Tesseract School

4800 E Doubletree Ranch Rd

Paradise Valley, AZ 85253

58 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK, K-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by other on January 23, 2016

Amazing connection between teachers and students. Students are nurtured and allowed to thrive. Also, Tesseract just hired a new HOS for 2016-2017 and he is fantastic. Will be a terrific asset to the parents, teachers, students and community!
Submitted by parent on October 20, 2015

My daughter has been at Tesseract for 4 years. We love Tesseract for their research-based, forward-thinking curriculum and the quality of their educators. I love the idea that Tesseract is committed to teaching children 'how' to think and how to be great community members. Beyond that, I love their small class sizes, age appropriate homework, and challenging curriculum. Did I mention the fantastic teachers?
Submitted by parent on October 20, 2015

Exceptional in every way: passionate, caring educators, individualized and collaborative learning environments and a challenging academic program done in the classroom - not through homework. Tesseract is on the cutting edge of education and a leader in the valley. Our students stand out as knowledgeable, respectful, open-minded and articulate problem solvers. Most importantly, my children are happy and safe due to the nurturing environment and warm community.
Submitted by parent on October 16, 2015

Everything about this school is so well planned and thought out. They care so deeply for my son. I feel like they care for the children as if they were their own. They receive individualized attention and treated with respect. It is actually fun and inviting to go on campus. My son has so much fun learning it is hard to get him in the car. They care about what the children are eating and offer the most options for lunch or bringing lunch I have ever experienced. My son happy! He is reading, writing, enjoying math, and is excited to learn. He gets to learn about things I never got to learn about, not even in college. Last week they learned about weather. I thought it was so fascinating! So did my son! You are not going to find a school anywhere who cares more about your child's happiness and well being plus provide an age appropriate education.I love Tesseract!
Submitted by parent on October 10, 2015

Paying private tuition should equate to exceptional or "more than." Tesseract professes to provide a "better" education for children. My family and I are going to be pulling our children out of Tesseract this year. Our home school district is Scottsdale Unified School District. We speak with our friends, and they describe exceptional educational advantage in their home school, Cherokee. Ironically, this is also our home school. We are ready to move forward and provide our kids with access to their home school(s), Cherokee and Cocopah. Sorry Tesseract, we gave you more than ample time to prove that you are exceptional. You are not. Your curriculum, instructors and discipline perspective are lacking. We read the recent comments and wonder who these parents are. Are they teachers or staff commenting on how exceptional the school is? Our group of parents is not happy, nor impressed.
Submitted by parent on October 07, 2015

My son attended Tesseract school since preschool and is in 6 th grade currently. The school has been consistent in the child oriented individualized learning, global perspective, embracing community values and support. My child loves his teachers and 8 years later he feels Tesseract is his second family. The teachers are amazing. Each grade comes with a memorable teacher !
Submitted by parent on September 23, 2015

My children attend Tesseract and this will be the last year at this school. We pay a lot of money for what can be provided at our public school down the street. The rigor, individualization and compassion is not evident on this campus any longer. The superficial attempt to recover from the financial crisis is just that - superficial. Many parents are well-aware of the impending doom of the financial push at the close of the year. We are expected to keep the remaining campus afloat with our checkbooks. This has become an expectation for parents. I would feel much more comfortable giving my money to the public school system at this point. At least public schools know how to manage the very little money they do get from our state legislature. Please rethink your choice for school choice.
Submitted by parent on September 22, 2015

When a friend of ours was raving about her daughter's new school for kindergarten and suggested we take a tour, we immediately thought it was unnecessary as we were happy at our current school. As she continued to describe her experience, we decided to confirm our decision with our current school by taking a tour not expecting to be so impressed we would be willing to drive 35 minutes each way to attend. Immediately impressed and so glad we took the tour, we were still unsure about the commitment to that distance. Next I observed 4 different schools 2nd grade classes while in session for a clear comparison. I was astounded at the difference in teaching methods and the classroom environment at Tesseract. Tesseract taught the children tools for achieving success rather than rote memorization. Tesseract challenged the kids academically in a fun environment. Tesseract focused on a thematic learning environment that crossed over into every subject, even the vast amount of specials offered! We made the switch for not only 2nd grade but also pre-school and we continue to be impressed by the school, the staff, the community and the quality of education our 2 children are receiving.
Submitted by parent on September 21, 2015

