Academy of Tucson Elementary School - Tucson, Arizona

William Johnston

When exploring various charter schools in 2015, no principal was more enthusiastic and engaging than Carol Rostash, who stopped what she was doing to give us a personalized tour. For the year and a half, my daughter, wife, and I have really enjoyed being a part of this encouraging community. The math and grammar curriculum are clearly above standard, and this "Little Train That Could" atmosphere makes us proud to attend. My daughter is thrilled with all her teachers and faculty. My wife I enjoy putting in a little volunteer time that's appreciated but not zealously demanded. I definitely recommend this elementary school.

Branden Ishikawa

The teachers and staff at this school are AMAZING! My child comes home every day with a smile on his face and loves his teachers! The feedback I've received from his teachers has been very helpful and appreciated (the good with the not so good). Great school!!! And the staff (Mrs. Fite and Mrs. Smith) in the front office are soooo helpful and nice! Can't wait for my youngest to start!

Amanda Jaime

We moved our children to the AOT Elementary School after hearing numerous good things and have had a wonderful experience! The faculty and staff as well as the other parents and children are all so welcoming and helpful that we have felt like a part of the community since day one. The educational and extracurricular programs have made the school both fun and challenging for our children. The school has definitely proved itself to us and we highly recommend it to all Tucson families.

Julie Davis

Academy of Tucson is a great school! My daughter is now in 2nd grade there and she has learned so much. The classes are small enough that the teachers are able to focus on the needs of the individual kids in the class to help them learn to the best of their ability. My daughter has loved all of her teachers so far. Her favorite is still Mrs. Newsham from kindergarten. Love this teacher! She helped my daughter come out of her shell and begin to blossom.

Noel Cumberland

I have two kids in this school, one in Kinder and one in 1st grade and I must say, this is a TOP NOTCH school!

The Charter/Public construct works extremely well as it is implemented at AoT. There is flexibility and autonomy for the teachers to implement standards in a way most advantageous to the kids.

The Principal is very attentive to the needs of the kids, parents, and the faculty at AoT. It is rare to see a Principal who is able to give proper attention in all three of those areas!

The teachers are amazing! My older boy was in Kindergarten here last year and began the school year with a lot of anxiety. By the end of the year his teacher, Mrs. Newsham, had him volunteering in class, helping other kids, and completely free of things to worry about!!

My younger boy is in Kinder now, with the same teacher! He presents a new set of challenges for her, but Mrs. Newsham is more than up to it.

I cannot recommend Academy of Tucson highly enough! If you are new to town, or looking for a change for your kids education, this is it! My boys are both excited about school every day, and they rarely complain about doing their homework. The curriculum engages them and makes learning fun.

Finally, there are a nice array of after school programs available if you need to take advantage. YMCA, Lego, art, even Hula Dancing, and that's just this year!

Thanks for a great educational experience for my children, Academy! I'm glad there are a Middle and High School as well for my boys to attend!

Deb Johnson

My daughter was in a TUSD school from K thru 3rd grade. Her class was 30 plus students every year. The teachers had little to no help and my daughter was hating school. A friend suggested I enroll her in the Academy of Tucson. I called the Academy office two days prior to school starting this year and Mr. Allardice scheduled a tour that day. I took my daughter with me on the tour and we both loved the campus the minute we step foot on it. The staff and teachers were all very welcoming and professional. We enrolled my daughter in the Academy the next day. She had to work harder at first, learning so much more initially due to not getting enough skills and education her first three years at TUSD. Her teachers have been super encouraging and have assisted her in getting to the point where my daughter now enjoys learning and pushes me to get her out the door to school on time.

Rosana Cumberland

Both of my boys attend this Elementary School. I have lived in 4 different states while serving in the Air Force. Schools and overall educational philosophy is very different from state to state. This school is a gem in a state which has struggled to provide good quality education. Full Disclosure: I am a teacher at this district's High School and I am very proud of the good reputation our district has. This elementary school is a charter school that incorporates EDISA (Examining Data to Improve Student Achievement) in their professional development which allows teachers to provide the best Differentiated Instruction for all students. This staff is top notch.

Kacy Cullinane

Cute little school. The principle is very nice and addresses concerns . Easy going staff is friendly and very few disciplinary problems . I felt good having my daughter at this school.