Its my son's second year in this school. To say I'm impress does no justice with how I feel towards the school, the staff, the community and more then anything the teachers. I've had nothing but great experiences and truly feel the support from my son teachers but also the principle. When my son was in kindergarten he had to have ankle surgeries, I wasn't scared, I was terrified; millions of questions in my head, will my son fall behind? will he be bullied? can he keep up? Ms.Waldron my son's kindergarten teacher took the time to find out everything about the surgeries, offer to visit my son while he was off to teach him what he will miss and when it was time to return to school We found out she had search everywhere till she could borrow a wheelchair and a little wagon to push my son in the classroom and the students will take turns taking him places and always making him feel equal; even till this day I get tears of joy. My son finished kindergarten advance in math and a fluent reader. My oldest son did not start reading till he almost finish first grade and I never had any connections with his teachers but only the mandatory basics. The teacher wasn't just an amazing human and kind woman but she is an outstanding well qualified teacher whom I can't wait for my youngest to be her student as well. It's horrible that some individuals can express so poorly about something they know nothing about.... Ignorance at its fullest. read more

This school is good and all but I am a student from this school and I got two referrals for what so reason saying that I was the one that that was wrestling with my friend but this is what actually happen I was going to talk with my friend and someone bumped into me and I bumped into my friend and we both fell down and the teacher blame me for accidentally bumping into my friend and she don't even know what happen and she told us to go in the hallway me and my friend and when it was the end of the day I got a referral for something I didn't mean to and the kids who saw it could agree and after all that we were about to leave when I ask Ms.dellbridge she said I was the one that did all of that stuff then she gave me another referral because she thinks I am lying when I am not. This school sucks even the school policy's are soo bad. R read more

Paideia academy sucks because they yell at kids and they are mean and the food sucks there was mold in the lasagna and my kid came home crying because I 5th grade teacher yelled at him for know reason and he said that the teachers name was Mr chambers.And because the school lunch isn't even safe to eat some kid had to go to the hospital because of the food read more

This school is very bad.My daughter came home saying she wanted to move because the teachers said they can't wear sweaters or jackets with pockets because someone decided to have their phone out at recess and during class, but the school shouldn't be punished it should just be that one person getting a punishment like trash duty.All I'm saying is my daughter better not come home freezing . read more

Terrible school. One of the worst experiences a kindergartener could have. First day of school my son came home with his chin scraped needed a band aid and visit to the nurse yet we received no incident report. My was also stabbed with a pencil multiple times by another student I received no official report, and we were also not informed of our rights to press charges. Although I would not have pressed charges on a kindergarten it would have been nice to receive a formal report and options to problem solve from the very beginning. Mrs. Richardson who is a kindergarten teacher had nothing but great things to say about my scholar until we reached out assistant principal and principal about the ongoing issues we were facing (yes there were more incidents than the incidents mentioned) Once the assistant principal began to "investigate" the situation Mrs.Richardson sent me a spiteful and very unprofessional message victim blaming my child. The assistant principal is extremely unprofessional as well and did not even bother to read the rude and short messages with little to no information I had been receiving from their staff member. I was told everything would be investigated however when I asked her if she read the messages between Mrs.Richardson and I, she told me she had not. This was later escalated to Dr. Windsor who had nothing but excuses for his employees and said he believed in healing however refused to change my sons teacher. So they want to fix things on their terms only. They accused my kindergartner of inappropriate behavior nearly trying to label him for sexual harassment yet when I spoke to a psychologist about my sons behavior for a second opinion Mr.Philip at the Children's Hospital informed me this is the staff's responsibility as part of the job because children in his age group are still learning social skills. I was never informed until after I attempted to complain about the teacher. At this point Mrs. Richardson had already moved my scholar from seat in order to avoid my son playing with the other scholar. When I asked my son why he was so touchy and comfortable with the other scholar he explained he saw him as his best friend and wanted me to give him my phone number to give to the boy so they can have Play dates while parents were present of course. All of this is very normal for children his age as explained by a professional therapist, children his age are still learning to identify and express emotions. If you have to explain these kind of things to the adults that are responsible for your child for majority of the day while you are suppose to have a peace of mind while you are at work, school, or busy tending to other children who are home etc this school is probably not your best choice. This is the kind of school that tries to keep parents off campus and raise your kids how they see fit. They do not accept constructive criticism nor do they fully investigate any situation regardless if they tell you they will. My review is late as all of this took place the first quarter of the school year. I was busy getting my son into a school where he is being treated great and I have been putting my time and energy towards being president of my sons school parent teacher committee. I am posting my review now because parents should know all kinds of experiences when it comes to a school and it's staff before enrolling their child, this shows how prepared and willing the staff is to help and redirect your child. This school has a great concept however the staff did not demonstrate any of they values they sell you on. read more

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Love the school and their idea of applying the 7 habits of effective people by S. Covey helping students to be great leaders in the future. The staff and teachers are great. Also extra curriculum programs are fantastic. However, I wish the classes were a bit more challenging for the students. read more

