LOVE LOVE LOVE! We love DSCP so much! Both of my kids went here and it is such a phenomenal…read morepreschool. The classrooms are adorable and they work so well with all of their activities and needs. Each classroom has direct access to at least one bathroom. Each classroom also has a refrigerator, sink, and countertop. They have all sorts of sections of the classroom for imaginary play, sensory tables, reading areas, science areas, little kitchen, crafts galore, and more. They do different themes all year long and appeal to so many different interests. They give the kids a dependable routine while also allowing them to learn through play. The teachers are so gentle and kind, and my kids loved them. The administration is also wonderful, quick with communication, and kind. The love of God and of Christ is palpable amongst the school and my kids would always come home with a greater desire for prayer and a knowledge that Christ loves them. I love that the school welcomes parent volunteers in the classrooms but also in the events and activities they put on throughout the year. Some of my favorite events are the Praise Picnic around Thanksgiving, the Christmas Program, Preschool Prom, and the Dr. Seuss Picnic. The Preschool Prom is my absolute favorite and it creates some of the best and sweetest memories with your little ones. The pictures from the proms we attended there will live on my fridge forever! I could go on and on about this amazing school. It is for sure an absolute treasure in the North Phoenix area. And don't forget to check out the great summer camps they offer as well!

Two of my children were enrolled in this school and had an exceptional experience. My son has lots…read moreof special interests and they encouraged him in those. They have parent teacher conferences and I could tell the teachers not only cared for my kids but knew them well. They also have a wonderful outdoor play area with lots of nature based play including gardening. Highly recommend this preschool!

A common theme you will notice is "suddenly removed". They have 0 accountability and the solution…read moreis to always kick kids out with no notice, no conversation, no effort to have due process. This is not for extreme behavior, it's for developmentally appropriate struggles.

I highly do not recommend Montessori Center School under the new ownership of Ms. Li and her…read morehusband, John. Positive reviews are from years ago before Ms. Li and her husband John bought the school. If you notice all parents sharing having a similar experiences. And please read Ms. Li's responses, pointing the finger back at the parents. The gaslighting and lack of accountability by Ms. Li and her husband are not acceptable. There's a reason they always have openings. We had ongoing issues, and every time my wife or I tried to bring something up, it felt like we were met with defensiveness instead of a real conversation. We often left those discussions feeling dismissed and blamed rather than heard. There was no genuine engagement with parents. We were asked what we could contribute to the "community," but we never experienced any real sense of one. Communication felt controlled and one-sided. After we set boundaries around comments we felt were inappropriate, our child was removed from the program without notice. As far as we know, our child had done nothing wrong. It was abrupt, upsetting, and incredibly disruptive for our family. This was not the supportive, respectful Montessori environment we were expecting.

Painted Rock Academy is a standing violation ready to be shut down. I am absolutely baffled how I…read moremade it through 5 years at this school all the way up to the last year I COULD attend. I started here as a student in 5th grade up to 8th grade, starting 6th grade I have had horrible experiences with not only the administration here but many of the teachers. Almost every year here I have been called up to the office for 'inconveniences' they believe were me just because of my 'record'. Keep in mind, I have NEVER received a detention here or at any of the schools I have ever been at, they have accused me of flooding the school, fighting, talking sexually, even have been written up for these claims, but never have I done such and their only proof was random rumors spread about me, I was purposely targeted from Mrs. Goshow & Mrs. Nash (AS Principal and Principal) due to the fact I brought up major concerns to them every year that were necessary to address. Speaking of that, if you are a parent who does not fund the school, participate in PROP, or has/has had an A+ student, you will not be listened too. My parents have been belittled and dismissed on major safety concerns regarding teachers and the facility. When it comes to the facility, you do not expect a K-8 school to be perfectly clean, but Painted Rock is disgustingly filthy; the pipes in the bathrooms leak and flood, there has been a broken window that has yet to be fixed as of the time I left (May 22nd), the floors are cracking and have stains all over them, theres black mold on the ceiling vents in the bathrooms and in office hallway, there is a hole in one of the walls, and the AC constantly gave out and leaked all over our desks from the tiles. I addressed all these problems to admin, but I was yelled at; told I was wrong, and called directly to my face I am 'sensitive' and a 'liar'. When it comes to SPED classes, they do not 'teach' your child to be better, they do not teach them how to comprehend a lesson, they automatically pass a SPED student, and it encourages low effort. No child in the SPED classes are equally cared about, some are more cared about than others, some are ignored, some are spoiled by the teachers. I know this as I had several friends from those classes approach me. There are some great teachers, but many yell, bully, and discourage. They are there simply to come and go, they do not care about their students, do nott get me wrong, they have some pretty good teachers though. (FYI: Only 80% of the teachers are qualified.)

