Axl Academy

My daughter has attended this school for the past two years and I couldn't be more happier with all of the developing and growing she has done. My son has to go to another APS school because he is in Special Ed and I have seen the comparrison first hand between schools. Axl blows the other school out of the water! My daughter has teachers who truly care about her and her achievements. They don't think of teaching as just a job, I see the passion they have for teaching. The front office and paras are always smiling and welcoming, I always feel included in her education. She wouldn't want to go anywhere else even if I gave her the choice. I feel like they are challenged academically and I think it is great that they learn to speak spanish at an early age.
—Submitted by a parent

Horrible school. Never put your kids there. Poor education. Teachers change all the time. Kids have to struggle with unprofessional substitute teachers all year. What kind of education kids can receive? All 2013 school year kids never had ELD teacher. Instead of that they force to learn Spanish. Principal is selfish. She never think about kids first
—Submitted by a parent

Not the school to go with if you are looking for strong teachers, happy employees and extra room. Too small of a schools with too many kids. Will not return next year.
—Submitted by a parent

My child is doing great at this school academically. and I am very pleased with her accomplishments. However, I'm disappointed in the administration of the school. My main concerns is the children and preached integrity and ethics, yet the administration does not act with integrity or ethics. The head of school seems to be under the impression she is a queen and this is her throne. Does the head of school not understand she would not have a school or her salary if it wasn't for the scholars? In a financial crisis for schools, her decision is to hire her a personal assistance over a math tutor or an art teacher, or someone who would benefit the children. Afterall, the school is about children, not the head of school...or so I always thought. This decision is very selfish. And then there is the director of operations, who has no children and has never worked in a school, yet in charge of how the school operates. The director of Ops never smiles, doesn't talk to the kids, and hides in her office. We need a friendly face in the school not an angry person who barks demands. Until the school administration starts putting the children first, the school will continue to struggle.
—Submitted by a parent

I LOVE THIS SCHOOL! We moved our daughter from an expensive private school to AXL and she has grown so much in a very short period of time. The teachers are outstanding and the kids are polite, kind and interested in learning.
—Submitted by a parent

I have a Kindergartener and a Second grader. This is their first year at AXL Academy and I could not be more pleased! I have not seen a group of teachers care more about their students than the teachers here. My children are greeted everyday by at least 3 happy - smiling adults. I feel so good knowing that the entire staff loves these children and truly wants the best for them. AXL's style of learning is much different than other public schools. They teach the students important content in an enriching "hands on" fashion. My students are learning how to learn and how to think for themselves, which is a really important skill to have in the 21st century. I am thankful that the Administration deals quickly and abruptly with disciplinary actions. There can be a lot of chaos in today's classroom, but this school tries to "nip it in the bud" So far, I am very happy with this school and the caring teachers and staff. I think AXL has come a long way from the opening of the school until now. This is a great place for your children! P.S. I love that my students are already starting to speak Spanish every chance they get! Too Cool!
—Submitted by a parent

Can't understand why parents are saying this is such a great school! My kids went to this school for two years. Rev foods may be healthy, but the kids don't like them & they are too expensive. The CSAP scores are WAY BELOW the state average, and only getting worse as the grades go up. Parents, look under test scores and compare the csap scores to other public schools, even other charter schools. The school can't even fill up their older grades, like 7th & 8th, cuz by this time, parents have realized how far behind their children are that they are taking their kids out. When my kids went back to public school, they were soo far BEHIND, that it has taken one of my children nearly two years to catch back up. My other child is an honors student & was behind also. It looks like the students are doing well, but not when you compare them to other schools. AXL also spends less per student than other schools. Look at the financials, the school is not doing well. The principal increases her salary and tries to get away with cutting all other teachers & support staff salaries. Plus having the cost of uniforms & than regular clothes for when your child is out of school.
—Submitted by a parent

We are in our first year at AXL as our daugher is only in preschool. So far we have nothing but rave reviews. We have seen a tremendous growth in knowledge. We love that they are teaching 6 principles of character as well as academics, and really guiding the children into becoming productive, and efficient members of society. The preschool teachers are currently wonderful, our daughter who does not easily warm up to people insists on giving them hugs before she leaves every day, and asked about them repeatedly during fall break. I have also been impressed by the second grade girls teacher, who teaches my niece. Overall, we are planning on having both of our girls stay here through 8th grade.
—Submitted by a parent

This is our 1styear at Axl Academy. I have 3 kids who previously attended regular public school. Axl has surpassed my every expectation from quality of the teaching and teachers to communication with parents & safety of my children. I have seen incredible growth in my children in the past 2 months academically, socially, & culturally. The best feeling as a parent is to see & feel the teachers &staff's desire to connect with each individual student & go above & far beyond their call of duty as educators to help my child grow, teaching them to be great learners and people of character. My kids love it too!, to the point that missing one day of school makes them very unhappy. Instead of my kids "just getting through school," they are building the basis of a lifetime of learning. Any issues or concerns I have had have been dealt with by the Axl leadership &staff with complete appropriateness & priority. Communication is not strained, noone gets on the defensive, & they do their best to relate & take appropriate actions to resolve the littliest of concern. They take their role as educators seriously on every level. Never before have I experienced this level of excellence.
—Submitted by a parent

