Top Rated 15 Schools in Atlanta, GA - A Guide for Parents and Students

Holly j This is a great school HOWEVER it’s been way to much fighting! 12th grade boys have been jumping on 9th grade boys!!!! The administrators tend to sweep these things under the rug. Just basically giving the older boys a slap on the wrist & it’s SICK! I DEFINITELY WOULDNT RECOMMEND! How are kids suppose to go to school, feel safe & learn if they are getting jumped on not only that knowing that the administrators are going to do nothing about it.

Tyee Jackson So my story is a bit different from those who were on campus. I want to start by saying during my last years of middle school I had an extremely bad mental and health decline, where I was out of school for my entire 8th grade year. (This was not at drew) So when I started at drew in the 9th grade covid had just started. So by this point I was out of school even longer for covid. I hadnt had much human interaction. I was also becoming more and more mentally drained. I was diagnosed with different mental illnesses. By the time I got to 10th and 11th grade. I was ready to drop out. But Drew never lost faith in me. They set me up with different ways of trying to get my education. They worked with me and in the end we found out what was best. I was able to work from home on my own schedule. Teach myself lessons, through Apex. And I was able to graduate on time. Not only that im now in college. I wanted to drop out so many times, and so many times I was very close to just quitting. But they didnt let me. Mr Richardson, Mr Copp, My home bound teachers, and all the people working in the background who were on my team the whole time and were able to help me graduate according to my needs. Even though most of my experiences with this school happened from home. I’d still say that I graduated and made it to college because of the drew staff and I am forever grateful for them.

Burns Craig (Captain Craig) My son who was in 6th grade, was attacked and blooded for defending a girl from a 7th grade bully. The bully got nothing, my son gets suspended. It was the second time he was assaulted that year, where he was also suspended. There are cameras everywhere, yet they refused to share the evidence to clear his name. They told me I would need a lawyer to get that, so I hired one and they still refused to share the footage which would have cleared my sons record and name. The only option was to file suit in Superior court, which would be very expensive. Who has money to spend on something like that? Thats just hiding behind government beauracracy. The racial bias/preferred treatment at this school is very dangerous, to the point we had to remove our son. Sad to see this is how my tax dollars are being used for these gross politics. We have moved to a small private school, and I have never slept better knowing my boy can get educated in a safe place. Stay far away!

Douglas Matheson We have boy/girl twins who started Westminster in 2nd grade and are currently seniors in the upper school. Our experience has been fantastic all the way around - socially, academically, and athletically. The rigor of the college prep curriculum is real, although this is the reason we chose the school for our kids so that they would be challenged. As a parent, what I really like about the school is that it isnt considered "cool" to slack off on your studies. It is quite the opposite which serves as a motivator for both of our kids as they have embraced the process and I feel like they are fully ready for the independence of college. The school, the teachers and the coaches all operate in unison with the mission to lead, love, and challenge. The opportunities are endless for the student that embraces learning anything and everything. At the same time, the structure, discipline and guidance is equally valuable for the student who views school as a necessary path toward a future doing something they love for a career after college. The campus and facilities are that of a small, private university and the support from alumni is unmatched. Socially, both our kids found their friend groups and I fully expect them to all be life long friends who all attend different colleges throughout the US. Athletically, both kids had the chance participate in multiple sports through middle and upper school - baseball, football, golf (son), lacrosse, basketball (daughter) and each chose to pursue a single sport by there junior year. The newly hired Athletic Director is elite at her job and the coaching staff for all of our kids sports have been incredibly good while also being supportive with academics being the #1 priority. All this while also being ranked as the #1 High School Athletic Program in the US (2022-23 school year). Reflecting on the past 11 years with both a boy and a girl attending Westminster, I honestly wouldnt change a thing about our experience.

