It is the best K -8 school in the valley, and I am pleased that my kids are the products of Valley…read moreAcademy! The teachers are great and very attentive. They provide a nurturing environment for the kids. The curriculum is strong, and they are pretty much rounded with other extracurricular activities, too, unlike other schools, which do not entertain that. My only complaint is I wish they had a high school. When my son moved to high school, even though he had completed the basic levels of certain subjects in Valley Academy, he couldn't take the advanced level because the new high school didn't recognize the levels at Valley Academy since they don't have a high school. That's a huge bummer

I am in second grade my teacher is Mrs.Carpenter.She's very nice.Their is annoying boys in my…read moreclassroom. The others are tattletales.Valley Academy is a good school.Literally every day I come home from school l have something to tell my parents that I learned.Once my friend had trouble breathing and we went to the nurse. She was very helpful and she sent my friend home.

I came from San Bernardino California where I was going to school at Wilma Amina Carter high it was…read moretraumatic experience but I move here to Arizona and went to school here at Barry Goldwater where teachers had such high spirits and positivity I had an English teacher that read books to us with different voices to make us really get the personality of the characters I had an math teacher that never gave up on me and I was an F student til I came to her class and I had a history teacher that made history exciting to me and a cooking teacher who's methods I still use til this day! I love it and recommend to every parent searching for a school for their kids to go to ignore the bad ratings this is the purest one ! #classof2016

For the positives of this school, one of the best things I did was choir. Choir was amazing, it got…read moreme really experienced with finding true genuine people. Some of the only genuine people in the schools were in clubs. Fun people, with personalities. Most of my friends were in choir, and overall it was a wonderful time. A fun teacher as well, and an enjoying experience to walk into everyday. It made the school experience fun, and it made me feel at home knowing I was part of a family. The cafeteria food was absolutely amazing! Literally so good for school food, it was also nice being able to sit outside. Used to sit outside with my buddies and listen to music. My favorite food was the orange chicken! Stadium events, football games, anything club related was always enjoyable. Definitely recommend, the school has very fun activities as well. The main issue with all schools is a balance between drama/friends and education. I don't think a single school doesn't have issues with drama and fights. For this school though, it seemed to have been much worse. Fights and a lot of smoking going on all the time. Their was maybe one student in a class that distracted everyone that was there to learn. Sometimes more...school threats also happened a few times a year. Nothing bad ever happened but still, troubled teenagers are ruthless sometimes and it was an issue. For staff, I never had any issues with any of the staff there. I knew a lot of them, since my sister went to Barry as well. Our experiences are similar, it's not great and it's not bad, it's simply okay. If you do have a young teenager or any teenager going there, beware of the issues with drugs, and drama. Motivate them into a club and, help them find something their passionate in. School is for learning, not fighting and drama!! It's very important to also get troubled kids to talk with the school counselors. They helped a lot, and they supported me through the rough battles of my teenage years. Their is support! :)

My daughter transferred to this school after coming from Canada, and they made the transition very…read moreeasy for her. The staff was very welcoming from the start, which meant a lot to us as new parents to the school. I really like the study materials and resources they provide for the kids. You can tell they care about the students' learning and development. The teachers and staff are all very kind and supportive. Everyone we've interacted with has been helpful and professional. Communication with the teachers has also been great whenever we've needed to reach out or ask questions. Overall, it's a great community and we've had a very positive experience here so far. We're glad our daughter is part of this school.

This school is now all about numbers. The goal and incentives to the school occur if there are 36…read morestudents in each classroom. When you put boys who have not learned basic behavior at home and are sent there for "babysitting", the teacher is left to scream all day at them. Admin needs to learn to deal with them so the other kids can learn. Dress code needs to be consistent across all students, and perhaps teachers and staff/admin. Less of a focus on making money and more of being a school as the A rating should show. Sad that it has changed over the years getting too big. Many state they have to come there because other schools would charge for lunches.

This school is alright, watch out for some teachers, one will look at your titties when you ask for…read morehelp, other then that it's ok. Just be careful who your friends with, kids here can be mean.

