Ryan Academy of Norfolk

Posted: January 8, 2025

I was a student at this school during my 2021-2022 year. Mrs. Lisa was the only amazing person there. While going there, I dealt with racism from the assistant principal and other teachers, favortism with other students bullying me, and having no teacher there like me and me being in the corner by myself constantly. This school deserves to be shut down by the city or only remaining a preschool/daycare. They also lied to my Mom about be accredited, and now currently I am trying to graduate early with my current school and more than likely won’t be able too anymore because I have to retake 2 credits and take an ALG SOL now. I do NOT recommend any child coming her for elementary , and ABSOLUTELY NOT coming here for middle school.

Posted: January 8, 2025

Posted: January 8, 2025

Posted: January 8, 2025

Posted: January 8, 2025

Posted: January 8, 2025

Posted: January 8, 2025

Posted: January 8, 2025

Posted: January 22, 2015

As a parent of Ryan Academy, I know that the school year of 2014-2015 is challenging but also rewarding for the students. Because of the overall lack of enrollment for many of the private schools in the Hampton Roads area. Ryan Academy is only offering grades 1 5 this school year, but the plan is to resume middle school 6 8 grades with-in the next couple of years. The current school staff and HAS are in the process of trying rebuilding the school from the bottom up. What that means is they are working on accreditations and hopefully using educational technology such as IPads as well as the computer lab to give the students a leg up on learning. My son has been going to Ryan Academy for the past 2 years and has grown by leaps and bounds academically and socially, the teachers are great with their students and are able to give individualized instructions to a student that may be having trouble. This is what is great in a small classroom setting.

Posted: October 10, 2014

I was a student until the chairman board closed the high school. They LIED and said that they were fully accredited but they are not. I wasted time and money going to the school. I am an eleventh grader but now I may not graduate on time because they are not accredited through the state of virginia. If you are a parent with a child going there or plaining to send them there please reconsider. I personally believe that they may fully close within the next 2 years.

Posted: May 11, 2014

I was greatly disappointed to hear that the school is no longer offering middle or high school classes. The highlight of being walked through the initial admissions process (before she or us knew about the change) was Barbara, who has been there for 30 years. It broke her heart and ours. I feel bad for the middle and high school students that now have to fund alternative education. I wish I could write a good report with what I have encountered, I wish all involved who no longer have a job or schooling the best of luck.

Posted: April 27, 2014

Ryan academy of Norfolk WAS a great school with friendly and encouraging teachers. But now the school is deteriorating and quite frankly, the teachers don't care anymore. the quality of teaching lacked and never rose back up.

Posted: January 6, 2014

am an alumni from the first graduating class back in 1976 when our class had only 4 graduating seniors. I went on to ODU and graduated and have had a great career in the medical field for 28+years. It was a great school then as it is now and I also had 2 brothers graduate from here as well. The school really prepares you for your future.

Posted: September 10, 2013

this is my students 6th year and very exciting to see the computer lab and the new biology lab.Tonight at Back to school night the kids where so excited to show off new things and new friends.We are not related but we are one big happy family!

Posted: June 18, 2013

I had two children in this school-over six years. The education is top-notch. The building is older, but the teachers/staff are fantastic. The curriculum is very demanding and students not willing to WORK will not do well- the school demands engaged students and parents, and that is not a fit for every family. It is academically challenging in every section (Lower, Middle, and Upper), but if a student wishes to do well, they have every opportunity. The faculty is superb; they are willing to devote extra time to each and every student, should the student wish to take advantage. My kids played sports and had coaches who taught a love of sport and a respect for players and the game. Ryan provides a wonderful environment for learning, as well as focusing on character growth as an individual. When you walk inside the doors of this school, you can immediately tell that it is some place special.

Posted: June 3, 2013

Ryan Academy is a small, independent school offering a college preparatory, 1st through 12th grade experience to as wide a cross section of families as possible. We have a family-like atmosphere that allows us to work with individual students to move them through our shared curriculum. Our graduates are accepted at virtually any college / university in the region, and typically do very well.

Posted: June 3, 2013

My son attended Norfolk Public Schools through eighth grade. He has always had difficulty with a learning environment that consists of approximately 30 students per classroom. Because my child was NOT a behavior problem, no one addressed his inability to focus and learn in such a large environment. We enrolled in Ryan Academy for the 2012-2013 school year, and I can honestly so that we have NO regrets. My son was able to focus and learn with a small class size (10 students). The administrative and teaching staff at Ryan Academy are extremely approachable and receptive. I am so impressed by all aspects of Ryan Academy that I volunteer in all activities at the school and serve on the PTO board. It is a small school where everyone knows each other and works together effectively for the good of the students. I would recommend Ryan Academy to anyone looking for a private school where learning is the primary reason for enrolling in a private setting and not as heavy an emphasis on economic status as some of the other private schools in Norfolk are known for,

Posted: June 2, 2013

The teachers are wonderful. It's not a perfect school but what school is? My child gets the one on one attention from the teachers. Which is what my child needs. I would and have recommend this school. It is a small school and it would be nice to see more students, but the administration seems to trying to make things better each year from a mess that was handed to them a few years ago. My child came to that school with low self esteem and the children immediatley treated with respect and dignitiy. It is a family enviroment and I want to say "Thank You" for keeping my child safe and giving my child the opportunity to grow and excel!

