Country Gardens Charter School

This school, is in over its head. Indeed the classrooms are filthy, animals are left to roam, and there disciplinary actions are different depending on the student, if you are a favorite its hard for you to get in trouble. People that do go there over 90% leave there before highschool! Doesn't that say something? Being a student there, a few high schoolers have told me to get out while i can! One girl was going to leave this year, and The Principal Called her mom and CONVINCED her not to leave, so the student is stuck here when she hates it! The business just is never organized and is constantly having children make things work right. I would not recommend this school to anyone. Their policies change constantly and its pathetic. I wish my Parents would listen to me when i said i hate it! I mean if i stay there for High School it will be the worst time ever! FOR YOUR CHILD'S SAKE DO NOT SEND THEM THERE!! - A student but hopefully will be a former one next year!

This school like any other has it's ups and downs. Anyone can make a negative comment on ANY school. But here is my OPINION of the school. I've been atending this school for 3 years now and I have made the best friends I could ever have, I have learned things no other school is capable in offering. For example; I have a Food Handlers Card, and am certified as a PEER MEDIATOR. Now what school offers you that to put on a resimay? Also, this school offers a different way to learn, instead of large text books we do it hands on. I've been to Yellowstone TWICE.!! I've seen with my eyes how Old Faithful sprays every few hours. I can tell you how a Fin is formed because I was there to see and climb one. By going on these wonderful trips the information sticks to you. No one that has gone on these trips can tell you, they dont learn anything. Not only does this school do that but it builds character too. This school changes every year to learn from there mistakes. They used to put two grades in a classroom. But now they have changed that and every grade has there own class. I sometimes dont completely agree with the staff. But I would never regret attending this school.

I love this school and so does my child. More actual learning takes place than at the public school in Laveen. Not only the trditional"book learning" but also how to be a sucess in life, how to stand for what you believe without stomping on others rights to do the same. Lots of homework, but it is meningful work not just busy work. The centers are great and the extra curricular trips are an amazing chance of a lifetime.
--Submitted by a parent

I attended country gardens for four years, those four years were the worst 4 years of my learning career, all I learned was how to move hay, math and how to cook food for other students. This school is massively child labor based. This school also has an issue with favoriting. For example there was a child name marco I almost got into a fight with, they threated to expell me but weren't going to a single thing to him. This schools busses are utter garbage. Bad seats bad motors just all around a pile of garbage. All in all id say this school and its teachers are garbage.

I had been attending cgcs for 5 years,and recently moved and the bus doesn't go that far anymore. I LOVE cgcs the teachers & staff there,they are all very nice if I could I love to go back. It is one of the best schools. I will say this though people either love it or don't. Yes there are mice and other kinds of wild animals there but it's on a FARM!,but I can assure your child will not be in danger by the wild animals.Some of the wild animals/not wild animals are amazing you may not be able to see some unless you are in a zoo,such as(Great horned owls,peacocks,chickens and more.)

I would never send my child here. I worked here briefly, and was astounded and disgusted with its practices. There are mice and rate everywhere (within the classrooms) little to no classroom discipline, and I could not find one sign that standards were being met, or even that they were being used. A staff member "hangs out" with the students after school at random locales. Parents are not allowed in classrooms, and what is most disturbing THE TEACHERS WHO TEACH THERE SEND THEIR KIDS ELSEWHERE! That says the most about a school to me, when the people who work there won't send their children there. None of their school buses pass DOT regulations, and may of the teachers do not possess teaching certificates. If you take a good look at the employees, most of them are related to Mrs. Burge! The ones, who make the most, are related to her or to those who she has employed since the beginning.

This school is a joke they have policies that contradict their own policies yea confusing huh? well that tells you how much thought they put into their own policies!!!! staff hugging touching and kissing infront of student when their own policies prohibit students from engaging in this. I am a firm believer of practice what you preach!!! that fat chick kim is a joke thinks she is the queen of the world and yells at students for the dumbest things..wish parents got to see this side of the school. really have never seen a school so disorganized like this one calling wrong parents when their kids did something wrong.
--Submitted by a parent

I agree. this school is the worst school . PARENTS if you care about your kids, look into what credentials, and license these so called teachers have. NONE... Teachers are not Highly qualified I worked there and yes, there are mice everywhere, teachers have to clean the restrooms because there is no cleaning staff. IT is all about the money, why do you think they travel? Parents are not involved in their children's education because the principal there doesn't allow them. There is alot wrong with this school. The parent that stated that its hands on, YEAH! taking care of pigs and horses, the philosophy of that principal is low standards for the students. She thinks that our kids will end up having a career taking care of pigs! A great school has highly qualified teachers and cares about the students future and have high expectations of the kids future.

CGCS is very hands-on. You learn things you just absolutely cannot learn at a normal school..no matter what people say. CGCS has literally changed my personal life and I'm thankful for it. 99% of people get along there and the animals are amazing.<3 The trips are a once-in-a-lifetime sort of experience. I love the staff...They really care. What else could you ask for?? I learn WAY more at CGCS than I ever did at the "smart" public schools. Woo hoo CGCS keep up the good work!!

Unqualified and uncertified teachers, rude and unprofessional office staff. No nurse (ill children are just kept in the classroom until they have a temperature of 102.5 which is potientially dangerous), no cafeteria (students eat outside in summer heat, rain or cold) No certified food handling staff. No intercom system for announcements or classroom emegencies. Rat infested, poorly maintained classrooms, weeds and overgrown grounds, no discipline matrix for students, teaching methods not grounded in research. Everything seems to be about money for the Superintendent. This is possibly the worst school in Arizona.
--Submitted by a parent