The Academy for G.O.D.

401 Center Street

Old Hickory, TN 37138

34 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on September 14, 2021

My kids love their experience at The Academy. It's an answered prayer--- a school where teachers and parents are a team, where faith values are shared by teachers and staff, where kids are challenged to grow academically/spiritually and also celebrated for who they are. I love that older students serve the younger students. I love that my kids are learning how to be a good neighbor, to be a benefit to society, even at such a young age. They can recite meaningful scripture, and talk about practical ways to live it out. Their confidence in their academic skills, and their social-emotional skills continue to build. I'm so thankful for their teachers!
Submitted by parent on September 05, 2021

Our kids have had a very positive experience at the Academy, EVEN amidst the pandemic. The administration and staff have been so supportive of their students, doing their best to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment on campus. Our family considered homeschooling during this time with the uncertainty of our world, but were ultimately confident we needed to keep our kids attending the Academy because of the quality education they were receiving alongside so many opportunities to develop their friendships. We've been so thankful, as a Christian home, to see our children learning the bible and engaging the Lord through worship and prayer on a daily basis at school.
Submitted by parent on May 05, 2021

We have had our son attending the Academy for 2 years. It has been a joy and blessing to be a part of this group and we have nothing but wonderful things to share about the Academy for GOD. Let me preface with stating this- this is a Christian school and they believe the Bible and follow the Bible. The wheat is separating from the chaff in this season. If you are Christians who are disciples truly running after Jesus this will be a great school for you and your children. If not you should look elsewhere. Our son has grown in knowing and understanding the Word of God and he has loved every minute of being there. The school sees the value in each child and they so beautifully encourage and grow each child according to their individual needs. We love that our son has made friendships, is learning to read and write, is learning and growing in reading the Word of God and is truly learning and exhibiting the fruits of the Spirit. We trust that as he grows and our other kids grow that the Academy for GOD is a safe, nurturing school where they can grow into the men and women God is calling them to be and that their gifts and passions will come alive here. We believe our kids will flourish and grow here whether they become a teacher, Doctor, business owner, stay at home parent- whatever the Lord has for them. Academy for God may have some very vocal individuals speaking out against them but this group is truly unified in Christ and the proof is the FRUIT.
Submitted by parent on May 03, 2021

My kids have been at this school since kindergarten. The teachers and headmaster are amazing they truely care about giving the kids the best holistic education possible. Which includes tailoring things and working with parents to achieve what’s best for each child. My oldest really struggled with math to the point he was defeated before even trying. Within a years time his teacher and even fellow students helped him change his perspective and math no longer has that power over him, he’s happy to tackle whatever problem comes his way!
Submitted by parent on April 24, 2021

I have three children at the Academy and they’ve attended since the school’s second year. While all three are very different, the Academy has been a God send for every one of them. The staff care for the kids deeply. Their standards of respect, protection of kids, and mindfulness of our changing world are unmatched. I have so much peace of mind in my day and my work because I’ve never doubted that my kids are safe, cared for, and challenged. The Bible that my kids know is impressive, but they’re also astute in science, math, reading, creative arts, and performance. Students thrive because they’re loved well and challenged appropriately.
Submitted by parent on April 15, 2021

We are on our third year at Academy for G.O.D. and we have loved every year! Our boys are excited to go every day and come home happy and this my mama heart is at peace knowing they are well taught and taken care of. The staff and teachers are skilled, fun, compassionate, and wholehearted people of integrity. I love that my boys are grounded in biblical teaching as well as learning a world view that will inspire them to lead with empathy and ethical choices. Thanks Academy for G.OD. for being a gift to our family!H. Horst
Submitted by parent on March 12, 2021

The Academy has been a blessing to my child and my family. She comes each day with a smile, never disappointed in any way about her school day - what a gift for a parent to have their child enjoy learning! One of the goals for the kindergarten year at the Academy is that the students would LOVE SCHOOL. I would say this was accomplished above and beyond for my daughter her first year! It set the foundation for her next couple of years as she started taking in more academic content like reading and writing. She trusts her teachers, they laugh with her, they treat her with respect, and she comes home to 'play school' imitating her teachers at school. The HOLISTIC EDUCATION promoted at the Academy has never been more relevant after a year like 2020. Our students need the social and emotional component to their education in such real ways right now. I'm thankful for the way EVERY single staff member and teacher direct my child and the other students to the Bible. Every day begins with prayer, songs of worship, and focus on their biblical value for the week. These disciplines are so important for children to grow into as they develop their relationship with the Lord. The Academy is setting a model for Christian education that will impact children in the U.S. and around the world.
Submitted by parent on April 02, 2019

The teachers and staff are thoughtful and kind with the children. Character development and relational skills are a focus and done well. After attending for multiple years, however, I have seen a pattern of quality sharply declining from the beginning of the year to the end. While the year might start off strong, by spring semester, communication dwindles, updates from teachers stop, assignments are not returned, items/supplies sent in for classes (like gardening) lay untouched and the focus seems to have blurred. The school is made up of great people, but the push for excellence needs to last the entire year.
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2018

We are highly satisfied with our experience at the Academy. The unconventional education approach is exactly what our family was looking for in a school. When your kids hate missing school for any reason and are enthusiastic about what they are learning and who they are learning from, that is all the proof I need to know we have a wonderful school where children are thriving. The air at the Academy this year has never felt better, so unified. Academy parents know that we are in this together and teaching the next generation is a collective effort that takes a village. I totally get how the unconventional paradigm may not be for everyone but we couldn't be more thankful that this school exists!
Submitted by parent on September 01, 2018