Painted Rock Academy is a highly structured traditional accelerated school with supportive teachers…read moreand strict disciplinary standards. From my experience, the parents are also stable and level headed In this day and time, this is very hard to find and I consider this school to be a diamond in the rough. As someone who grew up on the east coast, I am greatly appreciative that this school is available as a free charter school and not a small private school with high out of pocket tuition costs. This type of school would cost a fortune on the southeast coast.

I got bullied for having a disability and they wouldn't do anything the principal, Mr. Traud and…read moremiss Kathy were very disrespectful and and the food was not very good even at the end of the year they wouldn't give the children food. They said that we have a food shortage and they wouldn't provide any food. This is their job to provide food. why won't they do it? It is a failure school and if they don't like a child, they will stay hating him for the whole year and if they do hate a child, they don't post any pictures of that specific child. They don't do anything even if you wanna like request something they do not do it they don't provide anything so disrespectful and don't come to the school. I will move my child from this school...

We absolutely love this school! The teachers are supportive and caring, and we are so happy we…read morefound this place!

This review is long overdue, but I wanted to share our experience with Gateway Academy for other…read moreparents who may be searching for the right school for a child with high-functioning autism, or what Gateway refers to as twice-exceptional students. My son started at Gateway in 7th grade after attending public school since kindergarten. We were actually very fortunate to have had a pretty good experience in public school, especially with the other kids. He had attended the same school since kindergarten and had grown up with many of his classmates, most of whom were still with him in 6th grade. But as he got older, I could see the writing on the wall. Class sizes were getting larger, the kids were growing up, and there had been a few run-ins with bullies. I also didn't love the idea of moving him to a middle school for only two years and then making another major transition to high school. Kids on the spectrum often thrive on routine and familiarity, and my son is certainly no exception. When we found Gateway, it truly felt like a Godsend. The small class sizes were exactly what he needed, and one of the biggest advantages for us was that Gateway goes all the way through 12th grade. He could attend middle school and high school in the same familiar, supportive environment. Many of the teachers have special education backgrounds, but what makes Gateway so special goes far beyond academics. There is a genuinely loving, welcoming culture there. At Gateway, these kids aren't singled out for being different. They're surrounded by other students who understand them. They can be themselves. They have friends. They belong. The teachers are wonderful, as is the office staff. Ms. Robin, Gateway's founder and principal, truly cares about her students, and that caring is reflected throughout the school. Gateway gives students an environment where they can learn at their own pace while also developing friendships, confidence, independence, and a sense of belonging. As a parent, I cannot imagine my son having had the same high school experience in a large traditional high school surrounded primarily by neurotypical students. Those teenage years can be difficult enough, and Gateway gave him a safe place where he was accepted for exactly who he is. My son graduated from Gateway in 2025 and now attends community college. I asked him recently if he misses Gateway. He said yes. So I asked him what, specifically, he misses about it. His answer was simply, "Everything." That answer was both a little sad and incredibly heartwarming for me. More than anything I could write in this review, it confirmed what I had known all along: my son had a wonderful middle and high school experience. He made memories, built friendships, felt accepted, and genuinely enjoyed going to school. As a parent of a child on the spectrum, I don't think you can ask for much more than that. Gateway was also a tremendous resource for our entire family. Through the school, we learned about services and resources available to our son that we otherwise may never have known about. They even connected us with an excellent professional who helped us navigate guardianship and establish a special needs trust as he approached adulthood. Gateway didn't just educate our son--they helped us navigate the journey of raising and preparing a twice-exceptional child for adulthood. For any parent looking for a school for a child on the spectrum, I would recommend Gateway Academy without hesitation. Ms. Robin, Mr. Bloom, Mr. Curt, Mr. Anthony, Mr. Richard, and so many others have made Gateway the special place that it is. We will always be grateful that our son had the opportunity to grow up there. Thank you, Gateway, for giving our son a place where he wasn't simply accommodated, but truly belonged.

