Ridgeview Forest

Great teachers, great STEM learning, great clubs, and wonderful and kind administration.

The staff at this school are great! The students are very racist. My son had issues with racism the entire school year. It is a predominately Hispanic school, them not liking African Americans is new to us. We dislike no one. I did everything throughout the year to get my son switched out of this school, the board did nothing even with doc notes! My son has never had any issues being in school until he came to this one. This was truly heartbreaking newly moving to this town, and having to deal with this everyday. It was my mistake even moving to this zone not knowing you can’t do anything about it. But this was also my learning experience moving forward in life. Staff done some things to end what was going on, but what honestly can be done when it’s the upbringing of the kids in attendance.

I went to Galloway from K–12, so this comes from a very long firsthand experience. There are definitely positives: it is a kind, supportive environment, the teachers generally care, and the school does a good job making students feel seen as individuals. I understand why a lot of Buckhead families are drawn to it.That said, looking back as an adult, I do not feel like it prepared me especially well for real life. There was a lot of emphasis on “be your best self,” which sounds good on paper, but in my experience there was less emphasis on discipline, toughness, accountability, and the kind of academic rigor that actually helps once you leave a protected school environment. It helped get me into Alabama, but I was not especially well prepared once I got there, and that became obvious pretty quickly.Now I work in residential real estate, and while I do fine, it is not exactly the kind of challenging or deeply fulfilling professional path I once thought a school like Galloway was preparing me for. It is a very relationship-driven job with long hours, and if I am being honest, a lot of where I landed had more to do with family connections than with any real edge the school gave me. That is the part I think prospective families should think about. Galloway was good at making students feel comfortable and affirmed. I am less convinced it was good at pushing them hard enough to thrive on their own later.

We’ve had such a wonderful experience at The Mount Vernon School, especially in the Preschool program. From the moment my son started in PK2, we felt wrapped in the most caring, positive, and welcoming environment. My son is now in PK3 and absolutely loves going to school each day. His teachers know him so well and make learning so much fun. We’ve seen huge growth in his confidence, independence, and emotional intelligence!The Mount Vernon community as a whole is warm, welcoming, and truly invested in each child. As a parent, it means so much to know he’s in a safe, joyful, and enriching environment where he’s not only learning but truly thriving.Highly recommend Mount Vernon - especially for families looking for an exceptional preschool!