Anderson Creek Academy in Spring Lake

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	10/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 North Carolina End-of-Course Tests data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and using 2025 North Carolina End-of-Grade Tests data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Student Growth	6/10	The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2024 Student growth data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Posted: November 10, 2025

10/10 Excellent School!

My daughter has attended this school for a few years, and weve had a wonderful experience. A bit overwhelming at first but then we loved it. The curriculum is challenging, but thats one of the main reasons we chose it. Shes grown so much and still loves coming to school every day.

The teachers are caring and dedicated, and the principal and support staff are truly exceptional. The principal is sharp, talented, and runs the school with great attention to both academics and student well-being.

The school also feels very safe and secure, which is a huge plus for me as a parent. I highly recommend this school to any family looking for a place where students are both supported and challenged to do their best. - Nick Hile

Posted: November 10, 2025

Posted: October 20, 2025

Educational support from teachers and the administration is above and beyond. My family has had an overwhelmingly positive experience at Anderson Creek Academy and appreciate their focus on childhood education and character.

Posted: October 20, 2025

Posted: May 19, 2024

I am writing to express my profound disappointment regarding the enrollment process and subsequent experiences my family has had with Anderson Creek Academy.

When my wife and I decided to move into the Anderson Creek community, one of the primary factors influencing our decision was the assurance from our realtor that enrolling our child in your school would be seamless. However, this assurance proved to be far from the reality we encountered.

It took us over two years of persistent effort and advocacy to secure a place for our child in this school. Despite being assured of a fair process, we were met with bureaucratic hurdles and a seemingly arbitrary lottery system that left us feeling powerless and frustrated. Worse still, we discovered that the purported fairness of this system was merely a facade, with the principal seemingly hand-picking students at her own discretion.

Once our child finally gained admission, our concerns only grew. The reports we heard about the new principal's dismissive attitude towards parent concerns were unfortunately proven true in our interactions. Instances of bullying were brushed aside, and even simple requests regarding dress code were met with unnecessary rigidity. The insistence on specific uniform colors, including one to celebrate the principal on "principles Day," felt excessive and arbitrary.

As parents, we value education and community, but our experience with this school has left us disillusioned and disheartened. We implore the school to reassess enrollment process and administrative practices to ensure fairness, transparency, and a genuine commitment to the well-being of all students and families.

Posted: May 19, 2024

Posted: January 5, 2024

A good deal has changed since just a few years ago- new admin, new teachers, and nearly all staff of color are no longer employed. ACA has not kept up with best practices in instruction, appropriate and positive discipline, maintaining a safe school environment, and responding to parents' concerns effectively and respectively. The school is designed to appear polished and well-run, showcasing small classrooms as an intentional feat. The school now is run very differently with terrible results- disruptive students, patronizing and/or ineffective teachers (some), and a lack of concern for student learning and growth overall. While there are a few shining stars in teaching and staffing, the bad far outweighs the good. If you actually care about your kid, save yourself some headache and heartache and look elsewhere if you can.

Posted: January 5, 2024

Posted: December 3, 2023

I LOVED this school growing up, they taught me well and overall the teachers were great!

Posted: December 3, 2023

Posted: August 3, 2023

All of the teachers are gone....AGAIN and we were not notified whatsoever. They cannot treat their staff well enough to stick around but the staff who are personal friends of the principal receive bonuses and promotions left and right. No wonder the good teachers leave! This school should be ashamed! Also if you need to get to work on time...don't expect to if your child is enrolled here! Not once did the pickup and drop off line move at a reasonable pace...line backed allllll the way up no matter now long you get there in advance, it is a mess.

Posted: August 3, 2023

Posted: July 10, 2023

Our family's experience was not what we had expected it to be. The classrooms were very cramped, and they were not given the individual attention we had been promised.

