Ballington Academy for the Arts and Sciences School

My daughters love this school. Class size is small and kids have the opportunity to do several proyects during the school year. Kids are more involved with research paper and powerpoint presentations! Even my kindergarden daughter did several presentation to her class! I thought that was amazing... my 5 yrs old girl was shy during the first presentation but at the end of the school year she was great! I love the marching band and the Drill Team.. I was dissapointed that the school cancelled these great drill team..after the parade the girls were so excited to participate in the Mardi Grass parade but after they return to their practices (and bought the uniform) The girls where told there was no more drill team! I was very dissapointed and upset because the school should keep the drill team especially after they came up in the newspaper and gives the school a good presentation during their presentation. They worked so hard to learn the routine in a few weeks and get the expensive uniforms just for one presentation.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter has been here for 3 years. She does great, she loves the school and her teachers. They have a small class size which I think is a great thing. I'm happy with their curriculum, they do fun projects. I really do like the school. My problem is lack of organization and last minute notice of some school functions. I feel as if the only parents that know what is going on are the ones who can volunteer or are able to go to school meetings. As a single parent as much as I would like to participate in those I can't. My daughter joined drill team and I purchased a uniform set which wasnt cheap. They participated in the mardis gras parade. When they were scheduled for their next practice Drill Team was cancelled due to "budget cuts". I am disapointed in their administration and am seriously reconsidering keeping my daughter in this school.
--Submitted by a parent

Wow, where to start. I transferred my ADHD son out ofT.L. Waggoner after a horrible experience there. This school makes a curriculum based on research data of what makes an effective school. They use science, arts in project based themes to teach kids. They also do standard curriculum,but that is secondary to developing the whole child. They also have limits on class sizes (18). Principal leadership is strong, teachers are pretty good- they are from local source though- keep that in mind they still retain some traditional attitudes at times- but usually they are in line with their philosophy of parent-teacher-child partnership. Teachers call when kid gets 'caught being good'. Kids are happy here- seem to learn a lot. Guitar classes, learning diff types art. I only wish they had a full time art teacher so the kids could really get more experience than what the teachers study and present to kids. But hey, heck of a lot better than the public school ever did!
--Submitted by a parent

This school is really committed to the success of each child. The small class sizes of no more than 20 students per classroom benefit the children. The small school environment makes the school like a family, and the principal does a great job of keeping communication open with the parents.
--Submitted by a parent