
Students, Families, & Staff
I mostly appreciate that my student is so loved and supported by many wonderful teachers/staff there. It feels like home for her. And that she is given the opportunity to follow her interests and get credit for it.
We absolutely love Avalon and it has been a wonderful experience for my kiddo. They love the teachers and interesting topics they get to learn about, we both love the wonderful support they receive for their special education needs, they appreciate the inclusive culture of the whole school and have a great group of friends, and they have enjoyed engaging in extra curricular activities such as after school credit make up, ultimate frisbee, and robotics.
To this day I think Avalon contributed more positively to my life than any other single institution, educational or otherwise. I arrived there in a pretty rough place, had more or less given up on education and I don't think I really believed I'd even graduate high school. Four years later I graduated - I had rediscovered my love of learning. Avalon rekindled my intellectual curiosity, bolstered my confidence, and helped me remember that I cared about the world and wanted to at least try to make it a slightly less crumby place. Avalon was borderline life-saving for me; words can't express how much I love and appreciate the place.
I genuinely believe I wouldn't have survived high school without Avalon. I think there's also a very high chance I maybe wouldn't have graduated if I went anywhere else instead of Avalon. The support from the Avalon staff was unmatched, I never would have done so well in any of the subjects if not for the support from my teachers. From the individual attention from the advisor, to the class discussions you could feel that the Avalon teachers wanted you to succeed and that they were going to help you do that. Avalon has also had some of the most informed counselors and mental health professionals I have ever come across in a school setting and I think that was a huge part of my personal success.
Avalon School's project-based learning platform gave me the freedom to pursue my passion for architecture. It also taught me how to set my own academic and professional goals; and be self-driven.
Flexibility and understanding around mental health needs and my child has been able to be themselves fully without worries around bullying because of how they dress or their sexual orientation.
Avalon let me focus in my interest and find ways to learn and grow so I could turn it into a career in photography
I love the small size and the limited amount of stressful transitions year-to-year (keeping the same advisor throughout middle school, high school; being in the same building for 6-12). I love that both of our children have the opportunity to explore their interests and to love learning again. Most of all, I love that both of my children are seen and valued for who they are and are treated as whole complex people.
Avalon empowered me to be a creative problem solver, and to take charge of my own learning. Having to seek out and work with outside experts on my senior project was excellent practice going into college and forced me to get out of my bubble.
The small size allows for a lot of personal connection with and support from staff and for our son to have developed a solid group of friends, which he didn't have in his old school. I like the way academics are explored and how students are encouraged to think for themselves and take responsibility for their own learning to a good extent. The school feels like a real community, involving families in the school culture.
The inclusivity, the overall approach to learning, the staff is incredible.. I could go on and on.
Our son has never felt this supported in a school setting before. He feels really seen, heard, and valued at Avalon. When conflicts arise, he feels like there are lots of helpful adults around to support him and yet who also give him space to practice and get better at new social, academic and wellness skills. He has a wide variety of friends and opportunities through Avalon and is absolutely thriving! We can't thank the Avalon community enough for creating this kind of trusting and growth-minded community.
10/10 would go to high school there again.
I think Avalon has always done an excellent job of empowering students to do the things they really care about and be themselves. During my time at Avalon I was able to truly explore what it meant to be myself and even do projects and get school credit for that work.
Our son has finally become invested in his own learning... it's incredible!
