Our kids began St Francis in 2021 (5th & 6th grades) and it has been life-changing. It's truly a…read morehidden gem for families seeking a college preparatory education in a welcoming, structured environment. With varied academic levels--including AP, Honors, and two tiers of College Prep, students are both challenged and supported, allowing every student to thrive & receive the individual attention they deserve. Our son struggles with executive functioning and has thrived with the supportive routines; our daughter, a more typical learner, has also excelled. The curriculum is intentionally process-oriented, broken down into manageable segments so students gain mastery, not just memorization. There's a strong emphasis on organizational skills, note-taking (Cornell method), research skills, and effective study habits. The mandatory "Homework Hour" and use of assignment planners help students build discipline and self-reliance; as parents, we appreciate that most homework is completed at school. It's an excellent fit for students with dyslexia or ADHD, but also offers plenty of challenge--including Honors and AP options, for academically advanced or typical learners. St Francis sets high, but appropriate, expectations for all. A previous post mentioned the point system. This system is an amazing way to help students with accountability. The post mentioned 3-10 kids per week that might have to wear the uniform on Fridays. This point system is at the K-8 campus. That equates to about 1-2% of the kids each week. That means ~99% get their homework completed each night and don't have a behavior issue at school. We have not experienced any vaping or bullying, the staff, creates a safe community. Students and staff are respectful and kind. Both staff and admin are accessible, present on campus, and genuinely care about each child. Our experience with the school's college guidance program has been especially impressive; counselors work closely with students to chart a successful course to their desired college. If there's a weakness, it's that the campus buildings and grounds aren't new and flashy. It's important for prospective families to know that the academic excellence and caring community here far outweigh how our campus compares to some of the other newer private school campuses. If you're searching for a school that prioritizes strong values and a college preparatory path, St Francis deserves your attention. We are deeply invested in this community, and are grateful every day for what this school offers. St Francis is one of those rare places where students are truly known, respected, and equipped with the habits and confidence needed for lifelong success. We love St. Francis and are proud to recommend it wholeheartedly!

We left public school seeking a curriculum that was engaging and challenging to a gifted student,…read morewhile supporting executive function delays when they hindered academic progress. We were impressed that St. Francis presented itself as a school specializing in supporting a variety of learners, even twice-exceptional ones, while promoting "a culture of neurodiverse inclusion and kindness" (their words). St. Francis instilled a sense of potential that felt deeply important to us and we chose to invest our time and finances in the hopes of partnership, not perfection. Unfortunately, we consistently experienced a gap between documented accommodations and their practical implementation. Many supports appear to be discretionary or dependent upon real-time self-advocacy from a student who is often already in sensory overload or emotional overwhelm. When environmental factors like noise were adjusted, performance and confidence improved immediately, confirming that the barrier was never effort, but access. We also encountered moments of friction surrounding mental health, sexuality, and identity that compounded our concern about whether difference is truly understood here beyond a philosophical level. I share these experiences not out of anger, but out of regret that I didn't have a well-rounded understanding of this school when we first applied. Our child is not unique. There will always be students who are bright, complex, and neurologically different. Ours will not be the last student at St. Francis who struggles academically and emotionally not because they lack effort, but because the environment does not flex with them. When a school markets itself as supportive of neurodivergence, families enter with trust. It is painful when that expectation is not met in practice. I hope that similar families can learn from our experience without having to experience it themselves. I hope St. Francis continues to examine how accommodations are operationalized, how sensory regulation is understood, and how students who live at the intersection of giftedness and neurodivergence are supported, especially those without strong parental advocacy.

Honestly not that great. I was too focused on my own studies to care about the rumors of some…read moreteachers behaving poorly, but I feel I wasn't taught anything here. They told us they were preparing us for the adult world, but the workload and difficulty at cottage going into a real college was like doing the tutorial for a children's educational game (not unlike those you played on the fisher price tablets in the 2000s) then being thrown into an end game dark souls boss fight. They don't teach you to handle your executive dysfunction or ADHD, they see someone excel academically and assume they don't need help. They didn't prepare me for the adult world, I survived through sheer luck and clawing my way back up to stable ground. That said, while the school itself failed me, there were many teachers who made the hell of my teenage years bearable.

