11209 Avery Station Loop #41
Austin, TX 78717

As a parent and a teacher, I cannot recommend Purple Sage. While there are teachers and staff sprinkled in who care for children, the majority of adults live their school lives demeaning students and parents. The assistant principal does not enjoy children unless they are quiet and compliant, while the head principal will tell parents whatever they want to hear to get them to go away and talks in circles to get out of any situation. There is no situation, big or small, that they feel they're in the wrong, could improve on, or would accept partnership to help students. They always deny any wrongdoing. This behavior trickles down to the teachers, so then teachers feel confident that they can treat students and parents in any way, because they are also never in the wrong. If ever an issue, the school is always in the right and refuses to hear all sides, with the bottom line being that they did nothing wrong and it is the students' personal issues that cause issues. Teachers are told they do not have to respond to parents, and that admin will handle issues; then the principals refuse to put anything in writing (email) and will only call over the phone to discuss matters. When they do email, they are vague and leave interpretation of them in a good light. Learning disabilities are ignored, then poor classwork and grades are blamed on "bad behaviors"; students are told "they know better than that" and "your parents would be so disappointed" instead of being taught how to work through issues or even asking the students' point of view. If students cannot keep up with the work, they are blamed and called out in front of peers in the classroom. Students see and hear adults treating students poorly - calling specific students out all the time, calling them unkind nicknames, and singling them out - then fellow students think it is okay to treat others this way, and they do. There is a bullying issue from teacher to student, and student to student; however, the student who is seen as different and being singled out is the one who ends up being called the problem. The school leads the outside world to believe that there are no issues on campus, and parents who don't have to deal with anything other than sending their kid to school and picking them up don't know what actually happens at PSE and just show up to PTA events believing everyone is experiencing a "good school". There is a huge number of families that are silenced and made to feel unwelcome every day.