We began IST as one of the founding families this past fall, its first year. Words cannot express…read morethe camaraderie, energy and the love and warmth of the staff. My daughter is always so positively challenged and is exposed to so many different perspectives and cultures of the world. This is something very important to us as my husband is a 1st generation Cuban-American and I am 7th generation Central Texan.. To have the opportunity for her to attend is truly a perfect example of the American dream. Having the opportunity to provide and build this sacred space for our children is a true gift. As parents, we are all deeply committed as a whole. It simply does not get any better than this. To be a part of such a complete, quality IB program is something we never realized we could achieve for our daughter. But now, I could never imagine our lives any other way. The student body is collectively taught to respect and genuinely care for others. They are taught to honor and recognize each others' difference AND celebrate them. Each family and each child, each teacher and each staff member bring such amazing experience and life lessons to share to the table in this environment. You see it more and more with each visit. It just continues to grow stronger. The positive energy is palatable when you walk in the door to see the children and staff interacting. It is through building such strong foundations, socially and academically, that in just its first year, we are running strong with SO much progress. Such exponential growth has taken place at just at the turn of our 1st year anniversary this July. Again, no matter how much pride I try to convey, I cannot do it all justice. You must come see it for yourself to see where your family may become a part of such a vital, life-changing community. We hope to see you there! Blessed be.

$20k per year tuition fees with super average curriculum execution…read more As a parent expect to receive multiple extremely long winded emails every day requesting you make/bring something to school - I would count myself as very organized yet found it extremely difficult to keep up with all their requests Unusually high Headmaster attrition - we had 3 different Headmasters in 1 year - not a great sign Worst part of the experience was when we ended up needing to move a new town outside Austin and a new school - when I cancelled (2 months before the beginning of the school year) - IST insisted on not only keeping my deposit (I absolutely understand this) but the tuition fees I paid in advance. The school year wasn't even close to starting! For a not-for-profit this is a fairly shameful business practice and a terrible moral example to our children. After I explained my position to the (at least right now current) head Brian he looked me in the eye and agreed the tuition fee refund I was asking for was fair - to which he then sent an email days later rescinding this and denying me a refund. Shady beyond belief. For these reasons I would not recommend sending your child to IST.

From our first encounter with AIS, through the first weeks of school, staff and other families have…read morebeen approachable, informative, and helpful. We've been made to feel very welcome and supported. As we have questions or concerns, they're addressed with care, sensitivity, and our best interest at heart. Every correspondence we've received about what our students are doing has blown us away and we're impressed by what they're doing. Our kids are excited to go to school, and equally eager to share what they've learned and read during the day. We couldn't be happier with our experience to date.

We absolutely love Austin International School! Moving from New York to Austin, finding the right…read moreschool for our children was one of our biggest priorities, and AIS has made the transition so positive. The teachers are incredibly caring, attentive, and genuinely invested in the children. We love the international and multilingual environment and the diversity of cultures and perspectives our children experience every day. Most importantly, our kids are happy and excited to go to school. That means everything to us as parents! We've also felt very welcomed by the AIS community and truly appreciate how supportive and responsive the school has been. We feel very fortunate to have found AIS and are so happy to be part of this community!

This preschool was/is a hidden gem in the Milwood area. We came across it 2 years ago and sent both…read moreour boys there for two years (age 4-6 y.o. & 18months-3 y.o). I LOVE the teachers, the small classroom size, the nurturing of my children. I really can't say anything negative. I'd say the only thing I missed, which could just be me, but the parents don't interact at all with other parents. Now maybe it's because I didn't go to that church or live in that neighborhood but they just had no more than 2 sentences to say to me. If you choose this preschool then you are going to feel lucky you found it and got your children in - for reals!!

So glad we found Wholesome Generation. We've been so happy to have our daughter attend a school…read moret​hat is focused on healthy living, community, and getting kids outside and engaged in lots of fun activities. The staff and parent community are very friendly and su​pportive, and it's always a joy to see how happy the kids are at the various market days and events the school puts on. I'm not usually one to post reviews but I realize that's a problem because then the negative voices get amplified and I feel it's important to give others a balanced view and not keep this gem of a school a secret. All I can speak to is my own experience, but I've found the school to be very safe, unique, diverse, ​engaging, and a real joy all around. If you're looking for something different then the typical corporate daycare environment and are okay with your child coming home a bit dirty from digging in the garden or trouncing around the creek, then go check out Wholesome Generation! We toured a LOT of schools and feel so happy we chose Wholesome, it really is a gem.

I have 2 grandkids at this school and I think they are fabulous! It is a loving and caring…read moreenvironment and the children are happy there. The grounds are large and the children have a lot of room to play and simply be children. The teachers are loving and kind and speak Spanish which is wonderful and the children are learning more of it everyday. This is a great place to let kids be kids.

