Swift School

300 Grimes Bridge Road

Roswell, GA 30075

42 Reviews

School District
Grade

1-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on February 05, 2024

At the end of 1st grade the public school my son attended wanted to hold him back. We knew something was wrong but he was intelligent so there had to be something else. We spent 2nd grade working with some amazing teachers who ultimately suggested testing. We found our answer...Dyslexia, auditory processing deficit, executive functioning, ADHD! That's a lot to take. We knew he needed more than the public school could offer (even though they were amazing educators, they just didn't have expertise for teaching my kind of child). In comes Swift! My son entered in 3rd grade with very low self-esteem. He could barely read. He was good at math but if the directions can't be read, what are you going to do??? My son stayed at Swift until 8th grade. Jump forward to second semester of 9th grade and now back in Public School. My son is THRIVING (he even "raises his hand to read in class")! I wasn't sure he would ever learn to read but now we have a teacher recommending an AP course for him to take next year. I owe this success to my amazing son who works so very hard AND the teachers and staff at Swift who made this all possible. He has the skills to know where he thrives and where he struggles. My son will always have Dyslexia, but now its not a detriment, it is a gift! The transition out of Middle School to updating his IEP to making sure he has top notch advocates at his current school was facilitated by the outplacement staff at Swift. Its a scary process but they make it easy. While it is not cheap (an we all know all the specialty schools cost an arm and a leg), if you can manage any way possible, try Swift! They call it the Swift Effect and it truly is! My son is living proof. I want to cry just writing this because at the beginning of this journey I felt so lost and unsure. I no longer feel this way thanks to Swift!
Submitted by parent on November 08, 2023

We are so grateful for a school that looks at all of our child’s strengths as well as supporting them in improving areas that are more difficult.Learning to read with OG has made an enormous difference. While having a nurturing environment with supportive teachers and staff has made a great success for our child learning with dyslexia. Our child is academically prepared, confident & is enthusiastic about learning with the skill in self-advocacy.
Submitted by parent on May 20, 2023

Our experience at the Swift School was simply top-notch! The teachers, Head of School, and administrative staff are as good as they come. Our daughter spent 1st-5th grade at Swift and they equipped her with the tools to grow, learn, and enjoy school at the fullest. We will be forever grateful for the kindness, feeling of family, and education she received. If you have a child with dyslexia, The Swift School should be your first choice!
Submitted by other on December 31, 2022

This school partners along side you and your child to give them the best learning experience! As a formal Swift School student this school changed my life forever in the best way. I couldn’t be more grateful for my years at Swift School.
Submitted by parent on June 08, 2022

We have been displeased with this school and have withdrawn our child. The value is just not there. If you compare it to other specialty schools in Atlanta, you will see the difference in professionalism among the leadership and facility and staff. You will also see a difference in the campus and amenities. The tuition, however, is higher! We did not have the opportunity to shop around during COVID, and now our poor choice is glaring.
Submitted by other on May 26, 2022

Swift School is the premier leader for students with dyslexia and other language-based learning needs. I personally have seen students benefit from the Orton-Gillingham Approach and various curriculums used by Swift's teachers. The OG Approach helps students decode words, and the OG Fellow employed by Swift School helps transform their educational experience as she visits classrooms daily. Teachers also receive OG training and certification. If you are a parent or guardian looking to enroll your child in a school that will teach your child to be an advocate for their needs and provide a life-changing experience, I highly recommend Swift School!
Submitted by parent on March 30, 2022

The skill, heart and dedication that teachers at Swift put into the education of our children is very apparent. There is a commitment to quality, whole-child education. At a recent curriculum showcase my spouse and I were speechless after seeing our child demonstrate what he has learned. We are grateful for the Swift administration's and faculty's calm persistence in this very challenging pandemic year. The Swift School is showing how we move forward together, and it gives me hope for our broader community. Our child is processing the radical change in education this year over years prior and is very aware of just how skilled and kind his teachers are.
Submitted by parent on March 15, 2022

Our son spent 4 years at the Swift School and the experience for him, and for us as parents, was life changing! The teachers are very well trained on how to support and teach students with dyslexia who would typically struggle in a traditional learning setting. The environment is amazing, and the students become much more confident, determined and also learn how to self-advocate.The skills that our son learned at Swift has helped him to be successful in high school. He currently has a 4.08 GPA, got accepted into the National Beta Honor Society and has made the high school baseball team for the 2nd year in a row! We are very thankful for the years that he spent at Swift, and are also very thankful for the teachers that were there to help him become the person that he is today!
Submitted by principal on January 27, 2022

At Swift School, we want to ensure that our students and parents have the best possible experience as we prepare students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences to succeed academically and in life. We are very sorry to learn that the experience of the reviewer who posted on January 25 did not meet expectations. We have high expectations for our school, and we welcome the opportunity to speak with you personally to address your concerns. Please contact us by phone or email if you would like to speak with a member of our team. Thank You.
Submitted by parent on January 25, 2022

