Dobson Academy The - A Ball Charter School

My children had a horrible experience here! Teachers are inexperienced and the principal has no idea what she is doing!

The school sucks you in at the kindergarten/first grade level with small class sizes and an aide in each k - 1 classroom. But then the kids go upstairs for second, third and fourth grade and the small class size ends. There isn't aide support beyond kindergarten and first grade. The upstairs floor is not very inviting with frayed/stained carpet, crooked hanging posters, desks in hallways making it look like a detention center, and trash on the floor. The classrooms are small in size and overflowing with kids; my daughter is in second grade and her class size is 27. I don't consider this a low ratio especially when there isn't an aide in the room and the kids don't fit comfortably.
Then there's the problem with school lunches; how are kids supposed to actively learn when they are fed junk for lunch? Healthy salad bars filled with fresh fruit and vegetables are the norm in public schools; but not at Dobson Academy. Kids get PE one day a week. There's absolutely no mind-body connection at Dobson. Does the school promote sustainable living programs such as a recycling program? No. The teachers do not have a garbage trash bin and a recycle trash bin in their classrooms. There are not recycle trash cans around campus. So recycles are going into our landfill. Again, recycling is the norm in many other schools. I think Dobson is behind the times and not promoting healthy life choices and sustainable living.
Last, there are frequent bullying problems in the play yard. Consequences are so minor that the kids just don't care if they get caught. Luckily my daughter has not been bullied but her friend has. It's a never ending issue. Of course the student tells the aide at the play yard, but the problem isn't addressed; instead it's swept under the rug.
Things started out good at Dobson when my daughter attended Sweeney's kindergarten class of 17 kids and an aide helper. First grade was also good. But it's rapidly gone down hill. I do not blame her second grade teacher. All the issues I've seen thus far are really out of the control of the teacher. I do know teachers are tired and work way too hard with minimal support. My fear is that Dobson is going to have more problems in the near future; teacher turnover.
I have found another placement for my daughter for next year.

My 3 kids have attended DA for 4 years and have loved it. The turn over rate is high, we have had 3 principals in the 4 years they attended. The good teachers have mostly disappeared and the curriculum is not as they make it seem. They hire inexperienced teachers and rely in the children to help others with the math and reading. On Monday my son went on a field trip and the bus broke down leaving my child in the parking lot sitting on the curb for over an hour. When I expressed my concerns with the teacher they were dismissed since they did not have any "problems" while waiting for the next bus. When they got back to school they were sent to specials instead of being allowed to eat lunch, which they did not eat until After 1:15. I contacted the principal and was told he accepts responsibility for not informing parents and was unaware that they went to specials before eating. He does not even know the time that the bus arrived on campus! This is alarming to me that he accepts responsibility of not knowing where my child is, what time they came back, or where they went when they returned. I was told he was too "busy doing in class observation" that's why he didn't know when the bus arrived and why he did not sent out parent corrospondance. On Friday, after not receiving any type of correspondence, I sent an email to the administration board. I got a response that I needed to file a formal grievance with the principal and could not go above him until I give him 5 days to address the problem. It concerns me to the point that I will more then likely relocate my children for the last quarter since the staff including the principal do not assume responsibility for my children on or off of campus. And when there is an issue with the principal it is clear they do not want to speak with you to come to a conclusion. A simple appology and a letter to the parents affected would have made me feel that they at least care about my kids. Their safety comes before their curriculum. I have also had several concerns about bullying to the point I have places my kids in martial arts to learn self defense since the school staff does nothing to stop or prevent further problems. This school has gotten way out of hand...and administration does not care.

They claim that there are a no tolerance school , but there is plenty of bulling by students and by teachers to. If a teacher does not like your student they will be in the office with detention all the time. I volunteer a lot so I see it all the time. They keep getting rid of good teachers and hire one that either do not have experience or they are not good educators. K-5 your child will get a good education, but after I wouldn't count on it. If you need help and are failing they expect you to figure it out and they let you know that at the end of the quarter. The middle school teachers are incompetent and on a power trip. The principal's way of dealing with students is to suspend them no matter what the problem is. She doesn't know how to resolve conflict. My kids were on the honor roll and in student council but because I volunteer a lot in different places I was able to see a lot of things I do not agree with. We decided to take the kids out do to bulling and because the level of education has taking a decline in the past few years. I wouldn't recommend this school.