I attended this high school as a young teenage girl, and graduated five years ago. I struggled…read moreprimarily with mental health, not cognitive disabilities which made me much more aware of the injustices that the kids suffer at the hands of SOME of the staff. Three examples: As a minor, at 17 years old, I was locked in a room with the two female counselors (with no adult representing me or any parent present for such a conversation) while the counselors (Tanya & Margaret) randomly started to tell me I should not be having *** at my age or with the boy I had a crush on at the time. I was confused because I had not been active and I was a young girl. When I said that I was not active, they rolled their eyes and said "stop lying, you are the kind of girl. we see this all the time." Absolutely disgusting and inappropriate conversation to have with a minor. My parents were furious. The second example is: I excitedly told my teacher (Wilfred) that I had been accepted to the University of Alabama my senior year! Only for him to turn to me in front of all my classmates and say "You will flunk out anyway" and turned back to his computer. I was laughed at by all of my classmates and my only friend in school had to stand up for me to a teacher who should be viewed as a mentor and safe person, but instead was one of my biggest bullies throughout my time at The Cottage School. My third example was: I was living through a very difficult period of time at home and in my own mind. This put a big strain on my sleeping, and I was not getting proper sleep at all. In the mornings, I was involuntarily falling asleep in my classes and would consistently be punished for it instead of anyone checking on my well being. Especially at a school that is supposed to have been specialized towards children with special circumstances. There were a thousand other instances that led to me deeming my time at The Cottage School to be mildly scarring for me as a young woman. However, I will say that Siree, Roshonda, Ryan and his wife Lydia, Katya, Lynn and Hector were the absolute highlights of that place, and should absolutely be recognized for the amazing and lasting impressions they leave on their students. True empathetic and patient angels, every one of them. With that said, I hope that The Cottage School can learn from what I've shared of my experience.

Only one review on yelp which I just happened to see by accident. I think a 2-star rating from…read moresomeone without terribly much to say other than that one teacher was rude and mention of a few well-handled drug findings, is a bit unfair. We are halfway through 6th grade So my experience thus far is somewhat limited but I can't think of a single negative thing to say. Each of my daughters teachers have been engaged and responsive. She has a couple of teachers that blow my mind with the level of engagement with their students - I couldn't be more impressed. Teaching is undoubtably one of the most challenging careers one can pursue, and though they are critical to the success of our kids, teachers remain severely underpaid and even the best work they do is often thankless. Teachers and administration at Crabapple Middle continuously go above and beyond to offer additional help for students who need it. They have been extremely responsive every time I have needed to reach, out and they work with the parents to drive a number of pretty amazing community service projects, including Huskies helping Huskies. I am sure my daughter will have teachers who are less engaged than others and I'm sure we will have a hiccup here or there, but that's life - I sure don't expect perfection from my daughter or myself either. Five stars from me so far!

Poor leadership and top down management. Untrustworthy administration and teachers who will only…read morelook out for themselves in any difficult situation, not your child, and the principal is a weak passive aggressive unhelpful person. Everything you've read and heard about this school and their struggling administration is 100% true, no matter how much they attempt to control the narrative stating otherwise [untruths]. There is a reason there are multiple other private middle schools on the same street that have increasing enrollment while Crabapple middle school continues to struggle.

Get Mrs tew out of there she already thinks she's the principal but no she is js the assistant…read moreprincipal. Also there is never soap nor toilet paper.The bathroom stalls never work only 2 work. They also make us wear landers even tho we never approved of this and if we don't wear it we will get silent lunch,then another consequence

this school is the worst ever. theres no toilet paper the stalls dont close and theres no soap ever…read moreand all the assistant principals think they are the actual principal but they are just assistants. this school has roaches and the principal makes it all about the sixth graders. the teachers are all bad.

