Gig Harbor Academy

6820 32nd Street Northwest

Gig Harbor, WA 98335

23 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-5
Type

private

Find Homes for Sale in this School Zone

Reviews

Submitted by other on September 25, 2023

I am a great believer and supporter of educational options for families like Gig Harbor Academy. GHA has made great strides in the last few years to add positions that support the indicators listed above, like an elementary school counselor for social-emotional support and showing test results for reading and math showing that GHA students score well above grade level. I am a community volunteer.
Submitted by parent on September 23, 2023

I have two kids at GHA, one in PreK and one in Elementary. Preschool and PreK at GHA have an amazing reputation. It is really hard to get in to unless you have an older child already at the school. But I feel that the Elementary program is the best kept secret in Gig Harbor. The teachers are amazing, and so dedicated. School has been growing in the last couple of years, now they have a school counsellor and learning support along with all the other specialist subjects, art, science, spanish etc. Hearing from my friends who have their kids in public, makes me so grateful for GHA. Their time there is spent so intentionally, and not wasted on classroom management, or behavior issues.
Submitted by parent on September 20, 2023

My kids joined Gig Harbor Academy in the fall of 2022. GHA is just what our family needed, after a poor experience at another private school. The whole community welcomed us and provided a wonderful year for our family. The school was great working with my kids as they both were diagnosed with ADHD during the year. Prior to coming to GHA I was concerned about the academic rigor at the school, but it did not take long for me to realize that this school was not just providing my students with knowledge, but also challenging them to use that knowledge. At GHA my kids are not just learning how to take a test, they are learning how to be a productive part of the community. As the world is changing, just knowing facts and being able to take a test well is not as important as knowing how to apply the knowledge you have and GHA gave my kids the structure to begin developing these skills. In addition, the teachers at the school have also been able to challenge my highly intelligent kids to expand their knowledge base and develop their own interests. The small community and classes at the school allow the teachers to teach individual students, not just a class. My kids have also loved the after school enrichment opportunities and the wonderful summer camps offered by GHA. As a non-traditiojnal family we have loved how supportive and accepting the whole GHA community has been. It is an amazing opportunity for my children to attend a school where they are celebrated for who they are and not expected to fit into a perfect box.
Submitted by parent on September 20, 2023

Both my daughters have been enrolled at GHA for the last 3 and 2 years, respectively. They absolutely love it! The school is very good about fostering an environment of respect and community with their "take care of yourself, take care of others, take care of this place" philosophy. Both are excelling in academics thanks to the small class sizes (10-18 students) and caring teachers and specialists.My oldest daughter has ADHD and ASD. She is what many would consider high-functioning, but she faces sensory and emotional challenges like all kids on the spectrum. GHA has been very active in listening to us as parents and implementing strategies to help her succeed. As an independent school, GHA certainly doesn't have all the resources that public schools have, but they have been responsive and just this year, added a counselor to the staff. It originally was a difficult decision between the extensive special education resources of public school and the advantages of GHA's smaller classes and culture, but I can confidently say that GHA has risen to the needs of my child and she couldn't be in a better place.
Submitted by parent on September 19, 2023

Across multiple years, this has been a fantastic school environment for our child. The teachers are dedicated and expert educators who strive to meet the needs of each student. The culture of the school promotes important character values and positive social behavior. The families and kids we have met are wonderful. The campus emphasizes outdoor play and learning, building a relationship with nature.
Submitted by parent on September 15, 2023

Our family is new to Gig Harbor Academy. We had a less than ideal experience through the school district and were seeking a different approach for our boys. After my first phone call, speaking with Mrs. Snow, I knew the school sounded the like perfect fit for our boys, and our family. With smaller class sizes, students are afforded a more personal approach to accommodate various learning styles. There are so many small practices that are implemented on a daily and weekly basis that really gives students a top tier elementary experience, from being mentored by older students, weekly public speaking opportunities, the various specialist that come on a weekly basis, it’s exceptional all around. I would highly recommend Gig Harbor Academy to all who are looking for an environment that is intentional, caring, safe and has a high emphasis on creating learning opportunities beyond the classroom.
Submitted by parent on September 14, 2023

I can't recommend GHA enough. My kids have gone here for 2 years, and have greatly benefitted from the personalized teaching and sense of community. They get specialized instruction that pushes them in math and reading beyond their actual grade level, so that they're continuously engaged and being challenged. They get exposure to older and younger grade levels as "buddies" too, creating a stronger sense of community. Lastly, the campus and opportunities to be outside and be exposed to nature and explore (and frequent field trips!) are an experience they'd never get at a traditional public school.
Submitted by parent on October 23, 2022

I'm afraid I must echo some of the concerns raised by other parents regarding GHA. Our son "Joe" (not his real name) attended GHA during the 21-22 academic year. Joe is a very academically capable student who has ASD. He previously attended a school catering to gifted students, but we were disappointed with its very conservative Zoom policy during Covid and believed it was impeding Joe's educational progress. We hoped a more structured environment would reduce the conflicts, and we welcomed the in-person philosophy at GHA. We were very up-front with the school about Joe's diagnosis, social challenges, and what we thought should be done to smooth his transition to the new school environment. We asked the Admissions staffer if GHA had much experience with kids on the Spectrum and were assured that GHA had experience with much more challenging students. Unfortunately, things did not work out for us at GHA. At the heart of ASD are social skill challenges and the teacher seemed unable to cope. As we feared, most of the incidents happened during unsupervised time, either on the playground or when the teacher was absent from the classroom. The teacher was sweet but seemed very inexperienced and in over her head. We got the impression that she received very little assistance from more senior instructors or from the Head of School. The teacher had an unusual policy of allowing the children to decide if they would bring home their school work or throw their papers in the recycling bin. It's hard to believe, but we have this in writing from the teacher. Late in the school year, it was brought to our attention that the teacher had been discussing our child with people who really did not have "a need to know." That struck us as unprofessional and unethical. GHA has its good points: there seem to be some good specialists, the grounds are beautiful and the school appears to excel in early childhood education. The families seemed pleasant. This school would suit the typical kid who has no disabilities of any kind and falls right in the middle of the academic spectrum.
Submitted by parent on June 23, 2022