Steven Thompson All I can say is WOW!!! This school is amazing. I have three children enrolled in The Westminster Schools and can not be ANY happier. The Faculty (Everyone from Top to Bottom is amazing) is Top notch. The academics are challenging and invite the "love of learning" My three children are different from each other and they all fit in equally well at the school. The Teachers are involved and care, I get calls from the Teacher(s) just to tell me how well my children are doing. The athletics are REALLY number 1 in the nation (check out MAX Preps for the 2012 year, 11 State Titles a new record!). This school and all involved are great. If you are considering private school(s) you need to do yourself a favor and check out all of them and visit Westminster last and you will see/know/feel why it is THE BEST bar none Private School in Atlanta. If you are serious about your children(s) education and are considering private school forget about anything you hear or have heard and judge for yourself; go to a few games and you will understand why The Westminster Schools has the wonderful reputation locally/nationwide that it has earned over the past 60+ years of cultivating Leaders for Tomorrow.

Amy t Our daughter is in middle school this year at Westminster. The entire experience for her, thus far, has been absolutely wonderful. She is actually excited to go to school every day. Yes, there are great learning opportunities (like many schools in Atlanta) but here children are encouraged to think outside of the box, ask questions and expand their perspectives regarding the world. Most importantly to me, I see time and time again, the adults at this school not only display academic intelligence but a REAL emotional intelligence towards the children. In the end, my highest priority for my daughter is that she is in a supportive and nurturing learning environment where she is encouraged to grow and thrive. We have found this and more at Westminster.

Andrew Galbraith We have 2 kids at Intown, and it has been one of the best decisions weve ever made. Small class sizes, great teachers, a covenant school, and a place that really lives its values. I believe my kids will be lifelong learners and its because of the teachers, staff, and community at Intown.

Ellen Smith Our family is grateful for the spiritual, relational, and academic foundation that Intown has provided for our children in elementary and middle school. -small class sizes -hands-on learning over laptop learning -develop public speaking skills (oratorical, Shakespeare play) -spend time outdoors (nature studies, science labs) -high parental engagement = close knit community -proactive communication between teachers & administration to families Pro tip: Be prepared to carpool children to/from school and sports/clubs as there is no bus. No after care past 3 pm most days.

JOHN AYOUB I have now had 4 children go to Intown. It is a phenomenal school. Your child will leave Intown with skills that most children are just not taught these days. These skills include advanced reading and writing, in depth analysis of subject matters, the ability to remember and apply facts and the ability to talk to adults in an appropriate manner. When my older children left for high school they had a huge advantage over children who had not attended Intown. The education is just the icing on the cake. The real treasure of attending Intown is the emphasis of how to live your life as a good Christian in the modern world. Intown makes good people. I cannot recommend it enough.

Grace Angel MIS is a great school. I have been going here for seven years, and throughout my experience I have learned how to think critically, analyze documents, problem solve, and apply concepts from the classroom to real-world problems. One plus to the small class size is the individualized relationships with the teachers, and how they are able to assess each child’s pace to make sure each kid is being challenged according to their needs. The kids are brilliant, the colleges seniors have gotten into are amazing, and the teachers are phenomenal. There are also many social, student council, and club opportunities for students.

Kristin Gipson My son has gone to MIS for two years and he cant wait to start middle school this year. It has been a great fit for him. If you need to hover over everything your child does you will probably not be happy with MIS because they like to foster independence and respect in the classroom. We love it and think Ande, the teachers, and the staff are great.

Rich E Midtown International is awesome! My wife and I toured the school and were amazed with the environment that has been created. The class size was ideal and the children were focused and attentive. The classroom leadership and interaction really differentiate Midtown from anything that I have seen in the past. Thanks so much! Rich E

Cay and tay We are so happy we found The Highlander School. I was nervous to move our second child to a new place but wanted something closer to our home. I couldnt ask for a more loving environment for our daughter. The director cares so much for the children and the teachers are amazing. My child is allowed to learn through play. They have their own vegetable gardens, an amazing menu, unique birthday celebrations, and kids are shown how important it is to love and respect others. Our daughter will be starting kindergarten soon and we will miss everyone so much. I highly recommend The Highlander School for anyone that is looking for loving fun environment for their kids.

