lost sight of his unique strengths. Now that he is in first grade, he is thriving. And, the beauty of it is, because it's a small school, his current teachers already have some familiarity with him and have been able to give me great feedback about his improvement. The focus on ensuring that kids are well-rounded citizens is also a real asset for FSA. My son is courteous, kind, and socially aware. He talks about helping the homeless, eating healthy foods, and caring for the environment. He gets adequate exercise and sunlight during the school day (which research shows is linked to greater energy and concentration). He is learning conflict management skills, mindfulness, empathy, and how to be a good member of a team. As someone who works with business leaders, I know that these lessons will be invaluable in his life. I once told the headmaster that he radiates warmth. His demeanor is so kind, upbeat, and positive - he never looks like he's going through the motions. I believe that he sets a great tone for the rest of the school. I can't rave enough about FSA. I'm so lucky that we found it!

My daughter went to The Academy of Scholars and our experience wasn't the best. She started school…read moreabout six weeks late (which was required by the school since she was a new student to the area. I also wasn't told this until a couple of weeks before school started which was unacceptable), which I knew would be a challenge, but I expected more support from the school to help her get on track. Instead, there wasn't much communication or a real plan to catch her up. Her grades started slipping, especially in math, which has always been her strongest subject. I kept waiting for the school to step in with extra help or at least keep me in the loop, but that didn't really happen. It felt like they just let her struggle instead of working with us to make sure she succeeded. I was asked to email my concerns to the head of school in Jan of 2025. I am still waiting for a response and it's now a new school year. You have to let them know by February if your child will be coming back in the new school year if not you will be stuck in your contract and required to pay regardless of enrollment status. In waiting for a response, I went ahead and submitted a request to pull my child from enrollment for the next year. I assume that lead to their lack of support and interest in my child's education. I wanted this to be a good fit, but the lack of support and communication from the staff made it really frustrating. Families need a school that actually partners with them, and unfortunately that wasn't our experience here.

The poor reviews are true and well deserved. There are many reviews of this school that are no…read morelonger shown that need to be read. My children attended this school for two years. As with any school, some of their teachers are absolutely awesome, others are absolutely horrible due to their unprofessional communication with students and parents. These teachers would vindictively lie on the students and parents to cover up their own actions while the Director would just say "I support my teachers." Unfortunately, this support would be at the expense of the learning and mental health of the students. My children were cursed at, implied that they were dumb though straight A students; put in an academic group all by themselves with the teacher saying they were the lowest in the class, which was strange since the previous year they were above grade level. They both were also ostracized in the class and made to sit by themselves. When the sixth-grade teacher wanted to set an example for the class, she engaged in secret machinations with the Director, where she would falsely accuse a student to get them sent home, just to instill fear in the class with the Director's full support and knowledge of the scheme! She would also instigate conflicts with various students and then lie on them. She overtly lied in saying my child lunged at her, but then when pushed for clarity and asked to see the tapes from the cameras, she retracted her statement and said she didn't feel threatened. This was a straight up Emmett Till move from a black teacher at that! Note the Director does not have any real power as he answers to the owners. His only concern is his own job security. He seems nice, attentive with great eye contact and concern, but has absolutely no intention of doing anything. The Asst Director really controls the school and absolutely is misogynist, sexist and ostracizes parents he does not like from the school. The education is no better than what you can get from a decent public school as they use the same curriculum (Pearsons/Savvas) and do not do anything differently. You are only paying for a school with less negative student behaviors (the poor behaviors come from the administration). My children's previous private school did a way much better job of teaching successfully with proven academic results in practice, not just test scores. It wasn't just a few kids who were advanced, almost all the kids were one to two grades ahead due to the teaching methods. AOS advertise that the kids are reading in Pre-K, but that is because they came there reading. This is NOT a Christian School as advertised. The administration does not practice biblical principles and certainly do not exhibit Christian behavior. The bible class does not teach much and the teacher is more concerned with personal acknowledgement and adoration than exhibiting Christian values. Once teacher appreciation week comes around, you will see a lot of fake teachers smiling at you hoping to get a gift, especially the phony bible studies teacher. The kids learn nothing in Spanish class. Two years of the class, my children still were not taught the Spanish alphabet nor how to count in Spanish. Additionally, you can tell it is a toxic environment to work at. They have horrible reviews on Glassdoor and Indeed. Staff do not want to admit to understandable mistakes due to retribution and it is very cliquish authoritarian environment. Though some consider it affordable, it is not worth the expense. In comparison to other more expensive private schools you get what you pay for. In comparison to some decent public schools, it is not worth the expense. Find some other place to send your child. There are good schools out there in your community, you just have to do the work to find them. This is NOT it!

Zion Christian Academy , before I found the day care I had been searching for day cares for a…read morewhile, I had toured at least 10 schools in the area, I had a bad experience w an in house day care, and then I finally found Zion Christian Academy. I wasn't sold at first but as soon as I saw how Ms. Treva and Ms. Ashley loved on my son I was sold. They actually have a real curriculum, some schools will say they have one but this school actually is committed and dedicated to teaching the kids, they take them outside and have outside activities. Ms. Treva wants to keep the classrooms small so they can give individual attention to each child. I can't say how much I love the school and the teachers, I feel very secure and happy w my son being there. I wish I can keep him in this school forever, they actually care about the children.

From the owner: Welcome to the online home of Zion Missionary Baptist Church. We thank you for taking the time to…read moreperuse our site where you will find information about us, to include ministry activities, upcoming events and previous sermons. We recognize that looking for a church home can be challenging; we want you to know that Zion is a loving church where our goal is to be an example of Christs love. For those of you who may be experiencing difficult times, Zion is a Refuge from the storms of life.As you navigate our website we hope that you will observe ministries where you can put your hand to the plow for the work of the Lord. There are many opportunities for you to get involved in one of our ministries, in our Bible studies, and in our missionary endeavors.We are a group of church members who are committed to learning about, and following Jesus. Our hope is that when you decide to visit us that you will feel loved and welcomed. Once you come, we pray that you will feel at home with us at Zion.

Es increíbl, mi hijo estudia en este colegio y son muy amables y están muy atentos con los niñosread more

After 9th grade, when my public school became so violent and overcrowded that it was no longer…read moresafe, I got sent to Paideia. My 3 years here were the best years of my entire educational career - including college and grad school! This place really is the most amazing school ever. I remember my first day just like it was yesterday. I was accompanied by one of my best friends, who was also making the big switch to a more civilized school. We sat in front of the bathrooms for like 10 minutes trying to figure out which one was for boys and which was for girls. Turned out you just use whichever one is open! In addition to just being an awesome environment, where you are accepted for being whoever you are, Paideia has a great curriculum. The year is divided into short and long terms. In the long terms, you take the standard stuff - physics, math, languages, etc. The short term is for classes that are a little more outside the box - Sociology of American Rock & Roll anyone? The teachers here are absolutely outstanding! You can totally tell that they love the school and truly believe in it's mission. And Paul, the headmaster, is just an all around great guy. Graduation was awesome. My graduating class was 57 people and Paul made a short speech about every single one of us! I am so thankful that I was able to go to Paideia on a scholarship. I regularly give them money so that others can do so as well. I am also backing them in their efforts to take over the whole block! Go Paideia!

From the owner: Paideia is an independent pre K-12 school located in Druid Hills. The school has become known for…read morethe individual attention it provides its students, for strong academics, for strong athletics and arts programs, and for a vibrant community spirit. Paideia is recognized nationally as a top college preparatory school.