Apogee Winter Park

I can’t say enough wonderful things about Dr. Thacker and the majority of the staff at Red Bug Elementary. They truly are an amazing school. They put together so many wonderful events for the students, and it’s clear how much they care. Dr. Thacker even spends her weekends at the park watching the students play—giving her personal time just to support and connect with our kids. That level of dedication and love for the students is truly special.

My 8 yo daughter took a very important test that would determine if she could be promoted to the next grade or be retained. She has ADD and gets distracted very easily. I received a phone call from one of her two teachers telling me she did not pass the test and she would be retained. She got the lowest score possible which made me question if she had even paid any attention to the test. When I asked her teachers they had no clue of her performance during the test. I was told they were not with her while she took the test but didn’t care to find out how she got the lowest score possible. I addressed my concern to them and their reply was to not reach out to them for the rest of the year and instead to reach out to administration. Zero commitment, dedication or accountability. If you are an advocate for your child’s education don’t enroll your child in this school. Note: The other staff were always great to me (front desk, nurse, principal assistant, and others).

As a parent — and a former public school teacher and administrator — my biggest priority is that my children feel safe, loved, and excited to go to school. Tuskawilla Montessori Academy delivers on that. My kids truly look forward to their days here, and I’ve seen how the Montessori philosophy encourages them to grow in confidence and curiosity.The teachers are knowledgeable in Montessori practices and bring warmth and care into the classroom. While I have occasionally noticed spelling or grammar errors in informal school communications, it hasn’t affected the quality of instruction or my trust in the program. In fact, the school has clearly shown growth and internal improvements over time, which gives me confidence in their direction.I don’t believe my children would thrive or develop the same love of learning in a traditional public school setting. Tuskawilla Montessori has provided an environment where that love of learning is nurtured, and for our family, that’s invaluable.