Peak Charter Academy in Apex | Military Town Advisor

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	8/10	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: August 27, 2026

Ive spent my entire career in elementary education, so I know exactly what it takes to build a supportive, engaging classroom. Sadly, my experience as a parent at Peak Charter Academy has been nothing short of heartbreaking. Instead of a nurturing environment, the school feels more like a boot camp, where the kids are treated more like prisoners than young learners.

The classes are absolutely massive, which means there is zero individual attention for the students. To make matters worse, it became obvious very quickly that several staff members simply do not have the proper teaching qualifications to manage these huge groups or deliver quality instruction.

Whenever I tried to advocate for my child and reach out about these glaring issues, the administration was completely unresponsive. They do not listen to feedback, and they offer no support to the families trying to make things better. On the rare occasion I actually got a reply to my concerns, the tone was incredibly unprofessional and dismissiveessentially sending the message of, "if you don't like it, you can leave."

A school is supposed to partner with families to help kids thrive. Instead, Peak Charter Academy completely shuts parents out and leaves students to fend for themselves. I highly recommend looking elsewhere.

Posted: June 26, 2026

We've been really happy with our experience at Peak. The teachers are caring, my child enjoys going to school, and we've always felt supported as a family. Communication has been great, and the school has a welcoming atmosphere. I'd definitely recommend Peak to other parents looking for a strong school community.

Posted: June 26, 2026

Posted: April 14, 2026

Peak Charter Academy is an exceptional school that truly prioritizes both academic excellence and student development. The staff is dedicated, supportive, and deeply invested in helping every student succeed. There is a strong sense of structure, consistency, and high expectations, balanced with genuine care for each childs well-being.

Communication with families is clear and consistent, and the school does a great job creating a welcoming, engaged community. Students are encouraged to grow not only academically but also in character, responsibility, and confidence.

Overall, its a top-tier educational environment where students are challenged, supported, and set up for long-term success.

Posted: April 14, 2026

Posted: March 19, 2026

As a parent of a former student, I look back on my child's time at Peak and under both Dr. Pond and Principal Gorman's leadership, and can't believe how good we had it. Now that my child is in high school (boy, I wish Peak had one!), I even more appreciate how the leaders and teachers truly cared for my child, and how the office staff and teachers cared about me as a parent. Every parent should try to give their child a Peak Charter Academy experience. My child was so well prepared for high school and is doing great. Yes, Peak has expectations of kids (and parents too!), and those help set the framework on which to build positive relationships. PS: the new social worker is great too, as the former one was very stuck up, and though my child did not receive special education support, his friends did and they, and their parents, LOVED the SPED staff, especially Ms. Smith.

Posted: March 19, 2026

As a former student of Peak Charter Academy, I can confidently say its an amazing school that had a strong positive impact on me both academically and personally.

Learning:
Students are genuinely engaged in what theyre learning. While the school day is longer than some others, it actually helps because teachers have more time to go in depth and make sure students truly understand the material instead of rushing.

Teaching:
The teachers are respectful, supportive, and motivating. They genuinely care about student success and are always willing to help. From my experience, the quality of teaching stays strong across all grade levels.

Social-Emotional Support:
The school creates a supportive environment where students feel comfortable and cared for, not just academically but personally as well.

Special Education:
There are resources and accommodations in place to support students with different learning needs, helping everyone succeed.

Safety:
I always felt safe at school. While some may see the discipline as strict, it creates a structured, respectful environment where students can focus and feel secure.

Family Engagement:
Families are kept involved and informed, which helps build a strong school community.

Addressing Common Concerns:
Some people mention the early start time and long days, but this helps students build discipline and allows for more effective learning. Others say discipline is too strict or class sizes are large, but the structure actually helps keep classrooms focused, and teachers still support individual students.

Overall, Peak Charter Academy is an excellent school that prepares students for success while creating a supportive and structured environment.