My son is in first grade at Paideia and he loves it! We like to consider him a pretty smart little dude, and we know that when he isn't stimulated or challenged in school it shows at home in his attitude. We love what he is learning on a daily basis, and he does as well as he shares this information with us regularly. This school is different than the public school I grew up in many ways but the biggest I see is the focus on character development. Also, the principal, Dr. Winsor, brings a great amount of knowledge and experience with him and has done a phenomenal job communicating to parents and faculty his vision for the school and surrounding area. Don't get me wrong, we were definitely concerned sending our son to a "brand new" charter school, as it had no previous track record of success, but I'm definitely happy we did! This school brings something to the South Mountain area that had been lacking, and is helping establish a new sense of community that we were missing in our neighborhood. To reinforce the development of strong character building the school took it a step further and sponsored a Cub Scout Pack and Girl Scout Troop, as there were none previously in this area. Oh, and the "One School, One Voice" thing they do at morning assembly. Pretty powerful. If you are thinking of bringing your children to this school make sure you include the morning assembly in your tour! read more

This school has extremely poor communication with parents and teachers alike. The management structure of the school cares more about money and putting on a good front than kids or teachers. The teachers are over worked and under valued and the kids pay the price. Presently the administration refuses to inform bus drivers or other bus riders if a rider has tested positive for Covid. If a student tests positive for Covid the students seated with in 3 to 4 feet are sent home, but no other notices are given to families of students in the room as is the case with other illnesses such as strep throat. Teachers and other staff members are not offered any other support if in contact with that positive scholar either placing more stress on them. I would also take the positive posts here with a grain of salt as some are from current members of the administration team. Take your kids elsewhere. read more

Do not take your child who is different in any way here. They discriminated against my daughter because she is special needs. She functioning at the same level as an average peer. Her needs do not require any additional cost to the preschool or changes to their program. They do not believe in what is written on the preschool website. It sad to see in this day and age that there is still discrimination against special children. read more

Parents Beware! I would not recommend anyone utilize this school. The office staff is rude and unprofessional and the afterschool care is terrible. We tried to work with this school and be involved parents, but they are extremely unwilling to partner with parents to address any concerns. If your kids have any kind of concerns they will NOT work with you. Their method of addressing student behavior is to suspend them without any effort to rectify the issue costing parents time and money. Beyond that they threatened to terminate our child's enrollment rather than working with us to resolve the issues after just 2 weeks. I offered to work with the office and teachers to address concerns they expressed about my children's behavior even though I did not agree but they were unwilling to work with us at all. I requested a meeting with the directors and teachers so we could discuss how to help my kids adjust to the school being that we just recently moved to Arizona and they needed a bit of grace and time to get acclimated. This effort was ignored and instead they suggested my 4yo needed an IEP and testing for a disability. They then started calling each day to have my husband and I pick up our kids early forcing us to leave work early each time. One of the biggest problems at the school is the Office Assistant Isela. She is unprofessional and rude. She treats the children differently based on whether she likes them. I experienced this first hand. At first I brushed it off. She would not speak to me or my kids when I did drop off but I didn't pay much attention to that as she is not their teacher. I then witnessed her ignoring me and my kids intentionally at drop-off, but as soon as another child and their parent walked in, she lit up and was kind to the other parent and child calling them by name. I again brushed this off, but it continued day after day. On our final day which caused us to change schools Isela called me at work saying she needed me to pick up my daughter although it was only 1 hour left in the day and we were already on our way. She was very rude on the phone and then hung up. When my husband arrived, he let her know he disagreed with their ability to resolve the issues to which she responded "You need to learn to control your children!" As far as the other staff, mainly the Co-Director Ms. Saundra, the issues began during my daughter's very first week of school. My daughter's first week at the school, they called me to pick her up halfway through the 3rd day because she would not sit down and do crafts in the class. When I arrived, they proceeded to suspend her for 2 days without any notice saying they had issues her first and 2nd day there so Ms. Saundra felt she needed time at home to readjust! I asked why this was the first time I was hearing of these concerns and there was no answer as to why but Ms. Saundra insisted my child "take some time to readjust" at home for 2 days. She then proceeded to ask if my 4yo had an IEP or if she had been tested for ADD/ADHD. I let her know I did not agree with that assessment after 2.5 days with very little interaction. Undecided on what to do, I kept her home the next day but came to talk to her teacher. She could not tell me what the issue was except that she found it difficult to teach and redirect my child which is what I thought a teacher should be able to handle. She advised that she did not think my child needed to stay home for 2 days and allowed me to bring her back. I immediately requested a meeting with Ms. Saundra and the director Beth Mendonca but to no avail. I got no response from either of them. As other reviews have noted, if you child is different in any way and needs any amount of time to adjust to a new environment, this is not the place for your child. They treat the kids differently based on whether or not they like them and they are rude and unprofessional. The only thing I can say is my son had a great teacher who I hate to leave as she was very energetic, knowledgeable but the office staff did everything possible to make us uncomfortable and went out their way to be rude. On our final day there, I collected my kids things and upon exiting the school another parent stopped me to ask what occurred. In talking to them they agreed that they too have felt the office staff is unprofessional and that Isela in particular is rude and uncaring to some of the kids. They expressed that they too had concerns with how things were being ran. read more

