Mark Twain Dual Language Academy

I briefly worked here and am so glad I never will interact with this school again. We were told by administration to NEVER fail a student even if they submit zero assignments for the year. Further, they(both admin and other teachers) made racist remarks about my last name(I am of middle eastern descent) and finally only apologized for it after I broke down crying in the principal's office. One fellow teacher even swapped all the desks in my room out with theirs in the summer when I was not there and left me with worse, smaller desks. When I asked about this, no one did anything to help and I was left to figure it out on my own.My class periods were extremely unorganized in that I had several classes with 30-35 students and one of my classes only had ONE student. No matter how much I complained about it nothing was changed and in those larger courses, I even had 6th graders in my 8th grade course. I obviously had to adjust and just not grade them similarly because they never even took 7th or 6th grade courses in that subject. Instead of letting me design a curriculum, they bought a pre-planned online lesson guide for every day of the year which is cool! Except for the first few weeks they weren't even able to give out computers to all the students so they could not access it.The principal cares much more about optics and keeping their job rather than the actual growth of these students. Many of them know and abuse it to their advantage which is not their fault, its ours. There definitely are many teachers at the school that care but have also realized there is a lot they cannot do or change if the administration is unwilling. Once again, I look forward to never interacting with this school again and if you have the option, send your student somewhere else. It will definitely be a benefit.Side complaint: Why did I have to pay the school money to be allowed to wear Jeans to work? That just sounds ridiculous.

I can echo what other reviewers have said regarding the administration. The environment is small and ripe for learning. But the administration has ego, and the inability to self-reflect which is a major concern for a school to be able to stay successful. The stories have heard first privately that have happened behind closed doors were shocking. In addition,A) there is zero scope and sequence year to year. B) teachers will drop whole curriculum programs and the administrations has no idea what is going on. The early years are especially poor. PC) the majority of families we knew were picking up the slack and supplementing. Half the class almost in tutors.That school is lucky to have the kids they have and the parents they have to push the kids.

We have been a part of this school community for 5 years and have always remained positive and hopeful throughout our experience. As with any school, there will be hiccups between classmates and peers, but at no point have we ever felt that the administration sidelined us or ignored our concerns. We have multiple children that currently attend this school and they have all developed lifelong friendships alongside unforgettable teacher/student relationships. Each teacher that we have had has always had the best interest of our kids at the forefront of their minds and has significantly influenced our children to love school. The Spanish curriculum at the school has waffled the past couple of years, but we didn't send our children to this school with the sole purpose of learning Spanish - we sent them to receive a quality education with a solid faith-based foundation. There are other families who are much more interested in the Spanish curriculum and immersion and I encourage you to weigh what matters most to you before you register and or take a tour. While the school is gaining momentum in strengthening the Spanish program, they are still learning and growing. One thing that should be mentioned is that the PTC and other parent volunteers are truly collaborative. Do not hesitate to jump right in with the community and volunteer alongside a parent who's been there for years - they'll welcome you right in! That is yet another positive aspect that sets this school apart - the community. There is a tribe for everyone here and a supportive shoulder to lean on, should you ever need it. The school has several "adult clubs" that support the mission/vision of the school: Dads Club, PTC, Saints of Mercy, Room Parents, Hospitality Committee, etc. Dads club is a group of dads/father figures that volunteer to help with the grounds, bring coffee/donuts to parents and teachers, cook/bbq during school events - it's really special! The Saints of Mercy group is a special group of people who help families/individuals who need prayer and support during challenging times - all free of charge! If you're curious about this school community, please reach out for a tour. You won't regret it!

Both of our boys attended SAA. The traditions, boy vegetated education and community sets the school apart from any other private school education. We are blessed to have this option in our city. We highly recommend SAA to any family seeking a unique and boy centered education.

The PIP program is nothing but a bunch of gossipers. They go to your home then all discuss your home with other parents. The “director” is a joke and puts the bug in parents ear about “divorce”. Be careful. She says many parents of deaf children are divorced becuz she left her hubs years ago.