Ann Gregory My husband and I talk a lot about how lucky we were to find the Highlander School. Both of our children go there, and we could not be happier with the beautiful building and grounds, the loving and nurturing teachers, and the thoughtful curriculum that helps our children learn, develop, and grow into curious and empathetic souls. Most important, the kids love going to school every morning! The community of staff, kids, and parents truly feels like family. The Highlander School is a special place run by a true visionary, and we are grateful to be a part of it.

Shelley Tokish The Highlander School, the teachers and director Rukia, are beyond supportive and intentional. It is so much more than a school, it’s a community where my daughter is continually learning about the world, nature, community, herself, and her place in the world. We love that the children are encouraged to experience the world as it is (including when it’s raining). It is a place where the children are encouraged to think about themselves as a part of a broader framework and show empathy and compassion to each other. As a parent I feel engaged in the development of the school and what my child is learning and doing. I could go on and on about how wonderful The Highlander School is and how fortunate we are to be a part of it.

Amanda Gomez Kipp schools are excellent. There is truly a sense of love, family, and community that is fostered and encouraged amongst staff, students and parents. I wouldnt want my child to be anywhere else. When challenges arise we work through them to find a solution with the underlying knowledge that we all share a common goal of creating successful and healthy human beings.

Denise Brewer Grandparents breakfast was excellent. Principal, teachers, cafeteria staff and students all had a great attitude. Good work being done there.

Shaneah Daise KMA serves some of the BEST scholars and families with some of the BEST educators I know! You can bet that your child will learn to LIVE, LAUGH and LOVE their education at any of the KIPP METRO ATLANTA schools. I personally have heard and know great things about the KIPP STRIVE campus. Keep up the great work KIPP.

Michelle Czik Spitz It takes a village to raise our children and we are so fortunate to have the MVPS family as an integral part of our village. MVPS cultivates a community of academic success but also empowers students to be engaged leaders who will leave an indelible mark on the world. Students are not molded to the culture of the school; rather, the school reflects the beautiful tapestry of talents and passions of its students. MVPS is cultivating a generation of young people who can lead with compassion and serve with humility. We are so proud to be a part of this extraordinary extended family.

Amy Dickie Our family is so glad we found Mount Vernon Presbyterian School. We were encouraged to consider MVPS while going through the outplacement process at my daughter’s previous school. Once we toured, we decided to go ahead a transfer my son in the first grade we loved it so much. We really wanted a family school that both our children with unique learning styles could attend. MVPS has allowed my gregarious daughter to be excited about learning and share her excitement through outside of the box, multi-sensory learning. My son, who was more introverted at the time, was encourage to step outside of his box and learn important presentation and speaking skills. They both are thriving through amazing teachers and administrators who genuinely care about their learning and success. Both of our kids have the opportunity to explore subjects and interests near and dear to their hearts. They are continually stretched and encouraged to accomplish amazing learning goals they never would have set for themselves. The MVPS community is caring and loving. One of our main reasons for choosing MVPS was the feeling we got while touring the school and developing relationships with teachers and families. We felt like the teachers really love their careers and wanted to be at the school teaching. After four years being a part of the MVPS community those feelings are still validated. MVPS is just as concerned about developing good citizens and people as they are about developing college ready students.

Amelia DeWeese I cannot say enough good things about Mount Vernon. My older daughter attended another private school and found school boring and did not like it, and as such, I started looking at other schools. When I went to Mount Vernons open house, I was so impressed with the school and literally felt blessed to have discovered it. My daughter started in 2nd grade, and it was as though her light switch flipped on. She became another kid and started absolutely loving school. She is now in 7th grade and actually still cries when school is over in the summer, because she loves it that much., and cannot wait for the new year to start. What strikes me about Mount Vernon is that it is all about the students and how they can be engaged in their learning and pushed to achieve. In our old school, it seemed to be all about the teachers and administration. And, the teachers at Mount Vernon are absolutely unbelievable. When I attended 7th grade curriculum night this year, I could not get over how impressive the teachers are. And it is like that every year! I also love how Mount Vernon is really leading the way in how to educate our children in the 21st century. I see correlations between what they are doing and what the universities I attended are doing, and that really excites me. Last but not least the school community itself is wonderful between the school leadership, teacher, parents and students. We love our school!! I should mention that my younger daughter started school there, so she has not known any other place and she loves it as well.

