Foundations Academy

340 South 45th Avenue

School District

27j
Grade

K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:20
Type

charter

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on December 16, 2024

There is an revolving door of teachers here because the principal is insufferable.. We needed to start the school year with almost 15 brand new teachers. Some teachers left before Thanksgiving break. One quit after a week. Kids are being taught by substitutes 90% of the time.The gym is the lunchroom. There is no library. Classes are filled to the brim with 30+ students to one teacher. Kids get less than 10 minutes to eat their tiny portioned lunch. If you were someone who depended on this meal, you'd be starving. It's snack sized.I hear it's usually disgusting, too. But you don't get the opportunity to see for yourself because the principal views visitors as 'distractions'. So much so that you can't enter the school or even volunteer to help in the classroom during the 1st quarter of school so 'kids can focus' on learning and the routines of school.This used to be the warmest most welcoming school before the current principle arrived and waved her finger of disapproval at everything and everyone. Now we have "fundraisers" where parents are expected to give their money to the school (we don't sell butter braids here!) so the school can buy picnic tables that the staff yell at students to not touch all year long. Parents are asked not to walk their children to their wing doors to drop them off and the one office lady who refuses to quit is the one who is patronizing and rude to parents and students. Go figure.
Submitted by parent on December 09, 2024

This has been the worst year and looking to transfer my daughter out mid year. For some reason they can't keep 5th grade teachers. Is it administration or the students who knows. Last year's team didn't come back and they've had multiple turnovers within the school year and still expect the kids to be able to learn. With no extra help in the class room theres not enough individual focus. They tell the students to ask for help but then leave them hanging. Instead of hiring a math teacher they hire a ela teacher that's isn't any good at math and struggles to help the kids understand the new concepts they are supposed to be learning for the year. Overall there's no way I recommend this school to anyone. I was going to enroll my kinder for next year and we are looking at other options.
Submitted by parent on April 16, 2024

Overall, our experience has been positive. We have had some teacher experiences that were great, some that were good, and only a few that left something to be desired. Pros:- Teachers that care and work hard- Moral Focus- Dress Code- Lots of engagement opportunities (sports, clubs, spirit days and weeks, and dances and other events)Cons:- This is a K-8 in an elementary school building. The gym is tiny and also functions as a cafeteria. There are no locker rooms. There is no auditorium or performance space.- Administration doesn't allow teachers to effectively discipline students who misbehave. Once they get to eighth grade the kids realize this, and at that point the inmates are running the asylum. Most of the lackluster teacher experiences we've had were from middle school teachers and to be honest, I don't really blame them because some of the behavior I've witnessed from middle schoolers is abominable.
Submitted by student on March 28, 2024

this school dose not have there stuff together. there is always problems the school is tiny and the rules are horrible. There after school activity's are not put together well. They don't have good coaches for there sports teams and make you pay $60 for a losing team. This school is not safe either I personally have been punched called names and body slammed without teachers or administration knowing. If you go to administration they say there was no adult witness so they cant do anything.
Submitted by other on June 23, 2023

This school sucks, it has bogus rules, the building looks like a shed, and the gym basketball hoops don’t even have proper backboards. Once again this school sucks. I don’t recommend it.
Submitted by parent on October 26, 2022

Not a great school- many of the teachers lack a degree/licensure to teach. Kids are grouped together based on the standings. All the poor, ell, special needs in one class per grade- teachers are overworked underpaid. Building layout is ineffective - no library no cafeteria one tiny gym for everything. Bad behaving students are not penalized - this takes away from the other students learning. Classroom size always kept to 30- so they can get more bang for their buck- I would not recommend alternative schools around that offer more rigorous and variety of curriculum.
Submitted by parent on April 27, 2022

Foundations Academy is a great school , two of my kids have attended to this school and they had a great overall experience. Planning on sending son to kinder as well .
Submitted by parent on January 28, 2020

Excellent! Very happy with our decision to attend Foundations!
Submitted by parent on December 10, 2019

We’ve been at this school several years now and our overall experience has been good, there have been some rough years with administration and some of the class sizes are a little larger than I personally think they should be but the new administration is steering us in the right direction.
Submitted by parent on May 09, 2019

