Mackintosh Academy

The Dec. 19 post confuses me. If you want a stricter admission policy in this economy, you should expect to be solicited for more fundraising. Private schools are desperate for enrollment. The previous administrator was also a business-savvy educator, who's only fault was that she sometimes told the hard truth to people when children were being compromised. She is sorely missed by teachers and families alike.
—Submitted by a parent

We have had our kids at Mackintosh for several years now and although there have been some good things, at this point we are frustrated, disappointed, and angry. For the 16k per kid we are paying in tuition, the lack of stability in classroom instruction, inconsistency in instruction, grading, and feedback, and, in particular, resistance to and at best haphazard support of our twice exceptional child simply makes Mackintosh a rip-off. The school has a reputation for serving gifted and twice exceptional children, but this is only as good as the teacher du jour and the amount of attention the very thin staff has to pay to the new Boulder campus. The school is badly overextended and has lost its ability to deliver the most fundamental thing they promise- individualized rigorous education for gifted and 2e kids. This failure is partially responsible for my child now struggling to succeed in high school- she did not get the tools she needed for high school at Mackintosh. For 16k, our family deserves much better.
—Submitted by a parent

While I agree that there have been some poor admission policies and that more attention needs to be given to hiring to ensure we get and retain the right teachers, none of that changes the fact that my child has THRIVED since transferring to Mackintosh. The IB framework fits well with the GTs drive to learn deeply about a variety of subjects. The school has no issues differentiating & accelerating as needed for the individual child, and there has been a fundamental understanding of the social emotional needs of the gifted learner that has changed my chilld from being shy and afraid of not being perfect to an outgoing risk taker. I cannot say enough good things about what Mackintosh has done for our family. And to furter address the concerns with administration change, teacher qualification, and questionable admission standards in the past - I have found the new administration has recognized these concerns and is working to address them directly. From conversations I have had, it appears that while these concerns are true in part, it is a lack of transparent communication that has perpetuated the impression that the problems are continuing when in fact they are being addressed.
—Submitted by a parent

I agree fully with the previous 3 reviews. Numerous reviews critical of the administration and management of the school as well as the practice of hiring non-GT teachers to replace the mass exodus were removed by GreatSchools. That being said, it is good to see the remaining teachers more relaxed and eager to come to work due to the atmosphere created by the new administration. However, there is still a trend to hire teachers that are not trained in GT (just because one has previous experience at a private school does not make them GT trained) and many children have been accepted without any type of testing to show that a student is GT material. Finally, I know times are tough financially for everyone, but not a week goes by that my child does not come home with another request for money or a new fund raiser. I have no problem paying of a good education, but after shelling out $14k/year, it' s hard to fork over more money when I question the ability of some teachers to truelly teach to and understand GT children.
—Submitted by a parent

I want to second the review below. There is not enough understanding of gifted learning or behaviors and classrooms that meet those needs. Varies widely across classrooms. I am concerned whether the school is consciously moving away from gifted ed with its recent change of leadership and the hiring patterns in the classrooms. Gifted ed is not simply rich material, small classes and some ability grouping. These kids have special needs in acceleration and social/emotional areas. Unless the school decides to more closely tailor what it is doing to a thorough understanding of gifted ed, it is just another private school, and maybe a fine one, but not a gifted school.
—Submitted by a parent

This school has been through tremendous changes in the past two years. The new leadership was a much needed change, the continued IB curriculum is a constant under any leadership. Along with change there has been qualified Gifted and Talented teachers leaving with replacements with new and unexperienced teachers in GT which leaves parents of GT children quite concerned of the direction of the school. Adding another campus to the school has diluted the focus much to parents dismay. 50% of my child's classmates left last year. Although the teachers and remaining staff are commited, there needs to be big changes in hiring and retaining qualified staff
—Submitted by a parent

This is an outstanding school. We have had our son here for 4 years, and it has been wonderful watching him grow and learn from the caring and sensitive teachers. All the kids are smart, whether or not they are twice exceptional. Parents should know that really what they are paying for is great teachers, small classes, and a school philosophy of respect and openess that evident in the classroom and elsewhere. We were lucky to find this school, after years in the Jeffco school system, where kids were expressly taught to score well on the CSAP and classes were focused on making sure most kids were essentially performing at an average level. The only negative is that Mac ends at 8th grade, and finding a follow up school for your child of similar quality can be a challenge.
—Submitted by a parent

My son has met challenges in other schools and thankfully, we have found in Mack a school that he LOVES! This is his 2nd year and the thought of having to consider any other option scares me. I didn't think there was any program out there for him, however, he is truly thriving in this program. My son works very hard loving every minute of it, learning amazing skills and practicing skills that help develop a character that complements what we try to teach him at home. How wonderful that the administration has worked hard to expand the program to kids like my son in the Boulder area! As the head master sets the stage for the beautiful Mackintosh program and philosophy in Boulder, she has left the extremely capable and warm Mrs. Anderson in charge at the Littleton campus. Although there has been teacher turnover, the teachers who are there clearly want to be there evidenced by their enthusiasm. We have not ever experienced less than excellence from any staff member on the campus. My son will be at this school for as long as they will have him. I, for one, am glad they have expanded to allow others the same opportunity for an exciting gifted education!
—Submitted by a parent