This has been the best experience we have ever had in a school. If you are someone who is only concerned with academics and nothing else, this is not the place for you. If you do not love the Lord, this is not the place for you. If you don't want to be involved in your child's education, also not the place for you. I feel the Academy is very straightforward with what they offer. If you do not listen and expect them to change to suite your needs, it's not the place for you. However, if you are tired of our failing education system, you love the Lord, you desire for your kids to be moral, compassionate, intelligent people who can navigate a the world in an ethical and impactful way, well then, welcome! You have found what you are looking for in an education system. I sometimes can not believe all the amazing things that are happening there and the kids at that school are some of the most incredible people I have ever met! I am beyond thankful to the Lord for leading us to the Academy for G.O.D. It has changed our lives in so many ways.
Submitted by parent on July 26, 2018

I tried to find an area to not rate at a 5, but I couldn't. I have no doubt there are things to improve, but our experience over the last 4 years has been overwhelmingly positive. My kids can't wait to return to school. It's obvious to me that those who had a negative experience at this school failed to read their literature, parent manuals and website. It's not your normal school, there is a lot of innovation and new ideas being integrated, and apparently people aren't happy with that. I know over dozens of other parents who are.
Submitted by parent on July 23, 2018

The academics are downright deplorable. The kids were not given gardening classes at all in Spring 2018 (and it’s one of the things they were looking forward to the most). The educational philosophy conpletely changed from Fall 2017 to Spring 2018. No notice to the parents - they just did it. It is not what we bought into. Their organization that runs the school has many questionable practices. The school lunch was not farm to table. The classrooms were very tiny and unsafe for the number of kids crammed in them. Students had 4 45 minute classes a day and the rest was recess, breaks, and lunch. In a 6.5 hour school day, students had 3 hours of “class time”/“instruction” and the other 3.5 hours was made up of lunch and recess. The STEM track does not exist. Biblical Hebrew was cut from the curriculum. The gardening teacher packed up his family in an RV and moved away suddenly and wasn’t replaced. It was absolutely a hot mess. Of course kids “love it” or “think it’s so fun!” - what kid doesn’t want to play their iPad all day and have 3 hours of recess? It would be a perfect after school program, but it’s a terrible school. There isn’t much learning going on.
Submitted by parent on July 23, 2018

The teachers and staff DO strive to build character and kindness in the students. However, this is really the only positive thing I can share about the school. Our children did not receive a quality education, rather they spent weeks doing things like folding paper cranes without any significant correlation to math related concepts. The teachers are not trained educators and have been trained within the organizations institute, which has questionable practices itself. Additionally, the STEM classes promised were not delivered. The first semester seemed decent but the second took a sharp decline. Please be very aware that although this school seems to be making efforts to improve, their teachers are not only teachers but serving in other capacities and jobs within the organization and do not have the stamina or bandwidth to carry out proper lesson planning that prepares students for the future.
Submitted by parent on July 23, 2018

Most of the teachers do not have an education background and are overextended with other work outside of school. Because of this, my kids had fun at school but did not get the education they needed at their individual age levels. We are having to work hard this summer to catch up and prepare them for their new school.
Submitted by parent on July 11, 2018

Excellent. I can't believe how much my son changed and grew over the course of a year. He is really introverted and I was admittedly nervous about his integration into the classroom. His confidence level and comfortability in his own skin exceeded my expectations. He fostered new relationships and developed new interests over the year. The curriculum is excellent and practical. My son's teacher kept us up to date about what they were focusing on week to week and we were able to emphasize those things at home. More than anything, I felt like his teacher and the leadership of the school really strived to give the kids their best learning experience. We can't wait for next year to start!
Submitted by parent on July 11, 2018

It's excellent. We are so happy that our son, and this next year our daughter, are attending the academy. From the values taught, to the project based learning opportunities, to the focus on multiple intelligences, we are thrilled that our kids will be receiving such a holistic education that will lead them towards becoming kind, competent, ethical people who make a wonderful difference in the world.
Submitted by parent on July 11, 2018

My son attended two different public schools before we enrolled him at the Academy for GOD. Those experiences weren’t terrible but he was definitely just a number in a huge school system. This past year my son thrived (with a few bumps here and there) and has grown in confidence beyond what I could have imagined for him. I’m so glad he will be surrounded by such wonderful teachers and friends as he grows up with a Biblical framework to guide him.
Submitted by parent on July 11, 2018

10 out of 10. I thank God every day for this school. God's using it to form my kids and their friends into kind, generous, conscientious people who know how to think critically and solve problems. When I think of "education" and what it should be, I can't imagine a better place for my kids.
Submitted by parent on July 11, 2018

This is the best school ever!!! My kids love it and are growing so much academically, spiritually and socially. I have never seen teachers so genuine and caring. The leader ship is top notch and very organized and some of the most loving and caring people you’ll ever meet! I love how biblically-based everything is and everyone’s knowledge of the Bible which is not just head knowledge but is seen acted out every day in love. I love the school!!
Submitted by parent on July 11, 2018

I would not send my kids anywhere else for school. They have created an environment where my kids are loved and cared for, taught God's word, and taught the skills and concepts necessary to critically engage the world around them and become a benefit to others. I'm confident that my kids will become wonderful people and their education at this school plays a significant role in that confidence.