The SAE School

6688 Mableton Parkway SE

Mableton, GA 30126

64 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK, K-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on October 27, 2023

I am writing to express my concerns regarding an incident involving my son at The SAE School in May. To provide context, my son is academically advanced and has consistently earned A honor roll status during his time at the school. He is not known to misbehave, and it is this incident that has prompted me to question the school's alignment with its stated values and principles.Quoting from the school's website: "DISCOVER. NURTURE. PROTECT. To discover, nurture, and protect each child's individual life and academic journey. This is what separates The SAE School from other schools. We have committed to this purpose and are intentional about carrying it out." The school also emphasizes the importance of providing an enjoyable and engaging learning experience for children.The incident involved my son being subjected to a form of corporal punishment. The teacher, who is not a Physical, instructed my son to perform continuous squats, touching his backside to the ground, for nearly an hour in front of his classmates. Despite his cries and other students pleading for it to stop, the teacher continued to watch, and at one point even dozed off in her chair while my son struggled with the exercise. This punishment was administered because my son attempted to make his peers laugh during a silent lunch. Adding to the distress, my son's request to call home was denied after the incident.This incident raises questions about whether such severe punishment aligns with the nurturing and protective values professed by The SAE School. Disciplining a child for typical, playful behavior with an hour of repetitive squats, even after he fell and struggled to continue, appears excessive and contradicts the idea of allowing children to enjoy a fun and engaging learning environment.The teacher's decision to subject my son to such punishment without a clear understanding of his physical limits is troubling and disregards the nurturing and protective values the school claims to uphold.
Submitted by other on June 13, 2023

We are in our 4th year at the SAE school and have loved our experience so far! The small school environment has been great for fostering self confidence in our child and the school feels like a family. My child is thriving academically as well as socially. The school is growing so hopefully in the future there will be more sports programs etc outside of the classroom but all signs are there that it is in the future with the development of the new field last year! The administration truly cares for their students and goes above and beyond to make their school experience safe and successful. As a parent, I always feel heard and love that there is open communication and change is implemented quickly should an issue arise. Our third grader has been having full class rotations since Kindergarten with Spanish, media/robotics, martial arts, art, music, and of course the core subjects. I love that she is getting this exposure at such a young age. We love our SAE family!
Submitted by parent on March 28, 2023

The SAE School has shown us how they nurture and protect our child. They have learned at a rate in which we were not expecting, and they seem to be having a great time doing so. Teachers are very good about updates and communication in general and students are challenged not only inside the classroom, but outside of it as well. All in all, we have thoroughly enjoyed the experience here and are looking forward to the future here at the SAE school.
Submitted by parent on March 17, 2023

I absolutely love this school and so does my child. The teachers are so hands on. They focus on building character and real life skills. I am so grateful I found it. Having peace of mind is so important for a parent and I feel good dropping my child off - knowing she’s in good hands and enjoys her learning environment.
Submitted by parent on September 20, 2022

RUN from this school. My kid went there for her Kindergarten year and learned absolutely NOTHING. She is far behind in reading and writing because of this school. They put my child and other children in danger by not paying attention to their safety while they moved lunch tables around. There was no supervision on the playground and the kids were left without adult oversight causing them to get into situations that should not be able to happen in a school. The teachers threatened to call the police on the Kindergarteners. This is not a suitable environment for learning or safety. Their communication was nearly nonexistent and you would be asked to bring stuff for parties the day before they needed it. Instead of using water fountains, they make parents provide jugs of water. They will nickel and dime you to death.
Submitted by parent on March 18, 2022