Wow, we are so grateful for the Atlanta Academy community, staff, admin and teachers. Our son is in…read more4th grade and we just wish we would have started him earlier here. We can't begin to say all of the AMAZING things that happen at this school! The school counselors are so receptive when our child has needed help and have stepped in. They do NOT tolerate any form of bullying at this school, as they shouldn't. It is addressed right away. First, Mrs. Naples is amazing and is very consistent in her care for ALL kids. She is empathetic, kind and caring and wants to make sure that each child thrives! This is hard to find in other schools. If a teacher is out, she will jump right in to help. Her presence is known around the school and that helps facilitate a caring atmosphere that people want to be in. If my child has been sick from school, he is sad because of all of the cool things he is missing out on. His teachers truly keep him engaged in their hands on learning environment. They take field trips to help educate on different cultures, events from history. The science teacher does hands on experiments that are really awesome for the kids to actually watch and engage in. The math teachers promote that hands on learning as much as possible, however math is hard at times as it is a concrete subject. Our reading teacher has been amazing and keeps the kids engaged with the way that she teaches and really connects with the students. The writing teacher is amazing. There are students, like mine, that did not like to write, and now he is coming home writing a lot of information that we never would have seen from his old school. He is encouraged to do his best and with that sense of self confidence that is encouraged, it helps him to grow in ways that he would not have. His Spanish teacher has made learning fun and interactive as well. They do in house field trips where they bring in people to help educate on wildlife which is beneficial and interesting. Recess times are given and kids are encouraged to take brain breaks and reset their brains for learning! The new lunch program has been such a hit. Our child that does not like some foods is coming home saying the cool things on the menu that he has tried! He has grown personally as well. He is responsible for going to his locker and being independent to get to his classes (while being supported of course with watching eyes of adults). The admin and support staff know all of the kids names. The physical education department is a popular one. They keep things interesting for the kids and change up the activities. The kids feel loved. That is the difference. They feel included and important and part of a community. Children of different backgrounds are accepted here and we are grateful for this as our family is not the same religion as everyone else. If a child is struggling, they are on it. Their bridge program is helpful to those kids that need it. They make accommodations for the students that need it as well. As parents, it is our level of involvement with a school, how much we put into it, that we then get back. If we teach kindness and put it out there from home, it will be given back. No school is absolutely perfect, however, any concern we have ever had, has been addressed immediately. The special area teams (music, art, STEM, etc.) are AMAZING! Our group of teachers have been very receptive and have answered questions within an appropriate amount of time. Of course they are not going to answer questions during the night as they are with their own families, just as other people that work don't do. Not only are we parents but we are volunteers that give back to the community. No matter if you are in a public school or another private school, you need to give back, even if it is volunteering an hour or two of your time. That is how communities are created, putting yourself out there to get to know the other families and those involved. We have gotten to experience a fundraiser and met so many amazing families, participated in fall festival and got to watch bands play and every child participated, even if it was from a tech perspective. They make sure everyone has a part. We are looking forward to the other activities, sports and the school play and after school activities that are offered! The way they care about the social emotional learning shows. Our son will come home on Wednesdays and has participated in the class that is designed for social emotional learning (everyone participates in this). They review things like ways to teach kindness, respect, bullying, self care, online bullying, etc. We are very grateful that the same values we teach at home are being instilled at school as well, as this does not happen in other school environments. With this being our second child, we have gone through other schools and have seen the other side. Again, thank you so much Atlanta Academy Staff! We are blessed to have you in our village of support for our child!

We've been at the this school for 3 years now and went from having 1 child attending during Covid…read morewith every plan to go back to public, but are now there with 2 kids who are thriving academically. We have been beyond impressed with how Angela Naples handles sensitive matters and gets to know students and their families. She encourages direct conversations with parents and has led with ownership and vulnerability.

Both of my children have had a great experience here at FAST. The administration works with…read morefamilies from home to school and school to home and are solution based along with collaborative. I am a mom who needs flexibility and this school works well for our family dynamic. It is to be noted that nothing is perfect, but with open communication and collaboration, problems are quickly solved here.

Stay away from this school - Unorganized mess, questionable staffing choices - Kids will fall…read morebehind because of low quality instruction.

I was extremely pleased with my experience at Eaton Academy. I have two daughters who had unique…read moreand challenging high school experiences. They were not doing well in a traditional school setting and would not have graduated without Eaton. I was able to sit down with Mr . U and craft a customized schedule. When things weren't working we were able to revamp the schedule. Both girls had flexibility and private instruction. The teachers cared about them and we loved the administrator, Marge, who handled the independent study curriculum. They were understanding and committed to the success of my girls. Both are in college now... One has a semester left until graduation. The other is a sophomore. Yes it is small and didn't offer a huge mainstream social environment but the trade off was high school college prep diplomas! Thank you Eaton!

The people who run this school are not genuine and do not listen to information provided on…read moreAsperger's Syndrome. This was the worst experience my son ever had. Plus it's way too expensive for what they provide, which is not much.

Mid school aight I guess. Kinda weird cause lunch lady deep fried my hand and my chemistry teacher…read morebroke a beaker over my head.

This could have been a special time in my life, instead I had to focus on how I was going to…read moresurvive my situation . I survived but that's not enough when you are 40 . Now I really realize how messed up it was to mess with my mind just because you can't do your job. The inner mother in me wants to protect my younger self. I can't go back in time and fix anything. It took me until I was 35 to get on the correct medication because I had been medically, mentally , emotionally, physically , spiritually abused. I had no one I could trust or cared about me and was completely alone in the world. My Guidance counselor told me just to pretend that everything was ok when it was not ok. So I learned to disassociate and was forced in to the world a beat up and broken person. That is such a nice thing to do to our young females. Thanks for not giving me a chance at life.