McDowell School

Most of the reviews I read for this school are quite old. Recently they have had a ton of teacher turnover and my child always had stories to tell about the teachers yelling, being mean to the children, and constantly changing classrooms. When we needed special instruction for our child, they appeared to want to work with us only to ignore my child's need and shuffle them from class to class. I wouldn't recommend this school unless you have no other option, the administration is difficult to work with and the school seems to be having a lot of issues.

When my brother got diagnosed with autism, our reality changed. We didn’t know what the future was going to look like, where the best school was for his needs, or who to turn to for support. Long mornings spent in IOP meetings, advocating for his rights with the school district, back-to-back therapies draining the greater half of our day and our gas tank. Sometimes I was invited to sit in on his sessions and observe. When I think back to the way his eyes looked, a few words come to mind: Frustrated, misunderstood, disinterested.He always has had rather peculiar interests; mechanical chains of the garage door, children’s books with bright buttons naming different colors, rewinding VHS tapes to watch his favorite scene over and over for what felt like the millionth time.My brother and I are now in our mid-to-late twenties, and he radiates such purity and excitement for living despite all the hardships he has had to overcome. He is my best friend and I am his.I found Armenta Learning Academy and immediately sensed that they had something I felt was missing from those dull classrooms and therapies:A chance to succeed - To be met with patience and encouragement, structured lessons incorporating his individuality into learning necessary skills.A chance to really see how far he can go - To push the limitations constantly put on him, being treated as the bright young man he is.Armenta Learning Academy allows me to give our students everything I’ve always wanted for my brother. Listening and adjusting to their needs and individuality, making the serious fun and taking our fun seriously, noticing all the little quirks that each student has and how we can incorporate their interests into the learning material. The best part is that every staff member at Armenta Learning Academy shares the same investment in our students’ success. All the attention to detail put into how we can connect with each student on a personal level, celebrate their progression, and build confidence from within is a testament to how we can surprise ourselves with our own capabilities.