8676 SUNDANCE LOOP, Sarasota, FL 34238

Wonderful diverse school with multiple programs. The IB Diploma Program is particularly strong, with high-achieving students who take very challenging course loads. Expectations are high and kids are well prepared for college, many of whom go onto top-tier universities. Facilities are well maintained and administrators are approachable and want the best for the RHS community. Really impressed with many of the teachers and a high percentage have advanced degrees.

Ashton is a terrible school, in my opinion. I felt like there was a lot of favoritism and, unfortunately, some very mean teachers. They use the “behavior loophole” to justify certain teacher behaviors and unfair treatment of students. Teachers may smile to your face, but their attitude can immediately change in the classrooms.A science teacher, whom I will not name, would say that she was “being sarcastic,” when, in reality, the teacher seemed to be targeting certain students and ridiculing them. Why would a teacher be sarcastic?If you are an average family and do not want your child to feel like just a number, I would not recommend Ashton. We had the worst experience there, and I would not recommend it to anyone.The teachers at Ashton seemed to have very few classroom management skills beyond marking a child down for behavior simply for talking. Other than that, they would send the child back to sit there for the entire year, ignore them, and not give them opportunities to participate, even when they were raising their hands. Basically isolating the student. They would also give behavior marks a week before school trips and then use those marks as a reason to prevent students from attending trips, such as the Orlando parks or other activities. Things seemed too calculated and this was year after year which made me think that this is a general culture at this school.In my opinion, if the principal is professional and genuinely involved, they are less likely to allow these kinds of things to happen and not support this behavior, or at least teachers are less likely to feel free to treat students however they want. The environment is very cliquey. If you are not part of their clique, you are basically just a number and invisible or targeted and your life will be miserable. My child wanted to stay even when I begged her to leave because she had friends there. But we definitely did not fit their socioeconomic standards. I work full-time, and I’m not involved in the PTO or a donor. My child was a straight A student, but she was targeted so much that she started doubting herself. So even if your child is not being targeted, I personally would not want my child around people who have the potential to do the things they did. They also gossip a lot about students.