This review is long overdue, but I wanted to share our experience with Gateway Academy for other…read moreparents who may be searching for the right school for a child with high-functioning autism, or what Gateway refers to as twice-exceptional students. My son started at Gateway in 7th grade after attending public school since kindergarten. We were actually very fortunate to have had a pretty good experience in public school, especially with the other kids. He had attended the same school since kindergarten and had grown up with many of his classmates, most of whom were still with him in 6th grade. But as he got older, I could see the writing on the wall. Class sizes were getting larger, the kids were growing up, and there had been a few run-ins with bullies. I also didn't love the idea of moving him to a middle school for only two years and then making another major transition to high school. Kids on the spectrum often thrive on routine and familiarity, and my son is certainly no exception. When we found Gateway, it truly felt like a Godsend. The small class sizes were exactly what he needed, and one of the biggest advantages for us was that Gateway goes all the way through 12th grade. He could attend middle school and high school in the same familiar, supportive environment. Many of the teachers have special education backgrounds, but what makes Gateway so special goes far beyond academics. There is a genuinely loving, welcoming culture there. At Gateway, these kids aren't singled out for being different. They're surrounded by other students who understand them. They can be themselves. They have friends. They belong. The teachers are wonderful, as is the office staff. Ms. Robin, Gateway's founder and principal, truly cares about her students, and that caring is reflected throughout the school. Gateway gives students an environment where they can learn at their own pace while also developing friendships, confidence, independence, and a sense of belonging. As a parent, I cannot imagine my son having had the same high school experience in a large traditional high school surrounded primarily by neurotypical students. Those teenage years can be difficult enough, and Gateway gave him a safe place where he was accepted for exactly who he is. My son graduated from Gateway in 2025 and now attends community college. I asked him recently if he misses Gateway. He said yes. So I asked him what, specifically, he misses about it. His answer was simply, "Everything." That answer was both a little sad and incredibly heartwarming for me. More than anything I could write in this review, it confirmed what I had known all along: my son had a wonderful middle and high school experience. He made memories, built friendships, felt accepted, and genuinely enjoyed going to school. As a parent of a child on the spectrum, I don't think you can ask for much more than that. Gateway was also a tremendous resource for our entire family. Through the school, we learned about services and resources available to our son that we otherwise may never have known about. They even connected us with an excellent professional who helped us navigate guardianship and establish a special needs trust as he approached adulthood. Gateway didn't just educate our son--they helped us navigate the journey of raising and preparing a twice-exceptional child for adulthood. For any parent looking for a school for a child on the spectrum, I would recommend Gateway Academy without hesitation. Ms. Robin, Mr. Bloom, Mr. Curt, Mr. Anthony, Mr. Richard, and so many others have made Gateway the special place that it is. We will always be grateful that our son had the opportunity to grow up there. Thank you, Gateway, for giving our son a place where he wasn't simply accommodated, but truly belonged.

