Awakening Seed School

6630 South 40th Street

Phoenix, AZ 85042

25 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-4
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on September 29, 2021

Read all the negative reviews and read them again. They are all very very true. Some of the good reviews you see are from people who went there and eventually work there or people who donate a LOT of money or time and are in turn being treated nicely or teachers that have their kids enrolled in classes there. My 3.5 year old son had been at home since the past 1 & 1/2 years and has always been with parents. We are also a brown, non-english speaking family.The school had my son for only 1 day and came to conclusions that he has behavioral issues( even doctors take longer than that). This was because the teacher had no patience, expected him to speak advanced English(in spite of claiming otherwise during enrollment), be trained in “love and logic” discipline method, follow school routine and rules on day 1. The school also admitted to being short staffed due the pandemic and this shows in the staff's behavior.We had our son checked and rechecked with his pediatrician and didn’t find any issues with him. Our son also got into another school a week after and has been thriving with no complaints whatsoever.They put us through some major emotional trauma by saying things about our son which weren’t true. As parents, we wouldn’t have missed the signs had we seen any as would have his pediatrician, our friends and neighbors.We expect caregivers at school that our son goes to to be honest in their ways, be loving( especially at his age), open to different circumstances and caring. Kids need to feel safe and welcome by their caregivers. It’s not an issue with the child if the caregiver lacks these qualities.There are a lot of things at this school that are spoken of but not practiced like diversity and inclusion, cultivating natural curiosity of children.There are plenty of better schools out there that are academically ahead, have loving and educated teachers, follow kind practices with young children, provide hot food, let parents work in peace and provide exponentially more value for money.
Submitted by parent on September 28, 2018

Wonderful experience. I'm an educator and I trust my own children with the whole child approach at Awakening Seed.
Submitted by other on September 03, 2017

Incredible. This school embodies respect and compassion.
Submitted by parent on May 21, 2016

Our family come from Denmark and we don't speak English as our first language, so we were a bit anxious of letting our 5 yr old son start in pre-school. However, the AW staff were incredibly warm, inclusive and helpful and our son had a great start and quickly made friends with a lot of the other kids. The school offers lots of hands-on activities for the kids and a strong emphasis on positive group values. We can definetely recommend this school!
Submitted by parent on May 20, 2016

My two children have attended this school for nearly 4 years. We all love the school. My children are thriving academically and emotionally. They know their teachers and staff care about them and enjoy working there. I am continually amazed at how the teachers go the extra mile to develop creative projects and activities to learn in depth about a subject.
Submitted by parent on November 27, 2014

Awakening Seed fosters an awareness level in children that is rare in many other schools. The level of respect for children is unequivocally clear upon observing the school's activities. Teachers place importance on the a child's unique interests and allow each child to grow their talents.
Submitted by teacher on September 21, 2014

As director and co-founder of Awakening Seed, I d like to respond to the previous review. As with any organization, the Seed constantly changes as we strive to improve the quality of service to our families. Change happens organically and gradually. Rarely has it been extreme in the 38 years we ve existed. While many of our lead teachers are Arizona certified, we ve almost always had at least one who is not. One of our most talented teachers for over 25 years was not certified. Certainly credentials are important, and so are qualities that make a teacher a natural. On occasion, an individual will arrive whose natural teaching talents are exceptional. We work as a staff to help that person translate their talents into quality teaching practices. We invite feedback and dialogue with parents to ensure that each child has a successful school experience. Integrity is at the heart of our practice at Awakening Seed at all levels. We love to have visitors and I invite you to come see for yourself what a quality, child-centered program the Seed is. You will not see children in buckle chairs.
Submitted by parent on May 31, 2014

Awakening Seed School was one of the most amazing educational environments in Phoenix. The school has made some extreme changes over the past few years and its reputation and professionalism has taken a hit . The staffing changes (main reason for negative review) continue to cause parents to pause and keep looking for a school who's s The teachers are no longer required to have a teaching certificate and voicing your opinion/concerns about your child's education and daily treatment only brought unnecessary gossip and absolutely no support or plan of change in support of concerns. The school's mission is to respect all people from all walks of life but the people representing this mission have only shown my family extreme judgment and disrespect toward families who care about the well-being and education of their preschooler. If you want your child to sit in a buckle chair for over an hour and be taught by uneducated "teachers" this is the place for you!
Submitted by other on May 15, 2014

I am both a parent and staff member of Awakening Seed School, and could not be happier to be a part of this wonderful community. My children love being here and have grown and learned so much. The Seed provides a nurturing environment where kids feel safe and happy with an obvious love of learning. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything in the world. My kids are being given the opportunity to learn about clean eating, recycling, gardening, composting, empathy for all living things, as well as emotional, social, and academic progress and growth. We love the Seed!
Submitted by parent on September 19, 2013

We chose to send our Son to the Seed because of the community values, nurturing support, and academics. We have not been disappointed. Our son has learned confidence, social skills, and we feel supported as parents. We feel our son is getting a unique experience that we, otherwise, would not be able to provide. Yes, it is expensive but the investment in my son has been worth the sacrifices we have had to make.
Submitted by parent on August 11, 2013

A great nurturing community that fosters creativity and strives to develop each child to their fullest potential. They promote responsibility with compassion and don't allow junk food in lunches or snakes. They care about our kids inside and out. Yea!
Submitted by other on June 12, 2013

