AESA Prep Academy

14101 Canonade

Austin, TX 78737

14 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on December 13, 2023

AESA has provided an environment where my child is nurtured, inspired, and taught with hands-on experiences that accompany creative lessons. His teachers truly care about him as an individual, and communicate with me regarding his progress and growth needs. I so appreciate the kindness shown daily to my child, and the wonderful friendships he has developed with the other children. AESA never ceases to amaze me at the activities offered to my child to enrich his learning such as rodeo day, guest speakers, field trips, and cultural activities of all types. Our family loves attending the many events offered to us as well. It truly is a warm and welcoming community for us all! We are so thankful for AESA!
Submitted by teacher on December 05, 2023

I recently started teaching at AESA and I have found the school to be a breath of fresh air. No, more like a vigorous but friendly gust of fresh air. The two qualities I appreciate most are its freedom and kindness.The teachers (and I am impressed with the dedication, talent, and creativity of the rest of the teaching staff) have the freedom to tailor their teaching to the aptitudes, needs, and interests of their students and, in some cases (class sizes are often small enough), to adjust the pace of coursework to fit the natural stride of each student. There is no “one silly size fits all” here, no heavy-handed, down-from-above, straight jacket curriculums. Instead there is the rigorous but open development of the students’ natural talents and passions.But what impresses me most of all is the way the students work, learn, and play together. I have not personally witnessed any bullying here and have heard of little. We aim to develop the students’ character so that they use their talents and skills to build each other and wider communities up rather than tear them down, to learn to courageously address and creatively solve the daunting problems the 21st-century will throw at them, their families, their cities, and the various communities they belong to. They will need compassion for each other. They will need to work and play together and AESA teaches them how to do that.
Submitted by parent on November 30, 2023

Our family has been a part of the AESA community for five years and have had children in Elementary, Middle, and High School. To say they are an inclusive supportive community, is an understatement. Our family had a cancer diagnosis in our third year attending and the support they showed our children and our family is unsurpassed. The small class sizes gave me children the individual attention and compassion that they so desperately needed. Today my children are thriving and have supportive teachers and amazing friendships. At AESA my children are surrounded by students with college aspirations that are focused on personal growth and that spirit is contagious among the student body. You do not encounter the issues mainly schools have negative choices due to peer pressure-it is the opposite they encourage each other to make better choices! As a parent I cannot say enough good things about AESA. If you want your child to be seen and known-this is the school for you! The small class sizes ensure each child is challenged and encouraged at the level that best encourages their growth.
Submitted by teacher on November 19, 2023

I've been teaching at AESA for four years now, and it's been a wonderful experience. The small class size creates a close-knit community and affords teachers the ability to customize learning to individual students. The campus is picturesque and has a laid-back hill country vibe. There's nothing like teaching outside on a deck under live oaks to add some relaxing vibes to a lesson plan!For a school this size, the extracurricular offerings are impressive. Popular programs include soccer, E-Sports, D&D, a math and algorithms club, and the Aussie magazine.The AESA faculty are simply the most capable, hardworking group of teachers I've ever worked with, and the administrators here truly care about their employees and are constantly striving to maintain excellent standards of education and to cultivate a wholesome, enriching school culture. Students here are positive, upbeat, and motivated. Many of them engage in demanding extracurriculars outside school, and our team works hard to provide scheduling flexibility to our tennis players, equestrians, gymnasts, musicians, and artists.I consider it a great privilege to work at such a special place. As we continue to grow--a new elementary building is going up this year--I look forward to seeing AESA expand its offerings while continuing to maintain the intimate atmosphere that makes it such a warm, welcoming school.
Submitted by parent on April 12, 2023