Tesseract is truly a one-of-a kind school. We are so grateful for the current board and administration for leading us through the challenges of last year. We have been thrilled to see the school stabilize while still protecting what makes Tesseract so special. The Board of Trustees and administration is doing what is needed to keep the school on a solid footing and moving forward. If you are looking for a school where your child will be challenged academically, yet in a nurturing way that helps preserve his/her love of learning, check Tesseract out! Our two kids are thriving in this environment because of the high quality teachers and the individual attention they receive with their learning. This school is something very special and we couldn't be happier. Neither could our kids--they love school and are excited to go every morning!
Submitted by parent on September 17, 2015

We are so very pleased with our experience thus far at Tesseract. The school has found the right balance between, academically challenging, nurturing environment and time for after school activities/family life. Our son is in the lower school and loves learning and being challenged at school without a lot of stress and homework. He completes his homework quickly, because they teach the curriculum during the day. Homework is for review, to teach him time management skills and reinforce things, as it should be. I can vouch that there is absolutely no bullying tolerated at this school. The teachers are extremely responsive and have addressed any issues we have, immediately. The teachers are the schools greatest asset, all have just been superb. Our son is not asked to regurgitate material, rather he is asked to really understand the material, ask questions and explore the material deeper. The children have plenty of outdoor/recess time, P.E. time – before/after school care is well supervised with snacks and activities (free play and more structured activities). Your child is safe here, well cared for and it shows. The children that I have met in the middle school are incredibly respectful, mature and well-spoken. All children participate in community service and public speaking in a supportive environment. My son gets Spanish 4x/week, Music and P.E. 3x/week, Art double period 1x/week, Library 1x/week. Yes, unfortunately last year, the new head of school (who had only been at the school for 8 months) was faced with serious financial issues that he inherited from the previous head of school and board, he and the new board had to make some very difficult decisions and, in my opinion, did the best job they could in light of the situation which was handed to them - the school is moving on, becoming more financial sound each day and fortunately, the fantastic classroom experience has remained the same. It’s a gem of a school and we love it!
Submitted by parent on September 13, 2015

After 4 years of excellent teachers, great trips and honor classes.. Old head master wasn't diligent and finances got out of control. New head master didn't know how to deal with the crisis in long term rescue way. Shut down the upper campus! What a cop out! Devastating to so... Many families. Also devastating to so many great educators. Horrible situation for all on Shea campus.
Submitted by parent on September 07, 2015

My child is In the second grade and has been a student since Pre-K. I can't say enough good things about this school. The teachers are the prime asset - caring and attentive. This has been the case every year, without exception. I am particularly impressed with their focus on interpersonal skills and public speaking from a very young age. This is something I wish I'd had in my schooling. I think the greatest compliment is that my child loves being at school. Early morning drop-off, after school and he still asks if there is school on the weekends! Undoubtedly, the school has experienced some mismanagement and poor governance. This was the case for many years and it cumulated in some financial difficulties (serious), which unfortunately led to the closure of the upper school. This did not impact the quality of the education provided. Understandably, emotions ran high, but there was a substantial amount of misinformation in the community (hence some of the reviews here). The new head of school was blamed for a situation that I believe was created by the previous administration (we had experienced numerous administrative issues since we enrolled in pre-K). The school in now working to build a solid foundation for the future, including a new Board and new financial leadership. Fortunately, they have retained the bulk of the excellent teaching staff and have actually added some excellent educators over the summer months. In my family's research of schools in the Phoenix metro area (which has been extensive), Tesseract offers a unique philosophy and experience. We believe that no other institution offers such an excellent and well rounded education. I'll echo the sentiment shared by another reviewer, "This is a school that teaches how to be responsible people in a challenging world." I have no desire for my child to be an academic drone. I want him to have a well rounded education - academically challenging, but also an environment that nurtures and develops his creativity and personality. This is what Tesseract has provided to date. I would highly recommend finding out more about what the school has to offer.
Submitted by other on September 03, 2015

