Academy of Tucson Middle School

This is an excellent choice for parents who drive through the carpool lane in the morning and drive back through in the afternoon and that is their involvement in their child's education. However, if you want to be kept informed of your child's progress and be treated with respect when there is an issue, you might want to reconsider your choice of schools.
—Submitted by a parent

This school does not deserve five stars. It is mediocre and the location is terrible.
—Submitted by a parent

We love this school, we have great teachers and a great principal. Mr. & Mrs. Creenam are awesome teachers!
—Submitted by a parent

We are new to the area, but love this school. The principal seems to run a tight ship. I think this is great as my children need the structure. My daughter has a very hard time with math, he sat us down and said that she needed to work harder to catch up to where she needed to be, I appreciated that he took the time to personally go over her test results honestly. I also love the math teacher, she does not tell my daughter to skip the hard problems like at our last school.
—Submitted by a parent

We love this school! My kids love it, while it may be small, the district is small, but they are in the top 3% of school districts according to the Department of Education for the state of Arizona, For the parent who said that they do not offer a challenging curriculum explain my child's exceeding AIMS scores and the rest in the class room. Also another note to the parent who said its a "bad neighborhood". I live in the neighborhood, the Eastside of Tucson is not a bad or rough area so where are you getting this from? Finally we have a new principle this year, he complements an already great staff. Go Cougars -ROAR!
—Submitted by a parent

I have never understood why anyone would keep their child in a school that they don't like or are unhappy with. If you are unhappy with the school your child is attending, then remove them and take them someplace else! In AZ you have so many choices!! I disagree with the last poster. The Academy is challenging, and the school has a friendly and caring staff. As far as the child not feeling well, I have volunteered many hours in the school office. I know for a fact that if the student is truly sick they are sent home. There are many students that try to get out of school at this age level. I'm not saying this was the case, but we have to have trust in the staff when it comes to them caring for our children while in school. There is a difference between not feeling well and being sick. Allergies, a cold, or an upset stomach often make us all not feel well, but does not warrant going home. Having a symptom like that along with a fever is different. I hope those that read these posts realize that they are each person's own OPINION, including mine. I'm looking forward to being at the Academy as a volunteer again this year. I feel this year is going to be better than ever!

This school is with out a doubt one of the worst schools in Tucson. This school does not have challenging academic progams, or an effective teaching style. Also, the location of this school negatively effected my child's experience. First off my child was forced to run in the parking lot of the school! This is not a safe place for children to be running with or without supervision. And lastly, I expected my child to be treated with the same respect that he gave the staff. However when my child hadn't been feeling the best I told him to check in with me, so when he went to the front office to call home, he was denied. After various incidents during the school year I decided to take my child out and put them in a healthier environment. We are much happier where we are now, no thanks to the Academy.
—Submitted by a parent

Lots of changes are happening for the 2012-13 school year at the middle school. Even though some people are upset about the changes, I view them as a GOOD thing. These changes will bring the school back to it's original reason for being - ACADEMICS! Their use of a student planner is a postitive step in helping to keep the parents up to speed with the students grade weekly, allowing it to be difficult for student to fall behind. There is daily homework in most classes. Getting homework done and turned in on time is expected. Although the school relocated to an area that many were unhappy with (myself included), it hasn't changed the quality of education the students receive. There haven't been any problems based on it's new location. The school obtained an "A" rating from the state this year, one of only 19 schools in AZ (with only 5 being a charter school)! There will be a new principal next year. Change is always hard when you have become used to something. Yet, life is all about change and being able to adapt. I'm excited about what's to come! I have been very happy at the Academy of Tucson and feel it was one of the best decisions I ever made in enrolling my child there.
—Submitted by a parent

I didn't like this school for several reasons. The location and facility itself has much to be desired. It is lacking in many areas. There is not an adequate sized field to play sports. The building itself seems cramped and small. It lacks a lunch room, a stage, a gymnasium. It seems to be lacking in up to date books too. The school is practically on 22nd St and traffic is terrible.Most of all, I would have liked and expected honesty from this administration about certain guest speakers and what they would be talking about - very disappointing.
—Submitted by a parent

