Our son attended SCA (2011 & 2012) 6th & 7th Grades. It's very affordable, diverse, uniforms, small class sizes, hot lunch program and a before and after school program. The education is sound! He had the best 6th grade teacher Mrs. Rafferty! She was so kind to our son, she helped him get through some very tough emotional times there. The Director Mr. Reed was an awesome role model and his wife a wonderful kind lady who heads off the preschool program.
That being said, This school was not a good fit for our family. The environment was pure Toxic!!! There was a lot of nepotism and favoritism from the staff. Many of the student's belonged to teachers and staff, (I don't think they paid tuition but were given all of the privileges) They were chosen for the fun activities, always the same faces for the pictures on websites or poster or to represent the school. Always the same kids to be helpers or given certain privileges.
This irritated me because my husband and I were so impressed with their educational program. We gave so much of ourselves to help make the school a success. We supported the school by volunteering our time above and beyond what was required, and were generous with donations. I joined the PTO and became very active, worked most all of the school's events, volunteered in the lunch room, volunteered to drive and chaperon every field trip for our son's class, donated supplies to his classroom, paid for entire classes to attend field trips, offered my services for free as a air brush tattoo and face painting Artist for their carnivals and dances, organized and paid thousands to sponsor a Pumpkin Patch at the mall, complete with pony rides, vendors, a petting zoo, food and entertainment even had a Groupon for online sales, had post cards printed at my own expense to market it. Didn't receive much support from the other families to help pull off the event. One of the parents deliberately tried to sabotaged the fundraiser by getting other parents to refuse to participate, She even scheduled a birthday party for the opening day of the event so that the kids who were suppose to help out would be at the party instead of supporting the fundraiser for the school. So Sad!
We were very vested in our son's education and well being. I felt we were treated like outsiders by students and other parents who had been there since their kids were in preschool. Some of the parents were very negative and juvenile. The environment felt toxic. Very odd for a Christian school. The kids were not being taught Christian values. Some of the parents even facilitated their children's bad behavior, the staff didn't support us at all. They made excuses for the kids that they liked. It was terrible. Our son felt left out and it was hard to watch him not have any friends or feel accepted in such a small environment.
They would plan outings & parties on weekends but would not invite him but come to school and talk about all the fun they had on weekends. It was a really hard time for him and some of the other new students as well. SCA wasn't good for his emotional well being. As his parents we were divided about removing him because it was a good education. We had hoped things would change as the years past but the atmosphere became even more toxic the following year. Summer of 7th grade we moved to the Travis School District. He met lots of friends in our new neighborhood, he begged us to attend Golden West with his new friends. My husband wasn't onboard with moving him to a public school however as a mother, I wasn't wiling to send my son back there.
He flourished in the Travis School District. I watched all of his pain melt away. He played Varsity Football for Vanden, worked hard with tutors to graduate with a 3.4 GPA.
I'm proud that, he is now in his 2nd year at Albany State University, an HBCU in S.E Georgia. He is still in contact with the many friends that he met during his time in the Travis school district. I guess what doesn't break you makes you stronger.
I still think it is a good school, I believe the school has a solid educational program. Those kids are long gone, hopefully it is a friendlier environment. I liked the staff, the problem was the families that made it unbearable and their lack of response to bullying. It wasn't just our son... quite a few children experienced this at SCA. read more