My children have attended GHA for the last 4 years and we love it! The new head of school is taking the campus in an incredible direction. One that is unique, individualized, compassionate and intimate. Teachers and staff are incredible. The school is small and with that comes less resources like a counselor or principal- despite the below comments- the school is absolutely heading in an amazing direction. Covid and a new head of school created a bumpy couple of years but the school is on an amazing path to becoming the premier school of Gig Harbor. Highly recommend!! (And visit the campus, don’t go off comments below, the new admins are really focusing on grown!)
Submitted by parent on June 01, 2021

This is a good school up through the first grade, but then it goes downhill. The littles are cared for, and the specialists are wonderful - but it all changes after first grade.The new Head of School is creating a nightmare of a learning environment for the older kids. While they claim to have an individualized educational program to fit the needs of each student, this is far from the truth. Kids with a learning disability are kicked out of school. High energy kids are criticized and shamed, then kicked out. Learning differences are not tolerated. By 4th and 5th grades, they are frequently down to 5 students in a class.Many parents have pulled their kids out because of the inflexible, harsh treatment by some of the teachers and Head of School. Without a school vice principal or counselor to intervene when conflict occurs, the go to plan is to kick students out of the school. The harm to the students is unforgiveable.
Submitted by parent on September 03, 2020

In the words of their new head of school “we’re focusing on social distancing this year”. Well how sad is that? This is not realistic let alone healthy for small children. It’s likely that Gig Harbor Academy will only enroll your child if they are an obedient, social distancing robot, do not waste your time or money on an application fee if your child isn’t up to par with their standards. They discriminated against my child who has sensory processing and speech disorders. GHA did not respect the mask exemption written by my child’s therapist. This is no longer the wonderful place it seemed to be prior to Covid.
Submitted by parent on December 05, 2019

We had just put together money for next years tuition. It will go to elsewhere.
Submitted by parent on June 18, 2019

We have had a very positive experience at GHA. We have two kids attending and they will likely be there through graduation. The academic focus is strong, and there is an emphasis on fostering a creative and collaborative environment. The class sizes are smaller than that of the public school counterparts and there is definitely a small community feel at GHA.
Submitted by parent on December 07, 2018

My children are in their third year at GHA, and I couldn't be more happy with the experience. The academics are superb, and the small class sizes coupled with caring, involved teachers and staff make this an a natural choice.
Submitted by parent on June 10, 2017

I agree with other reviews in regards to the school not being a nurturing place for kids who are not in the easy/average spectrum. they have no idea how to deal with any kind of issues your child may have (even if academic skills are acceptable) and instead of approaching the parent in a constructive and helpful manner, they are extremely passive aggressive and harsh with the child. Our daughter will not be attending GHA next year.
Submitted by parent on February 07, 2015

This is an exceptional school. The quality of teaching is first-rate. Teachers are creative, passionate and show a genuine love for what they do. Students are happy, bright and nurtured. The curriculum includes Spanish, Music, Physical Education and Technology. After school enrichment programs in Robotics, Chess, Choir, Violin, Cross Country and Destination Imagination are also offered. Class sizes are small and the emphasis is on individual student growth, not on standardized testing. I have been extremely impressed by the quality of the work exhibited by the students. This is truly a remarkable program and one that I would highly recommend.
Submitted by parent on October 24, 2014

My children have attended Gig Harbor Academy for 6 years. It has been a wonderful experience, both educationally and socially. We highly recommend GHA!
Submitted by parent on October 07, 2012

We love GHA! We started with the 3 year old preschool program in 2008, now our daughter is entering first grade! The preschool and PreK program is awesome, with warm teachers and cozy classrooms! It's absolutely amazing to see what they can teach at such a young age! We are thrilled with the foundation our daughter is building at GHA. The campus is natural and beautiful. The teachers are wonderful! Our daughter loves going to school every day and is greeted with hugs from friends and faculty. Overall...Awesome!!
Submitted by parent on October 06, 2012

We are so happy our children attend GHA. The school provides a safe social and emotional environment and teaches the children to love to learn. Our children have blossomed with tremendous confidence because the teachers provide them with a safe environment in which to take risks. We know our children are ahead academically because of the tremendous foundation they are receiving. The teachers at GHA are fantastic!
Submitted by parent on October 02, 2012

I feel so lucky to have found Gig Harbor Academy for my kids. They started in preschool and have continued on to the elementary grades. The campus is beautiful and natural and the teachers do a great job of using all aspects of the campus in their curriculum. What we as parents love is that the class sizes are small which allows the teachers to teach to our individual children's needs no matter what level they are at. The school community has been so open and welcoming since day one on campus. The student community is the same. Where would you find a 5th grader taking time out of their day to sit and chat with my preschooler as they were passing each other on campus. GHA's buddy system nurtures this aspect along with teaching kids how to be leaders. The teachers are amazing in how creative they are with how they teach the children. I have two kids and they have been in the same grades with the same teachers and yet their class year is very different from each other. Come check out how GHA can make your kids early learning fun, exciting and challenging and I know you will feel the same way we do.