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I will back up what Chickpeas was saying. My daughter is in the elementary school, and the academic attention she receives is incredible. The grade levels are not as rigid like they are in public school. My daughter gets to be with third graders in Math and second graders in English. I know for a fact that this would not happen in public school. The teachers and the director are fantastic people and they truly have the children's best interests in their hearts. It is a great place, if you are looking for a non-religious, private school experience for your child!
Let me begin by saying I have my PhD in Education so choosing a school for my own child was a really big deal. We initially tried public school here and hated it. My K student arrived reading at a 3rd grade level and there simply were too many children to do anything with her besides have her color in a corner. I felt guilty sending her to school it was so bad! I think we looked at every possibility until we finally settled on trying Atlas. I am thrilled with our decision.
Here's what I love the most: Our daughter was assessed at the beginning of the school year and was placed according to her level. If that meant attending 1st or 2nd grade during reading and math time, that's what the school did. I am delighted with this concept. Instead of K year being a huge waste, my child has grown and advanced in leaps and bounds.
Second, teachers do an outstanding job of communicating information to parents. Thursday night each week, I receive an outline of lesson plans in every subject, as well as all of the homework assigned for the entire week in each area. This concept is simply unheard of in public school. There is quite a bit of homework, but I am ok with this because we WANT our children to be advanced intellectually. The homework is NOT busy work, so I feel good about it. Every homework assignment has been something I would hope my child would learn.
Third, the curriculum aligns with what I would call a Classical Education. They teach 2 foreign languages by providing a language immersion program through song and games 1 full hour each day. They also teach piano and violin at school. The curriculum used (Core Knowledge NOT to be confused with CORE curriculum) covers classical topics--famous literature/poems for language arts and basic history/science.
My 2 greatest concerns when looking at this school were whether it was legitimate (it very much is) and whether it was for kids who "couldn't make it" in Public School (not the case). The school seems perfect for bright, advanced, mature children whose parents want them to advance beyond what public school can offer. It does this.
This school is not perfect (none are), but I have found it is an exceptional choice. I love the shortened day and Fridays off. We use them to visit museums or travel. Although we haven't used it, I've heard after school care and Friday programs are also high quality. Great school!
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