Paragon Charter Academy

3750 McCain Road

School District

Paragon Charter Academy
Grade

PK, 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 January 17, 2023

I went to that school when it first opened up when I was eight years old. The dress code didn’t come in in 2000 that when my family moved out stated
Submitted by parent on January 28, 2020

I have no complaints about Paragon. My son is in his third year there, and he has absolutely flourished. We love the diversity in the student body and the staff, and we love the way Paragon encourages strong character and moral focus in its students. Paragon is academically-focused, but also wonderful at meeting students where they are and working with them at their own pace and in their own learning style.
Submitted by parent on October 11, 2019

Our children attended Paragon from K - 8th grades. The teachers were amazing. They were kind, understanding, and really worked with us as parents to help ALL of our kids succeed. No matter what their issues were. I was really hoping that NHA would have built a high school but that didn't happen. Excellent school!
Submitted by parent on February 08, 2018

We are a military family, which means that we move a lot. We are at the stage in our lives that we have kids that are in grade school, which we believe to be the foundation of their educational journey. When we first moved here I, Mom, felt overwhelmed about making a decision about where they were going to go to school. We all want the best for our kids and with the constant moving I felt that it is even more important to find the “right” school. Education is extremely important to us, so we started to research the schools around our new home. Long story short, we enrolled our children in a school and half way through the year decided it wasn’t the “right” fit. My husband is a recruiter and started talking to his applicants and their parents about what schools are the best in Jackson. As time was passing he kept hearing about Paragon and how great it was. We honestly did not even know what a charter school was and that it was an option for us. We decided to take a tour of the school and we both were immediately impressed. I truly could not stop smiling throughout the whole tour! Not only was the staff AMAZING, the school was extremely organized and clean. I honestly thought that what they were telling/showing me was too good to be true and eventually their true colors would show. We are here to tell you that we have seen this school’s true colors and they are still bright and beautiful and it has been over a year! If I haven’t emphasized this earlier, we have very high expectations for our children’s education and I truly believe they have exceeded them. Not only does Paragon strive for academic excellence they also deeply believe in implementing morals (student responsibility, kindness, respect, honesty, etc.) into the kids lives, which I feel is a crucial part of education and a missing piece of the puzzle in many schools today! I can go on and on about how great this school experience is and I believe they deserve to be positively recognized. I know everyone will have a different “right” fit, but if you have high educational expectations, believe in morals, want all staff to be on the same page and work as a team, be organized and clean, and always strive to be better than this would be a great fit.
Submitted by parent on February 02, 2018

Paragon is the only place I would send my kids for school. They care about all the kids at Paragon, not just their test scores. The teachers and staff love the kids, and want to see them succeed.
Submitted by parent on February 02, 2018

My wife and I have nothing but good things to say about our experience (and our kid's experience!) at Paragon. Teachers and Administrators who want to be there and want to teach your kids? YES!
Submitted by parent on March 18, 2017

I see some of the reviews here, and most of the negative comments have been left by people who left Paragon years and years ago. My experience as a current Paragon parent has been nothing short of superb. The middle school is a caring, supportive environment for my child, and he is being challenged. The teachers and administration are great role models and really go the extra mile. We are happy at Paragon!
Submitted by other on March 01, 2017

My daughter is happy to go to school and her teacher recognized that she needed more challenging work and she is getting what she needs to keep moving forward.
Submitted by other on March 01, 2017

Is there a lower option than one star? I've gone to Paragon Charter from 5th grade to 8th grade . The teachers talk down to you like you're a six year old. The food is expired and absolute garbage. If they even have an anti-bullying program anymore, it's a joke. The kids (and even some teachers) will single out anyone who's even slightly different. Learning disabilities, physical handicaps, you name it. I developed depression in fifth grade. Only send your kid here if you want them to believe they're stupid and have crippling self-doubt and hatred. Let me put it this way: after I graduated from Paragon Charter, I went on to Jackson High School. I had never felt so free in my life. I graduated with a 3.7 GPA and a Certified Nurse Aid license in the Career Center while in Paragon I was barely scraping a 2.0.
Submitted by student on May 18, 2016

i went to this school and really its kinda bad. first of i felt like i was unaccepted and shunned by everyone i felt bullied i felt like barley anyone likes me. and i think they pick favorites. i had a couple friends that came their and they hung out with me but everyone else despised me. one time i didnt want to trade lockers with another student so guess what infront of staff they threw all of my stuff out of my locker just to get it and when i went to the principle he did nothing. like seriously 2 years. i was almost stuffed in a locker until i fought back against one of them. just trust me on this one at that school it was a living nightmare. and to make matters worse they take any kid who they think is smarter than the rest and place them in a different class room then anyone else. it just makes me feel like im dumb.and i once skipped a grade. so in all honesty dont send your child to this school. and i think race a culture is a big problem there.
Submitted by parent on February 19, 2015

Great blend of diversity, moral focus and academics. They have the ability to offer extra help for students who need it as well as challenge for students who excell in areas. I have a daughter who spent 5 years there 3 of which in the accelerated learning program (ALPS) which has made her very sucessful in high school both academically and socially. I have a son who transferred here in 1st grade and was behind on reading. In one year with extra help he was reading at a 6th grade level. He now excells and is also in the ALPS program.
Submitted by parent on August 27, 2014

Paragon Charter Academy is the best school in this area for students to learn morals and academics mixed with parent teaching also. It is a great foundation school for working towards future goals such as college and just all over well rounded students who strive for more. If anyone asks I always refer them to this school. The teachers are amazing and really care and focus on the students. The classes are smaller than the general public schools and with the uniforms their is limited problems as every one looks the same. I could not ask for a better staff or a better school!! They are always improving their school!
Submitted by parent on December 13, 2013

This is a excellent school. My daughter was well prepared for high school after attending Paragon.
Submitted by parent on May 02, 2013

I know why this school has such great school scores, they weed out the special education kids, it's ridiculous how they won't help these poor kids. Parents get frustrated , take their kids out and its an end to Paragons problem. Public schools can't do that, so of course test scores will be different. Paragon is a joke.
Submitted by parent on May 02, 2013

This school is great... but i do worry about them placing in the common core circ for next year... that does worry me...
Submitted by parent on June 04, 2012

I put my kids here to get an above average education without the price tag. The curriculum is great but the teachers are hit and miss, and don't get me started on the dress code. I understand the reasoning behind the uniforms and even support it, but the focus on shoes, socks, hair clips, etc is a waste of time and energy. I've had my kids here for 5 years, I'm pulling them for next year. That's how ridiculous it's gotten. Kids need to learn to conform while being individuals..that's not the lesson here. Way to teach kids that focusing on their appearance is what matters most,. Also the extra curricular activities for girls are a joke, the volleyball program was the biggest. Games would be canceled, practices changed and no notes..no phone calls, until my kid is sitting there for a half hour because a game was cancelled so it was changed to a practice with a shorter time Thank you Paragon for squashing my children's love of art and sense of individuality. I remember being relieved and excited f.or my kids to attend, now I can't wait to be done with it, and that's not even factoring in the pick up situation every.single.day.
Submitted by parent on August 28, 2011

The teachers are great here but if your kid has a disability they don't have enough resources to help them. They don't have a special ed department, they don't bus and be ready to fork out money every month for one thing or another!
Submitted by parent on August 08, 2011

This school does a tremendous job with children. The teachers are all young, committed, carring, energetic, and moral. They will come in early or stay late to make sure that your child is getting the help that they need. They are totally committed to helping children learn things like integrity, responsibility, respect, and positivitity. This school is better than a private school. Go Paragon!