Amana Academy

I am proud of our students and our school; and it is disheartening when someone who transferred their child mid-year and spent only 2-weeks at Amana could write a nasty and unjust review like the one posted on January 25, 2013. Our most recent parent survey through AdvancEd tells a different story. Overwhelmingly, parents are very positive on the school. Go Amana Eagles!
—Submitted by a teacher

I was surprised by the previous review because my experience with Amana's middle school has been quite the opposite. I relocated my son to Amana this past year from our neighborhood school and the environment has been so positive. I love the small classes and my son, although it's taken him a while to get used to the all boys classes, is flourishing. The bullying he experienced in his former school is non existent at Amana and the teachers and administration have been so responsive. The difference is night and day and the other parents I talk to feel the same.
—Submitted by a parent

We relocated to the area and chose this school based on the excellent school tour we were given. We were really excited about the curriculum and the focus on leadership, character, and respect. BIG disappointment. HUGE disappointment. The middle school behavior problems are out of control. Students name calling, using profanity in the classroom, disrespecting the teachers, talking during tests and quizzes. The teacher probably has no parent support from these particular parents and no admin support, which I believe is the problem. When I brought my concerns to the Middle School principal she said she wasn't aware of the problems and would make some inquiries. Then never got back to me although she said she would call me the following day. Other parents I spoke to said they could write a book, it has been ongoing and nothing is going to change. My advice, realize kids are possibly attending the charter school because they have had problems in the district school. Also, the charter school wants to keep their enrollment up as to avoid losing their charter so they are not enforcing the student handbook rules. Unbelievable. Terrible school.
—Submitted by a parent

This is my son's first year at Amana Academy. I really wish I had known about Amana some years ago. While my son got a pretty good education from his elementary school, I feel like he missed out on that "special something" that Amana offers. I love the cultural diversity and my son has excelled in Arabic. His teachers are fresh, innovative and eager to address the needs of the students. I get constant feedback on my son's progress. I also have had very pleasant experiences with the staff and other parents while volunteering at the school. I am looking forward to what the next few years will bring.
—Submitted by a parent

Amana is a very special place. My oldest son started in 5th and graduated last year. He is now at FSA High, and though very different from Amana, he says he feels close to Amana still because many of his friends attend high school with him now. (How's that as praise from a kid who just left middle school?) The teachers are top-tier--many have PhD's. Diversity is welcome. My blond, green-eyed child stood out! He never once felt out of place, though. And the academics are rigorous but approached in such a way that learning is joyful. I'm so grateful for what Amana did for our family and my son's academic experience, which before 5th grade had been spotty.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a middle school student at Amana and it has exeded my expectations. A great school has: Excellent teachers Strong principal/school leadership Challenging academic programs and Amana has all of these and more!!!!

All of these 5 star reviews sound like they are written by the same person
—Submitted by a parent

Amana Academy was just named Georgia'a 2011 Charter School of the Year by the Coca-Cola Foundation. Yay Amana!
—Submitted by a parent

I moved from public school in 7th grade to Amana for 8th grade last year and I can not tell you how SNOTTY i was ! i didnt even realize it! i disproved of the school's "poorness" (just because they didnt have brand new things) and the dedication of the teachers. i was used to a public environment with cliques drugs lies and the such. but here, i learned to bond with the other students so well and we all became friends! at the end of the year, every student literally could not stop saying how the place was like a second home to us. it was such a deep environment, so free, so happy, so ...PURE that it was just beautiful! it was almost like a miniature heaven. the education was fabulous, we had fun everyday learning and that part surprised me the most. that i could laugh and joke while doing math! it was just too amazing to be true because amana taught me and the others not to be plastic. it taught us that we can be who we are and we don't have to worry about what others think. we even had some cheesy heart to hearts in class with the teacher where we'd talk about stuff while doing work and the teacher would hear it and explain it instead of telling us to be quiet. i love this school!

This is my son's second year at Amana and I'm very pleased. The academic program is strong and the learning approach keeps the students engaged and excited about going to school. The Director and Board are very committed to the students and I believe they are continually seeking ways to make improvements to further enrich the experience of the students. No school is perfect. A child's experience in school depends greatly on how willing parents are to become involved and participate in their child's learning experience by regularly meeting with teachers, volunteering and being visible at the school, and attending board meetings so that your voice can be heard. That type of partnership is necessary for the betterment of students, teachers and the school as a whole.
—Submitted by a parent

I have a son who graduated from Amana and a current student there. The graduate started in 7th grade. He was immediately welcomed by staff and students alike. He never felt like an outside, as new students do in many traditional schools. My youngest has been here since kindergarten. He loves the diverse nationalities of his friends. He is always learning something new about their cultures. The Environmental Ed program is excellent. He is always coming home with a new "green" tip he has learned, and loves being a friend of the planet. In PE/Health, he has learned to make healthy food choices, and even tells me when something I serve is unhealthy. If you are looking for a small school environment, where you and your child will be known by all as a person, not just a number, where they get a holistic education in a culturally diverse environment, look no further than Amana! The first day of school this year he came home and said, "Mommy, I love my school!" That speaks volumes.
—Submitted by a parent

