Columbia Elementary School

By far the best public school experience we could have imagined. Birchwood faces similar problems to other schools in this area due to immense population growth, and their capable administration and dedicated, experienced teachers and staff inspire parental confidence and students' love for learning . Students learn respect for themselves and each other as critical thinkers and inquirers, notably through IB approach. Birchwood also excels at building community within and without.

Great school everyone is very helpful and friendly. The principal is wonderful!

Both of my children have attended Cedar Tree and my oldest has special needs. The way that she has been embraced for her unique differences and the ability of each teacher to reach has been wonderful. We will be at Cedar Tree for another four years as our youngest finishes out her tenure there. We adore this special school.

What a great experience! My kids feel safe and nurtured, but also challenged and stretched. We love being a part of this community.

This is our fourth year at ACS, and it has been such a positive experience for our family. As a single mom of two boys (5 and 9), I’ve been grateful for the strong education and formation they’ve received each year. The teachers are kind, supportive, and consistently communicative, which gives me a lot of peace of mind. My boys have a great balance of academics, play, and physical activity, and the school schedule (8–3, with extended care available until 6pm) works really well with my job. As a Catholic family, it’s been especially meaningful to see how much they’ve grown in their faith through opportunities like adoration, reconciliation, and daily prayer. Even the volunteer hour requirement has turned out to be a gift; it’s helped me build genuine relationships with other families, teachers, and staff in a way that has made the community feel truly welcoming and connected.

I'm grateful that my children have had the opportunity to attended The Franklin Academy since preschool. One is now in 5th grade and the other is in 9th grade. The school has high expectations of its students and awesome teachers to help them reach their potential. As a result, both of my daughters have established good academic habits, excel in and out of the classroom, and have a wonderful peer group. Although academic rigor and STEM education is the focus of the school, I appreciate that character development is emphasized as well. If you are looking for an excellent alternativeto the public school system, TFA may be a good option for your family.