Posted: March 19, 2026

Posted: November 10, 2025

The instructional hours are way too much especially for lower grades. Students are required to be in school by 7.45 am until 3.15 pm. A 5 year old's day starts at 6.45 am to get dressed to school and lasts until 4 or 4.30 pm. That is a 10 hour day including travel times. Let that sink in ! A 10 hour day for a 5 YEAR OLD. When I asked, the Principal told me that they do more than the required instructional hours by state, just to be on the safer side when it comes to bad weather days (which are literally one or two a year). There is NO transitional kindergarten where the 5 year olds get a bit of downtime and the kids are EXHAUSTED by the time they are back from school and added to this there is homework somedays. While this makes one assume the curriculum is good, there is not enough feedback from the teachers because apparently the teachers are dealing with A LOT. 27 kids in one class with just one teacher. There is no way kids can focus or even learn with so many kids and just one teacher. They took away the lunch in cafeteria option where the kids were able to step out of their classroom and socialize under the name of "budget cuts". Now the kids are confined to the classroom all day and the poor teachers dont seem to even get a bathroom break for 8 hrs somedays and their frustration is sometimes taken out on the kids. Dont blame the teachers at all, this is just a toxic environment the management has created.

Posted: November 10, 2025

Posted: November 9, 2025

I attended Peak Charter Academy from Kindergarten, the very first year it opened, until the beginning of 7th grade. Up until 5th grade, I felt it was a solid school with good teachers, especially Ms. Surprenant. However, after that point, I began to notice many changes. The teachers and administration became very strict, punishing us10-year-oldsfor minor issues like speaking too loudly in the cafeteria, talking in the hallway, not walking on the blue line, or leaning on the walls. We frequently faced consequences such as silent lunch and missed recess, which was incredibly frustrating.

Often, our entire grade would be gathered into a small classroom and yelled at for an hour and a half straight, which was exhausting and resulted in frequent headaches. I couldnt understand why they handled things this way, as it never seemed to be effective and only disrupted our schedules. Some teachers displayed childish and immature behavior.

In sixth grade, my math teacher became uncomfortably close to me, gossiping about other teachers and making inappropriate comments. She would even ridicule an autistic student behind his back when he wanted to give her a hug. Looking back, it was incredibly unprofessional; this teacher would get students' phone numbers and FaceTime them!

Another point of contention was the enforcement of the 'blue line' rule, which required K-8 graders to walk on a designated path. If students leaned on the wall or talked, they would face the same punishment of silent lunch. While I understand the purpose of the blue line for elementary school, I couldn't grasp why the rules were so harshly enforced in middle school as well.

I could go on and on about the unprofessional and bizarre incidents at this school, but I want to conclude on a positive note. While I was at PCA, there were two teachers who significantly improved the atmosphere: Mr. Dobosz and Ms. Angel. Both are incredible educators who truly deserve recognition for their impact.

Posted: November 9, 2025

Posted: October 14, 2025

Our experience at Peak Charter Academy has been disappointing. The school tends to discipline students for small issues that could be handled with more understanding and guidance. Class sizes are large, and many students dont receive the individual support they need to succeed.

In addition, fairness and inclusion during activities like sports tryouts seem to be lacking, which can discourage students who are trying their best. I hope the school takes steps to create a more supportive, fair, and encouraging environment for all students.

Posted: October 14, 2025

Posted: September 12, 2025

My daughter has been at Peak Charter since kindergarten and is now in 2nd grad,we absolutely love it here. The teachers genuinely care and know each child, and the communication with parents is great. Its such a welcoming, safe place where shes excited to go every day. We feel lucky to be part of this school community!

Posted: September 12, 2025

Posted: September 9, 2025

My son has been attending peak charter academy since kindergarten and he is currently in 2nd grade. I am really amazed at how well he was able to catch up academically especially with his Math skills and English. The teachers are exceptional and the management is also quite friendly. I cant wait for my daughter to start kindergarten next school year.

Posted: September 9, 2025

Posted: May 9, 2025

As a parent of a student with special needs, my experience with Peak Charter has been deeply disappointing. While some individual teachers show genuine care, the administrative leadership fails on multiple critical fronts.

