Class Academy

There is a comment by the "principal" - whom was hired in the last few years- as a teacher there- she was not truthful about staff having "competitive wages and are on salary". Everyone gets a different payment and I was on a hourly payment. I was also only given one hour of prep per week. Teachers are treated very differently depending on how the owner or principal feel that day. Working there was the worst work experience I have ever had- chaotic, negative..etc. I work at a school now that is amazing- there are much better choices for schools out there!
--Submitted by a teacher

I was a teacher at CLASS for two years, and I found it to be a very negative experience. The Principal runs the school like a business with complete disregard for the educational experience of the teachers and the students. Teachers are not evaluated based on their teaching skills or effort, but rather on their personal relationship with the principal at that given moment. The learning environment is chaotic for the teachers and the students for many reasons, but mostly because the daily schedule of curriculum is inconsistent and fragmented. The year that I left the school, a third of the staff quit. I think that this says quite a bit about the quality of the educational environment.

My daughter has been attending Class Academy for over six years and it has been a wonderful environment for her. Although the school bills itself as having an "advanced" curriculum, the thing that really makes the school stand out is the way they teach. Instead of reading textbooks and taking numerous tests, the students are immersed in projects that make learning fun. Some examples are building a r model of the Great Wall of China inside their classroom, churning their own butter, conducting pretend archaeological digs, re-enacting pioneer life, etc. Students also learn public speaking at an early age and by middle school can give very effective presentations. They also have art instruction every day, receive personal attention in small classes, and are taught to be respectful and kind to their teachers and peers. In our experience most of the teachers have been outstanding and some are just "okay," but you'll find that in any school. Many of them have been on staff for five years or more. The only downsides to the school are the small outside play area for the kids and no electives for the older students. The school is probably best for 4-10 year olds.
--Submitted by a parent

Pretty sad when one of the school's administrators has to respond to the less than positive concerns shared by former parents and teachers to try and set the record straight. Also, gives the school an opportunity to have that administrator give the school five stars. Their feedback should be weighted as less important because they are a current administrator. Feedback from those who have experienced the school, either positively or negatively, should be weighted more. Those who have shared their concerns have some very valid insights. Our personal association with the school was not positive at all for either of our children. I would never recommend the school to anyone. There are so many more schooling options in the Portland area that provide a much more positive and nurturing environment. A different top administrator at the school is what needs to change, the owner. It is a for profit school so remember that when looking at it as a potential place for your child(ren). The "owner" makes a lot of money while the staff live on low salaries. Or, the "owner" begs for parents to contribute money for school repairs, painting, and the bonuses that the staff receive.
--Submitted by a parent

I have been the Principal / Executive Director of CLASS Academy for the past one and a half year. I value the feedback, both positive and constructive, that former parents, teachers, and students have about our school. Responding to feedback is how we can learn and grow as a school community. To clarify the misinformation in a few of the posts on this site, our current practice in regard to faculty benefits is to offer 130 - 150 minutes of prep time per week to all of our teachers, have salaries that are competitive with local private and public schools, and offer health, dental, and retirement benefits to all of our teachers. Our parent association provides generous cash bonuses for longevity as well. The average tenure of our faculty is 5 years. If you are interested in our school and would like to contact current parents to get their perspectives, please email or call the school and we will pass on the contact information of parents that have volunteered to answer any questions you may have and share their experience. Better yet, call us and schedule a tour and find out for yourself what a great school we have!
--Submitted by a teacher

I used to teach at Class Academy and I must agree with the parent who commented on March 7th. The teachers leave after one or two years because they have promised two years when they are hired. However, they are extremely underpaid for the amount of work they do, with very little, to no prep time for their classes. I know the teachers really care about their students and their academic success, but it is an unhealthy environment for such young children who need time to play and be imaginative. As teachers, we would often have to fight with the principal for outdoor time for our kids. I now have a nine year-old daughter and though I was impressed that the young children learn reading and mathematics at an earlier age than the average child, I would never send my daughter there.
--Submitted by a teacher

I am a grandparent, and retired teacher whose two grandchildren attend Class Academy. I follow their progress in school and find this school to be excellent. The teachers are responsive to each child, are organized, and have an excellent curriculum. Students get much individual attention due to the low teacher student ratio and the curriculum is age appropriate. The principal is experienced and knows what she is doing. Children have exposure to art, science, language arts, physical education, music, and math at a young age and my grandchildren are learning many new and exciting things every single day.

There are a limited few students who do well at Class Academy but many of the older students are still at the school because their parents need the before and afterschool daycare for their children. They also need the summer school program because they work and feel they have limited options for their children during the summer. This is not true because we have found many awesome full and part-time summer options available in the community. We moved children from Class Academy to another private school and are so pleased to be in a healthier environment. There is something odd about the feeling at CLASS and we noticed it from the first week. It's a very stale environment and the limited playground area is horrible. Our children now run on open fields of grass. Academically, we wondered about some of the things the children were being taught at CLASS Academy. Much of the curriculum seemed out of context with their age and interests. The majority of the staff at the school leave after one or two years. The principal also hires many siblings of current staff. We thought that to be odd. The principal is different for sure. Personally, not what we were expecting at all.
--Submitted by a parent

My 2 children ages 7 and 9 have been at Class Academy for 2 years now. Although it is not easy for me to pay for 2 children to attend the school I would sooner sell my home than pull them from this school!! The academics are great and although they go about things in a different way then most schools I consider that a blessing. My older son attended one of the higher rated public schools in the Portland area and Class is SOOO much better than what we experienced there. 30 kids in a 2nd grade class is a joke! I loved his teacher there but what can 1 person do when trying to teach 30 kids!!?? The people who bash this school are entitled to their opinion but I must disagree with alot of what is said. Yes the principal is strong, but thank goodness for it. My children get so much more individual attention due to the small class sizes. They promote public speaking, creativity, and the normal studies that any school would teach. If you want your child to be a good test taker send your child to public school. If you want a child that knows how to think critically and be well rounded then consider Class Academy. Our children and family are better for it.
--Submitted by a parent

After almost a year at Class Academy we pulled out. The principal is micromanaging every process at the school. If you don't have a really good feeling of her when visiting the school - don't enroll! Collective punishment is used when disciplining, but the management refuse that it takes place. But it does... An example: a teacher asks a group of students to look at the ceiling - if one student refuses, all the students are asked to pick up paper or clips from the floor. Also, several reward systems are based on group behavior rather than individual behavior. When a school accepts children with behavioral issues these methods of collective punishment and rewards can back flip and create tensions between the students. The school doesn t nurture or appreciate any feed back or communication. No parent-teacher conferences are scheduled during the school year. The principal wants to sit in on all parent-teacher meetings why conferences aren t appreciated.
--Submitted by a parent