Research Metairie Grammar Academy for Advanced Studies Public Schools in Kenner, Louisiana

“There are pros and cons to Metairie Academy. Certainly, the work offered the students is more interesting/challenging than they would find at any mainstream school. The downside is that, somewhere along the way, 'quantity' replaced 'quality' in the teachers' approach. In other words, they throw so much at these kids all at once, that nothing 'sticks.' Sure, if the kids 'cram' for tests, they can make the grade but, ask them the same material in a week and it's gone. The school would be better served in teaching a bit less and giving the students time to absorb it. You can tell that they are teaching to standardized testing schedules by the way they just keep shoving more and more at these kids. Someone needs to point out that we are educating children for a lifetime, not just for this year's LEAP. And, some basics are simply skipped - like phonics.”

“This school was a living nightmare for my child.As a straight A student, he entered this school with ambition and hope.I saw this part of him shrink every day as he was unable to finish the heavy work load, and the 5+hours of homework per night.The parent/teacher meeting we attended was also a tragedy. It turned out to be a shouting match between the teachers and parents.One teacher was very rude!This set the tone for a constant conflict.Rather than working together with the families of the kids to make sure they succeed, it seems they did everything they could to make it impossible.I talked with several other parents who were having similar problems, and we all decided that we were not going to let this school rob our kids of their childhood, and their joy. I feel sorry for the kids who still go there.”

“I was thrilled two years ago. My son was in a private school...now there was a school that would cater to what he needed as a student. We have been at Metairie Academy for three years. Each year has been different. The work challenges the kids to think and do differently...higher order thinking. I love the fact that my son wants to go to school. He loves school so much that at the end of last school year...he was very upset. I have never met a child that did not look forward to summer vacation. This kid would rather be in school. My hat is off to the teachers and prinicipal for making school a place where students want to go. The school is making strides to upgrade the facilities, of course with the help of dedicated parents. Hopefully, my almost four year old will be able to attend next year.”

“We came from the Catholic school system and I have found that my childrens' needs - academically and psychologically - are met so much better at Metairie Academy. Here they flourish because their gifted quirkiness is celebrated. My only concern is that some of the staff does not understand that 'gifted' does not mean 'possessing innate knowledge.' In other words, just because children are exceptionally bright does not mean they don't need an adequate amount of instruction before they are expected to have mastered any topic. Sometimes material is breezed through too quickly. While these bright kids loathe redundancy, even they need a bit of healthy repetition to fully grasp some things.”

“The school academics are wonderful and the teachers and principle are wonderful! The school however is horrible, I'm actually afraid for the children who use the bathroom facilities ... deplorable! They don't even have soap dispensers in some. This school is in desperate need of repair and TLC!!! Concerned Parent”

“I have two children at Metairie Academy, and this is our third year here. The work is challenging but interesting, not the rote memorization of dull facts that I recall from elementary school. The school is also the most recially diverse school I have seen in Jefferson or Orleans Parish. Many teachers incorporate the differences in cultural backgrounds into lessons, giving students a broader cultural education than most schools. While it is my understanding that the school is not actually a true magnet, but an advanced school, it doesn't really matter because the level of education is excellent. My only complaint would be a sometimes lax discipline policy regarding behavior problems, and a catering to those parents who don't seem to believe that their little angels sometimes do misbehave. Regardless, it still offers a better education than the other public schools and most Catholic or private schools in the area.”

“Academically, this school is excellent compared to the average school - public or private. The students are not your average students, though. Many people think of this as the school for gifted students and that is not what it is. The kids are bright, many are gifted. But outside of the great staff 5 or 6 gifted teachers, there is very little knowledge of the emotional, social and intellectual needs of gifted children. Principal is great. Very committed. Aftercare and morning care are a joke. No meaningful supervision at all. The entire facility is in a state of disrepair. This school looks like paradise only when compared to other public schools in the greater New Orleans area. If you have a child who can do this work, and you want a public school, this is as good as it gets.”

“My granddaughter just finished PreK at Metairie Academy. She had a great year and learned a lot. Her teachers were wonderful. My only quarrel is with the reward system of discipline and with the fact that it is difficult for preK parents to learn the ropes because of the no walk in nature of the school, The grandparents club started this year was a great resource (I'm a grandma, not a mom to this student)”

“This is an excellent school. I am very pleased with the academic quality at Metairie Academy. It is so amazing with the math and reading curriculm. The principal is amazing and works with the children very well. Nora Held”

“This is an absolutely fantastic school. The mix of children is great. The children that attend this school are just different than your regular school of kids. This is our third year and I couldn t be happier. There is a good amount of parental involvement. The teachers are energetic and original and fun. The school has numerous electives available each nine weeks to all the kids. The kids learn most of their material in class which to me is the way it should be. They are reading books several grades ahead of their grade level. Math is taught a grade level up and you receive credit a grade level up on your report card (i.e. 4th grade kids get credit for completing the 5th grade math curriculum). The principal is fantastic. I have no complaints whatsoever.”

“This is an excellent school for gifted/advanced students. Be prepared to work extremely hard. The textbooks used are more sophisticated than those found at any other school, private or public. It can take up to 2 hours daily to complete homework assignments and study adequately for tests. The math curriculum is especially impressive, as it goes way beyond standard computations. Instead of having a reading textbook, students read award-winning children's novels. The school's offering of electives shows that it cares about the students' other interests besides education. Thus, in order to foster an emotionally healthy student population, parents should remember that our children are, first and foremost, children. They just also happen to be academically advanced. It should not be about how many grades were skipped to get to this point.”

“My son has been attending Metairie Grammar since kindergarden. Before it was changed to a magnet school in 2004, I have to obtain a special permit annually because we live outside the school district. My son has been a gifted student since 1st grade. The school even allowed him to skip the 3rd grade and go straight to the 4th grade due to his outstanding academic performance. The teachers and the principal are wonderful. The class are challenging. The electives are interesting. The students are friendly and displined. I will never regret my decision to send my son to this excellent school.”

“With the advent of the 2004/2005 school year, Metairie Grammar School became Metairie Grammar Academy for Advanced Studies. This is Jefferson Parish's first full-magnet elementary school. Like the majority of the other students, this is my fourth grade daughter's first year at Metairie Academy. Coming from a private school, I was not sure what to expect. I am impressed. My daughter's teachers were very welcoming during open house and have continued to seek parental involvement as the school year gets underway. Each month, students are assigned a homework rubric, complete with several exigent mini-projects. The September assignment required about 25 hours of work on her part outside of school. Ms. Brou teaches math/science/social studies. My daughter reports that she's tough but fair. My daughter is an avid reader, and is encouraged toward that end by Ms. Foy who has an extensive collection of books that she allows each student to check out.”

“This school is so fun! My teachers are so nice. The work is challenging but not too hard. I like the electives best.”