Posted: July 10, 2023

Posted: May 15, 2023

Let me start by saying I spent 20 years in the public school system. I worked in the Central Office but spent much of the time in the schools working with the administrations and staff. I believe this gave me a good perspective on what good and bad schools actually look like and I consider Anderson Creek Academy to be a very good school. The administration and staff work hard to create the best possible learning environment for all students. There is constant open communications between the administration and staff on what is expected of them along with meaningful communications with students and parents. Students are selected by a lottery system and each year there is a waiting list which tells the true story on whether the class sizes are kept low for learning or because the spots can't be filled. I encourage any parent of a kindergarten through fifth grade child to check out the Anderson Creek Academy.

Posted: May 2, 2023

This school is the best school that i have gone to and everybody in my class is so happy .

<3

Posted: April 24, 2023

Wouldnt recommend this school to any parent or guardian

Posted: April 6, 2023

As a current employee, I can honestly say that ACA is a phenomenal work place. The students and families are the best around; the administration fully supports teachers, staff, and students; and, honestly, we enjoy our jobs. If it was truly a terrible place, none of us would stay at the school.

Posted: March 5, 2023

As a current employee I am pleased to say this will be my last year.

Posted: February 19, 2023

Scholars at ACA are engaged, excited, and eager to learn because the parents and teachers work together as a team to help each child succeed. My child comes home every day with a new story about a fun lesson, a silly thing the teacher shared, or the Head of School coming in to say "hi" and jump in to share a lesson. Mrs. Lyon is the new Head of School and is making positive impactful changes which are creating a welcoming culture. ACA is a charter school which means every parent who sends their child there chose that school. They are full and have a waiting list. If the prior reviews were totally true, the school wouldn't be so in demand.

Posted: February 17, 2023

These negative reviews from the past few months are complete slander. None of that information is correct, and I am so happy that the Head of School has responded with facts and what this school is really like. As a parent who has actually volunteered in classrooms and worked with staff, I can say, with confidence, that this school is a true blessing to the community and has done nothing but positive things for staff, students, and families. If you are looking for a K-5 school for your children, give the HOS a call and speak directly with her. She has always made herself available to parents, is so kind and accommodating, and will work with you to do whatever it takes to help your child.

Posted: January 15, 2023

My child has been at ACA since K and is currently
In 3rd grade. We could not be happier with her education and the progress she has made. Her teachers have, by and large, all been wonderful and have taken the time to truly learn who my child is as a scholar and an individual. My child is extremely happy to go to school everyday and cannot wait to tell us about her day. The staff has allowed both my husband and I to go to work everyday knowing that our child is safe, learning and well cared for!

Posted: January 9, 2023

Anderson Creek Academy is a wonderful highly academic small school. It relies on a certain level of dedication from its staff, parents, and students to maintain high standards. Being a school of choice, it certainly may not be everyones cup of tea and thats ok. Students are well prepared to further their education when they leave ACA.

Posted: January 6, 2023

I am beyond thrilled to have our kids at ACA. We've seen tremendous progress with our kids' reading and math skills, as well as our children's emotional growth. Our kids come home happy and excited to tell us about everything they learned! The teachers we've encountered seem so happy to be there at the school, too, which makes me feel so much better.
There's new admin this year. Last year was okay, but this year we're finally getting clear information with adequate time to process dates and the like. I feel more informed and connected this year. It's like a breath of fresh air!
HIGHLY recommend this school. We've never been happier!

Posted: January 4, 2023

Most teachers are completely unfit for their positions. Most have NO educational experience OR licenses! Before and after school care will cost a pretty penny and they just sit the children to watch TV!! Major liability issues at this school...and new HOS VERY young and immature who has never worked anywhere else!!! Tries to fit the bill, but majorly disappoints. Wow wow wow..

Posted: November 10, 2022

So severely disappointed in this school. Very alarmed by how chummy some of the teachers are allowed to get with parents. The high level of inappropriateness that I'm seeing among teachers with military connections and parents with military connections is equally alarming. I realize that we live in a "military community"; however, the negativity towards non-military families is palpable. The bias from one of my children's teachers is blatant. Extremely unprofessional and should be investigated. Exceedingly concerned about the comments and complaints about racism in this school as well.