The IEP process is frustratingly ineffective - accommodations that look good on paper rarely translate to meaningful support in the classroom. My child's specific needs were consistently overlooked despite documented requirements.

The school's staffing crisis has reached absurd levels. They cannot retain basic maintenance staff, resulting in visibly deteriorating facility conditions. Most alarming is the complete closure of the cafeteria due to insufficient staffing - students are now forced to eat in classrooms while watching TV instead of engaging in proper socialization during lunch periods. This reflects both poor management and a concerning disregard for students' developmental needs. Most troubling is the administration's dismissive approach to serious issues like bullying and yes, even sexual assault.

When my child experienced persistent harassment, my concerns were met with defensive responses focused more on protecting the school's reputation than student welfare. Rather than addressing problems, administration seems skilled at deflecting responsibility. The situration as gotten so much worse in the 2024-2025 school year. The disconnect between the school's promises and the reality experienced by students - particularly those with special needs - is simply too great. If you're considering this school, especially for a child with learning differences or who might need extra support, I strongly recommend exploring other options in the area.

Posted: May 9, 2025

Posted: February 19, 2025

We are on our 6th year at Peak. My 5th grader had a great experience (even through Covid) up until 3rd grade. At this point Peaks differential learning experience began and we also began to experience the lack of licensed, capable teachers. My child scored higher at the beginning of the school year than at the end in regards to ELA. Through out the school year her teacher never sent home any work and when asked about quizzes and test the teacher would continually push dates back. When the quarter approached the end the teacher would then input several grades seemingly out of thin air. 4th grade we lacked a ELA teacher for half of the school year putting the entire grade behind. Math was taught by a nice person with no experience teaching. Not to mention that my daughter was bullied for a quarter of the year and this was never brought to our attention even though the staff was aware and had a private meeting with her and a few other students that they didnt make us aware of. Now that we are on 5th grade we are on our third math teacher and have had abysmal communication from the dean or administration.
In comparison our 2nd grader has had three years of phenomenal teachers who communicate and work with us to appropriately challenge our child. It seems to me the problem occurs once the kids move upstairs. There is a lot that we signed up for, and were sold on as a family that Peak has completely over promised and under delivered.

Posted: February 19, 2025

Posted: December 15, 2024

When I first started here, I was quite impressed by this school. But at some point I started realizing that this school is quite bad and not able to provide basic resources for their students compared to wake county schools. They only have 30 seats per grade for advanced mathematics, which means that students who are required to be in advanced math don't get in. This school also treats middle schoolers like kindergartners, making us walk in lines in the hallway and making us wait outside of classrooms until the bell rings. Overall, I would not recommend this school, but it weighs for some people I guess.

Posted: December 15, 2024

Posted: October 25, 2024

Title: Disappointing Experience at Peak Charter Academy

I enrolled my child at Peak Charter Academy with high hopes, but sadly, the experience has been less than satisfactory. While the school touts a commitment to academic excellence, I've found the teaching quality to be inconsistent at best. Some teachers seem passionate, but others appear disengaged, leaving students feeling unsupported.

Communication from the administration is often lacking, making it difficult to stay informed about important events or changes. Additionally, the school environment can feel overly strict and not conducive to fostering a love of learning.

Extracurricular activities are minimal, which is disappointing for families looking for a well-rounded education. Overall, I had hoped for a nurturing and academically rigorous environment, but my experience has led me to seek better options for my child's education.

Posted: October 25, 2024

Posted: September 19, 2024

My children came from a private school in the area and Peak has far exceeded our expectations! The administration and staff at Peak are amazing. I would highly recommend this school to anyone. My children have smiles everyday at pick up, which is way different than pick up at their previous private school. Happiness, learning, communication and a strong character atmosphere are what makes Peak Charter Academy an excellent school choice.

Posted: September 19, 2024

We have been at Peak Charter since it first opened 8 years ago. Both our children started at this school in kindergarten and one is now in 7th grade and one is in 4th grade. The staff at this school, from front office to teachers to principal are a FAMILY. They love your children like their own. I see growth in my children not just in the education and what they are learning but in their social and emotional growth too. The workshop model in the classroom has allowed my children, who both learn very differently, to thrive. They find the strengths and celebrate them while helping to fill in where help is needed. We love this school!