At the beginning, 6 years ago, it was a great experience and we loved this school. The last 3 or 4 years it has taken a total nose dive. The teachers seem to be just getting done what needs to be done in class and the principal may be doing a good job with running the school as far as financially but having to actually deal with the students and/or parents she is terrible and does nothing to improve the school or protect students. There is no encouragement for parent participation with the school like in years past. All the things we loved about this school are completely gone. And so are we. A once great school has tanked.
Submitted by parent on April 07, 2019

I think my answers to the other questions speak volumes...
Submitted by parent on June 13, 2018

Administration is a revolving door and the kids run things. Teachers do they best they can with no support.
Submitted by parent on March 05, 2018

Our experience with the teachers and the administration has been, overall, positive. There are concerns with turnover and lack of stability at the leadership level, but I'm hopeful NHA is addressing that with more thought this year.
Submitted by parent on February 01, 2018

My daughter has been attending Brighton 27J schools since Kindergarten. She went to Turnberry Elementary (the highest rated school) for years K-4, we moved her to Foundations in 2016 for 5th grade due to wanting her to attend middle school there the following year. I believe she learned more and had more support in her 5th grade class at Foundations, than with most of her Teachers at her previous school, and it was supposed to be the best! She's currently in the 6th grade, and the Middle School is small which is great, but seems chaotic, however find me a middle school that isn't. In my opinion, I think even with the changes of Leadership, and controversy they've had with some of the staff, the school is probably leaps and bounds better than the other Middle School choices in the area. Middle School is tough, and they are achieving average results with exception to a few areas. They heavily focus on STEM, which has lead to good math results, however they've neglected English a bit in the process. Guess they need to work on a way of achieving average to above average results in both areas.
Submitted by parent on January 31, 2018

Once again another disappointing year at Foundations. My child has gone through 3 homeroom/ math teachers within the 1st semester. Talk about a rotating door! Best thing about 2018, Mr.Martinez mysteriously resigned. The lack of leadership, morals and overall care for education was dismal. A school principal should be spending more time caring about the well being of the students, than flirting with all the mothers! Most of the teachers lack quality teaching, and hold the entire 7th grade class after school for 25 mins, without any parental notification!
Submitted by parent on September 29, 2015

We have been at foundations for five years and three kids and have had a great experience. Our children are being challenged with advanced learning plans and receiving help in weak areas such as speech pathology. The consistent culture of the school is something I especially like. Our family prefers the current principal, Mrs. Kastberg, she focuses on the students rather than the parents. We wish there was more time spent on STEM topics, but this school is a fantastic option.
Submitted by parent on August 03, 2015

We couldn't be happier with our experience at Foundations. I have two children attending and have been here for 3 years. You will not find a more caring learning environment for your kids. The staff is wonderful and you can tell they have a passion for teaching. Foundations is a wonderful option for us living in Brighton 27J. I am thankful for Foundations and for all the Teachers and staff.
Submitted by parent on April 02, 2015

Almost all the reviews on here are from when Mr. Hammond was principal, also the testing was from that time too. The school has changed in every way and only for the worse. The learning environment is terrible and the kids are in trouble all the time. Trust me when I say that there are much better schools to send your child to, this one is a terrible option for any parent.
Submitted by teacher on March 20, 2015

Part 1: I use to work at Foundations Academy. There are MANY reasons why I resigned and I want to share them with other prospective teachers that are looking to work at Foundations. First, teachers have no flexibility for differentiating for their students. The expectation is that you should be teaching within 5 minutes of the other teachers at the same grade level. How is that possible when you are trying to reach the needs of YOUR students?
Submitted by parent on February 21, 2015

We have attended Foundations since it opened, and at one time, I would have given 5 stars. Unfortunately, the school culture feels different these days. Back then, everyone was excited and parents were very invested. As would be expected, though, I think the "honeymoon" period is over and we need to figure out how to keep everyone invested. Although there has been a lot of staff turnover lately, I have to disagree with the other reviewer who blames the negative changes on Mr. Hammond's departure. He was a terrific principal, but the decline began last year when he was still there. I think Ms. Kastberg is doing a great job in the face of many staff changes, new state tests and guidelines, and a group of parents who are upset that Mr. Hammond left. In my opinion, many of the negative changes that have happened are due to parents--just look at the lack of courtesy in the parking lot at drop off/pick up for evidence. Teachers, deans, staff, and principal are still all working hard to do their best for the kids, and it is still one of the top schools in the area.