As we head into making decisions about our children for the '22/'23 school year I thought I would share our experience at Swift. As you are probably aware there are more choices than ever to educate our young. Swift's value is very poor in comparison to the other options. Their tuition is among the top 3 highest of any school in metro Atlanta and to put it mildly, the value is just not there. What's missing? To begin with there isn't a library. There also isn't a gymnasium. Nor is a suitable playground on sight. In fact some students are subjugated to playing in the parking lot for recess. Read that again. Yeah, not safe. A huge concern of leadership and obviously us parents, is the amount of turnover in the teaching staff that occurs yearly. Its a huge red flag for a school (or business) when the staff churn is so high. What drives these people to leave? Poor performance? Speaking of teachers, the complete lack of diversity among the teaching staff is shameful. In addition to the churn, some of the teachers are not experts as what is expected of a school with that level of tuition. A math teacher this year was thrust into that position and had to work all summer getting certified to teach the subject this school year. Similar situations have occurred with teachers getting certified in OG the summer before coming aboard. Normally this is not the end of the world as they are trained degreed teachers but for a private school that positions itself as a provider of "a rich academic program", these shortcomings of the niche they are supposedly targeting, are magnified and not fair to the students or their loving parents.
Submitted by parent on October 29, 2021

My son was at Swift from 1st grade until 8th grade - and if I could have talked them into building a high school we would still be there. I can't say enough wonderful things about this school. It fosters an environment of pride and confidence for kids with dyslexia that struggle in a traditional learning environment. The staff is well trained on how to support students academically and socially. They are also a great resource for parents, especially those unexpectedly coping with the news their child is dyslexic. I am so happy we decided to keep our son at Swift through Middle School, where he continued to learn the skills (voice to text, etc.) that would help him be successful once he left Swift. Swift helped us find the best fit for high school and advised us during our transition. Our son is now thriving in high school and I have the wonderful Swift community to thank!
Submitted by parent on May 09, 2019

Swift is life changing! They not only offer support and guidance to the students, but to the parents as well. They have free courses for parents to participate in so you know how to help your child at home. You are always kept abreast of your child's progress. The teachers communicate regularly with the parents, you have quarterly conferences, and they teach your child how to advocate for himself/herself. My child's self-confidence is back and he is no longer embarrassed to be dyslexic. They focus on the positives of dyslexia and give your child the tools he/she needs to be successful.
Submitted by parent on December 01, 2018

Swift changed everything for my son and our family. It provided a support system for not only my child but for me as well. Knowing I had help making sure my child was successful was a huge relief, since I have multiple children. It was the best decision we ever made and I would do it again in a heartbeat. If Swift had grades 9-12 we would still be there.
Submitted by parent on November 18, 2018

Based on the guidelines, I will not list the name. "Dr. S" was an incredible teacher and administrator. I think she had been an educator for 40 years. She helped students. She mentored the new teachers. She counseled the parents. Swift was 5 stars when she was there. She retired. There have been many changes, mainly with the administration. Money is spent on marketing materials and fund-raising, not the classroom or teachers' salaries. The new administration walks down the hallway and does not speak to the parent who paid the tuition. My rating now is only 1 star based on how Swift only wants children with mild dyslexia or language differences. A child's experience will be based on how severe the learning differences are.
Submitted by parent on November 06, 2018

We are very fortunate to have been steered towards Swift by several professionals that were helping us with our son's dyslexia in elementary school. It has changed our son's life for the better - forever!
Submitted by parent on November 04, 2018

I am forever grateful that my daughter and our family have been blessed by the Swift School. It has truly changed our lives. To see a child who is broken and defeated by school suddenly start to shine, is a blessing that I will never take for granted. My daughter now loves school and smiles each morning as she walks into Middle Division. The Swift School gave my daughter the wings to fly and she is soaring!
Submitted by parent on October 30, 2018

The Swift School has been life changing for our family. Our daughter started second grade at Swift unable to read, full of anxiety and strongly disliked school. She is now in seventh grade and never wants to leave the school. She is constantly reading and always has a book that she refuses to put down. We owe the school for helping bring our happy, confident, full of life child back to us.
Submitted by parent on October 29, 2018

My children attended Swift School for six years and two years. Our experience was the best of what education can be. They were immersed in the Orton Gillingham approach and thrived. It was sad to leave, but they both transitioned back into traditional school without hitch. They are making excellent grades, they understand things in different ways and they know how to advocate for themselves. Mr. Wendlek, the teachers at Swift to the maintenance staff are amazing!
Submitted by parent on July 15, 2018

We were there for three years with no progress.
Submitted by parent on July 03, 2018

Swift is missing the boat on the underlying issues that come with reading/language disorders and the inability to address receptive/expressive language challenges and intensive/proper phonological instruction. Most students at Swift have “working memory”, executive function and processing challenges which is the foundation for learning, but there are minimal resources to address this when OG instruction is the primary focus. All “A’s and B’s” on a report card is very deceptive in getting a clear picture on progress, especially when compared to outside testings. What we learned was that Swift was not addressing what we thought they were.It is very frustrating and disappointing to pay the high tuition and have homework/lessons handwritten and hand prepared by the teachers, most often with mistakes. No textbooks, workbooks for homework was ever provided and if there was a plan on curriculum, it was always unclear. The focus seems to be fundraising and putting the “Swift” name out front rather than focusing on the students. The Division Director often dismissed any concerns or issues that we had with meaningless comments and with no support. Only 3 times over the years, did I send an e-mail to the school Headmaster with concerns and each time got no reply of any kind. Effective leadership at the top and within division managers is lacking and it is having an effect on the school. No dedicated library or gymnasium for P.E. was also a big disappointment when a library was promised years earlier. Lastly, the tuition continues to escalate substantially each year with no additional resources to show for it. Be sure you understand your child's needs and if Swift can address them. They failed our child and many others that we know. Never did any of the teacher meetings over the years include re-evaluating the psychoed evaluation to discuss how Swift could better address my child’s needs and challenges. Swift was a disappointment and a waste of valuable time for our child, even more so this past year because of new inexperienced teachers. I know many families that are not re-enrolling for similar reasons. Swift should take a hard look at within.