Posted: September 19, 2024

Posted: September 18, 2024

I'm honestly surprised by the negative reviews on here. Both of my kids are at this school and have been since 2021. We've been satisfied... They are excited to go to school every day and to me there is no greater guage. We've had some great caring teachers who genuinely wanted my kids to thrive. All schools are struggling to retain teachers, and Peak is no exception. All schools care about test scores because that's how they're funded unless you're fortunate enough to send your kids to private school. Peak has after school clubs and very affordable options for after school care. You have to be buzzed into the building and security and communication have never been an issue. That said, I do wish they had a library and a proper cafeteria. We plan to stay at this school and wish they would open a high school!

Posted: September 18, 2024

Posted: August 28, 2024

This school has gone downhill, I attended this school for a year and everything was fine, after that it went downhill and everything was just a way to get money. They only cared about kids getting good test scores and being awarded the best charter school, they had no care for anything else. The leadership is terrible and nothing is done to help kids who actually need it. So many kids could have done better if someone who was in power actually helped them rather than just kick it to the curb. A lot of nepotism and just overall no care for anyone who isnt at the top.

Posted: August 28, 2024

Posted: April 25, 2024

There are a few gems. Overall I think the concern is focused on making students fit a box & test scores for stats. Having a child with special needs, my experience has been a struggle & a fight. It took A lot to get a 504 plan in place. There was push back the whole way. The school year was more than half over. Asked several times to meet in person with my student after complaints, mostly related to focus & disability. The principal refused but in parent teacher meetings they wanted the student there to hear all the negative. In a previous parent meeting, a teacher made a disparaging comment to my student. The other two teachers just sat there. Not going to put my students through that. The response was to have the teacher call me. I am told the teacher continues to make examples and makes negative comments which adds to the stress of being perceived as different. The teacher also chuckled at a new hair cut. Not everyone learns in the same way or has the same abilities but my child can learn and is super smart just not nuro-typical. Im not finding its the positive environment or education that shapes instruction to build on the strengths and abilities of each child. Id like that instruction please.

I do have to say the special Ed Dean is great but feel there is admin. push and pull behind the scenes - just a hunch.

PTO meetings are still on-line. That makes it hard to connect. Ive gone to several PTO events and seen no-one. Gone to sports and no-one wants to talk even in breaks. Its just- hey are you with Peak- yeah. Wheres the community?

The carpool line is insane, often taking 20-30 + minutes. Lots of communication about not coming early so there a mad rush during the window. There have been issues with my work because of long carpool times. I asked in the office for options and was told I could pay money to try to have the skip the carpool lotto that I might get or not. For working single parents using a late lunch for pick up, it is really challenging especially when theres a commute. The only answer is pay more money, Rather than walk up. On a single income. I get they cant make an exception for everyone. There really is no understanding and sometimes the office staff are just really short. Point being that people do make sacrifices to have their children go to what was is billed as an exceptional school and Im just not seeing the care or community or the character that is expected from the students.

Posted: April 25, 2024

Posted: February 20, 2024

This school is just plain bad. there are almost no extracurricular activities and my son loves sports but he reported bullying at basketball practice. "The swing" (as my son calls it) is very unsafe because he saw some kid get kicked in the face by someone on the swing.

Posted: February 20, 2024

Posted: January 13, 2024

Come to Peak Charter if you want to work a little harder, and you want a school that works smarter and harder for you. We joined 6 months ago, and it's been good. Some aspects could be improved, but they're doing more with less. Bussing would make the school more accessible to single parents or those with less means. Charters generally struggle with meeting IEPs. Things are a bit too personality-centric around the principal. But it's not some hellhole like these other reviews say. They're well-meaning. Kids are smiling, and the teachers are nice.

Most importantly, Peak Charter has their eye on the prize -- learning. Their Student Progress score speaks for itself.

I'll update my review each year we stay at the school or when we leave.

