Wesley International Academy

School was good last year. This year it is horrible. New principal will tell you what you want to hear but doesn't do what she says. She plays favorites. Very disappointed and regional director doesn't care. The changes have hurt the staff moral. Not sure I will stay.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a parent who has just dis-enrolled my child from Imagine Wesley after two years. Year 1 had many bumps in the road and I thought things were finally heading in the right direction after last year. I believe the IB curriculum is superior to the constructivism taught at her new school, and the teachers were outstanding. But the alarming trend of increasing classroom size forced me to make the leap when an oppty came up at another school with a 2/20 ratio. If you are considering this school, I urge you to research the ratios. IWIA's stated policy is to fill every class to the state maximum, which last year was 1 teacher/21 children in 1st grade. The state has loosened the limits due to the economy and IWIA has taken advantage of that fact to get even more students ($$$) per worker.
—Submitted by a parent

I thought we were finally getting somewhere at IIAW but I am quite disappointed in the happenings this year. I am not impressed at all with the new principal. The staff seems more on edge since she is being hired. There is a feeling of division rather than of community. She came in bringing with her teachers from her old school and creating jobs for people from her old school. She tells us she came because this school is so much better but then why did she have to drag half of of the other school over here with her? Parents are no longer welcomed in the classroom and the building. Charter schools are supposed to be all about parent choice but we are being turned away at the doors. It's not the Imagine way, but then the Imagine way seems to be getting schools shut down all over the place.
—Submitted by a parent

Only in its 2nd year, IWIA is already a wonderful alternative to the zoned public school. There is strict policy (www.imaginewesley.org) on uniforms, carpool, homework, volunteer hours and more. Unfortunately much time and energy must be spent dealing with the families that do not comply. It is no doubt, a school of CHOICE as no school or business can be all things to all people. A charter school is inherently about being part of the solution to the problems that arise. It is not for those who live and behave out of a sense of entitlement that they deserve a school to always operate smoothly and agreeably with them. There is an INCREDIBLE core of families, teachers and administrators that are amazingly dedicated to making IWIA top notch. The greatest challenge is attracting and growing THAT calibre of families and educators to create a superior school for our children.
—Submitted by a parent

This has been our 2nd year at IWIA. The school has come a long way after opening K - 6th last year. We have a beautiful new campus, a very strong leadership and committed and dedicated teachers.
—Submitted by a parent

I was initially very excited about sending my kindergartner to this school. That excitment quickly went away. Although parent involvment is very high the admininistrative team is doing a very poor job leading the school. The school lacks organization, consistancy, teacher supervison and student materials. I would not recommend this school to anyone.
—Submitted by a parent

I am very disappointed in the quality of this school and quite frankly it offers no advantages over a competing local public school. The administration is unapproachable and concerns, such as a lack of books in the Middle School, are ignored. Discipline is inconsistent. The school can't even do a fair job of explaining the grading scale. Who ever heard of a grading scale that can vary from one teacher to the next? This was the message communicated by the administrators to the parents.
—Submitted by a parent

This is my child's second year of attendance at Imagine, and I must admit I am disappointed. However, I will cover the good points first. The current principal is approachable/accessible to parents, warm and caring with the students, a great communicator, and an effective organizer. He has the vision to keep the school moving forward. Gender teaching is a welcomed and effective change from the more traditional approach, chinese instruction is excellent, and parental involvement is heavy. Areas needing improvemnent include the following; the quality/consistency of instruction from teachers varies greatly, administrative support needs to work on professional communications (unreceptive and unwelcoming) with parents, afterschool program is disorganized.
—Submitted by a parent

We are proud parents of a new kindergarden male at Imagine. We love the faculties enthusiam & attitude towards learning. The influence is working miracles on my son. His interest is far more greater than before. It appears that Imagine's nontraditional approach towards teaching is delivering what was promised from its studies of creative & effective learning strategies of both foreign & domestic influence. We and...our son especially are excited about the school..
—Submitted by a parent

We love the school, the administration and the parents. The new buildings are going to be outstanding. Our kindergartner loved his teachers and really bonded with the biys in his class. Terrific!
—Submitted by a parent

I give the school 4 stars. This school just opened its doors for the 2007-08 school year. The school is still working out its kinks, however they have great potential. The staff is awesome and eager to teach our children. The PTA is amazing. As long as the parents and extended parent family remain involved, I'm sure the school would jump the ranking to #1.
—Submitted by a parent

Curriculum implementation needs a lot of work. Teachers are unfamiliar with the IB Curriculum and still have not been trained in the Everyday Math curriculum that was used this year. Math was a failure. Science barely existed. Children practice writing, but not spelling. Chinese, P.E. and Music classes are good. Parental involvement is good.
—Submitted by a parent