My three children have attended Tesseract for the past seven years. Therefore, I feel uniquely qualified to offer on opinion based on every Early Childhood grade, plus grades one through three. Coming from an east coast private school background, I had grave fears that Arizona would not be able to deliver. Tesseract put those fears to rest long ago. The superb quality of the teachers is their number one asset. The respect and care for the development of the WHOLE child is beyond reproach. The curriculum is unique, challenging and delivered in a student centered style. Never, not once, have my children ever said they didn't want to go to school! The teachers are extremely responsive to emails and respond with validation and a plan as needed. The administration is more than happy to meet with parents anytime. What more could I ask for? Was there a financial crisis last spring? Yes indeed. However, the school has moved on and retained the core teachers while replacing an unfortunately ineffective board. The classroom experience remains the same. Finally, please beware the bitter one star raters! Their comments actually left me giggling with their gross inaccuracies. But, don't take my word for it. Come take a tour of this special place.
Submitted by parent on August 13, 2015

As a parent of multiple children through Tesseact I cannot say enough good things about the education and character development my children have received throughout the years. The primary philosophy of the school is to develop the whole student and as a well rounded speaker in front of their peers. if your child requires the additional time and attention to develop them as a life long student this should be a school you should strongly consider.
Submitted by parent on August 13, 2015

As a parent of multiple children through Tesseact I cannot say enough good things about the education and character development my children have received throughout the years. The primary philosophy of the school is to develop the whole student and as a well rounded speaker in front of their peers. if your child requires the additional time and attention to develop them as a life long student this should be a school you should strongly consider.
Submitted by parent on August 03, 2015

As a parent, I have been amazed at the education my daughter has received at Tesseract. The social/emotional curriculum and the academic curriculum are viewed as equally importantly and are designed to be highly engaging for the students. Tesseract truly educates the whole child. In addition to the core curricular areas, the students have art, PE, music, Spanish and library. The students garden and each grade level is involved in different service learning programs as well. Technology is integrated as a resource/ tool that enhance and enriches the learning. The educators work closely together to design lessons that make interdisciplinary connections. Tesseract is a wonderful learning community and a hidden gem in the valley. Every decision is made with the student(s) in mind.
Submitted by parent on July 13, 2015

My two children have been in the lower school for several years now. I will tell you that the early childhood parents rave about the lower ratios and caring environment. We have absolutely loved the K – 2nd thus far. I do not believe that there is a finer group of kindergarten educators at another school. The social and educational growth we have seen from our two children (two years apart) is amazing. This is a school that teaches how to be responsible people in a challenging world. The kids learn the ability to speak confidently and in front of an audience at an early age and in an environment that is nurturing and supportive – yet academically challenging.
Submitted by parent on July 10, 2015

Tesseract is for the progressive, smart, special child that is destined to change the world - and can only do so through a thoughtful and individualized education that focuses on exploration of many broad subjects that include advanced academics - especially in technology and science - but also brings back the often lost skills to truly make it in a global setting: speaking, engagement, writing, and manners. Tesseract treats the WHOLE child - not just a part.
Submitted by principal on July 10, 2015

Our small class sizes and low student-teacher ratios allow us to foster a true love of learning, encouraging Tesseract students to explore their interests and passions—all within safe, supportive surroundings. As our educators guide their students to think differently, and see global relationships as essential, it is our student’s sense of ownership, which truly enables them to soar. Tesseract students are engaged in the world around them from the time they join our community.
Submitted by parent on June 10, 2015

This is the saddest story. A wonderful school destroyed by such terrible mismanagement. The current head of school lacks integrity, has (what seems to be) a social disorder and has no sense of building trust or team. The school is in the last hour of trying to put together a program for the fall of 2015. They are in a desperate position with a terrible morale and culture remaining. Ask all of the right questions before signing a contract.