Posted: November 6, 2022

My child has attended ACA for two years now and we have had nothing but positive experiences. Through day to day interactions with staff and continuous communication it is clear to see that the staff and administration care deeply about the success of all their children and are fully invested in their education. A great small school for kids in grades K-5.

Posted: December 1, 2021

I was apprehensive enrolling my son here after just moving to the area, especially after reading the 1 star reviews, but I have to disagree with those. From the very beginning, the school was very accommodating. They talked me through the enrollment process and was able to squeeze my 5th grader as the last one to be enrolled into the upcoming school year that was starting in just 3 weeks. His teachers, Ms. Bryson and Ms. Laughlin, have been absolutely wonderful. They are always willing to offer assistance should I need anything. They keep me up-to-date with my son's behavior and grades and will address issues if they arise. They are transparent and proactively communicate with me through the ClassDojo app. They also post school updates, send reminders, and will post class photos for parents to see. I can see that my son is excelling and that his homework is effective and fair in amount for school/life balance. I'm not sure what the low star reviews are about because they aren't even detailed, but as a single mom and minority, I would highly recommend this school!

Posted: November 26, 2020

There are so many issues at ACA, and it shows, because staff is constantly changing. They don't allow parent involvement, even when you pass their background check and ask to volunteer, they choose from a limited pool of favorites. You will never see your child in any kind of performance, talent show, or play. The school is extremely secretive, and it makes you wonder.

They focus way too much on specials, particularly Spanish, and not enough on reading and math. Their remote learning is a joke. There's no video instruction, just a bunch of random apps, and no structure to it, other than to get 10-15 random assignments done by the end of the week. The laptops they provide are not developmentally appropriate for the younger children.

We decided to pull our child out because our child was not learning anything. We put her in traditional school, and the results are amazing. She started out a little behind the other students, despite the claims that she was "advanced" at ACA, but she is happier and doing very well in her new school, catching up, and learning in leaps and bounds. We had a remote learning day at her new school, and the difference was night and day. Her teacher actually spent the morning instructing the students over a video call. This is something ACA failed to do, putting the entire remote learning experience on the parent. The public school also uses iPads, instead of the antiquated laptops at ACA. This helps insure my child had the coordination to complete her own assignments, and instead of fumbling with a tiny mouse pad, she can use the touch screen.

The peanut policy is entirely too strict at ACA, and even our pediatrician thinks it's ridiculous to restrict peanuts for everyone. You'll notice at public school, that if a child has a peanut allergy, they just don't share food. At ACA, staff digs through your kid's lunch and shames them for accidentally having a Reese's. My poor child is slightly picky, and it was hard for us to find anything she would eat for lunch at ACA, causing her to pick over her food and lose weight. She happily eats peanut butter sandwiches every day at her new school, with no fear of the peanut police, and she's actually put on some healthy weight after missing out on protein for so long.

Discipline is non-existent. We dealt with a bully, who stole stuff, and even cut my daughter's hair. Knowing the kid had issues, they still decided to put said kid in my daughter's class the very next year.

Posted: February 23, 2018

The head of the school is ineffective and has single handedly ruined this school.

Posted: January 29, 2018

I have three students who attend this school. Their mother and I are divorced. My kids live the majority of the time at their mothers. Ahe is very high conflict, and since the first day of school I have made sure to introduce myself to all their teachers as well as the head of school. Here we are over halfway through tnt school year and I still have to practically harass the teachers to get them to keep me informed on things regarding my kids at school, with two of the teachers being flat our rude. The head of school acts concerned, but does nothing to resolve the issues.

