Abiqua School

6974 Bates Road South

Salem, OR 97306

24 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on March 11, 2024

Our girls love school. The focus on social skills is wonderful and kids and staff all get along great. A really wonderful community.
Submitted by parent on December 16, 2023

I am so glad that we were able to send our 3 kids to Abiqua! Their experiences with supportive teachers and hands-on experiential learning have been amazing foundational experiences for them to build on as they progress through their education and later in their lives.
Submitted by teacher on December 07, 2023

I have had the pleasure of being a part of the dedicated team at Abiqua Academy for several years now, and it's truly an honor to be associated with such an exceptional team of educators. Our commitment to nurturing well-rounded community members goes beyond academics, with our emphasis on the HEART skills—Honor, Empathy, Accountability, Respect, and Teamwork.One of the standout aspects of Abiqua Academy is our unwavering dedication to instilling these essential life skills in our students from preschool through 8th grade. The incorporation of HEART skills into our curriculum not only fosters a positive and inclusive school culture but also equips our students with the tools they need to navigate the complexities of life beyond the classroom.The academic rigor at Abiqua Academy is truly commendable, striking a perfect balance between challenging our students and ensuring that each child is met at their individual learning level. The faculty and staff take the time to understand the unique strengths and needs of each student, creating an environment where everyone feels valued and supported.The sense of community at Abiqua Academy is palpable, and it extends beyond the classroom walls. Students, parents, and staff collaborate to create a vibrant and supportive educational ecosystem. This collaborative spirit is a testament to the school's commitment to fostering not only academic excellence but also a sense of belonging and connection.Abiqua Academy is more than just a place of learning; it's a community that values and prioritizes the holistic development of every student. The focus on HEART skills, combined with academic rigor and a supportive environment, sets this school apart as a beacon of educational excellence. I am proud to be a part of this transformative institution that is shaping the future leaders of tomorrow.
Submitted by parent on October 19, 2023

Abiqua is an incredible school. A small community of engaged students, families, and educators. Academically rigorous, while being student centered is at the core of the school's mission. Not only are they sparking the intellectual curiosity within, they take the time to truly know their students, and help develop them into thoughtful, respectful, unique, caring humans. I can't recommend Abiqua enough to prospective families. I am so grateful to have my children benefit from an Abiqua education.
Submitted by parent on June 19, 2023

My experience at Abiqua Academy gets better every year. I am a teacher at the school as well as a parent of two elementary-aged children. It is an engaging school that focuses on developing kind, empathetic kids as well as curious lifelong learners. They get the benefit of multiple specialist classes like Art, Music, PE, and Spanish, and even have after-school enrichment opportunities. Students have a balanced experience of challenging academics and enriching field trips.As a teacher, Abiqua is my second home and the community is like family. Parents and teachers work together as a team to help best support our students, who are respectful kind kids that support one another. I truly love this school and strongly recommend it.
Submitted by parent on July 30, 2022

This school is mediocre at best. Oregons educational system needs a great deal of attention. Our public schools from our old hometown (not Oregon), are stronger than Abiqua. The price tag is way too high, for what you are actually getting. Communication was poor. They weaponized Covid as a way to keep parents out. My son was treated very poorly by his teacher. There was an arrogance about the school and they have nothing to be arrogant about. If you try to communicate at all, you will have problems for yourself and your children. This is not an excellent school.
Submitted by student on January 29, 2021

Went here through 8th grade so far and had a great time learning!
Submitted by parent on July 09, 2020

We have been an Abiqua family for many years. Abiqua is constantly improving and evolving to meet the needs of the students, teachers, staff, and community. I have been impressed how quickly the school was able to adapt to distance learning in the spring. I have no doubt Abiqua will be able to deliver a quality education now and in the future, not only for my children, but the others that attend. The teachers truly care about their students and get to know each one of them.
Submitted by parent on July 09, 2020

My children are stronger learners and have created many relationships with students and faculty that will benefit them for years to come. The small class sizes make a successful learning environment. During COVID-19, the teachers were prepared and maintained a valuable learning experience for my middle school child.
Submitted by student on February 16, 2020

This school is such an incredible, inventive, accepting, and loving place for your child. I would highly recommend all grades.
Submitted by parent on November 01, 2018

Excellent. I’m so glad my son went there.
Submitted by parent on January 04, 2018

Our three children have attended Abiqua since their kindergarten year. They love their school and most importantly, they love learning.
Submitted by student on August 13, 2016

