Challenger School - Sandy Elementary School

I strongly disagree with the negative review below. Challenger School, especially the Sandy Campus, is outstanding. I have not experienced or heard of anyone having a poor experience this year. I honestly feel this year is by far the best year we have seen with the quality of education and fun at Challenger. My students love their teachers and classes, and I have no issues with the approachable, friendly, and transparent administration. You can t stop nor should you stop a person from wanting to pursue their happiness, having children and taking leave, but still Challenger brings in top quality teachers. It is disappointing to see a misguided and inaccurate critic of Challenger s, and to a degree shows some of the problems of our country, if people can complain about a school that does an amazing job promoting education and patriotism. Challenger is superior to our dismal public school and superior to any other school charter or private, because Barbra Baker is an amazing woman, with an amazing vision. I have no complaints and question the truthful nature of the author of that review. I love Challenger and am extremely fortunate such a school exists for my children.
--Submitted by a parent

The Sandy Campus has the potential to be a great school, however they continually miss the mark with their administration, parent interaction and teacher relations. They are very unwelcoming to any parent participation (no volunteers allowed here). The school refuses to integrate any technology, such as e-mails accounts for the teachers or an online grading system. The iron-fisted administration does not allow teachers to use any of their own creativity in their teaching - if it doesn't come from the corporate office, it doesn't get used in the classroom. While they feel they're superior to public schools, you won't see any wonderful teacher imaginations and creativity in this school. There is also a high teacher turnover because of that iron-fisted mentality I mentioned earlier and the harshness with which the school deals with varying personalities of the teachers. I watched many great teachers come and leave the Sandy Campus. There are a few exceptional teachers in that school, however they are not allowed to individualize their class activities or projects. It's a shame that this school is wasting a good curriculum due to it's heavy-handed dictator-like administration.
--Submitted by a parent

The best academic school Utah has to offer. Chec out the students test scores compared to the nation. These kids are smart!
--Submitted by a parent

This is not a school, it is a boot camp. Children should learn to love learning. Challenger seems to think children are robots, to be programmed tpo spit out multiplication tables and phonics rules on demand. The teachers are trained the challenger way to enforce rules and get results, not to do what is best for the child.
--Submitted by a parent

I met with the director of admission and they have tested my kid and determined he is capable of advance learning/knowledge at grade1 but since my boy is only 4 and they not allowing "jump grade" . Also, the teaching matter is just emphasis on pushing students to the limit without the joy of learning naturally. Tons of homework and no socializing and curriculum for outdoor activities. just a small playground that very crowded. Plus, for a private school, it has big class size, I think students will not given attentions much needed.
--Submitted by a parent

I was so excited when my son got into this school but I realized that it is not really a school - it is a slave house. They do not want a 3 year old to be a 3 year old - they even suggested that my son has ADHD because he was active (like a normal 3 year old, my pediatrician confirmed he did not have ADHD). They pull the paper out of the kids hands if they paint green instead of the teacher suggested blue. They said my son does not get intimidated by the 6'2" headmaster and hence they have run out of behavior management techniques. One of their problems for my son was that he was chatty and it takes him sometime to actually get to the chores and that if he is let to be himself, he will become a rebel!
--Submitted by a parent

The big classroom size is our frustration too. There's study showing that once the classroom size is over 25, the quality drops dramatically. With the budget cut in JSD and Canyon school district, both school district still work hard to keep the classromm size under 25. But the sandy challenger is very disappointing. Our kids have been in challenger for many years and we have been happy with the school's focus on accdemic quality. Now we are looking for other options.
--Submitted by a parent

This semester's 5th grade is a BIG problem, there are 34 students in one class! It just changed my good impression of Sandy campus. Many parents are complaining. My friends told me the 6th grade has 29 students. Not private school in size! If no change is made soon, we will definitely leave the Sandy campus.
--Submitted by a parent

Challenger School is by far the best private school available in Utah. They do only serve up to 8th grade however, but I have found it to be a wonderful transition into an ALPS HIgh School or JDHS. My children have all attended the Sandy location and I couldn't be happier. I am the Director of Academics at a private university with a MAEd, in my opinion Challenger School's curriculum is perfectly designed to give students the advantage not only academically but also philosophically for the rest of their lives. The administration this year (2009-2010) is wonderful and seems more stable than in the past, also the turnover rate with the teachers has stabalized this year. I recommend this school to everyone I talk to. They are a conservate minded institution. They are highly patriotic and are not afraid to teach values.
--Submitted by a parent

I have a 6 year old son attending Challenger in Sandy (First Grade). This is our first year here and I just have to say how TOTALLY impressed I have been. First, the office staff is incredibly friendly. I think every mom knows what a huge difference a friendly office staff makes. Second, the headmaster is awesome. He always has a smile on his face and practically radiates goodness and kindness. Even the staff that stands outside and loads your kids always look happy, and half of them know my son's name (with hundreds of students I think this is very impressive). They will say 'Good morning Jacob, ready for school today?' My son's first grade teacher is a perfect combination of no-nonsense teacher and kind encourager. The homework is not overwhelming, but I feel like he is being challenged at the same time. Great School!
--Submitted by a parent