Amana Academy is such an amazing school. My children have been going their since it first opened. My son is now a sophomore at Roswell High School. His transition last year from Amana to Roswell went by smoothly and he never struggled in any of his honors classes. My daughter is now in 7th grade and in TAG and loves going to school everyday. The middle school teachers are really amazing. I have been on many of the field studies and believe me they study and learn a lot. We are a very environmentally friendly school. Amana has many clubs and sports to choose from. Please do your children a favor by not listening to gossip when choosing your school. When your child can't wait to go to school everyday you will know they are in the right school.
—Submitted by a parent

This is an Excellent school! My daughter graduated from Amana Academy and was so advanced she will graduate High School a year early. My younger children attend Amana and are thriving. I love this school and recommend it to any parents who are looking for a school with the right balance of educational excellence and nuturing.
—Submitted by a parent

Amana has shown my family how a holistic school model that focuses on the environment, character and excellence leads to true student achievement. My son is thriving at this school. He loves the inclusive environment. We love the teachers, the amazing leadership, the parent organization and the positive energy. He has achieved nothing but the highest grades for five years in a row! 5 stars all the way!
—Submitted by a parent

Amana has so many great aspects and accomplishments. The greatness starts at the top with the Executive Director and never stops! The teachers are fantastic and are highly educated. The environment is one of community and family. Parents are greatly involved on many levels. The education is superior and accomplished. I have definitely made the right decision by sending my child here, where she has thrived.
—Submitted by a parent

I teach middle school at Amana. Below, please find my response to Mr. or Ms. April 27, which I hope you will find more useful than April 27's rant: "The Students Are Not Smart"-- Please refer to this year's CRCT scores. They will be available on Fulton County's website soon. You will find us at the top. "The students all have ADD"--Not even close to true, and I am also offended that this medical term would be used as an insult. Everyone learns differently, and we welcome that diversity. "The Students Are Disrespectful"-- They're teenagers, so sometimes this is true. But we use these mistakes as teachable moments and correct our students in a positive way. Major discipline infractions are handled in accordance with our official policies. And no, we're not going to tell you how we disciplined a child that is not yours. "The school is loud at any given moment": Yes, because the students are leading the class and working in groups. They are engaged, involved, and motivated. "The teachers dress and look like bums"--A put-down to those who are homeless, and also untrue. Typical "teacher wear" in MS includes: dress pants, nice blouses, jackets, dresses, skirts, and suits.
—Submitted by a teacher

In response to the comment from April 27th: The school has more than 500 students, a waitlist, enthusiastic parents, students and teachers, and many of us parents have put their kids into Amana to NOT have a streamlined, one-size-fits-it-all, work sheet drilled student that other schools produce. My husband is a top level recruiter who sees the outcome of various educational models every day, and we feel that Amana with its Expeditionary Learning, which is naturally hands-on, active and also verbal, its unique approach and also its understanding of child and adolescent development serves the kids better than the mainstream educational system. The school prepares students for the challenges of the future in a globalized world better than our local school which supposedly is a "good school", just that it does not challenge the kids to think, question and be creative thinkers. Furthermore, the school actively teaches citizenship and respectful behavior. I wish that comments on this website at least were respectful towards the children and the teachers who work there, even if one doesn't like the educational model of the school.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is a big joke. The middle school students are not smart at all. Not to mention, the teachers dress and look like bums. This school gives a big presentation to get you in there and if you are an involved parent, then you will see how horrible the school really is. They don't discipline the horribly behaved children or teach the kids to respect adults. I have never seen anything like this before. If there was a better staff and teachers, then this school could be a good one. Then the lady in the front is doing like 10 jobs at once. This school is loud at any given moment. I just cannot believe that this school is still operating and the ones that like this school cannot possibly be involved parents. This school would be better if they hired some better teachers and got a hold on their horrible kids; most of which seem to have A.D.D or some type of behavoir problem. If you love your children, do not send them to Amana.

I am an Amana middle school student right now and I love my school! I wouldn't trade this school for any other because the teachers really care about us. I know my school is small and other kids complain because they don't think it's cool, but the more I look at other schools the more I know how special it is to be here. It is so great to have separate boy/girl classes and I get to go on so many trips that other kids never take. I wish it went through highschool.

This is a great school because of the wonderful people however it has a very bad education. I took pre-algebra in 7th grade in my old school and when I moved to this school was forced to repeat it because they did not offer Algebra 1. It is also behind in science. I think the education in middle school is very bad. I had a very hard time in the beginning of 9th grade in honor classes because many of the other students had already done the main concepts of the course.This school also did not offer any extra clubs/ competitions however they have recently started some such as Science Olympiad and National History Day. It is not a good school for gifted/talented students as it has a weak education system. -Current high school student ( went to eighth grade in Amana)