My grandkids have been attending here since it was a tiny school in portables. I've got a senior…read moregrandson who lives with me, and he's gone here almost all of his academic career. He loves the school and so do I. Everyone is so helpful. Mr. Barnett is very responsive, as are also Mr. Nobles and the Principal, Mrs. Hagan. We love this school. They've helped my grandson so much. Thank you, CSA. Every kid should have access to this type of quality education.

I thought this school would be great for my daughter. But she currently has a math teacher that…read moretells students to kill themselves, or rude comments. His profile picture has him shirtless which is highly inappropriate. Rather than the principal stepping in and trying to diffuse the situation, nothing is said, allowing this teacher to be what tears children down. The Spanish teacher has been a blessing, helping my daughter even in subjects outside of Spanish. Helping her students build confidence. Since this was taken down, I would like to add since then Mr.Rivera has been speaking with the class stating "some students and parents are too sensitive to understand jokes" "don't tell anyone because I will probably get in trouble" He also told the children in his class about this yelp review, and allowing them to look it up during class telling them "this is how sensitive parents can be" When principal Hagan FINALLY responded to the issue it was a simple "the students know he's joking" So many school fail the students, guess this is another one..

One of the most rewarding... and challenging... things we have done as a family…read more Austin Classical School (ACS) is a Christian, blended-model classical school located in central Austin. Our kids (now in second and third grades) have been going to ACS since they were in kindergarten. Also, I think it is important to point out, I am not the primary homeschool teacher but help with math and reading. Let me start my review by saying ACS is not for everyone. The homeschool part of the model can be daunting. There have been times over the past several years when our kids (and us) have been in tears. However, I can also say that some of the most special times we have had with our kids have come during the homeschool time. Things such as seeing a difficult concept finally click with are cherished moments with our kids. Just know that while the homeschool portion feels daunting, it can be done (and there is a whole community of teachers and other parents like you out there supporting you). Here are some of the pros and cons that my wife and I have seen with ACS: Pros - Learning and academics. The academics are rigorous. In several areas I perceive our kids being taught things that are about a grade level above their peers at other schools. In most cases this is not difficulty for difficulty sake but it is building towards something. Take math for example. ACS uses the Singapore math curriculum. While there are times that I feel like I want to jump off a building (metaphorically) when trying to teach second and third graders bar models, I see how learning these concepts now is leading towards a deep understanding of algebra and other higher-level forms of mathematics. Additionally, one of the things I love about the classical model is that the goal of the school is to teach kids how to think and not what to think. The classical school model builds towards high school age students constructing arguments and defending a position. This is the prize that I look forward to my kids attaining. - Time with our kids. I list this as a pro for two reasons. The first is it is just fun and rewarding to spend time with our kids. It is heartwarming to see the world through their eyes and discover new things. Also, all the time spent together has brought us closer as a family. The second reason why this is a pro is because I feel like we have a much larger hand in molding and shaping our children than if they were in a 5 day-a-week program. - Community of like-minded families. ACS is a community. Both the moms and the dads get together on a regular basis to support one another, share tips on what is working for them and just for fun. This has made the journey feel a lot less lonely and has helped us be better teachers to our kids. Of course, not everything is perfect with ACS or the model. Some of the cons or challenges that I have seen include: - Homeschool days can be difficult. I mentioned this before but the homeschool days can be long and challenging. Some days are just difficult. This can be due to a bad night sleep (on either the kids' part or are parents' part), the parent-child relationship or just a heavy day of school. Additionally, I sometimes feel inadequate or unqualified teaching certain concepts. I mean, after all, I am not a trained educator. Two things to think about this. The first, as mentioned, there is a huge support group of teachers and other parents going through the process alongside you who are ready to help. This can be in the form of a quick word of encouragement via a text group to email tips from the teacher to a sit-down meeting with the head of the school. All there to help. The second thought on this is the amount of individualized time that the students get. The school class sizes are small. The typical size class for our kids has been in the 10-12 range. This provides a lot of direct interaction with the teachers while in school. At home, even though my wife and I might feel inadequate at times, we are spending concentrated one-to-one time with our kids and can work through any issue with them. - The school is still new and figuring some things out. At the time of writing this, ACS is in its sixth year of operation. It is still a young school. As such, there are things which are still being figured out. This can be good with the school showing a lot of flexibility and desire to test and try new things but it can be a challenge as well. Bringing it all together, we are extremely excited and happy that our kids go to ACS and highly recommend the school. I encourage prospective parents to read about the model, talk to other parents whose kids are in the school and take a tour and see the kids in action. If the school is a fit for your kids and what you are seeking out of an education for them, you can't go wrong with ACS.