I started at Gateway when I was in seventh grade. I just graduated from there in May. I came to…read moreGateway because I was struggling with staying on top of assignments due to the heavy workload at my old school--leading me to start failing my classes. When I first came to Gateway, I was scared and alone. Little did I know that I would make friends that were as precious to me as my life there. It's a small school, so everyone knows everyone. Some might think this is bad, but in reality it's great because we get to form a tight-knit community within our grade level (and sometimes other grades too). There are therapy animals there, which absolutely helps students who are stressed out or who are going through something in their lives. You can always find Apollo and Athena (the therapy dogs) out during passing period, saying hello to the students. Talking about therapy animals, Gateway also does an equine therapy program for both middle school and high school. I was in this equine therapy program for eighth grade and part of high school. This program helped me so much through my struggle with mental health. Being with the horses quieted my brain. The teachers are absolutely amazing. I have never had a single bad teacher there at Gateway. They were all so kind and patient. You could tell that they knew what they were talking about. The English program they have there is absolutely fantastic. Both middle school and high school. The books that we read are actually interesting. Examples of this include The Boy in Striped Pajamas, Flowers for Algernon, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Animal Farm. The lunch program that they have is great as well. They bring in food from different places, and it's covered by your tuition, so you don't have to pay for the food. Some lunches that they brought in were from Panera, Venezia's, Potbelly, and Jimmy John's. Just remember to bring a couple snacks with you because sometimes the lunches can be a little bit on the smaller side. Every Friday, they have clubs. We can pick what club we want to be in, and there are a variety of them. Such as gaming, art, and board game club. It helps give us a break from our classes and gives us some time to hang out with our friends before the weekend hits. They also have programs that help build great resumes--along with helping to make your college and scholarship applications stronger. I was in the National Honor's Society and the Student Council for two years. Those were some of the best decisions I've made in my life. I got to meet new people through volunteering and even host a school drive for a non-profit that I volunteered at. The headmistress, Mrs. Robin, is very sweet and genuinely cares about all of her students. She was the one who set me up with my (then) future externship opportunity. Mr. Curt is amazing. He is the person in charge of the National Honor's Society, and he also helped with setting out flyers among the school about my school drive. Mr. Anthony is fabulous. He is also part of the admin. He helped me a lot with my dual enrollment last year. The admin are wonderful and won't shy away from any questions and/or concerns. Gateway Academy changed my life in the best way possible. I started getting good grades again. I made friends that I thought I never would have made. I would 100% recommend you go to this school if you have high-functioning autism. Once a warrior, always a warrior.

I love for my kid she has so much fun with her friends and it's easy to make over there cause…read moreeveryone is really kind but I'll say before you go to this school if your planing to enroll. sometimes the kids there have a high temper but I'm sure your kid/kids will be good is the best A+ school

Love this school! The teachers and staffs are amazing. So caring for each student. Academically…read morethey are well preparing students for middle school and beyond.

We love this school so much! Class sizes are small, opportunity to be on campus and in the…read moreclassroom is always available to parents, there are so many activities/festivals to get the kiddos excited about learning, the campus is beautiful, the science center is amazing. Truly, so many wonderful things about this place! The school is always locked, the opportunity to donate to various causes is always there, and it is very patriotic! My only negative, many people here park in the No Parking, fire lanes. No one at the school does anything about it. No duty aides outside moving cares, notes, or anything to stop the behavior. I asked once and was told "it's always been like that, people don't listen". As a fire wife, this frustrates me to end! I want to know my daughter is safe in her class and has FULL access to emergency personnel if needed. Other than that, we really love being apart of this school!

I am a former student of Benchmark and I would recommend it to anyone. My teachers were amazing…read morethey cared a lot about me and made sure that I understood any assignment. Most of my teachers loved making learning in the classroom very fun and interesting. The "specials" teachers were amazing and helped me figure out the kind of stuff I love to do. I realize that the school has had a few changes in teachers and principals but I still consider it to be a GREAT school. I made many good memories and have very good friends that I grew up at the school. I always look forward to going back and visiting my teachers. So again I would recommend this school to anyone!

My daughter just finished preschool there. What a blessing that school is. Great combination of…read morelearning and play time. Mrs. Dziawura room 6 teacher , was amazing, kind, supportive, made learning fun! Small size classes it's another great thing about CCS, every kid receives enough attention and recognition. How many 5 year olds will come home and say "I love my school, when can I go again ?!?!" .She is starting kindergarten there this August and already is very excited for being in " big kids class" lol.

Amazing learning experience for ALL CHILDREN is...great leadership,staff curriculum…read more Outstanding environment for all learners.....check out on-line such a special learning environment I'm

I came to pick up my daughter for a Drs appointment and was told I was not allowed to pick her up…read moreafter 2:45. It was 2:47! Not only that, is it even legal to hold a child over a parents wishes? I should be able to pick up my child at any time without being treated like crap. Also the front desk receptionist was extremely rude and argumentative. Are they going to reimburse me for the cancellation fee I am now incurring at her drs office? I'm appalled!