We left AESA after less than a year because our kids were performing below grade level based on independently done standardized tests, despite getting mostly A's at AESA, and because the environment wasn't positive or nurturing at all. Academics don't seem to be the focus here; they are not very rigorous, and there is a ton of grade inflation. Starting in middle school, students use calculators for math, including on the MAP tests that the school administers - which is flat out cheating!In addition, one would think that this being a small-ish school, there would be more personal attention given to students' needs. This is not the case; students who need more of a challenge are not given it, and students who may need more assistance (either academically or emotionally) are hung out to dry. The elementary school doesn't even have enough teachers to substitute if a teacher is out for a day, let alone have an extra hand in the classroom. Substitute teaching is left to the head of elementary school. It feels like the school doesn't have the infrastructure to support the students they do have.Despite the school's claims that bullying doesn't exist and problems are taken care of immediately, we found this to be untrue. There are plenty of mean kids who are allowed to carry on with no intervention from teachers or administrators. Communication is poor to nonexistent - emails with major concerns from students and parents are usually ignored. Only emails with inane and minor concerns are promptly attended to by the administration. If you can actually get them to respond to you, they will blame the victim for being bullied. In addition, there are hardly any opportunities for conferences and very little communication from teachers.Phones are rampant since older kids are allowed to have and use them at school, and kids are constantly on apps like tiktok. Younger kids are exposed to this, and the phones are often disruptive to class time for middle and high school students. There are study halls with a mixed group of middle schoolers and high schoolers, and some high schoolers loudly giggle over tiktoks while other students are trying to study. Apparently, many of high schoolers don't have enough academic work to do. Overall I can't recommend this school. I notice that the positive reviews are all pretty old; perhaps the school was good at one time, but presently, it is not.
Submitted by teacher on November 23, 2020

I have had a wonderful teaching experience at AESA. The small class sizes allow for catering the curriculum as needed to each individual student. Teachers are held to a high standard while they still have the freedom to introduce creativity and industry experience into the learning material so that students get a truly authentic experience. Course material is all created by the teachers who teach the courses. AESA is a lovely place to teach. The careful design of the educational setting makes it easy to form meaningful bonds with all students. The amount of work that AESA has put in to ensure the school is a safe place to meet in person during covid is unmatched. There are outdoor classrooms, strict mask policies and industry-grade air purifiers.
Submitted by parent on January 08, 2020

I have had two children attend Aesa Prep Academy - both kids attended middle and high school at Aesa. They have both had great success at Aesa despite being extremely different in terms of their own learning styles and personalities. I feel beyond grateful for the wonderful staff at Aesa for helping my children for the past nine years.
Submitted by teacher on November 04, 2019

This school is incredibly supportive and nurturing to their teachers. We are given professional courtesy and empowered to provide quality, individualized instruction to our students. Administration is supportive in whatever way necessary to ensure success. As a former public school teacher, I feel blessed to be working in an environment that considers the whole child and in which I am treated as trained professional.
Submitted by teacher on November 03, 2019

I taught at a public school for over 30 years. I was lucky to come across AESA through a friend. I have had the best experience teaching at AESA. I love the students and I love the support we get from the parents as well as the community. We are like a great family.
Submitted by parent on October 29, 2019

My son and daughter have both attended AESA. My daughter is currently at UT Austin and my son is a senior. My kids have benefitted greatly from the smaller class sizes, their bonds with the teachers, the special programs (science fair, most important person and model UN, SAT prep and included college counseling). My daughter still hangs out and studies with her AESA classmates at UT and my son feels like he fits in despite his struggles with anxiety. This school has been a blessing!
Submitted by teacher on October 01, 2019

I have been a teacher at AESA Prep Academy for the past 8 years, and it has been the most awesome teaching experience of my career which covers a span of almost 40 years! AESA provides an innovative and creative approach to academics with a small student / teacher ratio. The teaching environment is supportive, positive, and nurturing. I am truly blessed to be a part of the AESA community.
Submitted by teacher on October 01, 2019

An excellent experience working with students at AESA
Submitted by parent on August 27, 2019

Just awful. Don’t send your child to AESA
Submitted by parent on January 24, 2017

We have experienced the elementary, middle and high schools and couldn't be happier with the learning environment! We have found the teachers and administration are actively engaged in providing a personalized, high quality education for each child. The opportunity to pursue dual credit courses, multiple foreign languages and a robust core curriculum make this a great fit for our child.
Submitted by principal on December 15, 2016

AESA is an amazing school with a stunning campus that is built around the idea that kids can pursue their passions while also receiving a top level education. AESA students love going to school every day and thrive in the safe, supportive environment that Barbara and her faculty provide. Families have the freedom to travel as needed without missing a beat. The teachers are like family, they care about every child and make sure everybody is helped when needed and challenged to reach their highest potential. The teachers and administration are easy to communicate with and are available at a moments notice when a family has something they need to discuss.