SAE is a good private school depending on the teacher. This was my child's second year at SAE and the first year (kindergarten) was GREAT! His teachers were knowledgeable about the subject-matter, and effectively communicated my child's individual needs. This school year was not GREAT! As a parent paying over a $1K a month for tuition, we hope to receive great service regardless of the classroom teacher. Unfortunately, my experience with a teacher at SAE changed my perspective about the school. This new teacher, literally, sat arms folded, frowning, rolled her eyes, and sucked her teeth at me during a meeting because I asked her questions about how to support my child. Later, I learned that she felt offended by my questions, but that’s hardly an excuse to mistreat a parent. Despite my experience with this first grade teacher, the principal's guidance and support was appreciated. He is the reason I decided to finish the 21-22 school year. I do believe that this new teacher’s lack of effective communication skills negatively impacted my ability to support and prepare my child at home. Initially, I thought, oh! it's a still a COVID year, but the communication with her never improved. So, due to this experience, and a few other operational concerns I experienced, I decided that this will be my child's last year at The SAE School. On a good note, my child liked his peers, the school staff, and his teachers. Like the name of the school (Science/Art/Engineering) my child was engaged in project-based learning activities. If you are looking for a good private school for your child, give it a try it may work for you, I do recommend it. It was simply not a good fit for me.
Submitted by parent on June 17, 2020

If I had to use one phrase to describe this school - I would call it a "mixed bag". Academically my child thrived. My child was happy to go to school every day. The environment was clearly a healthy social environment. The majority of our teacher interactions were really great. They grew leaps and bounds with minimal extra effort on our part. Operationally it was a mess. Communication is a serious challenge for all things. More concerning is the lack of consistency with policies ( academic, facilities, communication, processes, oversight, professionalism etc ) . If you can overlook the operational issues you may find it's a good fit for your child. It is a flexible enough environment that most kids would fit in here easily.
Submitted by parent on July 16, 2018

Wonderful experience over the past few years at the SAE school. My 3 kids are in preschool and I am impressed with their growth and development each day. The teachers are nurturing and ultimately strive for the kids to achieve their best.
Submitted by parent on June 15, 2018

Both of my children attend SAE and they do a great job teaching and preparing them through the projects they work on. They are both excited everyday to come to school and are leaps and bounds ahead of their peers.
Submitted by other on March 31, 2017

As a new parent are SAE (we enrolled our child this year) I must admit I am shocked at many of these posts. We enrolled in the SAE preschool as very picky and non compromising parents. We heard of this school from our friends we also have children in attendance. Our standards for our children are high and will always be. We are proud to say that SAE preschool has not disappointed us as all. Although we are biased because right now we only have affiliation with the preschool. Miss Terrilynn the preschool director is amazing she is always available to us and she listens to us and has always helped us whenever we have had concerns. It is extremely comforting to see her face at the front door when we drop off in the mornings. In fact it's more than just seeing her face she is welcoming she greets us and our son and she takes interest in the things that he has going on. My husband is not a man of many words but recently he noticed that Miss Terrilynn had not been on the front door when he dropped our son off. He immediately called me to inquire as this was upsetting to him. Lol I responded honey she can have days off. This was a testament to how strong her presence is and how much we appreciate her. This is reassuring to say the least it is also a wonderful example of the atmosphere our son is in while Mommy and Daddy are working. We hear the horror stories of other "daycares" and my husband and I are pleased that this has not been our reality. We are also more than pleased with our son's teachers he loves them both and they both have contributed so much to his progress as a young toddler. My friends are always commenting on how well he speaks and how much he knows to be so young and we know that's because he has great teachers. We truly are happy with our experience this far and we have completely loved being a part of this amazing preschool.
Submitted by parent on March 09, 2017

We have two children at SAE and have had such a positive experience with this school. Our oldest has been recently diagnosed with a learning disability; as a result, is often frustrated, withdrawn, and sometimes misbehaves. The level of understanding and support offered to my child by the teachers and administration during our time as SAE has been outstanding. They truly look at our child and see the value and uniqueness of our child, rather than write her off as being too difficult to manage. The administration has had to make some tough personnel calls, some of which have had a direct impact on my child. This administration is incredibly mission-focused, and I stand by their decision to remove any teacher that does not work cooperatively to ensure each and every child's success, especially the difficult ones, like my own child. As parents who are paying for a quality education, my expectations are pretty darn high, and SAE consistently meets those expectations. I encourage anyone interested in the school to come and check it out.
Submitted by parent on March 06, 2017

My kids love school again. After switching to SAE the cadence of our lives improved dramatically. My kids wake up excited for each day at school, and they are still smiling when I pick them up at the end of the day. Their personal and academic growth has been remarkable. We love SAE and plan to attend through 12th grade.
Submitted by student on March 01, 2017