First I want to say that my child was learning a lot in the preschool here but when it came to kindergarten they were very unstructured. First day of school Ms. Kareem the teacher put around 5 kids on the school bus that was suppose to be parent pick up. On top of that the classrooms are oversized with 27 or more kids and no teacher aids, so when kids were fighting (like two little boys I witnessed) the teacher had no idea and I broke it up. When I tried to address the teacher about my concerns on different things she gave me all attitude and started waiving her hands in my face being absolutely rude. I had big hopes for this school and am dissapointed with what I experienced in the teacher Ms. Kareem. read more

For years I have searched for a great school for my children. I was looking for a school that employed teachers who not only acknowledged my children's strengths, but helped them strengthen their weaknesses. I was looking for a school who taught children, not just so they can pass the AIMS tests, but because a great education is an absolute priority. My children went from school to school and I did not have any luck in finding the school that I was looking for....until I found Paideia. Paideia Academy of South Phoenix is that school. Not only do I feel that Paideia does everything in their power to make sure that my children grow up to be successful and wonderful individuals, I am also made to feel as though I am a part of a family. Teachers are in constant contact with me about my children's progress. Dr. Winsor is absolutely wonderful and has a passion for what he does. I have four children that attend Paideia and next year I will have five that attend. I am, and my children are, so blessed because of Paideia. I am proud to be a member of Paideia Academy's family. read more

I absolutely love this school! My daughter has been attending Paideia since Kinder and is now in 2nd grade. Every scholar is so respectful and helpful whenever I'm at the school. The office staff is friendly. Morning assemblies are my favorite, the songs are amazing and a great start to the day, very upbeat. Dr. Winsor is hands down the best principal ever, I don't know how he does it! He runs the school so smoothly and flawlessly and remembers not only my daughter that goes to his schools name, but also her little sister and my sister's name. You can tell he really cares and takes pride in what he does. read more

I can't say enough good things about this school! I have 2 Scholars at Paideia, grades 1 and 6, and they are excited to go to school each morning. Although the school year has only just begun it is already apparent just how much my children are learning. The teachers are attentive and genuinely care about their students and the principal is hands on, approachable, and readily available to help in any manner he can. I look forward to all that this school year and the coming years hold at Paideia. We are thrilled to be a part of the Paideia family. read more

My daughter is in kindergarten at this school. She comes home every day and tells me all the wonderful things she did and learned. I love this school embraces and nurtures the whole child. I am so happy with my experience at this school. read more

My kids have been at Paideia for the last 4 years. There is not a morning my kids don't get greeted by Dr. Winsor himself! The amazing staff and teachers work extremely hard! I love the structure of the school. We Paideia! read more

Every time I step on school grounds, I can see and feel what a special place it is. The thought comes often to my mind "This is the right school for my daughter" and I know her strong spirit will "Soar" into a redwood with the love and support she receives at school and at home. I feel myself becoming a "best" parent by having this school as a choice association for our family. Thank you to the teachers for their positivity. It is truly a driving force in maintaining a positive balance in their emotional bank account. Never let it be said this is a thankless job because I am thankful each time I hear my daughter say "I am a Paideia Scholar" or sings/recites the seven habits while in the care or in bed each night. While I am limited on time or resources to share with the school, I am rich in gratitude. The type of gratitude the stings the eyes and hugs the soul. If you wonder "am I making a difference" or have questioned the impact,the legacy has been left with my family and I suspect many others. At this school CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT and LEARNING are the primary focus, not grades. In my experience as a hiring manager, we don't look at the GPA, we look at the quality of the experience and the balance in skill sets. I look for somebody who can: 1. Prioritize (Put first things first): There is always more to do and not enough time to do it in 2. Work well with others (synergize): At least 75% of what we do is in teams or requires the participation of others. 3. Be self-driven (Be Proactive): When it comes time for layoffs or bonuses, I need somebody who can identify their own tasks or only has to be told once to get something done. While it is important to do things well and put your best effort forward, I find the people who struggle the most are the ones who want to do it "perfect". There isn't enough time/resources to do it perfect every time or on everything. That is why the 7 habits lead to greater success (in my opinion) than a 4.0 GPA or "Exceeds Standards" in all categories. read more

I can tell you from personal and professional experience that this school cares more about it's scholars and faculty than any other school I've been a part of, both as a professional and a parent of 4 kids who have gone through public schools in AZ. Paideia feels like a family and I am amazed at the core values and investment this school puts into making this school great for everyone involved! Negative comments don't bring us together, they tear us apart and divide us. Our school's are facing a national crisis. Instead of complaining and bad mouthing our struggling system, step up and volunteer in the class, at recess or lunch! Better yet, give tax donations to your school and offer supplies to teachers who need it! read more

This school serious lacks in a major category....TEST SCORES. Way below the state average and not very good at all. They will give you some sales pitch about how there is more to education then test scores (which is true) but they are just so low its not worth it. Too bad because the facility looks nice. They need to be more selective of who they allow into the school in order to improve scores (don't just be the ASU of elementary schools and accept anybody to get another kid and state tax dollars). read more