Posted: June 7, 2017

Great school everyone that you come in contact there is great. I

Posted: November 8, 2016

My child goes to the school. First, I want to say that I am thrilled with my child's teacher. She is new this year and my child is learning by leaps and bounds. I have a problem with several things I have witnessed. I have seen other staff members act as though they run the school. The enrichment coordinator is unprofessional and rude. I do not feel my child is safe with her. Parents have to pay to put their children in the program. I am not getting my money's worth and my child is not learning or being challenged. I have witnessed her speak horribly to a teacher at the school. I have also witnessed the lack of materials that are provided for the teacher. My child's teacher had to purchase almost everything in the classroom herself. There are no special education classrooms in the school even though they claim there is. My child is almost terrorized by a student in her class. This is not the teacher's fault! She is doing everything she can to teach and keep my child safe. This is an issue with administration. I would think twice about sending your child there. My husband and I have decided that if my child's teacher leaves we are pulling our child.

Posted: August 22, 2016

Check the DPI website to make sure the teacher is certified. There are several teachers w/o a certification. Too many volunteers who think they are in charge.

Posted: April 10, 2016

Wonderful teachers and small class sizes contribute to student success. Since it's a charter school things are a little different, the students must pack a lunch and don't have the standard art, music or PE experience, the academic aspect is the main focus.

Posted: September 24, 2015

They go above and beyond for their students and are teaching them all the steps in life to be great leaders.

Posted: September 24, 2015

This is a great school with a great staff. My children have improved so much in their academics since I enrolled them last year. Keep up the great work!

Posted: September 14, 2015

We had a terrible experience at this school. We withdrew both children and put them back into their previously attended schools. I worry that they may struggle and be behind due to the lack of academic challenges and inexperience of many of the the 1st or 2nd year experienced teachers. Also, if you want your child to enjoy music, sports, etc.., you have to pay. This is school is definitely NOT what it was hoped to be.

Posted: July 28, 2015

My kids had a wonderful time last school year. Our only issue was thought we felt they were not being challenge academically so we supplimented at home. My kids teachers were great. One of them was really awesome.We are looking forward for a far better 2015-2016 school year. Thanks teachers and stuff of ACCCS

Posted: July 28, 2015

My Kids had a wonderful year during the 2014-2015 school. My husband and myself thought they were not being challenge enough with school work so we supplemented at home. Our kids teachers were awesome!!!!. I'm sure 2015-2016 school year will be even better.

Posted: May 4, 2015

I'm sorry but I agree with some of concerns below. My children have pretty much stayed on the honor roll the entire school year. I don't have much time for volunteering because I have to work. That doesn't mean that I'm any less dedicated to my children's education than a parent that volunteers. So for a parent to be critical of another parents circumstances and capabilities shows a lack of understanding and consideration. Apparently, you must be the parent they're speaking of. The school does have it's highs and lows.....parents have every right to voice there opinion. I have a fair view about the school and the education that my children are receiving. However I'm not going to bash parents for having their own views.

Posted: March 29, 2015

This school is new and just opened this year. There have been many hiccups certainly and definitely some growing pains. I will say however that ms Fitzgerald and ms toler have been nothing less Than outstanding and are great communicators with us as parents. I value that more than the minor admin/logistical issues that others have identified. Parents must volunteer and be ACTIVELY involved in their children's education rather than simply complain. I will definitely send my children here next year.

Posted: February 23, 2015

There is a great deal of unprofessional behavior within the school environment. On several occasions staff members have cross boundaries as far as the care of my children. Parent volunteers should be kept at a minimum. We have parents that feel they are staff and clearly have no credentials to carry out those task. The curriculum is not repetitious and the children don't have a fair chance at learning. Please parents consider all options.

Posted: February 6, 2015

Unprofessional leadership with no policies implemented and no strategic plan to run a school. Big student turnover. Decisions are being made based on teacher recommendations and their feelings about the student and the parents. No behavior intervention. They rely on cameras and bad behavior is being punished rather that being prevented. Recess is being run by untrained volunteers and there is nothing in place that gives the volunteers guidance. A lot of accidents and bulling happen outside during recess. Big liability issue. After school enrichment was a waste of money for us. I can't speak for all courses but the few we booked didn't help academically except one course. This course was run by a teacher, who is a blessing for all the kids she is teaching. She deserves 5 stars. Sadly, that fact is not enough to consider even 1 star for the school. Academically no big difference to a public school. Disabled children get no support and are beeing seen as a potential financial burden. If parents plan to enroll their children they should ask the hard questions before and look behind the scenes. Hope that helps.

