Extremely Disappointed with Sun Valley Academy - Glendale Location…read more
I am beyond disappointed with my experience at Sun Valley Academy in Glendale. As a former student who was consistently an honor student, excelling in academics and maintaining high grades, I expected more from this school, but unfortunately, I felt held back in numerous ways.
First, the curriculum was incredibly lacking. For example, our science teacher, Mr. Ali, failed to teach the correct 8th-grade science standards. For the entire five months I was there, we only focused on the moon. Now, at my current public school, I'm learning a lot more, and it's clear that my previous school did not prepare me well. As a result, I'm now struggling with state tests, and while I acknowledge some responsibility for my performance, it's hard to accept when the education wasn't aligned with the required standards.
Mr. Ali would often use poor classroom management techniques, like saying things such as, "We have to go over this whole unit because your behavior is terrible." This statement was untrue; it was just a few students talking here and there, and it seemed like he struggled to control the class effectively. His inability to handle the classroom dynamics reflected a lack of teaching skills.
Similarly, the math instruction was a mess. For much of the year, we had no permanent math teacher, only substitutes who were rude and ineffective. When we finally got a teacher, he was frequently absent due to illness. When he was present, his teaching style was difficult to follow, especially since he had ADHD, which made it harder to keep up with the lessons. Additionally, the material we were covering was far below grade level--5th-grade math, not the 8th-grade curriculum we should have been learning.
As a whole, Sun Valley Academy, despite claiming to be a "Leader in Me" school, does not seem to prioritize or invest in a student's academic development. In just two months at my current public school, I've learned more than I did during my entire time at Sun Valley Academy.
To make matters worse, there were troubling instances of inappropriate behavior from both students and staff. I witnessed and experienced racist behavior from other students, and even the English teacher displayed unprofessional conduct by hanging up a picture of Donald Trump and blasting the song "We Love Charlie Kirk." This lack of professionalism only added to my dissatisfaction with the environment.
I strongly urge parents to think twice before sending their children to Sun Valley Academy if you are serious about their education. I wish I had known what I was walking into before I enrolled.