I started at Gateway when I was in seventh grade. I just graduated from there in May. I came to…read moreGateway because I was struggling with staying on top of assignments due to the heavy workload at my old school--leading me to start failing my classes. When I first came to Gateway, I was scared and alone. Little did I know that I would make friends that were as precious to me as my life there. It's a small school, so everyone knows everyone. Some might think this is bad, but in reality it's great because we get to form a tight-knit community within our grade level (and sometimes other grades too). There are therapy animals there, which absolutely helps students who are stressed out or who are going through something in their lives. You can always find Apollo and Athena (the therapy dogs) out during passing period, saying hello to the students. Talking about therapy animals, Gateway also does an equine therapy program for both middle school and high school. I was in this equine therapy program for eighth grade and part of high school. This program helped me so much through my struggle with mental health. Being with the horses quieted my brain. The teachers are absolutely amazing. I have never had a single bad teacher there at Gateway. They were all so kind and patient. You could tell that they knew what they were talking about. The English program they have there is absolutely fantastic. Both middle school and high school. The books that we read are actually interesting. Examples of this include The Boy in Striped Pajamas, Flowers for Algernon, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Animal Farm. The lunch program that they have is great as well. They bring in food from different places, and it's covered by your tuition, so you don't have to pay for the food. Some lunches that they brought in were from Panera, Venezia's, Potbelly, and Jimmy John's. Just remember to bring a couple snacks with you because sometimes the lunches can be a little bit on the smaller side. Every Friday, they have clubs. We can pick what club we want to be in, and there are a variety of them. Such as gaming, art, and board game club. It helps give us a break from our classes and gives us some time to hang out with our friends before the weekend hits. They also have programs that help build great resumes--along with helping to make your college and scholarship applications stronger. I was in the National Honor's Society and the Student Council for two years. Those were some of the best decisions I've made in my life. I got to meet new people through volunteering and even host a school drive for a non-profit that I volunteered at. The headmistress, Mrs. Robin, is very sweet and genuinely cares about all of her students. She was the one who set me up with my (then) future externship opportunity. Mr. Curt is amazing. He is the person in charge of the National Honor's Society, and he also helped with setting out flyers among the school about my school drive. Mr. Anthony is fabulous. He is also part of the admin. He helped me a lot with my dual enrollment last year. The admin are wonderful and won't shy away from any questions and/or concerns. Gateway Academy changed my life in the best way possible. I started getting good grades again. I made friends that I thought I never would have made. I would 100% recommend you go to this school if you have high-functioning autism. Once a warrior, always a warrior.

My son has been attending Little Scholars for two years. When he first started at age three, he was…read moreonly able to say 1 or two words at the time and , by the end of the school year, he was talking in full sentences. Even when he struggled with potty training a challenge many other schools weren't willing to accommodate the staff at Little Scholars was incredibly supportive. This year, he had an amazing teacher, Mrs Carissa, who worked really well with him and played a huge role in helping him reach his current goals

We love Little Scholars! We moved to AZ mid school year, and they took us in with warm open arms…read more My son loves his friends and happily tells me about his adventures every day.

This school has become a second home for my son. Teacher Tyra's gentle patience and genuine empathy…read morehave helped him grow in ways we never imagined. Principal Ming is a rare soul--his wisdom, compassion, and inspiring life journey shape a school where every child is valued. The therapists pour their hearts into helping each child progress, and the cafeteria aide's kindness brings comfort and familiarity to my son's day. We feel blessed to be part of this community.

My brother attends The Aces Paradise Campus. This year is his 3rd year there and we couldn't be…read morehappier with all the help and support we get. 3 years ago, I toured many schools as I was very nervous about him starting high school and I could have not made a better choice. I am very grateful for the experience we have had, and my brother has grown and learned so much. He loves going to school and Miss Alexa and staff go above and beyond. Teachers and staff are very communicative and available to answer any questions you have.

Avoid this place at all costs. They are EXTREMELY disorganized and never gave us clear…read morecommunication on any of the paperwork or documents required to sign my child up for the year. No one knows how to do anything, they all just say "I don't handle that." It's run mostly by a bunch of rude and largely incompetent 20-year-olds and teenagers who don't care about your children. We dropped our child off multiple times while he was upset/crying and they NEVER even comforted him, they just sat there on their phones while my kid and several others inside were crying. Very unprofessional and lazy. They have an archaic "healthy food" rule which prohibits the kids from bringing virtually anything sweet with their lunch. They wouldn't let my child eat his small pack of Welch's fruit snacks. Pretty ironic they don't allow unhealthy food considering how unhealthy some of them look. They should abide by their own rules and cut back on the unhealthy snacks themselves. If you want your kids enrolled in a backwards school with a cult-like staff full of hypocritical mouth-breathers, this is the place for you. If you're normal and just want your children to receive a solid Montessori style education, keep looking.

This school has been a God-send for my son and daughter. Ms. Mary Ellen, and all of the other…read moreteachers and staff are so amazing. They are all so helpful, understand and LOVE the children so much. You can tell that they all have a passion for, and love what they do. The Montessori way is not something you see in our mainstream schools anymore. The kids come home happy and stress free, and are given individualized learning plans, dependent upon their individual needs. My son, has learning disabilities, and this school has helped him build his confidence back. It's a close knit family at Sunrise, and it has been so cool to see the kids grow in such a safe and loving environment. I would highly recommend this school to anyone.