Way too much homework for elementary. Principal is unresponsive through email if she does not agree…read morewith you. Mr. Cunningham is a bright spot. He responded to me, and was willing to talk about our disagreements. My son enjoyed him for math. NEW KIDS BEWARE!!! My daughter was bullied in school until she finally got to Cocopah (however you spell it). I was told by the office I could walk my kids to class on the first day because he didn't know where to go. The teachers didn't like that, and were really rude saying "You're not supposed to be in here". Calm down, it's the first day of school. I'm a 4th grade teacher. My family has been involved in many school. This one has been the worst for a new kid.

Our child has attended Early Childhood and Lower School at the International School of Arizona…read more(ISA). We HIGHLY recommend ISA for families wishing to give their child/children the unique advantage of an international, multilingual education in Arizona. It's great! The Spanish and French tracks are just as if your child is learning in France or Spain (in all subjects). The foreign teachers are very professional, respectful and organized. The US teachers and curriculum are equally impressive with advanced math, science and grammar (STEM) - all taught in English. It's the best of both. Your child will become "academically fluent" in English, and either Spanish or French. With multilingual fluency, children also become confident and emotionally thoughtful of others. Our experience has been terrific. Students enjoy the school day. It is safe, friendly, and respectful with engaged students, teachers, administrators, and parents from all other the world. What a gift. We wish this school went into high school, but we know our child will be prepared for any school we choose - in Arizona or abroad! Thanks ISA.

We were thinking about sending our kids to this school. Unfortunately disappointed by the feedback…read moreand the lack of back up behind the claim that it is IB accredited.

This school has been such a haven for both of my kids. I have a 4 year old autistic son who goes to…read moreSCI in the afternoon after his ABA therapy at SPBS (also amazing place) and my daughter (his twin) who cognitively is fine but had a stroke which caused her left-sided hemiplegia goes there all day. The teachers, supervisors, techs and even the front-desk are absolutely wonderful-always smiling and positive and the classes are small, which I love because the kids are able to get so much attention and support that you could never get at public schools. Then they add in individual programs for the kids to work on after completing intake testing and it makes for such an incredible place that challenges each student to learn at their best ability while giving them great socialization at the same time. My son is able to learn preschool basics while also working through some of his behaviors. Just like at the SPBS clinic, the staff records all program data results in real time on their iPads so they can always track a child's progress and readjust when necessary. Even for my daughter, not only is she learning to read but the school worked with her outside OT to find out exercises and strategies that they could incorporate into her daily routine to help encourage the use of her right hand. They also have peer students to make sure that students have exposure to kids without any behavior or developmental issues. The students learn about different places each week, make fun crafts, have show and tell plus other various fun activities such as going to the park, playground games, yoga and obstacle courses. The school even works on skills such as sharing, taking turns, getting someone's attention, waiting, responding, table manners, etc. As a parent, you also are able to join ClassDojo to get pictures and videos of the kids working on things throughout the week, which makes my day to get to see. Lastly, they care so much about ensuring the success of their students that they voluntarily assist with their MET meetings and future placement. I only wish we could keep our kids here for longer!

We are Super grateful for being able to be part of CLS. My oldest son was in a well known…read moreaccelerated program in PV school district and to say it lightly that was a hot mess. I went to the tour at CLS and was so amazed that I asked my Mom " are we being Punked?" From the piano music coming out of the chapel to the specialized attention and care my boys receive I couldn't be more thrilled. My oldest son is a bit ahead of his grade in some areas but his teacher went out of her way to create a secondary curriculum for him in these areas so that he stays challenged and excited. The level of character building and accountability that exists at this school is unparalleled. It takes a village:)

I decided to post my opinion about CLS because I noticed an unkind review. My children started at…read moreCLS this year and they are in middle school. The education is top notch, they do prepare your children for high school. Ms. Weber is the middle school teacher for social studies and she is amazing. My children are learning the Articles of the Constitution right now. She brings history to life. During the first week of school at CLS they did a lot of team building activities and it brought the students together, from that moment on my children had friends. The kids are great and I have not seen or heard of any bullies. The sports program may not have a lot of practices, but I think it so kids are able to do other activities outside of school, which most do. I think the two coaches my children have had in after school sports have been great role models. Thank you CLS staff & coaches for being so kind and patient with my kids. It is wonderful to see all the teachers model true Christ like behavior.