The SAE School used to be a great school, that had great teachers that students respected, and a unique way of teaching kids to do things. That time has clearly gone. The putridity of the classrooms, bathrooms, and hallway is disgusting. The cleaning utensils are scarcely found, and there isn't even hot water to mop. There are good teachers, but that may change based on when you apply since teachers constantly come and go. There is ZERO stability in the classrooms, and students will constantly play around, whilst the teachers go around their day without taking notice to it. But, the horrible thing that I've seen occur multiple times, is threatening. There have been multiple occasions in which there have been inappropriate things being done by students, usually the middle and high school. The staff handles these situations awfully and usually directs these things to the principal. The principal will threaten the whole of the grade (Responsible of the inappropriate behavior or not) that if they do it again, they will press charges, and attempt to throw them in jail. The reason I know this is because I was brought into the conversation, even though I was not guilty of it. This was the worst possible thing that the Principal could have done. The reason that I gave this school a 1/5, is because of the unpredictable, and frankly, incapable staff. I would never recommend this school to anyone unless these problems were fixed and perfected.
Submitted by parent on February 17, 2017

Our children have attended SAE for three years now and I have no doubt that they are receiving an incredible education. The project-based learning curriculum has been so cool to witness, and I'm very jealous that they get to have this kind of school experience. That said, it is a different approach. It's fluid and ever-changing, while always maintaining that end goal of a complete and well-rounded education. If you're looking for a more typical school environment, SAE might not appear to be a good option, but I would urge you to take a second look. They don't shy away from living in the world and are constantly acting and reacting to what's going on. The teachers and staff are 100% committed to every kid and each other and you feel that as soon as you walk down the halls.
Submitted by parent on February 17, 2017

My kids have attended for three years and I have recommended it to several friends whose children are now students. They're getting a great education. I appreciate that the longer school day affords the opportunity for recess, art, technology, martial arts, music and PE -- all things we'd miss in a more traditional school. The project-based curriculum helps them apply what they're learning in tangible products, presentations and demonstrations of knowledge. Our teachers have been fantastic at inviting us into the process with end-of-project presentations that have our kids beaming with pride, showing a group of engaged parents what they've learned. They have fun!I have no doubt that the administration cares for my kids like their own. My kids' teachers are dedicated, talented educators. The year-round schedule lets us take family adventures on a regular basis. I appreciate that the school isn't for the family seeking a traditional, or more regimented, school environment. It does require a little flexibility as things change to meet what's happening in the school or the world that day. The common-sense approach lets the school make those decisions.I am confident that the education my kids are getting is fantastic.
Submitted by teacher on February 15, 2017

This is my fourth year with The SAE School, and really believe it is a great environment for teachers who love to expand on their creative teaching styles, I love what I get to do here! It is a great place for students who excel in projects and for students who can engage in independent work as well as group work; while teachers facilitate. Students are able to question and solve real world problems and connect their life experiences with the outside world. The homework is something that is not stressed but given appropriately according to their grade levels. My experience here is always adding to my knowledge of teaching, and the kids are truly amazing and respectful!
Submitted by principal on February 15, 2017

I have had the opportunity to join the SAE School staff this year and am thrilled with the opportunity afforded students from a very early age to be thinkers and planners. The education of students consists of developing their foundational skills around content standards and giving them opportunities to research new ideas, engage in design-thinking and deeper learning and present their findings to authentic audiences. The commitment of the staff to continue to grow in teaching pedagogy is refreshing. I wish this opportunity for every student!Teaching and Learning Specialist
Submitted by teacher on February 13, 2017

One of the reasons that I love this school is the fact that it teaches kids to take ownership of their education and see their true self worth.
Submitted by other on February 12, 2017

Students and teachers have freedom to explore and discover topics deeply everyday. You can feel and witness the excitement and engagement throughout all of the grade levels. And, the school is family friendly. SAE provides camps during most vacation breaks, and they enroll babies through 12th grade. It's everything a family could hope for in one school!
Submitted by teacher on February 12, 2017

Teacher - I have had a great experience since joining the staff. The teachers and staff genuinely care for the students. Also, the teachers are allowed to use their expertise and creativeness as educators to reach students at their individual needs.