Language Academy

Advice for Management:Step down. Start over. The system is broken from the top down. Until this school restructures its leadership and installs people with trauma-informed training, safety policies, and actual accountability, nothing will change. Stop punishing the teachers trying to hold this place together.

Administration is focused on their pet programs with little attention or interest in kids needs or learning fundamentals.

I have one student in 2nd grade and one will be in Kindergarten next year. We just attended the TK/K info night and I am continuously amazed by Hardy. Every experience I have had since transferring there this year, from a school down the street, has been positive. Completely different than a previous experience. You can feel the culture, everything is warm, organized, and student centered. Principal Aragon is one of the highlights for us. She is visible, clear, and deeply committed to kids. She spoke with both heart and strategy, and it was obvious she knows her students, supports her staff, and leads with high expectations and compassion. It is rare to see leadership that feels both strong and human, and it was the cherry on top of a wonderful year so far with our older student. We are so excited that we now get to call Hardy our home for both children.

Hearst has exceeded our expectations. The foundation, PTA, and parent community create a nurturing environment for learners of diverse abilities and backgrounds. The teachers are dedicated and innovative in their approach; our children feel supported, challenged, and have blossomed in this very special school. Most of all, they have FUN! You can see this by how they all run through the gates each day, saying “Good Morning” to Ms. Wendy, a staple of the Hearst Community. No school is perfect, but we feel confident that any issue that may arise will be addressed effectively.

I will be honest, I have been in the school for 8 years and the treatment there is really bad. The school has canceled many field trips and the school lunch is bad. This is a Muslim school and i'm not Muslim so I often get left out by the girls in my class they only come to me when they need something or they need help. The treatment is very bad There are a lot of fights and violence and the teachers don't do anything about it. The students are very rude and they are mean, they leave out students that are not Muslim ( me ) I feel really bad for that and I hate going to school because of it they only care about them. The school is very small and we have a lot of students and the equipment is very bad and not safe for the students. Don't trust people when they say that the school is good because it's not, so don't bring your child to this school. The thing that I would say is good is the teaching it is not that bad but it's not great.

Fantastic, top notch school. I am an educator that has worked at 12-15 different schools and districts. From my background I can say Maryland Avenue is one of the best schools in La Mesa by far. Staff are well above average, as are the support staff (special ed team, psychologist, and SLP are amazing and such a support), and after school care (ESS). Family engagement is huge, the staff, teachers and PTA constantly are having fantastic events, meetings with parents, and ongoing communication.On that note, a specific negative review (one dated 9/1/21) that is from a family we all know, that reports highly inaccurate information. This review is defunct and political based, regarding covid pandemic. Family was unhappy about school closures, something any school had no control over. Ignore those silly people and their reviews, there are always crazy folks mixed in with 99% of good people.MAA is a great school

This review reflects concerns shared by multiple families, many of whom are hesitant to speak openly due to fear of retaliation.As someone involved with the school for over 5 years, I have seen ongoing issues that are concerning. Classrooms are often overcrowded, and teachers appear overwhelmed and under supported. Communication from administration can feel indirect, and feedback does not always seem welcomed.While efforts are visible on the surface, they do not always reflect the day to day experience. Family communication is not consistent, and tools like ParentSquare are not used uniformly across staff.Teacher quality varies widely. Some educators go above and beyond and make a lasting difference, while others seem disengaged. That inconsistency can leave families feeling like their children are not receiving equal attention or support.There has also been a lack of stability for certain grade levels. For example, the class of 2034 has experienced both classes losing their teachers beginning in December of their third grade year that lasted through the remainder of the school year, followed by continued disruption the next year. There has been little to no intervention specific to them to help those students recover from those gaps.Special education support needs improvement and assistance. While some staff are dedicated, there are students who clearly need more support than they are receiving. Students with high support needs would definitely not thrive here at all.Families would benefit from more transparency, consistent communication, and opportunities for open dialogue with leadership. Stronger support for teachers and more focus on community building could significantly improve both morale and student outcomes.