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.

Enrolled our daughter a year ago and it's been so great! she loves it and I've seen her learning…read morenew things and coming home with that knowledge. The owner is great as well as the staff! Not only is this place great with my child they are also best priced in the area! 10/10 recommend!

They left 2 students stranded on a field trip and never communicated with the mother that they were…read moreleft behind. Their excuse was, "there was no room on the bus". Can you imagine your child being left behind and no receiving ANY type notice or communication of what's going on???

Our family loves St. Francis School (SFS, a pre-K through 8th-grade private nonprofit…read moreinterdenominational school operating for 30+ years near the ACC Highland campus in north-central Austin). After a mixed but ultimately disappointing experience in 1st - 3rd grades at a crowded, overpriced, chaotic start-up foreign language immersion school, our family needed a fresh start. Our once confident and joyful learner of a child had been reduced to an overstressed student who loathed school and struggled through hours of tedious homework each night. St. Francis provided the small, truly diverse and welcoming community environment we wanted for our child, with a balance of challenging academics, ethics reinforcement, and attention to the nurturing & development of the whole child by experienced educators who really know how to differentiate instruction to many types of learners. This approach has totally turned around our child's experience of school and his learning & achievement have skyrocketed over the past 2 years. His school grades are now more in line with his always high standardized testing results, and homework no longer comes to tears! Another parent reviewer said it well when she described the diverse and "unpretentious atmosphere" at SFS. Every imaginable demographic is represented in both the student body and faculty. People are kind and friendly and welcoming, and individual differences are celebrated. Every time I'm on campus, I just feel inspired and hopeful. Because SFS keeps class size (max of 15) and total enrollment (around 400) in check and teachers love the place so much they stay for decades, the small, cohesive "neighborhood school" feel is maintained. Huge props go to the incomparable founding head of school, Barbara Porter, who has since 1985 guided SFS on its core mission of "excellence without exclusivity." SFS backs that sentiment up by supporting 25% of the student body with scholarships and charging one of the lowest private school tuition rates in the Austin area, while consistently graduating their students into the most competitive public school magnet programs and private high schools. Another wonderfully unique feature among area private schools is the SFS Learning Center, where students with special needs can receive tutoring and additional services to support their success in school. Kids with learning differences are fully integrated into SFS classrooms and are able to thrive as part of a truly diverse school community. At the same time, a large proportion of the student body would be described as "gifted & talented," demonstrating highest performance in academics, the arts, and sports. Each Friday morning, an optional hour of "chapel" is held in which the entire student body and faculty, as well as any parents & family members who wish to attend, gather together in the gym to share an uplifting community-building and/or character-building assembly or pep rally to celebrate that month's achievements. It's not actually religious (although some religious content is shared from time-to-time; the school is named for St. Francis of Assisi, after all). The 8th-grade year culminates in a transformative Spring Break trip to Italy to visit the hometown of St. Francis (among other sites), and the kids raise all of the money for the trip themselves over the course of their years at SFS. I could say much more about all the reasons we love SFS, but if you are considering private school or are just looking for a better school for your unique learner, I encourage you to take a tour and see for yourself. Curriculum and other details are available on the school website at http://www.stfrancis-school.org.

Well run institution with a great culture…read more Pro: - Long Term: with over 35 years in operation, they've had time to build a strong program that will last through economic downturns. - Culture: teachers, students and parents are fully bought-in to the schools values (see school site for details). - Student attention: lower than average student/teacher ratios plus a dedicated, free-standing tutoring building adjacent to the school. Con: - Playground: nice but not inline with the quality of the rest of the institution. - Admissions: it's a centrally located, high quality private school in a growing city, meaning demand is high Personal lessons from our school search: After spending 12 months searching for the 'best school', we realized the importance of finding the 'best school for our child'. Initially, I was too tied up in rankings to spend the time to understand what was important for our family and how that lined up with each program. In the end, we loved the goals at St. Francis of (1) excellence without exclusivity, (2) a meaningful commitment to diversity and (3) attention to the needs of every student. Covid-19 update: School is really stepping up to deliver for students in a difficult time. The teachers are really going above-and-beyond.