This message isn't about the school I love this school and made a lot of friends here and without…read morethem I wouldn't be who I am but the one teacher that ruined my highschool experience was miss Bridges math algebra 3-4 this teacher has ruined everybody's highschool experience you could ask any student in the school that has had her they will say she is the worst she teaches us like we're 2yr old kids and when you ask for help her explanation was the worst because of her I went from a straight A student to a student who did really bad in math!! This highschool needs to do something about her becuase there are way too many kids who are failing becuase of her

This is an excellent school run by excellent people, Perry Mason isn't just a kick-butt television…read moreattorney but he's also one heck of a principal. They also used to have the best school musicals year after year because Mrs. Dukeshier weren't to be missed. Her choral offerings are something to see. They offer a comprehensive 7th and 8th grade education, have a robust athletics program, and activities for children who use their minds as well! If you have a child who is junior high school aged and you don't hate them this is a good place to send them to school.

I go here and love this school very much. This school has very nice teachers and lots of…read moreopportunities. Thank you mt. Sky you are wonderful!

My husband and I were happy that North Canyon High School is allowing spectators at the basketball…read moregames.

If you are considering enrolling your teenager at North Canyon, do yourself a favor and look…read moreelsewhere. This school is run with complete disregard for the actual student experience, and the administration's priorities are entirely backward. The front office communication is practically nonexistent. If you try to call with an urgent message or pop in to clear up an attendance mistake, you are met with attitude, eye rolls, and generic brush-offs. Meanwhile, the staff enforces rules with glaring favoritism. Certain students get away with constant dress code violations or skipping, while others are dragged straight into detention over harmless misunderstandings or pulling out a phone to check the time. Where the budget actually goes is an absolute mystery. While teachers are left paying out-of-pocket for basic classroom supplies and AC units struggle to cool overcrowded rooms, the administration somehow finds funding for cosmetic exterior upgrades and unnecessary vanity projects. Fine arts and practical electives keep getting squeezed out, depriving kids of the hands-on programs that make high school engaging, all while the school spends money on decorative fluff nobody asked for. To make matters worse, basic campus maintenance is treated like an afterthought. Half the student bathrooms are locked down at any given time, plumbing leaks are ignored for weeks, and maintenance fixes are applied like temporary band-aids. Instead of addressing genuine student well-being, curb bullying, or fix deteriorating facilities, the administration and security spend all their energy playing hallway police and treating every student like a suspect. Education, safety, and basic student respect are simply not priorities at this school. North Canyon feels far more focused on control and surface appearances than actually helping teenagers succeed. Save your child the frustration and look into literally any other option.

I'm sharing my experience with Brightmont Academy Scottsdale Campus under the leadership of Sarah…read moreHorton. As a mom, I truly loved the idea of Brightmont's one-on-one model. My son is extremely intelligent--like many gifted children--and that's exactly why I chose this school. The 1:1 structure has the potential to be an incredible fit for the right student. My son is 14, bright, funny, and capable. He successfully homeschooled for three years without incident--not by accident, but because I took the time to understand how he learns. I taught him in a way that worked for him, with patience and flexibility. Sometimes we would even switch roles and pretend he was the teacher and I was the student--and honestly, that part came easy because he is incredibly smart. He wanted to attend school, liked his teachers, and was completing his work. That's why this experience has been so difficult. For a child like mine--who needs additional behavioral support and structure--the necessary supports were not meaningfully put in place. Over the course of several months: * The BCBA conducted only one observation lasting less than two hours * After that, there were no additional observations for approximately two months * A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) was put together based on that limited observation and did not reflect my son's level of need * No Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) was ever created or implemented * An RBT was providing support, but there was no BCBA oversight or supervision at any point I was never provided behavioral data, no analysis of the function of behaviors, and no tracking to support decisions. There was no communication from the BCBA--not with me, not with the RBT, and not with the teachers. No meetings, no weekly collaboration, nothing. At one point, Sarah Horton said that Brightmont was a perfect fit for Blake. Despite that, she removed him from Brightmont with less than three weeks of school left, knowing there was no other placement available for him. I was actively advocating for appropriate services and support through the district, and she did not stand behind that advocacy. Instead, she sided with the district, and I don't believe that's right. I also understand that the district (Paradise Valley Unified School District) funds placements like this. However, from my perspective, it felt like those priorities were not aligned with what my child needed. Regardless of how funding works, a child's needs should always come first--especially for a vulnerable student who is trying, engaged, and wanting to learn. What makes this even harder is that there were options. I offered to have my son's behavioral coach come into the school during those final weeks to support him. She was willing to do so. That option was denied, and the decision to end his placement was made by Sarah Horton. Every day, my son's access to water and the bathroom was restricted. My son is on medication and has a doctor's note requiring unrestricted access to water. The amount he needs varies, and staying hydrated is medically necessary to prevent serious side effects, including migraines and other complications. My son recorded a conversation, and what I heard was inexcusable. He was denied access to water and left in a room by himself. It is incomprehensible to me that a child with a documented medical need would have water withheld. Access to water is a basic need, and in this case, it was also a medical requirement. My son does well with the right support. He works with a behavioral coach at home before and after school and thrives because she is experienced, patient, and speaks with him--not at him--and never shames him. I wish that Brightmont and Sarah Horton had taken the opportunity to support him, advocate for him, and ensure he was not denied access to FAPE--which ultimately, he was. If your child needs behavioral support, structure, communication, and advocacy, I strongly encourage you to ask detailed questions before choosing this school. Sarah, I encourage you--as well as any educator or administrator--to stand behind your students. Stand with caregivers. Stand up to the district when a child needs appropriate services and support. What you did to my son was harmful. It was psychologically traumatizing. My child has already survived a national disaster, the loss of his home and our business, and a major life transition relocating to Arizona. This was an opportunity to embrace him, encourage him, build his confidence, and help him re-engage in school. Instead, you did the opposite--and removed him with less than three weeks left in the school year. Every child deserves better.