I was a preschool teacher at Awakening Seed for 25 years. The director, Mary Glover, promotes a sense of community among students and staff alike. This sense of community can be readily seen in each classroom. As children form bonds of friendship with each other they are also encouraged to include children who are new, or less gregarious socially, in their play. The curriculum is child-centered, and students frequently decide for themselves what their main unit of study will be. Other aspects of the curriculum (math, science, literature, writing...) are based as much as possible on the general study unit. Awakening Seed students tend to assume a sense of ownership and responsibility for their school. In many cases I have seen this sense of ownership extend into adulthood. Former students often return to the school to reconnect with their former teachers. A sentiment I have frequently heard from both former students and their parents who return for visits is that their favorite school years were those spent at Awakening Seed. A more nurturing environment would be hard to find.
Submitted by parent on May 23, 2013

My three children attended Awakening Seed School from pre-school until they "aged out". The faculty and staff treated our whole family with kindness and respect. The children got a solid educational foundation from teachers who encouraged their creativity and curiousity. Every classroom has its own outdoor/garden area, and there is a big grassy yard with plenty of room for everybody to run and play. The Seed is more than a school -- it is a wonderful community
Submitted by parent on May 01, 2013

Our son attended the Seed for several years when he was age one through age four. It is a magical, lovely, loving place. Mary Glover's energy, intention, and vision have created a a fabulous little laboratory for discovery and growth. My son loved it. I felt very safe there. On every level they are thorough and by the book: illness policy, check-in/out, behavioral issues that may arise with young children. They handled all of the issues with loving structure and kindness. The only reason we left is because it was truly far from our home and we were willing to drive until life got busy again, otherwise we would have stayed. The child-centered curriculum really honors the creativity and spirit of childhood. Carrie B.
Submitted by parent on April 30, 2013

My son attended the Seed from pre-3rd and I still can't keep him away from the SEED. I can't even drive by it without him wanting to stop by and or sharing a great memory of his time at the SEED. I believe the SEED provided a great, healthy, family enviroment for my child. The dedication and time the staff put into the children is amazing! I love how they encourage the children to think critically and how to communicate. They support the children emotionally and as individuals, I truley believe this has made my child a well rounded, caring individual!
Submitted by other on April 30, 2013

Awakening Seed - an excellent learning institution. My children attended Awakening Seed from pre school through 4th and 1st grade. We selected the school due to size, teaching philosophy and ability of parents to actively participate. The school was an excellent fit for our family and children - the values and mission of the school reflected our family's values, the instructional approach - with a focus on deep learning and project based curriculum and individualized instruction were excellent fits for our children and family. The strengths of the Seed include a strong learning community, excellence in developing critical thinking and communication, integration of the arts and a very strong reading and writing program. Math and science instruction would be similar to public schools. Overall, the Seed exemplifies a research based instructional approach. Examples of my positive comments - each class in the elementary school is small (under 20) with a lead teacher, an aid and parental support. My daughter's combo 4/5 had 12 students - a lead and aid and often 3 parents. Of course, this comes at a cost - both financial and time. For our family, this was the best investment.
Submitted by parent on April 30, 2013

This rating covers my family's experience with the Awakening Seed School from PreK through Kindergarten. In my experience, the Awakening Seed School successfully strives to provide a safe, loving environment for children to learn. When my child started the PreK program, he was not the only one to be educated. I was amazed that the teachers and other staff (literally everyone at the school) cared about my child and my family. The school provides Love & Logic training which positively changed my relationship with my child. I will be forever grateful to the school for educating and caring (truly caring) for my child. Because the school is small, individual attention is possible, and it IS given. I was amazed at the curriculum that my child was exposed to even in PreK.
Submitted by parent on April 29, 2013

Awakening Seed school is a gift!! As a parent and a professional in Mental Health and Education I rank this school as one of the best in AZ. The Seed is a Community it is a family of Life Long Learners. Go visit, trust what you feel as you take a tour. Talk to other parents I know most will find a good fit at the Seed.
Submitted by parent on March 26, 2013

The Seed as it is affectionately called is an excellent school. The well-balanced education is delivered in a compassionate yet firm manner that builds children's confidence. There is a real sense of community that you cannot find just anywhere. All of our 3 kids have attended and it has been an absolutely great experience. It is a real jewel in the desert!
Submitted by parent on July 08, 2012

We spent months with our child in the 2s and 3s class & we had many concerns. I wrote an email to the 2 teachers. I praised them for their dedication & effort. I also expressed our concerns. After so much time spent with the 2 teachers, I had grown to admire, respect, and like them both. They never returned my email or talked to me again. We got an email from the director who, despite our time in the classroom, dismissed all of our concerns and disinvited our son from the school. This was very painful and unexpected. But it was the best thing for him. We got him into a play based school & helped toilet train, & provided food, & was cheaper, & had better hours, & had fewer holidays . I heard the teacher is now teaching older kids which I think is a better fit for her skills. The staff & faculty, parents, grounds are nice, & the kids are great. But it is not a good value, very friendly to working parents, & has too many holidays. Love & Logic is not for us. I don't know if it was a culture of pride that interfered with their ability to discuss my concerns. But the idea that they are beyond criticism was arrogant & cost them a great kid, committed parents, & a favorable review.