Leap Academy University Charter School

I am a student at LEAP , I have been attending this school since kindergarten. So this is all I know. This school could be disorganized, crazy sometimes, and all other things, but I could honestly say I feel safe here than I would in any other school. The kids are out of contol but that is thier parents fault. You come to school to learn and not play around and do other things. Administration needs to take disipline more seriously and stop sending kids home bc you're 3 mins late to school. So much for education huh? but this school has its bad and good things maybe just like any other school i would assume

As a former student, I can honestly say that the school is a joke, an ongoing joke accepted by the same gullible audience who always fall for Gloria Santiago's vision of a brighter future for Camden city students--a vision I would give her accolades for but not for the way it's presented. With immodest candor, I will say that the school is terrible! The students are OUT OF CONTROLl, the education is watered down, the parents practically rule the administration, and lastly, the order is broken. I can recall my eight grade year where literally 5/7 of my teachers gradually either quit or were fired, leaving about 60 students without teachers and frankly an education for several months! True story; I'm sure the records WILL prove that. 100% college placement? Some of these students know nothing about the college application process and had the pre-college office "do it for them." Almost everyone ended up in Camden County College, and later droped. LEAP is just more sophisticated on the outside than Camden High, the worst school in the city/state! Teachers would agree; they are just adhering to their professionality. Gloria can keep putting on dog shows but her plan will not get far.

LEAP Academy is an excellent school! Schools can not do it a lone - it takes good parenting and wonderful families to educate and prepare a youngster for college and life. The partnership that LEAP provides for students and parents is non parallel - caring and quality teachers as well as very dedicated administrative personnel. You ripe what you sow - LEAP is RIPPING now a days from all the hard work that the Camden community & families have sowed. Every year there are young men and women graduating from College with great degrees who attended LEAP Academy! I am a proud grandmother of two wonderful LEAP students - grades 7th & Kinder.

I am a proud LEAP Parent. A city like Camden where the comments and attitudes of those who work here but dont live here and its easy to judge, minimize and belittle our children is appaulling. Leap has changed lives, Leap gives a parent a voice and LEAP is a place where many of us call home. I am greatful to LEAP Academy for the opportunity given to my children not such to attend a great school but a school who will ensure that my child gets into college and make it.
—Submitted by a parent

I Cannot Believe The Review I have just read submitted by one of our own teachers, I CHALLENGE your comments. LEAP Academy has been a light in a City with so many challenges and it s the stereotypical ignorant mindset and comments posted by a so called LEAP teacher that LEAP students have to continue to fight against. By your comments posted it sounds like you should rethink your job as a teacher, it s easy to blame the children but where is your accountability in becoming part of the solution not another stumbling block. For those of you reading and want to know what LEAP is really about check out the LEAP website where there are a number of stories of LEAP student achievements. Some of the most recent: A student getting into Cornell or the six STEM students placing at the Coriell Science Fair two weeks ago or how about the Student who is receiving a full ride to DePaul University. WOW-I wonder if this sounds like students who can't write or speak proper english. These are just a few of the most recent achievements. If you don t want to be a part of the successes don t stick around to become part of the problem.
—Submitted by a teacher

I'm a parent of a child at Leap and the comments that were made by the negative people that visited this cite touch me personally. I send my child to school to be nurtured taught about life and its advantages, not to be sterotyped and degrated by someone who evidently teaches for a paycheck and not the students in their care. Leap gives kids a chance that normally wouldn't have one. It is frightening to know that someone that may teach my child thinks like this about the students at Leap
—Submitted by a parent

Student: I am a student at Leap an I love the school. I feel safe and protected. Leap is like a second home to me. Hope Leap stays open forever.

this place is the ultimate joke school! If I could give negative stars I would. I hope that the Rowan-Rutgers merger will shut down this waste of taxpayers money. The academic integrity of this school is horrible and Jobs seem to be created to help out friends of the board members. This school is probably better than others in Camden, but I feel sorry for anyone who has to be there! The convicts are running the show in this place! The student behavior is just outrageous!

