Peoria Academy

2711 West Willow Knolls Drive

Peoria, IL 61614

34 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on September 18, 2024

Our daughter attended from Kindergarten through 8th grade. She was extremely well prepared for high school academically and socially. This is a great school that encourages parents to be active participants, celebrates diversity, and offers ample opportunities that other schools can't match with their after school programs. We would have stayed through high school if that was an option.
Submitted by principal on September 06, 2024

Peoria Academy is an independent school committed to fostering a love of learning and personal growth in our students. As both an IB (International Baccalaureate) candidate school and accredited by ISACS (Independent Schools Association of the Central States), we strive to provide a world-class education that prepares our students to thrive in a rapidly changing world.Our curriculum emphasizes inquiry-based learning, encouraging students to ask questions, think critically, and approach problems with creativity. At Peoria Academy, we cultivate an environment where students develop not only academically but also socially and emotionally, preparing them to be compassionate, globally minded citizens.We are fortunate to have an incredibly dedicated faculty who are passionate about education and committed to the success of each child. Our small class sizes allow for personalized attention and strong relationships between teachers and students, ensuring that every child is known, supported, and challenged to reach their fullest potential.In addition to our academic rigor, Peoria Academy places a strong emphasis on community involvement and extracurricular opportunities. Whether through athletics, the arts, or service learning, students are encouraged to explore their interests, develop leadership skills, and contribute positively to the world around them.Peoria Academy’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and the development of well-rounded, lifelong learners makes it a special place for students to grow and succeed. We take great pride in our diverse and inclusive community and look forward to many more years of academic excellence, innovation, and student success.
Submitted by parent on July 08, 2022

I have multiple children at PA in Peoria. This school gives the students an environment filled with like minded children in that I notice no child who is not striving for success. Small class sizes, highly qualified teachers. This place is a beacon of hope for the local population. Low cost compared to a larger city, the school continues to churn out IB ready kids who are confident, creative and not afraid to fail. No better private school if you are seeking education and kids who know the world is full of opportunity and hope.
Submitted by principal on July 08, 2020

Our family , including our daughter (3rd grade in 2020-21), loves this school. The upcoming school year will be our 5th year at PA. The small class sizes, interaction between grade levels, and focus on the individual kids is outstanding. It's great to have our kid in such a diverse learning environment. The end of the 2019-20 school year was tough, but the staff did a great job adapting to the online learning environment. There's a strong STEAM program, and the before- and after-school care programs allow a lot of flexibility for the parents who need it. We're looking forward to 2020-21!
Submitted by parent on April 04, 2020

Our daughter's music teacher gave this for e-learning homework "Listen to a song." That class has been a waste all year which is another reason we are not returning. we can get a mediocre education somewhere else for free. We are not paying $13000 for this anymore.
Submitted by parent on May 06, 2019

Our daughters have had an amazing experience at this school. They both graduated from middle school extremely well prepared for high school and they developed a great love for learning and confidence at Peoria Academy.
Submitted by parent on January 25, 2018

Our daughter started in the 3-year-old program here this year, and we could not be happier with this school. I LOVE the small class size, the diversity of the student body, the beautiful facility, all the subjects she gets to participate in, etc. etc. We feel lucky that our daughter gets to be a part of this special school!
Submitted by parent on November 10, 2017

Very happy with our decision to send our three kids here. The school has a truly welcoming diverse and international feel, a great community spirit, low student-teacher ratios, and excellent academic results. Having transferred to the USA from the UK, this was the outstanding secular option in the Peoria area and has fantastic success in sending graduates onward into the International Baccalaureat Programs and beyond. The school's ISACS accreditation is also trusted and shows a standard of excellence.
Submitted by parent on April 10, 2017

This school is Peoria's hidden gem! For the high standard of education that children receive the tuition is very good value, compared to other States and nearby cities. Our children have thrived during their years at this school. Small class sizes have provided the opportunity for individual and personalized learning and friendships are close and strong. The population is very diverse and international and it is wonderful how events celebrate this. All the faculty and staff are wonderful without exception. I cannot recommend this school highly enough!
Submitted by parent on April 06, 2017

Peoria Academy is such an amazing school! We are so glad we made the decision to send our kids there. There is an Open House on April 12th from 9 - 11:30 am...if you have children ages 3 (pre-k) through 8th grade, please check it out! It is well worth the investment in a solid educational foundation for your kids as well as amazing extracurricular opportunities from faculty and staff that genuinely care about your kids.
Submitted by parent on September 14, 2016

It's the most incredible School! My daughter cries when she has to leave. So forward thinking, so custom tailored to your child and so welcoming. If you think this is a snobbish school, think again! It's incredibly diverse and honestly I would sell my house if I had to, to keep my child going there. They have financial aid which can cut the tuition in half! If most parents would use their tax returns this would pay the full years tuition. You must visit to understand, it truly is incredible.
Submitted by student on May 27, 2016

Peoria Academy was a school that had teachers that are stubborn, rude. Bullying is a problem, and when one would report any occurrences to a teacher, they would promise to do something about it. However, the teacher in question did nothing about it the majority of the time. Additionally, the teachers and administration members tend to handle situations very poorly.
Submitted by other on August 17, 2015