Posted: January 28, 2015

We love this school we have had nothing but great experiences. Of course there is some kinks that they had to get worked out but with it being a new school that was totally acceptable in my eyes. My child's teacher keeps me informed on everything going on and if I have any questions she always answers them as quickly as possible. I highly recommend this school to everyone.

Posted: January 25, 2015

I think people expect too much of a brand new school. This is a wonderful school if you are looking for small class size and dedicated teachers! In a state where quality education seems to be of the lowest priority, it is nice to have the option to send our children to a small, close-knit school. I don't think there is a public or charter school in NC that is top notch compared to the schools in other states, but ACCCS is at least as good if not better than other local schools. Our children love it, and the one with academic problems is thriving because of his teacher being able to give him extra help because of the small class size. Some people worry about the use of parent volunteers at lunch and recess, but I don't see how that is any different than other schools using teachers - and the ratio wouldn't be much different when you consider the difference in class size between other schools and ACCCS. When I was a child we had a similar volunteer system at our school, and it worked out fine.

Posted: November 10, 2014

This is a good (not great) school if your child does not have an IEP or any learning/behavioral issues. There is no support if your child needs accommodations or special interventions. They are running on a bare bones staff. The small size of the classes and school is nice however, the lunch and recess procedures are a nightmare and should not be ran by volunteers. 60 K-1st graders should not be unleashed in a playground area that is the entire width of the school with 2 adults for supervision. The playground equipment is not appropriate for the younger children and injuries have occurred. We have returned to our previous school.

Posted: October 22, 2014

I love the school. My children improved so much since they attend this school. I am very satisfied. I also do work there and I truly love my job. A very good and safe place for your child (ten).

Posted: October 5, 2014

The leadership of this school is horrible and unprofessional at best as conferences have resulted in name calling and bullying tactics. There is no one to turn to if you have an issue that the principal won't solve so beware before you sign your student up. Many complaints about not following IEPs have occurred. Teachers do not differentiate instruction nor do they communicate expectations and grading scales. They do not have a cafeteria and parent volunteers watch your children at recess. This is a huge liability issue.

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Anderson Creek Club	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Spring Lake	NC	0.9 mi
2	Forest Oaks	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bunnlevel	NC	2.1 mi
3	Overhills Creek	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Spring Lake	NC	2.3 mi
4	Forest Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Cameron	NC	3.7 mi
5	Sunset Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Sanford	NC	3.8 mi
6	The Summit	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Sanford	NC	4.1 mi
7	Deerfield	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Spring Lake	NC	5.4 mi
8	Ellerslie Subdivision	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	7.3 mi
9	Stonegate Apartments	Apartment Complex	Spring Lake	NC	7.5 mi
10	Castlebrooke	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Linden	NC	8.8 mi
11	Carolina Seasons	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Cameron	NC	9.1 mi
12	Kings Grant	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	9.4 mi
13	Inverness	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	9.4 mi
14	Patriot Park Village	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	9.6 mi
15	College Lakes	Area of Town	Fayetteville	NC	10.7 mi
16	Kinwood	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	11.3 mi
17	Woodlake	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Vass	NC	13.1 mi
18	The Preserve At Grand Oaks	Apartment Complex	Fayetteville	NC	13.7 mi
19	Westwood	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	14.8 mi
20	Cliffdale West	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	15.8 mi
21	Haymount	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	15.9 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	Spring Lake	Spring Lake	NC	7.3 mi
2	Spring Lake by Ft Bragg Base	Spring Lake	NC	7.8 mi
3	North Ramsey Road	Fayetteville	NC	9 mi
4	Eastwood Ave & Kentberry Ct.	Fayetteville	NC	13.9 mi

Base	Distance
Pope Field	7.6 mi.
Fort Bragg	14.3 mi.
Camp Mackall	33.8 mi.
Raleigh National Guard	39.7 mi.

Anderson Creek Academy

Spring Lake, NC 28390

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