As a current senior at savio is can say the atmosphere is definitely toxic. But that's not the full…read morestory. I've seen all the reviews here and can tell what they're talking about, and frankly, they're very exaggerated. Someone talked about underrepresentation which i agree with, but has nothing to do with race or origin. I feel severely under represented as a student, but this is because there's a group of popular kids with white and mexican kids that dominate this, which is not related to race. I also saw the review talking about the two administration peoples,and i agree to a WAY lesser extent: They may have been incompetent, but in now way did they severely affect the savio environment in such a way. I truly know one of the people they're taking about and they tried their best, even if students didn't feel it worked. About what's actually "toxic", are the students themselves. The teachers enable the popular kids and their spoiled entitlement and lack of spiritual education in which these kids blatantly gossip and disrespect other nice teachers. They shun those who are themselves and like joking around when they very well do the same. About savio's work load, it's very difficult, especially junior year, but after all no one is forcing us to pay to o there every year, it's college preparatory after all. I do agree that savio underpays their staff, but they're not exactly government funded, when staff sign up, they know their salary. Lastly, for my real opinion on Savio: It's not very catholic, and lacks a spiritual aspect. Go to a cheaper catholic school like San Juan Diego and find a more friendly student environment.

Great school. Run at university level classes. Not a good school for the below average student…read more Expect a lot of homework.teChers are phenomenal and opportunities are amazing .total population of students is less than 400 .small classes .a lot of resources and teacher help

I am on my mom's phone. I went to Gattis from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. I love this school,…read morethe teachers, the education, and the amazing community. I definitely recommend this school. Gattis is my home away from home! :)

All my son's teachers did nothing when my son was getting bullied and he came to me every day…read morecrying saying people older and in his grade kept bullying my son I kept on speaking with the principle and they kept doing nothing so now I am done I'm am inrolling my son into a new school

This school is absolutely amazing. My daughter went here back and 2017-2018 and we moved out of…read moretown for me to continue education. Now that we are back in the Austin area, there was an opening for my son to start here and I am so excited to see how he grows here. So far he has learned to spell his name and is practicing writing it. He is left handed and they also nurture this because previous schools would try to make him be right handed. They also have the students do show and tell every Friday. I love Mrs. Kim and all the staff!

We've been attending Ashford for a couple years and love it! We can see the academic growth in our…read moredaughter and are pleased with each teacher. Our 2 school aged kids also attend during the summer when they have amazing activities each day. Cost is very reasonable. So thrilled to have an amazing school so close to home.

As a parent of three children at Austin International School -- in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 2nd…read moregrade -- I can wholeheartedly say this school has exceeded every expectation. All three of my kids enrolled without any knowledge of a foreign language, which was initially a little nerve-wracking. My second grader was placed in a dedicated French as a Second Language support class, and it made a world of difference. Within a year, he had genuinely acquired the language in a way I didn't think was possible so quickly. My two younger ones jumped straight into the regular classroom, and they too have picked up an impressive amount of French in just one year. One of the most memorable surprises was hearing my kids come home and naturally speak French -- something I never expected to happen so soon. But perhaps the most touching milestone? They now ask me to speak French with them during part of our day at home and correct me when I make a mistake. The language has become something they take pride in and genuinely enjoy -- it's no longer just school, it's part of who they are. Academically, my kids are thriving too -- my second grader's MAP scores showed a remarkable jump from where he started before joining the school. What sets this school apart, though, goes beyond academics. The teachers clearly love what they do and love the kids they teach. Their enthusiasm and dedication are visible every single day -- they are engaged, motivated, and create an environment where children genuinely want to learn. The broader school community has been nothing short of wonderful. Warm, welcoming, and supportive in every way. The Head of School deserves special recognition for the outstanding leadership and tone set at the top -- the culture of this school reflects that every single day. If you're looking for a school where your child will grow academically, linguistically, and as a person -- Austin International School is truly special and we couldn't recommend it more.

I have sent several emails regarding the dates of DELF exams and have not received any responses…read morefrom the school. Yesterday I called and had an unpleasant conversation with your receptionist who told me that she had no the dates of the exam and can not even tell me when students had DELF earlier this year. She was in a hurry to hang up the phone apparently, because the conversation with a client was something that irritated her a lot. Bizarre school.

Good. Not very fun for older kids since most of the children there are 7-8 years old.read more

We have had an amazing experience with this daycare! Every time we walk in, we are greeted with a…read morewelcoming smile, which instantly makes us feel at home. The communication from Ms. Meshe, Mrs. Amber, Mr. Jay, and Mr. Omi has been exceptional. They always keep us informed and are very approachable. The environment is truly like a second home for our children. During the summer, my older kids attended their summer camp and it was one of their favorites of all time! We've been to another courtyard before, but it doesn't compare to the quality and warmth of this center. Highly recommend this center!