ADS has been a perfect fit for our family. The teachers are wonderful. We've been very pleased with how this young charter school has grown in just a few short years.
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Posted by a parent on 08/12/09
Our son just finished kindergarten at ADS and we were delighted. His teachers were fantastic; he learned so much and had a great attitude about school. ADS is distinguished from other public schools by its environmental science program (including a weekly hike), the nutritional guidelines, its multi-age
... Read more classrooms, the emphasis on learning by doing, and a general respect for the whole child. Prospective parents should check out the website and go on a tour to get a feel for the school. The written assessment ADS uses is perhaps more meaningful than number grades -- you really know where your child's strengths and weakness are. I found ADS orderly (not chaotic) and I thought discipline was well-handled. Parents can expect their child to do around 10 minutes of homework a night per grade. The word about ADS is out; there are now several applicants per opening. Read less
Posted by a parent on 07/13/09
So far we are pleased with the treatment from administration. They have been very helpful.
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Posted by a parent on 04/16/09
Things have not been perfect at ADS. From what I have seen many charter schools fall around year 3. That is not what has happened at ADS. ADS has continued to grow in accademic excellence while maintaining the sence of community that is beyond compare.Organization is getting better and better, and the
... Read more sense of love, warmth, and safety are increaed by the fact the staff know and care for every child. More and more there are groups of parents who are touring the school. Parents are encouraged to observe and to be a part of what is going on there. I agree this school may not be for every child. It is not for every family. But the quality of teachers is amazing! I would encourage anyone who was at ADS year 1 or 2, check out what is going on now. ADS is accomplishing what it set out to do! Read less
Posted by a parent on 11/14/08
In truth ADS did have a rocky couple of years, but it's begun to hit its stride. Discipline and safety are no longer issues, in my opinion. The school has much improved leadership. Each year has seen great improvement. This school year (08 - 09) has so far been remarkable for the quality of new teachers,
... Read more organizational flow, solid disciplinary procedures and much more. The folks here are passionate (and that's no small thing) and they work very hard along with many dedicated parents. What they have achieved is very rar--a sense of community, of family, that no standard public school can match. As a parent of a student here, I am proud of ADS's accomplishments and I look forward to its growth. This school is not for every child--as seen by some of the negative reviews--but for many like myself it's the education I wish I had had. Read less
Posted by a parent on 10/23/08
This school has some really great ideas and some things that don't work very well. For children whose parents are actively engaged with the learning process outside the classroom, the play-centered curriculum can be really effective. For parents who have a lot going on in their own lives and may not
... Read more have time to augment the lessons at home, it is likely to result in children falling behind their peers at other schools. The kids have a half day every Friday, which lends to even looser ideas of what school is about. This too can be good or bad depending on the kid and the larger family. Looser philosophies on discipline combined with inexperienced teachers can lead to chaos in the classrooms, but children who are bright energetic and eager to learn - with continual reinforcement at home - could blossom with the ideals promoted by the staff. Read less
Posted by a parent on 09/30/08
We too were deeply in love with this school for a couple of years. There are a lot of positives here when compared to public schools, less structure, focus on the whole child, nature hikes...etc, etc. The facts are, are that this school is still trying to find it's way, sometimes at the expense of
... Read more your child. If you are having educational concerns for you child and you want to know who would be the best fit for them the following year, GOOD LUCK. The teaching staff, year to year, seems very schizophrenic. We still don't know who the teachers for the next grade will be next year. It will probably be someone who's never taught before and who will be thrown in a room with one other in/unexperienced teacher and 32 kids. Sound scary? It is. I would agree with other reviews here, looks good on paper, just not there. Read less
Posted by a parent on 07/02/08
I'm a former elementary school teacher, so I know what goes on in schools. Some of the previous reviewers mentioned discipline problems and 'chaos'. Folks, that happens (and in greater quantities) at every school. At ADS teachers work to effect a harmonious classroom that includes all students, regardless
... Read more of behavior. Administrators give parents a behind-the-scenes look at the way the school works. All schools are a little chaotic - they just don't let parents see that. The ADS curriculum follows the best current brain-based and methodological research. It's implementation is very good. Teachers are dedicated. Bottom line: if your highest educational goal is that your child learn to 'paint-by-numbers', send them to a traditional school. If the goal is that your child develop into a 'thinker', send in your ADS application now. Read less
Posted by a parent on 06/09/08
I can see why some are concerned. Last year (yr 2) the TAKS scores were less than acceptable, by 3 students. Please see this year s scores at: http://www.austindiscoveryschool.org/taks.php Yes, there will be some who do better than others in public, private or charter schools. Please judge this school
... Read more on the merit it deserves and not the comments of the few. Read less
Posted by a parent on 05/27/08
I support an environment where children are taught through visual, auditory and kinesthetic means; I support an environment where children are given the opportunity to learn to live by their choices; I support an environment where children learn to live in a win-win world; I support an environment
... Read more where children learn to take responsibility for the land upon which they live; I support an environment just like this: Austin Discovery School. Read less
*The resources listed are programs that the institution is staffed to support. Staffing for a program does not guarantee that it will be offered. This content is provided by the institution and may be incomplete. The institution may offer programs not listed here. Please contact the school directly for additional details.
Advanced Placement
AP classes are college-level classes offered at the high school level. Once a student completes an AP class and passes a final comprehensive examination conducted by the College Board, the student earns college credit for the course. AP classes are specific and not to be confused with other higher-level classes such as honors classes.
Before/After School
"Extended day" programs where the school day is extended before and after school to accommodate working parents. These programs should not be confused with common after school clubs or athletic activities.
Gifted and Talented
A school system may identify 10% to 15% or more of its student population as gifted and talented. A brief description of each area of giftedness or talent as defined by the Office of Gifted and Talented:
general intellectual ability or talent - high intelligence test score (usually two standard deviations above the mean), and high levels of vocabulary, memory, abstract work knowledge and abstract reasoning;
specific academic aptitude or talent in one area such as mathematics or language arts;
creative and productive thinking, the ability to produce new ideas;
leadership ability, the ability to direct individuals or groups to a common decision or action;
visual and performing arts, special talents in visual art, music, dance, drama, or other related studies;
psychomotor ability, such as practical, spatial, mechanical, and physical skills.
Vocation/Technical Curriculum
Vocational and/or technical courses offered within a comprehensive school, usually a senior high school.
Special Education Classes
A school or program within a school that provides services and training to students with moderate to severe mental and/or physical disabilities.
Adult Education Classes
Programs offering GED or equivalent courses for adults within regular schools, whether classes are held during evening or daytime schedules.
English as Second Language
English language classes for students whose first language is not English.
Austin schools — Austin Discovery School is located at 8509 Fm 969 Ste 200, Austin TX 78724. 8509 Fm 969 Ste 200 is in the 78724 ZIP code in Austin, TX Austin Discovery School is a Public school that serves grade levels K - 5.
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Test Score Ratings
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