Academically this school is a fit for my children but not for a lot of the others they have admitted in the past couple of years since they moved to the new location. The location and the lack of open space is a problem we have tried to hard to overlook. If this school was not located on a terribly busy main street in an undesirable neighborhood and had a proper field to play sports and P.E. we would be continuing on. It is very bittersweet for us to be leaving after so many years but we held on longer than most all of the kids we started in kindergarten at AOT elemetary with. I am certain everyone would have stayed if the new school hadn't been put in this terrible location. It seems to be the at the root of all it's current problems. I have no complaints about the education my children have received.
—Submitted by a parent

My child was extremely unhappy at this school. There were many reasons and I feel that they weren't properly addressed by this administration. I found a school more fitting with our values. My child has never been happier.
—Submitted by a parent

Thank you teachers and principal of Academy of Tucson Middle School! My student loves how caring you are and how much you want her to succeed. I appreciate the individual attention that is given to students. Every time I visit, the staff (including the office staff) are friendly and helpful. I would not send my student anywhere else. Kudos!
—Submitted by a parent

I prayed things would change at this school. I had a long talk with my pastor about my concerns and he urges me to find another path. I don't trust certain people at this school with the care of my children. That is the bottom line. I hear rumors of certain lawsuits that make me very uncomfortable. It is time to move on.
—Submitted by a parent

I had my 6th grade son read the negative reviews for the middle school made by some of the parents and students against the certain staff and administration. He thinks many of the comments were hog wash. The one reason why students are told to stay off of the sidewalks so they do not horse around and break their ankles and other bones. One day my son forgot his lunch which the principal kindly paid for few items from the snack bar. When he is sick, he is allowed to call home to request a pick up. My son is struggling a bit in some subjects, but overall, this school is an excellent choice for parents to send their child there.
—Submitted by a parent

I have had several children in this school for years now. It continues to be an outstanding school with caring and capable teachers and staff. I will continue to recommend this school to anybody.
—Submitted by a parent

Without reservations I would recommend this school for its excellent staff and appropriate curriculum. On every occasion when I have observed the teachers I have been impressed by their professional conduct and concern for the students.. Do not be swayed by the grievances of a couple of malcontents who most likely would be malcontents in any environment. I encourage all interested parents to schedule a visit to the school and observe the exceptional academic environment for themselves.

My son has been at AOT since 1st grade and I couldn"t be happier. He is challanged to be a good citizen, have good grades while still being allowed to be a child. As a boy he is clumsey adn ther are times that he has come home with an injury but after talking to him and to administration I find out that he has not bothered to tell anyone about it until he arrives at home. The times that he has reported that he has an injury or is not feeling well I have always been notified and made aware of the situation. I have complete trust in all of the staff at AOT and am very glad that they have an assistant principal who can help with the duties of the principal. I know that they care about my child adn his well being.
—Submitted by a parent

If you are looking for a great school with challenging academics, Academy of Tucson is a good choice. We have been with this district since Kindergarten and are now at the Middle School. We are very pleased with the education our children are receiving. Is the school perfect? No, none are - but we have been very satisfied with the administration's attentiveness to any concerns that have come up over the years. The faculty and staff are very caring and want to see the kids learn and achieve high standards. The smaller class size allows the teachers to really know the students individual needs. Visit the school and see the difference for yourself. I spent a lot of time researching curriculum and visiting schools before making a decision and Academy stood out among the options. We are so pleased to be here!
—Submitted by a parent

We have been in many types of school environments and we are very happy at Academy of Tucson. I think it is important to remember when choosing a school that every school has people in it and so you will never find a "perfect" school. I like that the teachers, principle and parents at Academy are trying to create community of parents who want to do the best for their children. I've always been able to bring concerns to the staff and be heard. It's a good group of people trying to make a difference in the education system. I support that!
—Submitted by a parent

1 word- AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! way better that Tucson Country Day School(worst school ever by the way) send your kid here.