Posted: January 13, 2024

Posted: January 11, 2024

All they care about is having fun within the teachers . Not interested in child development. IEP and special education is a joke. No proper clubs, teachers keep on leaving . Car pool is a disaster and unsafe. Just sticking to this school because this is traditional, but our assigned school is year round . Cant manage different track outs for 2 kids. If you dont care about year round then stay from this school

Posted: January 11, 2024

Posted: January 4, 2024

I can't think of a positive thing to say. In my many years teaching at public, private, and charter schools, Peak Charter is a huge train wreck. The politics to keep this place running is impressive. I watched as teacher after teacher left. Then the families followed. It didn't take long for parents to realize their kids were unprepared for high school. Most importantly, there is no effort to meet the diverse needs of students. No IEPs are met. No school counselor. No intervention staff. No library. No support for teachers. But as a teacher, I'm so glad I taught at Peak. I now see clearly why there is a strong hate for charter schools. Peak Charter is a business. They spend money on growing their business, not ensuring that every child has a quality education. And they certainly do not value their teachers. Parents who choose this school do so blindly. They tell themselves...."Maybe the class sizes will come down. Maybe my child's teacher will stay at least half a year. Maybe my child won't need any additional services to meet their educational needs. Maybe my child's teacher will have the support they need to be successful. Maybe my child will have all the curriculum taught to prepare them for high school. Maybe the principal isn't lying to me. Maybe my concerns will be heard with respect." Don't be a fool. Run! There are so many better options.

Posted: January 4, 2024

Posted: November 30, 2023

Former teacher at Peak here. The year I spent at Peak was one of my worst teaching experiences in 15 years of teaching. Their tiered classrooms group students by test scores, which is a horrible practice. I cried when I was made to divide class lists this way and change student schedules. Classes are way too large. Despite the best intentions of special ed teachers, there was not enough staffing or quality infrastructure to effectively implement IEPs. As a teacher, I was micromanaged, undermined, made to feel incompetent, chastised, and my teaching creativity was stifled. In all my observations I was never given a positive/encouraging note. I wanted to help and do more for many students and just couldnt do what I knew needed to be done. It was definitely a toxic environment. There was no joy. The upper grades were treated like primary kids. We had so many behavior problems and I think it was because older students felt like a lot of what we were doing was beneath them. In my one year there handful of teachers left mid year and even more left at the end of that school year. It was awful!

Posted: November 30, 2023

Posted: September 2, 2022

My son just started at Peak Charter Academy last week and so far I am very impressed and completely happy with everything! From the amazing tour we received at the school that was so informative and the whole ease of the registration process, to all the spectacular communication via emails and texts. Everyone that we encountered working at this school is so nice, knowledgable and helpful. I feel this school is really organized and just overall a great school and there are continuous emails and/or texts from teachers, the principal and the school staff with updated information...which is wonderful to have! On top of everything my son already loves this school since day 1, he likes all his teachers, he is excited to go to school, really engaged in all his classes, made friends easily and is overall just a great experience. It is a breath of fresh air compared to my son's previous schools. I feel so lucky to have him in this school. I can't wait to see how else this school will impress me for the remainder of the school year! Thank you Peak Charter Academy for being awesome!

Posted: September 2, 2022

When it first opened, there were some difficulties. However, my son has excelled and loves the school. Covid was difficult, but it was for every school. The principal is friendly and knows all the kids. He is proactive in working out issues. The teachers do rotate in and out, but most of them, we have had no problems with. The carpool drop off and pickup sucks, but with no busses, there is not much to do about that. Overall I rate the school, A-. No body is perfect and there is always room to improve. I love the moral focus program. They do live by it every day.

Posted: February 24, 2022

Some really good teachers who really care, but the administration is mostly autocratic, overbearing and condescending. If you challenge them or disagree with their policies they become very adversarial. It became a toxic environment as problems were revealed during COVID, and we hung on because of the teachers, but ultimately withdrew our children after winter break and decided to undo the damage by finishing the year homeschooling and traveling. Best decision we couldve made.

