Connect with an Arizona Connections Academy Parent

Staci and Tony are grateful that Connections Academy’s options let their gymnast daughters thrive both academically and in their sports.

I am so grateful that there is a school that gives our family options while still offering such a great education for my daughters.

When the demands of my daughters’ chosen sport became greater and greater, we found that the mainstream public schools could no longer meet our family’s needs. Even when the girls’ grades were excellent, the attendance policies couldn’t accommodate the flexibility they needed to pursue their sport. We began researching our options. I wanted structure and standardized testing to keep track of their progress. I wasn’t willing to give up an excellent education for a sport, but I believed my daughters could have both.

Connections Academy has been the answer for over three years. My daughters are thriving academically and in their sport. We feel they are keeping up with and even exceeding expectations in some areas.

I was very nervous about virtual schooling at the high-school level, but I am fully confident now that we made the right choice. I don’t have to be a teacher, just a Learning Coach. I have so much support when I need it.

My daughters have made it to the highest levels that they can go in gymnastics, and I don’t think they could have done it without Connections Academy.

Children are unique. Each child has talents and areas of struggle. Connections Academy caters to a child’s uniqueness. We are thankful every day that Connections Academy was there when we searched for options.

Amelia is very pleased with ACA. She is grateful that the school uses a challenging curriculum and that students are supported by amazing teachers. The teachers at ACA, she says, are highly educated and show true concern for her children and their academic success.

I am a single mother of four amazing children, three of whom were attending the local public school when I made the decision that my youngest child would learn from home. I made this decision after meeting a few homeschooling families at our local library; I was very impressed with their children. I started off with the traditional homeschooling but did not feel confident that I was teaching my daughter everything that she needed to be learning. Not wanting to give up on homeschooling and send her to the local public school, I began to look for a home-based alternative. I wanted something that would allow me to remain directly involved in her education but that would also offer me the structure of a set curriculum.

One morning as I watched the local news, there was a featured segment about Arizona Connections Academy (ACA). I was very impressed by all the school had to offer, and I knew then and there that this was exactly what I wanted for my daughter. I wrote down the number, called immediately, and was able to enroll my daughter in ACA.

Annabelle enrolled in second grade. Schooling became fun and exciting every day. We participated in many amazing field trips, science camp, and the other school activities that were offered at that time. The youngest of my three sons often accompanied us to these events and was so impressed with all that Annabelle was doing at school that when he graduated middle school and was getting ready to enter high school, he asked me to enroll him in ACA. Delighted, I agreed!

I have been very pleased with ACA, including its amazing teachers and the challenging curriculum that we have had access to since becoming a part of ACA in 2008. I am often amazed at how much more my children learn each day at ACA, in comparison to what they used to learn at the local public schools. I feel that they have gotten a much better education than what they would have from any other program. The teachers at ACA are amazing, are highly educated, and show true concern for my children and their academic success. I always feel both supported as a Learning Coach and confident that I can get advice and help from the teachers. My son required the support of the special education department of ACA, with which I was more than impressed. The teachers involved with his education were right there every step of the way to encourage him to keep trying and be successful. My son Anthony went on to graduate from ACA in an amazing ceremony. Then he followed his dream of becoming a US soldier in our army. I do not feel that any of this would have been possible in any other school setting. I am very grateful to the teachers of ACA for encouraging my son to follow his dreams.

My daughter, Annabelle, has also been very successful during her years at ACA. Her teachers have been supportive and encouraging through the many hard times that we have experienced as a family. They have kept her focused on her future and have encouraged her to keep working hard. She is currently in the National Honor Society and a straight-A student. We are looking forward to seeing her follow her dreams and become successful with the continued help and support of ACA and its teachers. I am more than pleased with my decision to become an ACA family!

Thanks to ACA, Dawn’s autistic son went from being bored and frustrated with poor grades to enjoying school and getting straight As. He even moved into his first Gifted and Talented class in 2017.

Starting our autistic son at Arizona Connections Academy (ACA) last year was one of the best decisions we have ever made. He went from being bored and frustrated with poor grades to enjoying school and getting straight As. He’s even moved into his first Gifted and Talented class this year. He is learning so much more at ACA than he ever had at his old brick-and-mortar school. The curriculum is fuller and richer than the one the brick-and-mortar school offered, and it allows him to move at his own pace.

We transferred in the middle of a semester, which was definitely an overwhelming experience, but the staff and teachers were amazing and make it as smooth a transition as possible. They’ve always been great about answering questions and addressing any concerns we’ve had. One thing we’ve really loved is the communication with the teachers. In the brick-and-mortar school, we were always made to feel like we were an imposition when we had questions or input, but here at ACA, parent involvement is encouraged.

We love the flexibility the school gives us. For example, if our son is having one of his more difficult days, we can adjust his classes so he can do his schoolwork later in the week. It gives us much more time together too. It’s so nice to hear him laughing during school, instead of picking him up from school nearly crying or in tears. Overall, we really can’t say enough about how great this experience has been for us and our son.