The principal and staff at this Brightmont location have gone above and beyond to accommodate the…read moreneeds of my special needs son. Although this is not a dedicated special needs school, I am incredibly grateful for everything they have done. My son struggled at every other school until he came to Brightmont, and now, for the first time, he is truly learning and thriving with the one-on-one lessons. This approach is working wonderfully for him, and I couldn't be happier. If I could give them more than five stars, I absolutely would!

This school has been a nightmare to navigate as a parent. My son was on the Pinnacle football team…read morefor 2 years, and from day one it was awful. Coaches allowed him to be abused--one early practice he came home with a huge gash on his neck after they let a kid who didn't like him drag him by his temporary jersey. They made comments like "Don't be so proud, you aren't even that good," then pulled him aside to apologize later. Countless friends left the team due to the same discrimination. My son is a fighter--he earned his spot as a baller on frosh, JV, and into varsity. But the tired racist underculture persists, and leadership does nothing. We're losing students from two-Black-parent households. Black coaches sat back and watched my son get mistreated daily. An ugly incident happened when a dad talked crap about me in Spanish right in front of me (I speak it fluently). At track meets, Pinnacle kids mocked a beautiful dark-skinned Black girl from another school. I'm disgusted by what Pinnacle has provided my son. In the classroom, teachers loved him--he's an honors/AP student, and I'm thankful for those who cared. If you want racial discrimination, feeling like an outcast, and no leaders to address it, Pinnacle is the place. We've moved his talents to Sunrise Mountain, where he has band, a diverse campus, and can enjoy his upperclassmen years.

It's not that bad it's just I'm depressed so it's hard to make friends. Advice is to join a sport…read moreor club when ur a freshman so u won't become a loser like me

Deer Valley Academy provides a personal high school education for all students, especially…read morestruggling students. They provide afternoon and evening classes in 2 and a half hour blocks. Each class lasts 30 school days and meets only Monday through Friday. They are accredited and teach according to the Arizona State and National Educational Standards. I have seen many students who were unsuccessful at a traditional high school succeed at Deer Valley Academy! My nephew was one who had lots of family issues and kept dropping out of school. DVA took him in, evaluated his courses from the seven high schools he attended and was able to enroll him, teach him, and graduate him in a semester. DVA is the best, mist personable and helpful school! Check them out!

From the owner: Deer Valley Academy offers afternoon and evening high school classes designed for those who prefer…read morea small, caring, customized learning environment.

Many family friends have kids going to this district and a few family members do too and all I've…read moreheard is negative. Fights, drugs, etc. I went schools in this district a while back and they were awful. Sad to hear they haven't improved.

This district is solely based on appearances over function. Having worked for this district and…read morebeing told i needed to change a students grades from failing to passing and having the unfortunate luck for both my children to go to these schools as well. The teachers utilyze less instruction and more forced computer interface to establish their own status quo. This last lockdown implement during the solar eclipse also shows how little this district instills true observational learning capabilities for its younger students. If you have an out from this district take it. If you have children that wish to learn , truly learn then avoid this district and its fluffy policies that change at whim.