The children (7th-12th) have absolutely no manners or concept of acceptable behavior because it is not taught at home. Children sit in class daily texting their PARENT or another student and when you try to take the phone away you are lucky to not get cussed out. The vast majority cannot write a sentence with a noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, or adverb because broken English is spoken all day long so the kids write the way they speak. The kids NEVER come to class prepared to work and by that meaning you have a textbook, pencil, pen, and paper to write on so one is able to learn. The amount of eye-rolling, teeth sucking, cussing, talking under one's breath, stomping, screaming "OH MY GOD" by the students when you tell them to sit down, be quiet, stop talking, put your blazer on, put the phone away, or put the iPod away is not only unacceptable but unbelievable. The blame for such disregard for authority can be spread to the parent/home, student, and school officials for not having a single backbone to put their feet down and enforce the rules.
—Submitted by a teacher

Typical School located in Camden thinking that they are making a difference but their really not. Yes they have a 100 percent of kids going to college but 90 % of them go to Camden county college!!! which doesnt mean anything because more than half of them dont finish college anyway. Camden is just a city that cannot be fixed so easily. Kids are better off just going to public schools.
—Submitted by a teacher

I think that if a school has been open for 13+ years they should have figured out how to have arrival (lining up), lunch and dismissal procedures. See first hand I like these things change multiple times per year. I also believe that there should be guidelines that are set in place that will prevent other students from disrupting another child's learning. Although there is a handbook which states procedures and disciplinary action, there is rarely follow through. This lack of follow through only lets the child causing the ruckus believe that this behavior is ok. Students are not prepared for college and many of them do not get past their first semester. So graduating is all well and good but are the satisfactorily prepared for to work independently at the level of a freshmen in college, I can say with all certainty - DEFINITELY NOT!!!

This is a inner City school. 99% of the students graduate and go to college. What more do I have to say. The kids who attend Leap do not let their social economic conditions stop them from being great academics. I,m so proud of these kids. I am also a proud Leap parent.
—Submitted by a parent

Excitement soars at LEAP Academy--as this charter school has steadily improved each year adding new energized, knowledgeable and dedicated administrators and teaching staff. Test scores continue to rise as well as the students who are always counted as the number one priority. This past summer teachers received over 40 hours of professional development, excellence in teaching was documented with videos to share with new as well as seasoned staff members. Preparations are almost complete for the best Fall semester LEAP students, parents and staff have ever experienced.

Well I'm a student at LEAP and it's a great school it challenges you and helps you. Also,I can't forget they'll give you a scholarship to Rutgers.!!
—Submitted by a student

I agree with the previous writer, however I have 2 students in the school. I've never had any problems with any teachers or staff. My children are learning very well. I believe office personal should be more organized in a more properly way. For example on the first day of school most of the children didn't know what class they belong because no one bother to send a letter to parents informing them where or what class they were going to. The first day of school was a day or terror for my 1st grader whom was told the wrong class number by a teacher in the school looking at a chart she had in her hands and still gave my baby wrong class number. I believe the school can achieve if every one is organized and know what they are doing. They need proper training classes for new parents.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is providing my son with an excellent education. The leadership at this school is excellent from students, teachers office staff and principal. Your child will be very prepared for college after graduation. Parents however are the key. Parents involvement, discipline and commitment to their children and the school is necessary for the school to continue providing our youth with an excellent education. '
—Submitted by a parent

This school is great! It is proffesional and shows great proficiency in all subjects. Teacher's are all well trained and is a great all around school.
—Submitted by Greg Moses, a student

While the charter school movemnet is good it takes a stroong administrative leadership to run the school and unfortunately LEAP is not blessed with strong administrators. While professing to have the students best interest at heart it is often observed they they seek publicity while ingnoring the true problems of the school - they ignore the needs of the staff and qualify it with students and families come first, yet there would be no school or education for these students if there were no dedicated teachers, discipline was and continues to be a major issue. LEAP appears to lack stability with a high turn over of teachers each year. The high has failed to funtion normally and has a had high withdrawal rate, hopefully that will improve with the building a new school.
—Submitted by a teacher