Alexander Dawson School

10455 Dawson Drive

Lafayette, CO 80026

33 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by student on September 10, 2023

Beautiful campus and facilities with small class size. Very limited social pool to choose from as the middle and upper school grades range from approximately 40-55 kids a grade. Unfortunately there was a ton of bullying at this school over the years and we found it to be a poor social environment. Some teachers were wonderful and others awful. One teacher in particular was on a power trip and treated students poorly but administrators kept turning a blind eye even after many years of complaints about this teacher and curriculum. Teacher would throw backpacks out the building into the snow, constantly accuse students of cheating, would turn students away from extra help since his room was full. Material taught was not appropriate and not following any curriculum. I am not sure how well prepared the school makes students either. Our Student he is behind in math after switching schools despite having straight As throughout the years School is in desperate need of an admin change for many reasons. Wish we had pulled our child sooner.
Submitted by parent on September 08, 2023

I have a daughter in 8th grade and a son in 7th grade that started at Dawson in March 2023. While middle school can be challenging they have really enjoyed the small class sizes and experiences that Dawson has to offer.
Submitted by parent on December 02, 2022

My child regressed in math after three years in the lower school. The teachers didn't seem to detect this. When we discussed assessment testing "MAPs", the teachers literally wouldn't give is specific details about the testing. This was odd to me.In the lower school, my child rarely if ever had math homework.We think we need 1-2 year of homeschool to catch up now.Unless you are already independently wealthy, look elsewhere.I had other specific issues that this website essentially censored.
Submitted by other on October 31, 2021

Although the academics were abovr average and prepped me well for my college experience, the racism throughout the students and administration was terriblely handled.I was one of the few minorities at the school and we were all bullied and treated terribly with no repercussion from the school. There was even an instance where a student at another school called me a racial slur during a soccer game, I was told that the student would be punished at his school only to find out later, through my own means, that nothing would be done, and that dawson did nothing to pursue the issue. They lied to me and tried to sweep it under the rug when I found out. Definitely don't come to this school if you are not a rich, white, cisgendered male. You will regret it.
Submitted by parent on August 02, 2019

Fantastic! I have had two students move from Lower, to Middle, to Upper School. They are wonderfully prepared for college and whatever lies ahead for them -- not only by the academics, but by the chance to learn self-advocacy and leadership. The faculty are amazing!
Submitted by other on April 16, 2017

My son attended grades 6-12 at Dawson. He currently is in college, after the first few weeks of college, he says "you realize what a great school Dawson is in the way that they prepare you so well for college."
Submitted by other on February 13, 2017

I feel strongly that any parent considering Dawson for high school should read this review. Perhaps like you, we wanted a school that would give our son the best opportunity to be successful in college and in life from academics to social to sports/clubs/travel, etc. After many meetings with them, Dawson sold us as the best choice in the area. First off, Dawson, no matter what they tell you, is a pretty standard curriculum, similar to the excellent public schools in Boulder. Also, we didn't find our son got any more attention from the staff as a private school. In fact, we found our son actually got less help which was very frustrating.Socially, Dawson gets failing grades. There is a meanness in the kids, an extreme cliquey environment and a bullying attitude that we found quite troublesome. The administration and parents who are not affected by this dynamic turn a blind eye to this pervasive and painful social problem so, should you find yourself in this situation, you will likely find it impossible to enact any change to the culture. What was most upsetting is I had read many reviews (most of which are deleted from the internet now apparently due to settlements) as well as talked to parents who said these social issues exist. When I asked Dawson, they said it was "in the past", that they had "handled the issue" and that our child would find a wonderful culture of inclusion. NOT.Even more significant is the draconian contract you will be forced to sign. It has such restrictive, one-sided provisions contained within it that you cannot cancel your child's enrollment for ANY reason without them keeping ALL of your $20,000. My son had major health issues within the first 2 months and had to drop out of school altogether for his freshman year. He was very sick and recovered later that year and has gone on to make straight A's at another academic institution. Dawson ONLY cares about money, not about the humans involved. When we tried to work with them to find a fair and equitable solution, they refused. Imagine being stressed about your child's health and future due to extreme illness and then having a school refuse to even discuss a fair solution for your family financially. Now imagine a possible scenario that could arise for you where you'd need to remove your child and this school/contract will NOT budge or help you.
Submitted by other on July 01, 2016