Posted: June 2, 2013

The school could inprove by having a days and b days like pulbic schools do. One thing I like about Ryan is the small class sizes

Posted: June 2, 2013

I'm VERY satisfied with Ryan. My child has been attending the school since 3rd grade. The teachers and staff members are extremely helpful and flexible. The school strives to have a safe family environment for children and parents.

Posted: June 2, 2013

Ryan Academy has always been "the" school of choice for our child's education since pre-school. The teachers and staff at both Building Blocks and Ryan Academy are absolutely the best, not only as individuals but also as teachers. They love what they are doing and are very passionate about not only each individual child's education, but that they have every bit of knowledge and skill needed to be successful in their future, whether it is going on to college or directly in the workforce.

Posted: June 2, 2013

i am an alumni and have been involved in the recent rebirth of ryan academy. great and caring teachers are there to give the one on one attention that you cannot find in any other institution in this area. they do not focus on sports, there main focus is preparing the children for college. the foreign language is top notch with many of the students finishing in the top 97% in the country. yes they are a small school, but doesnt everyone wish as parents we could have had the individual attention when we were kids that the students at ryan are receiving? the students are like one big happy family, participating together on and off school. any reports to the contrary are completely false. i am glad to see my old school coming back to its former glory, and there is nothing but great things for it and its future students to come

Posted: June 2, 2013

Ryan Academy has been part of my life since third grade and I would not change the experiences i have had there for anything. I graduated last year and was accepted into the college that I wanted to go to. They have prepared me well for the college experience as well as prepared me for different life challenges that I have faced. The staff has helped me and worked with me when I had numerous family emergencies that kept me from school. Mrs. Nelson is one of the fundamental pieces of the puzzle for this school and me and her have a great relationship even though i have been out of this school for a year. Although this school does not have a flourishing sports program they try to, and it often is the participation from the students that doesn't allow for sports teams. Most students do not want to be involved in sports, as well as the school does not have a large population which is also a huge problem for sports. I have played basketball since sixth grade there and for the last two or three years of my high school career i was captain. All together this school was a huge part of my life that I would not change for anything. I love the administration and the school.

Posted: June 2, 2013

I'm a teacher at Ryan Academy. I love teaching here because of the small class size and "family" atmosphere that you just don't get in the public school environment. I get to know my students on a more personal level. Some of the students have been at Ryan since they were in elementary school, and some have just come this year. I feel like there is something unique that we can provide to each of our students that they can't find in public school. In class, I don't feel rushed to teach lessons. Since the classes are small, I have more time to give individualized instruction. If a student is having trouble, I have all the flexibility I need in my curriculum to get that student back on track. I hope that if someone is thinking about private school they would come in and talk to the staff and have a look around. I don't think you'll find a better group of kids and dedicated teachers.

Posted: January 23, 2013

I absolutely love this school. It is affordable. It is small enough that the teache's and principal are very involved with my child. She is well above her reading and math level. Before and after care are attached to the school and she gets to be part of all the athletics and extra curricular activities. I can't give this school enough stars.

Posted: January 23, 2013

My son is a middle school student at Ryan Academy. Prior to coming to Ryan he was academically troubled. The small classes and focused attention from the teachers is just what he needed. He has made incredible strides in his time at Ryan and we are very impressed.

Posted: November 15, 2012

My daughter attended Ryan Academy school years 2005 and 2006. The school had great teachers, but their administration is terribly uninformed. My daughter's preschool teacher told the administration that my daughter knew everything she had to teach the class and recommended she be moved up a grade. My daughter went to HeadStart when she was two and three because her great-aunt oversaw the HeadStart program. They kept my daughter in the same class, so my daughter learned nothing new that year. Worse than that, in 2006, her kindergarten teacher was overthrown by the director's daughter, Ms. L. Ms. L at the time had no teaching experience, the real teacher told me this the day she resigned because of Ms. L interfering with her class. Ms. L told me to my face that she couldn't stand my daughter's voice. And at the end of the school year, when certificates were given nearly every child received a improved reader certificate, except my child. No excuse, to make my child believe she was a poor reader. Her reading was on par with her classmates. Thankfully, my daughter was too sweet to see the unkind intentions of her unqualified "teacher." I as a parent wish I had not trusted them.

Posted: August 22, 2010

This is a very small private school that is trying hard to turn around its academics and parental involvement. The school is almost too small in the lower and middle grades, but the administration is committed to growing the school. If your child needs a very small classroom then this school may work.

Posted: October 24, 2007