Arleya I love this school i have been going there for years.They take very good care of the students so nice I am close with every teacher and student in the school it is the best ever

Calvin Brown Awesome School! Great teachers and they have an outstanding Administrative Team!

Rajon Childs Hey its JORDYN mack I miss you so much

DeShawn Fox My daughter has attended ASOE since she turned 1 yrs old. ASOE has been so instrumental in the growth of my daughter. The daycare is ran as a learning institution, so the kids are learning at the beginning. Once they make it to GA Pre-K where my daughter is now, she is extremely advanced in her education for her age group. I definitely recommend ASOE. The entire staff is wonderful and very helpful!

Tell Jannel My child was at this school from November 2016 to September 2017. My daughter loved it from day one. She started after she turned 1 in September 2016. I can tell you that she is advanced. She knows all her colors. The alphabet and numbers. She can count to 10 when, we left the school. The only reason I left the school is because my daughter was called for Early Head Start at another school. I would highly recommend the education at Atlanta School of Excellence.

Alysha Lewis This facility appears to be great when you visit. It is clean and they tell you they dont serve pork and only serve fresh vegetables. You think you are taking your child to a good provider and you are not. My son got hurt almost everyday in this facility and they tried to blame it on tantrums. My son started attending at 16 months and never had an issue. They told me he bit a kid his very first day, but I was never told of an incident after that until months later when Mrs. Maddox tried to be deceitful and tell me he had been biting for some time. I never received any report stating this. She then lies and says we can be partners and work through his biting together. The parent handbook states they wont terminate a child until they have tried every possible way to work with him. She kept repeating to me that they only give a child 3 chances to bite and they are terminated. For one that is not realistic because a child can bite 3 times in one day and no where in the contract or parent handbook does it say that. Mrs. Maddox is extremely unprofessional, a liar and disrespectful. If she is the owner and the director, you can only imagine what types if teachers she hires. She showed me a video of my child hitting himself in the face during a tantrum. So the teacher decided to take the time to record my child instead of trying to calm him down or redirect his attention. I never received any written reports about biting incidents, because she claims only parents of the child who gets bitten gets a report which doesnt make any sense. Please dont take your child here. Save yourself the headache. She even tried to come at me as a parent because a few times when I dropped him off I was running late for work. Because of this she tried to imply this was an everyday thing and that I probably didnt even know where my sons cubby was. Extremely disrespectful to say to a parent. She only gave me a week notice when she told me she was disenrolliing my child from the program for "biting" when I dont have any proof this has even been occurring because I dont have any reports stating this. Then the day I sit down with her to point our her negligence and unprofessionalism as a provider, she tells me that day is my sons last day, a week before it was supposed to be. PLEASE DONT TAKE YOUR CHILD THERE. They are understaffed and are only looking out for themselves.

Christine Christensen This school has been amazing for our family. The staff and admin are incredibly kind, knowledgeable and professional. This is the school to join if you value attentive care from sweet adults in a nice outdoor setting. I recommend this school to everyone. Little Forest reminds me of how many schools are in my home country - Denmark. We had originally joined one of the extremely sought after coop schools in the area - and it was a complete disappointment. We left after I had my first parent teacher day. Just a heads up to all parents out there searching for the “best” option… maybe a smaller, less flashy forest school is the best option for your kid ❤️ :)

Romel Catron “I’ve had a disappointing experience with Rambo as a staff member at the school. He has been consistently rude and unprofessional in interactions, making communication difficult and unwelcoming. A staff member should foster a positive and respectful environment, but unfortunately, that has not been my experience with Rambo. I hope improvements can be made in professionalism and courtesy moving forward.”