I see my three grandchildren flourishing at Dawson. Individuals are treated well and I have no fear of the bullying of different sorts of kids that you might see elsewhere. My grandkids are already gaining maturity beyond their years and that makes them great companions for any of the adventures I want them to join me in whether it be book discussions or travels. They are mentally and physically precocious because of the Dawson experience.
Submitted by student on May 13, 2016

As a student starting here last year in 7th grade, I was very pleased with how easy it was to make new friends! This year I'm finishing 8th grade and feel that Dawson is a very inclusive community that is respectful of all types of people. Additionally, coming from a big school I really enjoy the small class sizes which allows for one on one time with the teacher. This really helped me understand material that I didn't understand. It's also really nice how many art classes, sports, and languages are offered. Overall, I really love the school and think it's a great place for anyone who is ready to strive for excellence.
Submitted by other on September 29, 2015

I attended high school at Dawson and enjoyed my experience immensely. The faculty is very supportive and there are brilliant teachers who are willing to go the extra mile to improve their students' experience. The small classes allow for interesting discussion and contrary to popular criticism I found that having a small grade allowed me to become closer with the majority of my peers, though there will always be a few unpleasant teenagers at any school. The upperclassmen are incredibly welcoming and I have not encountered any hazing. Requiring students to join two extra-curriculars in place of gym went far better than I imagined and there is enough variety in options to interest most students. Personally, I was a part of Speech and Debate and Kayaking, both of which have excellent coaches, and met some truly amazing people. That being said there are certainly some flaws to the school. I did not find the workload to be too intensive however during the college process it certainly added to the stress. The social aspect of Dawson can be competitive particularly being a college preparatory school and there has always been a lack of cohesiveness within the student body. Entitlement is somewhat prevalent and there is a disconnect between Dawson students and the outside world, though I doubt this concerns the school so much as the parents who are able to afford sending there children to a place like Dawson. The campus is beautiful, however funds appear to be more focused on the appearance of the school instead of the faculty and sports teams. The use of technology in the school is not beneficial to the overall learning experience and I struggled working with group projects that required more knowledge of various programs than the topic at hand. Freshman and Sophomore year were not particularly enjoyable for the sole reason that there is no flexibility in scheduling until junior year, however once I was able to chose classes I was interested in with teachers I liked the experience improved dramatically. Overall I would highly recommend the school for self-starters. There is plenty of opportunity to thrive, but no one is going to force you into taking advantage of it.
Submitted by other on October 09, 2014

I attended Dawson for nine years as a student and am now back to substitute teach and work as a marketing intern. While attending Dawson, it felt small and cliquish at times - but my Dawson classmates are my closets friends today. Dawson is expensive, but not everyone boasts their wealth, and not everyone is extremely wealthy or "elitist". That being said, every person knows the sticker price upon enrolling their child at the school, so it sort of comes with the territory. Also, these kids are in high school (at least where I saw most of these issues begin) - they have growing up to do - just like the students at every other school. These issues are no more prevalent than at any other local school. In my opinion, it's good preparation for "the real world" to learn to deal with different personalities and perspectives. Furthermore, I have had extremely fulfilling experiences and success since graduating - most of which, I attribute to my beginnings at Dawson. It was there that I was encouraged to travel abroad for a semester in my junior year. Dawson does care about its students, and they continue to support them long after they graduate.
Submitted by parent on August 25, 2014

Our experience with Dawson has been limited to the Lower School, so I can't comment on the Middle or Upper Schools. The teachers at Dawson are great. The projects are interesting and fun, and keep the kids engaged. The teachers set high expectations, and the kids meet them. The Lower School also has the kids participate in Library, Computer, Spanish, PE, Art, Music --each a few times or more a week ....and they have recess several times a day.
Submitted by parent on August 25, 2014