From an alumni perspective; Abiqua school was a great environment for students to learn based on their academic level. Advanced students were challenged and others were given care to improve their skills. A variety of class field trips allowed students to learn concepts in engaging environments. Class sizes were ideal not only for specialized learning, but also social development. In recent years, however (6-7 years to be exact), quality has immensely dropped. The high school program is hugely impractical, with glaring flaws in the middle school left unaddressed. As students enter a challenging and confusing time in their life the environment in the middle and high school is not suitable for social development or academic learning as students are shoved into mediocrity and opportunities for advancement are increasingly sparse. Though a student may be at an academic level not reached by the alumni before, the middle school will not compensate and will simply place that student at a lower level rather than purchase new learning materials or offer transport to a school that does offer the needed program. Furthermore, the middle school offers no options outside of Abiqua to parents or students and will not allow any presentations from other Salem high schools to talk to the students about programs available to them. Expect frequent donation requests and rising fees as well as requirements to purchase technology through the school (be advised with enough negotiation, however, you can refuse). Administration is not particularly helpful in terms of parent comments or issues, thus bullying can arise (but is not a regular occurance) and quickly become an issue. The school has great teachers overall, the issue lies within the administration. Summary:Elementary school; great, good teachers, good programsMiddle school; mediocre/good for the average student, terrible programs for advanced students, limiting in individuality and programs but offers good experiences.High school; terrible, impractical, undeveloped.Come for the elementary, leave afterwards.
Submitted by parent on September 19, 2015

Fantastic value for money in terms of subject variety in the curriculum and quality of staff.
Submitted by parent on June 28, 2015

What I would have rated this school a few years ago and what I rate it now are vastly different. What you think of Abiqua will depend on how long your kids have been at the school and whether or not they went to the middle school. Abiqua Academy (its new name) is a vastly different culture than Abiqua School. If you are looking for a prep school where homework is more important than sleep, along with a dash of arrogance and dismissiveness, this is your school. If you are looking for a well balanced lifestyle for your child with exposure to good music programs, sports, good academics, and a lot of different peers, stop. This isn't your school. The middle schoolers go on a trip every year so in addition to the $12,000 in tuition, you will want to budget an additional $3000 or so per person for the trip. If your child doesn't go on the trip, they aren't given a serious education that week so it is wasted money. The school is also heavy on donations and an email already went out this past school year about how they will need everyone's support for the new high school. If you enroll in the fall, just plan to be inundated with requests for money. The middle school is bleeding students so those missing tuition dollars will need to be made up by the remaining parents. Then there are the practical things you don't think about as a parent. The middle school gets out at 3:30 which is an hour after Salem-Keizer. So if you have a child that wants to play football, for example, you have to decide if you are going to pull them out of school early to make practices. The community is geared about public schools, and Abiqua's schedule isn't in sync with that.
Submitted by parent on May 04, 2015

After committing the resources for Abiqua I felt a bit mislead. Despite the small class sizes students DO NOT get individualized teaching. I found out late in the year that the testing they do is just for the office and doesn't benefit the kids. Students are all clumped towards the mean and advanced students are held back for teacher convenience rather than placed based on their test results. The music program leaves a great deal to be desired and repeats identically each year so no opportunity for advancement exists. There is a culture of extortative intimidation by the administration to solicit donations which begins once you sign your contract. Despite the advertised cost there are numerous "hidden fees" that add up quite a bit such as "field trip fees", "technology fees", "technology maintenance fee", inflated costs for iPads that you have to buy through the school. Plus they change required technology arbitrarily so you might have to buy multiple iPads or computers. Plus tuition rises each year despite the fact that they do not provide more each year. Finally, any attempt to address any topic with the office is met with a smile, a nod, and no further action.
Submitted by teacher on March 19, 2015

Abiqua Academy is not only a wonderful place to work but it is one of the best schools in the Willamette Valley for PreK-12. Students are given one-on-one time with teachers at every grade level. Abiqua provides an environment that allows students to thrive.
Submitted by parent on February 08, 2015

Having had multiple kids at the school for multiple years I have noticed a trend towards mediocrity. Despite ever increasing tuition which is now over $10 K per child the overall quality of education is declining. The school has had a great deal of teacher turnover recently. The classes are being combined and taught at a lower level than they once were. The Principal acts like a greeter at the door each morning but cannot retain good teachers. Additionally, the principal wants zero parent involvement (unless you are donating more money). Discipline has also been a major problem especially with bullying which the school seems unable to manage.
Submitted by parent on March 09, 2014

Abiqua school has been drastically changing it's direction in recent years. This shift causes valid concerns on either side of the issue. There are people happy with it and others quite unhappy. Both sides will have valid views. The reputation it has enjoyed is shifting and where that will stop is still to be seen.
Submitted by parent on February 25, 2014

Tuition at Abiqua School is over $10,000. Annual giving donation is a requirement. Registration Fee is $1000 per child. Capital Campaign contributions are made through binding contracts. Since the school is in an aggressive growth period, more of this hard earned tuition money is being spent on speculation. As a parent it feels like academic preparation has taken a back seat to creating an illusion of exclusivity. In the past teachers were allowed to keep pace with the individual student so that advanced children could be challenged. Now our new administrator prefers that all the kids get the same curriculum and meet the same standards. The result is that even though some classes are as small as seven kids some are lost and others are bored to tears. It just is no longer a good value for academics.