In spite of the adequate academic standards, the social environment was absolutely horrid. Bullying is a rampant problem, and when one would report any occurrences to a teacher, they would promise to do something about it. However, the teacher in question did nothing about it the majority of the time. Additionally, the teachers and administration members tend to handle situations very poorly. For example, when I was in 7th Grade, one student was misbehaving at the lunch table. Meanwhile, some of those at his table began chanting "Write up, write up!" Instead of punishing those who were specifically involved, the ENTIRE GRADE was forced into a state of detention during half of lunch. When I informed one of the administrators that my friends and I were not involved, she responded "Well, you are guilty by association with them." That move was rather unfair and uncalled for. After all, punishing everyone based on association is considered collective punishment, which is a violation of the Geneva Conference. Also, the administration is unable to handle the treasury of the school. For example, a rather opulent family donated 1 million dollars for the management of the school. One year later, the school was back in a state of financial insolvency. In all seriousness, the social environment is outright toxic and horrifyingly unfriendly, the teachers have no back bone due to their inability to stop the rampant bullying in the school, and the administration is absolutely incompetent for their inability to maintain an adequate monetary state. I do not recommend Peoria Academy to anyone at all!
Submitted by student on August 12, 2015

Though the education at Peoria Academy is decent, the overall environment is atrocious. Ever since I started going there the teachers and coaches have been rather inexperienced and have no idea how to deal with their students. While the students are rather mean and bullying is a huge problem, the teachers do nothing about it. When talking about your concerns to a teacher and they guarantee it will be fixed, nothing happens to the bully. Many times they even punish the victim. The new Spingboard and Lab Learner programs aren't anything special; frankly they're just textbooks and labs that we had to get to keep up with other local schools' supposed amazing new programs. Springboard and LabLearner have many errors and typos and teach you little to nothing on their own. Whether those programs are nationally recognized or not, that doesn't change the awful quality of the education from them. Peoria Academy doesn't even have hot lunches anymore; we have terrible low quality bagged lunches. With mean students, inexperienced staff, and bad programs, I would never recommend this school to anyone.
Submitted by parent on April 29, 2015

Good concept. Small class size. Unfortunately too many experienced teacher were cut for cost reduction. Cheaper teachers are inexperienced and don't offer the same level of instruction.
Submitted by other on November 20, 2014

Peoria academy is a very nice school and advanced but not too much and all the teachers are really nice. I actually enjoy going to school. To the student that keeps writing bad reviews, have you heard the middle school motto "If you can't be kind be quiet?" Everybody on here knows you hate PA and you don't need to keep posting to bring everything down!!
Submitted by other on October 09, 2014

The teachers at this school will try have meeting with you if you get a c or below. They will try to send your for disability programs. The principal may act nice at this school, but will suspend you if you are getting bad grades. I am frustrated with this schcool and I have made decision to write this review to tell to other parents that they will try to put down you child. They do not help you and this the worst school I have ever been to. I do not recommend this school.
Submitted by parent on January 12, 2014

Peoria Academy is a great school, the best in the Peoria area. There are a lot of negative reviews on this site, that must be taking with a grain of salt. As with any review site, letting people leave as many reviews as they would like without identifying themselves, one person can try to manipulate the reviews. Nearly, if not all, negative reviews written in 2013 were written by one student, and if you read them closely you can tell it is an immature teenager. The school went under new leadership in 2012 and is much more stable with a great group of teachers that work well together. The school went out and found some nationally recognized programs to help supplement its already advanced curriculum. They have Singapore math, Lab Learner, PLTW, Lexia, Math Buddies and a few others I can not recall. The tuition is reasonable, and one if the only problems I see us that the school tries to be like a school that charges 20,000+ while Peoria Academy's tuition is less than half that. That would be my only complaint is that to many parent expect the school to rival an elite east coast school, but do not want to spend any money.
Submitted by other on November 12, 2013

Hi everyone! This is my first year at Peoria Academy (as an 8th grader) and I LOVE PA! It is the best thing in my life. You can't beat the curriculum (tends to be 2 to 3 grades above normal public schools) and the social life there is GREAT! I would like to ask people to ignore the reviews on October 23rd and September 7th- they were all made by a friend that was supposedly bullied, but no one else has ever seemed to feel that way. Ask almost every PA student, and they'll say "I love it here!" It's an Eco-school which makes it better for asthmatics, and it's filled with natural sunlight. An advanced curriculum, amazing teachers, and a culturally diverse community is the thriving environment of Peoria academy. If you aren't financially able to send your kids, they offer almost full scholarships- no special qualities needed. If at all possible, SEND YOUR KIDS TO PA! It will Be the BEST decision you ever make. Come and visit!
Submitted by parent on October 29, 2013

Our son entered PA in 3rd grade after falling behind in a former private school. We were worried about whether he could keep pace, let alone excel in an accelerated academic environment. He is now in 6th grade and reading at 10th grade levels and testing in 8th grade for Mathematics. He boasts about his friends, teachers and experiences at Peoria Academy. We could not be more pleased. This school is more than we could have ever hoped for in academics, extra-curricular activities and cultural diversity. We love it.