If you are someone who goes with the flow and does everything the administration tells you, you and your child will be fine here. If you question the leadership, youll be encouraged to leave.

Posted: November 14, 2021

Spent a few years with PCA, and it's sadly gone downhill. The biggest issue is probably the inability to maintain staff, especially in the lower grades. There's too much turnover. In general, their admin staff doesn't seem to handle issues well. If things are going great, no big deal, but they don't handle any negative feedback well. There's also a major issue with lack of handling learning differences. They have too many students in the classroom and too few teachers/assistants to handle any IEP or other accommodations.

Basically, if your kid would do fine with self-learning with few elective options, this school will be fine. If not, look elsewhere.

Posted: September 10, 2021

After two years at this school, we pulled our child out and couldn't be happier with our decision. Over half of the teachers and many, many families left last year due to the toxic culture that has been created by the administration. The principal is beyond unapproachable and his response, to both staff and parents, is "if you don't like it, you can leave." He follows this up by handing anyone who dares to question him a withdrawal form. Our issue was that my child's teacher had no teaching experience and, unfortunately, couldn't write basic sentences without multiple spelling errors and couldn't help students with second grade math equations. We politely raised our concerns with the principal and asked whether he could observe a class to see for himself what was going on. He not only refused to meet with us and refused to observe the class but he sent us an eight word response basically telling us that, if we didn't like it, we should leave. More recently, with COVID numbers sky high, parents have asked whether, like many other schools across the country, students could either eat lunch in their classrooms or outside. Currently, all of the students are crammed into a small cafeteria, facing each other, with 6 inches between them. Again, the principal's response was a flat 'No' and told those parents that, if they weren't happy, they could find another school. Many families, only a few weeks into the school year, have departed and the prevailing feeling at the school is one of unhappiness, despair, and people frantically trying to find a new school for their children. Please think twice before sending your child to this oppressive, tyrannical institution that puts profits before children.

Posted: August 19, 2021

We had been on the fence about this year, but after returning to school to see all the teachers gone, that was it. It's clear there's a major cultural shift there the last couple years. Sad...

Posted: June 10, 2021

At what point will the school board and parents wake up to the toxic culture created by the admin team. Teachers are fleeing this school. It's sad here is no exit interviews or anonymous ways to give authentic feedback.

Posted: June 6, 2021

The first year at this school started out great but unfortunately has gone in the wrong direction. If you are looking for a "woke" school than this is the school for you! If you agree and support your child being taught that Christopher Columbus was a murderer, cancelling Dr. Seuss week, and displaying a Pride flag outside a classroom door, then this school is for you! The school doesn't let the kids build bonds with their classmates. The environment is a draconian teaching atmosphere where negative reinforcement is the norm. There's always a "threat" that a student feels in the school. As soon as they enter the building in the morning, there is no talking. At the end of the day, before carpool begins, there is no talking. At lunch, there are assigned seats so your child can never sit with a friend and there's constant threats of silent lunches (which they will gladly have) if talking is too loud. Also, if you have a concern, the Principal will defend his staff so there is no parent partnership which was promised in the beginning. It's a tough school academically. You have to keep an eye on the parent portal and your child's grades as well as assignments. If you have a child who is not organized and disciplined, it will be tough on them and you. Keep in mind too, that CNN is their primary resource for teaching and discussing current events.
On a positive note, the Art and Technology teacher are excellent. There is also no bullying and if a child is a bully, they don't last very long in the school.
This school was amazing in the beginning and it's sad to see the direction it's moving in.

Posted: April 27, 2021

This school started with a community unlike anything in the area. The admin were involved and supportive and parents were excited to be involved in the opening of a new school. But the admin team has great difficulty accepting when they are wrong. They are hyper and defensive and care more about displaying popularity awards than in making sure that staff and students are happy. You know there is a problem when you see so much teacher turnover each year. Teachers look stressed and exhausted. We were told the class sizes would be small, but some have 31 students. My child's middle school elective has over 45 students. Teachers are at the school from the moment we pull into carpool at 7:20 till we pick up our child at 3:45. We live nearby and see teachers leaving the building throughout the evening and all my children receive emails and have grades posted during the weekends. This is also a school of many "no's." There is no library, cafeteria, stage, or busing. Grade levels eat in part of the gym while the gym teacher tries to teach classes at the same time. There is also a limited number of electives for middle school. This year, my 7th grader had the same elective for three quarters. The positives: 30 minutes of lunch and 30 minutes of recess every day. If you do decide that Peak is the school for your family, make sure you join the Peak Parent Facebook group. Here is where you will find support when you get none from the school.

