Notre Dame Academy

What a GREAT school! I am actually shocked by the negative comment below. Believe me, one disgruntled parent does NOT represent the vast majority of very happy families at this school! Our family has been extremely satisfied with the professionalism of the faculty & staff and the high level of education that challenges our kids to constantly ask questions and dive deeper into the task at hand. Then, there are the many extracurricular activities offered, the frequency of opportunities that we have as parents to get involved at the school, and the emphasis on the Catholic faith. What a wonderful place to raise a family.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a parent at Notre Dame Academy. I was attracted to the school by a parent and friend. The school is a fantastic school. The teachers and staff are wonderful. The school has 2 brands - Marist (educators for over 100 years) and IB (Globally minded for an international world). In a world of growing obesity, this school has DAILY P.E. I do not pay up front at this school, but pay using its 8 months plan. I am not related to an an administrator but have a great teacher for my child. You only have to look at the grammar in the complaint to know that education criticism is not that parent's strength. Blessings to all.
--Submitted by a parent

DISGUISED and FURIOUS at myself for being fooled through great advertisement and making such a horrid decision.This is the worst way to spend your money. You would not want to send your children to this school even if they gave you a scholarship for full tuition. The school is over rated and over priced. The education is sub par. The children are not challenged and that IB part of the curriculum is a joke, despite what they advertise. The administration is the worst! Even as a paying parent you are treated as an outsider, unless you are related to an insider. Do yourself a favor if you are NOT related to an administrator, DON'T put yourself, or your child through this school. They take all your money up front and place your child in the outsiders class with the least experienced teacher. As a catholic I pray daily for my child's teacher and the principal. Good Luck.
--Submitted by a parent

We are in our 5th year at NDA, and have 2 children currently attending the school. We are not Catholic, nor are we able to contribute financially much beyond the tuition. One of our children excels at reading and most other subjects; the other is a slower learner. With all of that said, Notre Dame Academy has been a fantastic experience for both of our children, and our family. We have not felt that we received anything less than the best the school has to offer - and it has a great deal to offer! The teachers, the technology, the curriculum, the other parents, etc. are all wonderful. I'm sorry some folks have not had good experiences here. We have felt blessed to be a part of something so special.
--Submitted by a parent

Teachers are either "hit" or "miss". It's like winning a lotto. The chance of getting the teacher who's a rock star is slim, unless you're an insider of which there're many because they're the ones who founded this new'ish school. The founding members still have kids going to school so you get the picture. For a small school, there seems to be a lot of relatives or kins working there so the favoritism comes into play which diminishes the self-esteem of the other students who're completely new to the school and/or don't have any ties there[ with either the administrators or the founding families] don't necessarily always get the "better" teachers. The IB part of the curriculum is its key asset. However, the overall curriculum [again, it' may be the variance in teaching quality as some teachers may be great] is not rigorous enough. You often feel that the rest of the class has to wait until the ones who don't get it finally catches up when in fact everyone pays the same tuition. There seems to be a heavy pendulum swing towards the Special Needs students rather than the norm and up.
--Submitted by a parent

My family has been at Notre Dame Academy for four years, and I can honestly say it is a privilege to be associated with the school. The teachers and administration emphasize character, integrity, hard work, knowledge, and spirituality. My kids work hard because they see the children around them working hard; the families at this school value education. In four years, we have had seven different teachers, all of whom are still teaching at the school. Fundraisers at the school include an annual fund drive, a gala (optional), and a Fun Run (student raised donations, optional, but encouraged). Everything about this school is considered and well thought out, and as a parent, I have seen them make the right choices, time after time. Of all the schools we toured/interviewed, Notre Dame is the one that most strongly emphasized learning and knowledge, with an inquiry based approach that creates students as learners, making them partners with the teaching staff. This school is a wonderful gem, and I think that would be completely clear to anyone who takes a tour, or sends their child in for a day to shadow a class.
--Submitted by a parent

I have two children at NDA, and we are now in our 4th year. It is hard to describe just how amazing this school is - it really feels much more like a family than a school. The best things: -the teachers KNOW my children and know exactly how to challenge them to think deeply. We have consistently seen teachers challenge our kids academically to push them to accomplish things our kids did not think were possible -my kids have been given work ahead of grade level to keep their interest in learning - they are never bored -the school is an international baccalaureate school, with an emphasis on creativity, integrated learning across disciplines, and incorporation of technology into the curriculum -the education is strongly faith based -not only do our classroom teachers know my children, but most of the other teachers also know them by name -every teacher we have had since pre-K is still at the school, and my kids love to visit with their old teachers -the music/arts program is great -they have PE and recess outside every day Most of all, my children are learning in an environment that places knowledge in context within the world around us. They are proud to call themselves learners.
--Submitted by a parent

Several years ago when Notre Dame Academy was first opening I discovered a very dedicated group of teachers and staff that worked very hard to open the doors of the school. We moved away and recently came back to the area and I have found it very sad that VERY few of those who put in the blood, sweat, and tears for this school to open had left the school. I have done further investigating to find out that many of these amazing teachers and staff were used up and let go because the focus of the school quickly changed from being about the school to being about growing administration. Very sad and unfortunate as at one time this was a place full of academic strength and a community of caring.
--Submitted by a parent

I am thrilled with the school. We have a child that is gifted academically and the IB program challenges her everyday. The reading program is individualized in that she reads on level that is best for her - she is reading several grade levels ahead. The Head of School does monitor the test scores and shares the results with the parents. My husband and I were very impressed to learn at a recent parent meeting that the 8th graders at Notre Dame score in the 99%. Our child is at the school for the academics and she is performing well above grade level.
--Submitted by a parent

Notre Dame has been a great school for our family. We have been since it has opened. There has been very little turnover in the teachers and we have the BEST teachers in Atlanta. This year the school has introduced Apple technology and my children are doing amazing things. We have fundraisers just like any school but the administration makes wonderful choices as to how to spend the money. Every dollar raised is invested back into the school to enhance the educational program. I would invite any family to come and tour our school and meet our wonderful teacher. You will be amazed.
--Submitted by a parent