Ignite Achievement Academy

"What started out to be a great school ended up being a huge disappointment. Manus staff knew going into the new school year that we were not comfortable or on board medicating our son at the current time after years of tried and failed trial and error nightmares! Shortly into the school year they came to us expressing that our son indeed should be medicated. We somewhat agreed but felt backed into a corner. It was a scary place that we’d been far to often with no real success. Long story short after a couple of months back on the hamster wheel of medicine trial and error , Manus ended up giving us a timeline for our son to be a better more manageable student for them to handle or he would be asked to leave. Figuring out the right medication and dosage takes time and can be very challenging for families. While they say they do take kids with ADHD and ASD maybe beware that they are not equipped for the more complex kiddo that is active, hyper, talks out of turn and easily distracted like my son. He was pulled out of classroom often to sit in the office of the director of the school on his tough days to emotionally regulate. Some days missing a lot of instruction. It seemed We were paying a lot of $$ for a glorified babysitter. How bout having a school counselor for the kids that need to work through their tough days! I felt the weekly reports from the teacher were great and his direct teacher was wonderful, however when a school gives you a timeline to get your child’s medicine working and for him to perform as needed or else?! Very unsettling for us and gave no option but to look elsewhere for his education. I can see that this school works great for some, unfortunately for us that was not the case. The good bye seemed kind and genuine from my sons teacher but not so much from others! Perhaps they are only about the $$ in the end. My son could have used a kind exit and words of encouragement for his next school. After all he’s a kid! Seems they never really cared at all!"

"Manus has been the best thing we ever did when it comes to opportunity for our son. The staff goes the extra mile and our son comes home with a smile on his face excited about school everyday. All the little things which were blown past in public school are addressed here . I think for kids with extra needs you would do your child a disservice not to check out this school."

"From the moment I walked into this school, more than 10 years ago, I knew this was the place I wanted to be. The work can be challenging, but it’s also highly rewarding. This organization is focused on one thing, the student. It’s important to make each student feel safe, successful and cared for. This school is not about the adults who work here; it’s all about the students who learn here. Keeping students safe via adult supervision is important to the learning process. Attentive supervision helps students feel safe and provides opportunities for teachers to coach students in social situations. Each student’s program is highly individualized. Which means the classroom teacher needs to know each student’s learning objectives, strengths, barriers and motivational factors. This is why the classroom sizes are kept small; the student-teacher ratio is 6-to-1. The small setting ensures students are not lost in a crowd or forgotten because they are quiet or shy. Keeping students safe via adult supervision is important to the learning process. Attentive supervision helps students feel safe and provides opportunities for teachers to coach students in social situations. The organization of classrooms, storage areas and other work spaces are designed to maximize instructional time and the time spent interacting with students. Classrooms are designed to ensure any staff member can substitute for a teacher and not waste time looking for materials and lesson plans. Teamwork is essential to our success. No teacher is an island. We accomplish great results here because we work together as a team to ensure our students are successful."

"Ms. Taylor, Ms. Osbourne, and all the teachers are great! Our daughter loves everyday she is able to spend at Manus. The individual attention given to each student's academic and emotional needs is second to none. I would highly recommend Manus for any student who struggles to achieve their potential in other school systems."

"High praise for the staff of Manus Academy. The environment fosters a full embrace of the things which make us different. Each education is highly tailored to the students’ needs, medical issues are conscientiously addressed, communications are generous, and smiles and warmth always abound at this perfectly sized academy. A premium is placed on respect toward others and living up to one’s potential. We are so grateful we found Manus Academy."