This my child's second year at Mackintosh Academy and we are delighted with the results! Learning gains have been tremendous as a direct result of the academically rigorous and thoughtfully implemented IB curriculum--adapted to the needs of gifted and talented students and students who are twice exceptional. It is an environment where children are treated as individuals and their learning styles are addressed accordingly. We looked throughout the metro area for a school that would meet the social and emotional needs of our child as well as a demanding academic environment. The IB Curriculum at Mackintosh and the language program met our goals for globally competitive education. Focus on performing and visual arts provided opportunity for self-expression and comprehensive exposure to the arts. Focus on physical fitness, PE is offered everyday, allowed for awareness of well-being. To this, we have found that the administration, staff, and parent body exhibit genuine interest in and kindness to our family. We look forward to many years at this school and are grateful that the model is being shared with others.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is a Godsend. We have 2 kids at Mack, one who is "twice exceptional", and one who is "just gifted". Both are intellectually challenged, supported in both their strenghs and challenges, and are developing fantastic awareness of themselves, their community in and outside of school. School leadership is compassionate, professional, and visionary- setting an example of world citizenship and scholarly and creative excellence that will serve my kids well throughout their lives. Our family is proud to be part of the Mackintosh community and I am grateful for the partnership of the teachers and leadership in giving my kids a remarkable education.
—Submitted by a parent

(CONTINUED FROM ABOVE) I have worked in educational research for over 10 years and have never encountered a more wonderful and effective school, set of faculty, and administrators. The Head of School is an outstanding leader and visionary, who has always extended such warmth, compassion, and commitment. We appreciate how she consistently makes herself accessible and available to us despite her numerous responsibilities. Our daughters teacher is the very best educator I have encountered in my ten years experience working in education. She is nothing short of amazing to us as parents and our children. We are thrilled that these same opportunities are being extended to other students and families at our second campus in Boulder.
—Submitted by a parent

We absolutely love Mackintosh Academy and feel so blessed that our children have the opportunity to attend. As a parent with a Ph.D. background in education and child development with three gifted children, I am amazed by the individualized instruction, curriculum supported by strong research, depth of understanding of cognition and learning theories, outcomes based approach, IB philosophy, emphasis on developing the whole gifted child (i.e. academically, emotionally, creatively) and most of all, the exceptional teachers and administration. Words cannot express how grateful we are to see our children thrive, grow, explore, and embrace a pure love of learning and passion for life because of their experiences at Mackintosh. It is a true gift as a parent to see your children fit so perfectly and be so happy at school and with themselves. All three of our children have attended the past two years. They LOVE school and have maintained such a high level of intrinsic motivation and academic growth. (CONTINUED BELOW)
—Submitted by a parent

Although I agree with the previous parent that Mackintosh has been a great place for my kids, adding the Boulder campus has distracted the Director badly from the Littleton campus, and the emphasis is clearly on the new Boulder school. Case in point- when grandparents (read: donors) were recently invited to the Littleton campus, the Director spent her time talking to them about the Boulder campus, not the campus where thier grandchildren (and money) are going- Littleton. The Asst.Head of School at Littleton is a fantastic lady who is providing great leadership, but the opening of a second campus has further taxed what was already a "thin bench"- if a teacher is sick or someone leaves, there is a mad scramble to staff classes, and student learning suffers. This academic year there have already been 4 abrupt "transitions" (read: teachers leaving suddenly or being let go), and as a result, kids are only taking Spanish 1 day per week due to staffing problems. This is no way to learn a language, and for nearly 15K, parents and families should expect more. Mack is stll a great school in many ways, but we (and many other familes) no longer feel we are getting our $s worth.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a parent of two children who attend the wonderful Littleton campus. They are both happy and well adjusted, love their teachers, and are receiving a high quality education. As a parent of gifted children who understands the social and emotional needs of this population, I am thrilled that the parents of Boulder will now have a school like this one to send their children to. It saddens me to read postings from other parents who are questioning the wisdom and priorities of the director of this school for opening a Boulder campus. Unfortunately for some, change is a threatening element, but for others it signifies the opening of new horizons and opportunities. This campus is solid and the teachers are highly qualified and dedicated.
—Submitted by a parent

My children are getting ready to go back to school, and I'm very concerned that so many of the fine Mackintosh teachers (10+) are not returning to the school. How much our sweet Littleton campus is going to change now that the Boulder sister school is up and running? Where is the headmaster's priorities? Our children have been very, very happy at Mack -- and they love the school. But as the previous reviewer said, things are changing. I hope the administration doesn't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
—Submitted by a parent

The Head of school person is rude and doesn't understand that parents matter. She has had me come out dozen of times and when I show up for our appointment, she cancels! I really liked the teachers and students, but I am paying a lot of money to be treated this way.
—Submitted by a parent

a great school. i love this scholl it is the best school i have been to in my life is awsum.
—Submitted by a student

My kids love Mackintosh. I have two children who attend. One needs more personalized instruction and attention, the other child needs to be challenged constantly with academics to be happy. Both my kids get what they are looking for at MAC. We look forward to another great year ahead.
—Submitted by a parent

We were looking for a middle school environment for our son that would provide a positive transition from the small international school he attended when we lived overseas. Mackintosh proved to do that and more. The teachers at Mackintosh are not only skilled educators, but also wonderful human beings who create an atmosphere much like an extended family. At this school, character and compassion are valued as much as analytical thinking skills and creativity. The needs of each student are thoughtfully taken into consideration. Planning, reflection and communication skills are developed through the practice of self-evaluation, in-depth discussions, teamwork, and an excellent performing arts program. Topics are supplemented with interesting hands-on projects and field trips. Our son is now in a large public high school, but his experience at Mackintosh helped him to develop the confidence and character he needs to negotiate the many choices and opportunities he now faces.
—Submitted by a parent

We have both our son and daughter attend Mackintosh and they are very happy at this school. They have attended different gifted programs at DPS, and this school is excellent in being flexible and in understanding their needs. The academic program is challenging and promoting active learning. Our kids like the units of inquiry a lot and PE every day. The head of school is a great advocate for gifted girls. The school is willing to accommodate a bilingual component in the curriculum, to facilitate learning in their native language as well. The students feel a sense of community that extends over grades and classrooms.
—Submitted by a parent