I am a co-teacher/mom at Austin Classical and fall more in love with the school and community each…read moreday. The classical curriculum is not only engaging and challenging but has shown me that this is how children are meant to learn (especially after experiencing a public school education). The community is one of love and support, each family is there for a deeper purpose and that shines in the relationships that are built not only in the children, but in the adults as well. "For Christ and His glory" goes much beyond a motto and is truly the cornerstone and mission of ACS. We are so thankful to be a part of this beautiful school and community!

My husband and I brought our 2 yr old in to inquire about the school. Receptionist informed us that…read morewe have to setup an appt with the Director and she needed to ask her about her schedule first. As she said that, the Director came walking in but didn't even bothered to say hello or acknowledged us in any manner. She never on e looked our way as we were seated 5 ft away. She was rude and unwelcoming. When the receptionist asked her about setting up an appt with us (in front of our presence), she still didn't even look our way or bothered to show any courtesy or professionalism. She was agitated and annoyed that she was bothered by us and waved her hand to say she's too busy and walked off. That left us dumbfounded and we left immediately. The Director made it obvious that parents and possible newcomers are not priorities. If she decides to reply to this review, I sure hope it will be a sincere, genuine one instead of a generic one that she basically copies and paste for all her replies which makes no sense to the issue being stated. Lazy and insincere!

Being somebody who was raised based on Chinese education, tradition and values, I really wish my…read morechild could also be someday be fluent in Chinese and hold on to her root. This is why we visited AACC to inquire about the daycare service for our upcoming newborn. The visitation experience went from OK to worst in the second visit. In the first visit, the founder director Amy was kind enough to sit us down and explain the daycare philosophy and discipline to us. She spoke about not being a tiger mom but emphasized that there are 5 C's that they teach to the children and how brilliant it is to see children from AACC outsmart other kids when they go to elementary school later (i.e., not a tiger mom). I am sure all came from the passion and pride of Miss Amy. We like the food menu AACC has. It looks healthy and complete, nothing compared to the fish sticks, pizza rolls and bean tacos we saw in many other daycare. The caretakers seem nice and friendly. They look like they truly care about the children and the children seems to have a blast there. A little caucasian girl even busted out singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Start" in Chinese while we were there, that gave me a lot of hope. The building is old and poorly maintained. You can find duct tapes on the stairs, near the door and etc. When we walked into the infant room, the pungent smell of poo came right at us. It was hard to ignore the smell but we thought this could be a bad timing on our first visit so this was why we planned a second visit. Well, the smell was still there in the second visit. It was disgusting to say the least. We were curious about the security of the daycare so we asked the director why is AACC the only daycare we visited where there is no secured entrance. Instead of answering us directly, she chose to sarcastically tell us that she chose the parents to join AACC just as much as the parents chose AACC for their child. I thought she was being extremely rude and defensive. I have heard of her reputation before, and how the staff turnover is a bit of a challenge due to her style of management. After this interaction with her, we just cannot imagine how would we partner with her if we send our child to AACC. She does not seem compassionate and considerate of the parents' need but rather her way or the highway. We really want to like AACC but in the end, it is probably not for us.

Our two year old has had a wonderful experience at stepping stone Pflugerville! Ms Brenda is truly…read morean amazing principal, and is excellent at communicating and making you feel like part of the family from day one. Our daughter is in Ms Stella's class, and Ms Stella has been extremely caring and communicative with us. When we drop our daughter off at Stepping Stone we know she's being treated like family. We can't thank the team enough for everything. Highly recommend!

I never thought I would be a working mom who had no choice but to drop their babies off at daycare…read more I was lucky enough to have a stay-at-home mom until I was kindergarten age, and I highly value the amount of love, security, closeness and comfort I had staying at home. Needless to say, finding a daycare for my two kids (3yo & 5mo) was extremely difficult with feelings of guilt, distrust and insecurity to name a few. Since my kids have been at Stepping Stone, I have grown to not only trust Stepping Stone's faculty and staff... I absolutely adore them! My 3 year old had a really hard time transitioning, but the staff's patience, understanding and empathy toward him truly showed me how much they cared about making him feel comfortable, welcome and included. I love how often they send me pictures throughout the day and how happy my littles are when coming home. I don't at all feel like I'm doing my kids some type of injustice by going to daycare, instead, I feel like the diversity in this environment is enriching their childhood more than I could be at home while trying to work. Some things to note: - Doors remain locked at all times with a security code for entry - Kids are required to pass temperature checks & is logged every day before going to class - Facility and playground is clean with up-to-date / not raggedy toys & equipment - I typically receive 2 -3 pictures per day per child - Food is provided - Discounts are offered for multiple children I will HIGHLY recommend Stepping Stone - WBP to ANY parent looking for PT/FT childcare. Shout out to Ms. Brenda, Ms. Donna & the Seedlings & Readers' Classes!