This is our second year with Axl Academy, to say I'm pleased with my child's progress so far would be a gross understatement. She has excelled in many different subjects. Last year her teachers were amazing. Her teacher from last year rotated up with her. Which I think is wonderful. Not only do I love this school, my friends who have children around the same age do as well. One friend was able to get her child enrolled and other's are on the waiting list. There is definitely a difference between Axl and regular public schools, you can see that in how well the classrooms and hallways are monitored/controlled and in the children's behavior. My child's class had 16 students last year, 21 now. You can't find that in public schools. Some parents previous comments state that improvements need to be made regarding the office staff and how they respond to issues... However, I have yet to have an issue with the staff, all of my concerns have been addressed and solved in a timely fashion, my child's safety is not a concern. I only feel that Axl lacks a music program, other than that I wouldn't change a thing! I can't wait to see how all the plans they have to grow and get better turn out!
—Submitted by a parent

My granddaughter attends AXL Academy and has been there for the past 3 years. She previously attended a Christian Elementary school starting in Pre-K I believe enrolling her into this school was probably one of the best choices her parents have ever made. Her attitude and awareness is so much more developed than the majority of the kids in our neighborhood of the same age. One of the things that has greatly impressed me is the maturity of the students. I pick her up from school very day and she is walked to my car by one of the teachers even though they know who I am. It just makes me feel that her safety is very important to them. I truly hope that they are able to continue adding grades so that she can further her education with them. Just sign me. "Gramma" They all know me

I feel so fortunate to have my child go to this school. The amount of attention my daughter receives from her teachers is priceless! I have another child that attends a different public school and the difference is very apparent.... Not only in the school work but the behavior of the students when they're walking in the hallway or doing activities! Love the school schedule, love the instructors, love the dress code.... Highly reccomend it!!
—Submitted by a parent

Axl Academy is an absolutely wonderful school. The teachers are fantastic. They are dedicated, passionate, and care about my child and her success. The school is managed well. There is structure and high goals in place. My child is developing in all areas and most importantly loves going to school and learning.
—Submitted by a parent

As stated below, this school is only getting better as time goes on. Just like any growing organization, there have been growing pains. With the restructure of administration into an actual leadership team and the hiring of additional staff, AXL now has the support and resources to improve support for teachers and in turn improve classroom performance. As this school grows, so will the AXL scholars. I'll sum up my experience with a conversation I had with a 5th grade scholar recently... "I want to go to college" I asked : why's that? "Because my teacher told me I could"
—Submitted by a teacher

My two boys have been with Axl since the very first year Axl started.. Axl gets better every year! I love to hear my second grader talk about sedimentary rocks and how they are formed, we go hiking and it feels like he's taking me on fieldwork. My fifth grader talks with passion about Native American Indians and their history with pottery.. Their vocabulary has improved tremendously. I love that a character learning target is taught on a day to day basis, this helps my boys grow into respectful, responsible young men who will know how to deal with tough situations as they come. I could go on and on about Axl Academy and the great things that are taught there everyday, but I encourage parents and families to go and observe for themselves, as Axl is a hands on school, parents should experience this revolution themselves.s
—Submitted by a parent

Having taught in other schools, I can truly say that AXL is an amazing learning community supporting a diverse range of children. In each class the students are pushed to be creative, think critically, and take ownership of their actions. I plan on continuing to work at this school for years to come.
—Submitted by a teacher

AXL is an amazing school in only its third year of existence. The solid principles that the school was founded on are evident everywhere in the school and in everything that scholars do here. The caliber of both the administration and teachers is extraordinary. AXL is a truly authentic learning community. I have been teaching for 10 years. This is my first year at AXL and I have been revitalized by the energy of this place and the people who make this school great.
—Submitted by a teacher

This is a great school. 20 students per classroom, where else can you get that? This is my child's 2nd year at AXL. This year they finally have enough office support and you can tell the difference. I wish more of us who love this school would review it on this website.
—Submitted by a parent

This school could be amazing if someone else were running it! The Head of School's arrogance and controlling manner are stifling. Parents are treated as obstacles rather than resources. The well being of students as children is not a priority with the administration and they feel it. My children did not feel safe at this school and some days I was uncomfortable with it as well. The teachers are great, but the failings of the Head of School completely over shadow the school's greatest assets. The CSAP cheating allegations were handled very poorly and the school looked bad in the end, especially on the news. I don't trust the administration of this school and my children will not be back. That's sad since we invested 2 years with high hopes.
—Submitted by a parent

We just finished our 2nd year at AXL. We could not be happier with the teachers or the curriculum - our daughter is thriving! We are concerned that parents are not listened to by the administration. Decisions are made when many parents have expressed concern or opposition, and their opinions are ignored and the decision is pushed through. Please remember to put the kids first. We don't get a redo on their education.
—Submitted by a parent