Posted: April 14, 2021

This school will teach your kids how to get in to rat race and never get out. It is all work and no fun. Kids are not allowed to talk, lunch break is very short. Moral values are on the syllabus but not taught or practiced in a way that sticks. They said they teach kids at the level they are at but I strongly disagree. All the kids get the same homework. My child loves history and math outside school but hates those classes in school because they do not progress at all! Homework is daunting. A lot of homework, most of it is repetitive. They make us print so many pages to write a few words, no regard for the environment. Carpool is the worst - we spend 40 min in the morning and then again in the afternoon. This is other than commute to the school. All those cars idling - no regard for the environment.

Before and after-care program is terrible. They let young kids be around older kids. There is no structure to the program. They wouldn't even bring out crayons. Everyday my child got bored. Sometimes he would push an older kid on the swing, other times he was the "ball guy" for older kids playing basketball. I provided feedback each time but there was no change.

They don't act on any feedback provided. It is a factory for robots.

Posted: April 8, 2021

The school has involved families and good teachers, but the admin staff is adversarial enough I left the school. They can't handle any feedback from anyone, parent or teacher, unless the feedback is positive. They respond like lawyers to anything not glowingly positive. Never had this kind of toxic admin in any other position.

Posted: November 21, 2020

My child had worked extremely hard and this school has crushed her confidence. I would recommend everyone to do their thorough research before getting into this charter school. Please dont get fooled by fancy name.

Posted: October 11, 2020

Homework grades are docked 50% if not handed in the next day. 100% the day after that. Detrimental if you have a child that is already struggling in a subject.

Posted: October 11, 2020

The teachers in general are really good, but seem very restricted with how they can teach. See homework policy above.

Posted: October 11, 2020

The administration sells you on Moral Focus. it is an absolute sham. The kids do these short assemblies. It is not practiced beyond this. There are as many bullying and behavioral issues at this school as there were at our previous school.

Posted: October 11, 2020

The administration's focus is on perfect attendance and accolades. The Students receive an education but it comes at the expense of their social development. It is a factory, the product is the test scores and Maggie awards. Your kids are the workers.

Posted: October 11, 2020

After a parent teacher conference, I received no special support for my child who was struggling in a subject. We went with a private tutor.

Posted: October 11, 2020

Bullying does go on at this school. It is not handled any better here than anywhere else.

Posted: October 11, 2020

This is a school of no's:
No lunchroom
No library (really!)
No extracurricular activity (limited to the point it has no value)
No G&T program
No homework leniency
No bussing (Charter school)
No days where kids can dress as the please
No clubs

Posted: January 14, 2020

Simple, consistent routines that are easy to achieve.

Posted: January 14, 2020

Our teachers over 3 years for 3 different kids have shown a genuine concern for their students well being, and are incredibly talented.

Posted: January 14, 2020

The moral focus is a foundation for the school philospophy. 15min a day are spent instructing students on a different virtue: Wisdom, Respect, Gratitude, Self-Control, Perseverance, Courage, Encouragement, Compassion, Integrity.

Posted: January 14, 2020

Principal Pond is the best of the best.

Posted: January 14, 2020

The differentiated education, tired instruction and workshop model allow Peak to instruct the students in small groups based on ability. Students are given relevant material to their level of understanding, and the main focus is not just proficiency but GROWTH.

Posted: January 14, 2020

Not tolerated at all. Issues are dealt with immediately and effectively.

Posted: January 14, 2020

ABSOLUTELY the best environment we could choose for our children to spend their days learning and growing. Highly recommend!!!