Our 2 children attended Dawson for 6 years. We first thought Dawson was great, but we soon realized the elitist atmosphere was a facade to perpetuate its fund raising and image as an elite school. After Dawson drastically raised tuition every year and cut its bus program, we moved our kids to public school. Many of Dawson's credits and test scores do not transfer to local schools. Dawson's elitist atmosphere will leave a lasting sense of entitlement on your child. Many kids go on to obscure, high $ impractical liberal arts colleges. Some of my daughter's peers literally became Tibetan guides or joined the army because their post college life didn't meet the idealistic life learned at Dawson - extremely bright kids who learned no life skills at Dawson. Fortunately, we pulled our younger son from Dawson before he was permanently scarred by Dawson's elitist land. if you are well off and want your kid to depend on your trusts, send them to Dawson! But if you want your child to learn to cope, work, and compete with the masses and support themselves, avoid Dawson. Dawson was an immense waste of money and for daughter, did far more long term motivational harm than good.
Submitted by parent on August 07, 2014

We are about to start our 7th year at Dawson. We absolutely love it here. Our kids are thriving in this amazing environment. The sports and arts programs are just as awesome! The teachers and the community of parents are just as great. We couldn't ask for a better place to raise and educate our kids.
Submitted by parent on July 31, 2014

Alexander Dawson has a fantastic Middle School and High School. Small class sizes, very engaged teachers and a wonderful arts program. There is nothing like this in the Boulder area.
Submitted by parent on June 11, 2014

We are beginning our 6th year at Dawson. Four kids spanning all 3 divisions. In my opinion LS = hard to justify the $20K but convenience and loving teachers a plus, MS = 5th grade weak but great after that. I love that the MS helps develop the whole person not just the academic side. HS = teachers accessible and really seem to care about students. Small classes mean that kids really are learning and that office hours are for their benefit. Teachers really do want them to succeed. My only wish...stronger sports program for HS.
Submitted by parent on September 12, 2013

We looked at every private school in Boulder County, and we when toured Dawson couldn t imagine that it was as good as it seemed, but were also afraid that maybe our kids weren t good enough to get in. One of our children is extremely bright, the other needs some extra help - but it didn t matter, at Dawson they are thriving. The teachers, campus and the quality of the education have completely exceeded our expectations. What an incredible place to be able to get educated. We were previously in a public school and grew tired of teaching to the test , and large class sizes. While not every kid will respond to small class sizes, ours have. The teachers, school counselors, administration, and head of school are all responsive and enthusiastic. The education is extremely compelling, challenging, not composed of busy work, and the teachers care passionately. When we walk around the campus we see well- mannered and respectful kids even the teenagers. None of them look angst ridden, even before schools in the hallways there s an energy that is palpable. One of the things we no longer worry about is our children s education we know they are in extraordinary hands at Dawson
Submitted by other on November 14, 2012

I am currently a student at Dawson with mixed feelings about the school. The teachers are very knowledgeable in their respective subjects and are eager to help students, and with some, I feel like I can talk to them as if they were one of my friends. The small class size is also great, i have about at average of 15 students in each of my classes. However, the small class sizes are suffocating. Grades average about 40-50 people in total, and while you do know everyone in your grade, if you don't fit in into one of the social groups (keep in mind there are about 2 or 3 for each gender in every grade), then you will be miserable, because these are the only people you can socialize with here. The homework level starting in high school is ridiculous, I have on average about 4 to 5 hours a night. School takes up all of my time, and when I am not doing homework, I'm either sleeping or eating. Your social life will be low to nonexistent at this school, depending on how studious you are. This school is great for only a few kinds of people, and if you find that you don't fit the Dawson "mold" per se, then I advise that you look for another school
Submitted by parent on October 18, 2012

Look very closely. This school has a great reputation in the community. When we enrolled our child, it seemed like the best option (small classes and great academdics). However, we found it to be lacking academically. We were told our child was working ahead of grade level at Dawson, only to find out that our child was behind when we switched to the local public school. Dawson is just not keeping up with the excellent public schools in our area. Our child is now struggling to catch up. As noted by other reviewers, social problems are not adequately addressed. The school says all the right things initially but doesn't follow through. They sweep them under the rug to the detriment of the students. If you want excellent academics and a safe social environment, consider the nearby public schools.
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2012

Stressful. Intense. I agree with the Alumni student that wrote "any real issues seem to be swept under the rug and told to keep quiet". My child was miserable here. My child is very happy at a new school in Boulder. I had a teacher at Dawson tell me "they were just joking" when the bullies were harrassing my child. The teachers then went on to spread the word that "one parent" made a big deal about it. Unprofessional.