BridgePrep Academy of Tampa 2418 West Swann Avenue, Tampa, FL 33609

"My son has nearly completed his first year of kindergarten at BPA in South Tampa, a public charter school. It was not our first choice as we did select it after he didn’t receive an offer during the lottery from a magnet elementary school. BPA has far exceeded our expectations. We were initially impressed with the information session and how this school offers PE, Spanish, music, and art in addition to the standard core curriculum. Our son receives 45 mins of Spanish instruction a day! Wow! That’s unheard of and truly a phenomenal bonus in your child’s education. These electives are oftentimes cut or not offered due to budget issues at a traditional public school. This school is small and still includes grades K-8. The teachers and kids get to know one another. The faculty and staff are very warm and welcoming yet also hold students, families and employees accountable. We can see the commitment and passion from all of our son’s kindergarten teachers, front office and all the way up to the administration. We have emailed or messaged in Dojo his teachers and school administrators who will reply within a day or two. Everyone so far has been open to discuss our questions and concerns by email, phone or in-person. The teachers have adapted and individualized our son’s education. Many teachers have given him supplemental work to further augment his learning experiences. He’s doing wonderfully! We love how diverse the student body is as well. We didn’t want our son to attend a school that is monolithic. He is white and it’s very important for us to have him attend a racially and ethnically diverse school. There are a few after school clubs that you can sign your kiddos up for. Our son loves the weekly soccer program. The school occasionally offers free parenting workshops and family friendly festivals or events. The school works hard to fundraise, for a small fee it has offered pizza and movie nights/afternoons and painting classes for their students and more. The parents do support their kiddos and the BPA. The kids get to know one another especially during after care. I enjoy seeing the upperclassman positively interact with the younger kiddos. I’ve truly been impressed with our son’s growth emotionally and academically. He went from a shy, anxious kid to thriving making new friends and sharing work and thoughts in the classroom. The curriculum has been challenging yet fun for him. This school is a hidden gem and we’re fortunate that we found it by happenstance. We didn’t always see eye-to-eye with his primary teacher but we set that personality conflict aside to focus on our son’s success. She has been 100% committed to teaching our son and all of her students. Another great opportunity is that the students receive instruction by multiple teachers in addition to the primary teachers. The two primary teachers split the core curriculum (e.g., science + math and writing + reading), then there’s another teacher for music, Spanish and art. In traditional public elementary school a primary or homeroom teacher does often deliver all core subjects e.g., math, science, reading and writing. It’s awesome to have so many different teachers and the kids get exposure to various teaching styles. The teachers are truly committed to student success. The school is small and the pride and opportunities for your child’s learning are great. Check it out! No school is ever perfect. BPA of South Tampa offers a nurturing, safe and enjoyable learning environment for our son. One last notable area for improvement, the school lacks in resources like a guidance counselor or gifted instruction. It would be great to have children tested for gifted and also receive support from a guidance counselor. The assistant principal is a nice resource but it’s not the same as a true guidance counselor if issues arise. The students can receive supplemental work but the opportunity for gifted testing and obtaining this designation for your child isn’t an option like at traditional public schools."

"This school made me feel so comfortable and yes, not going to lie SOME teachers have favorites. Besides the point you can learn a lot from the teachers that teach their they want to help you learn, they give you the attitude you deserve while you should be doing the same! There are pros and cons. I mean why shouldn’t there be? There’s no such thing as a perfect school. This school is just a great school. Sometimes you might strongly dislike that school another time you’re loving it! I personally also had mixed feelings. The teachers there would sometimes get on your nerves when I mean when wouldn’t they at some point. Yes, some of the students here have a very bad mouth and talk a lot of disrespectful and nasty things. But you shouldn’t be getting up set with the teachers. They did not raise those children! They teach them so they can succeed! Overall, what a good school."

"My kids had their last day at bridgeprep academy in Tampa today. We are all very sad, because this place is truly wonderful. I don’t care what test scores say, what annoyed parents say, this school is a better learning environment than any of the south tampa schools I have actually taught part time in, and that my kids used to attend. Though there are many exceptional schools in south tampa, most 10/10 schools are not inclusive of all socioeconomic backgrounds, and because I work in the non-profit world we didn’t really fit in. But bridgeprep is a place that changed my views on south tampa, and though they have fundraisers and events that cost, they are very feasible for me, a single mom. That, plus my kids getting to shine (finally!) for the great kids they are. We are only leaving because I got a new job in St. Petersburg and the commute is too much on us as a family. We’d stay forever if we could. The teachers (Mr. George, Mrs. peacock, ms. Stewart, Mrs. Hernandez, the aftercare staff, the principal, and many others— thank you for loving and pouring into my kids. I can’t thank you enough) were the best we’ve ever had— on all levels. I truly mean that. I wasn’t asked or paid to write any of this. I’m doing it because I want people to read a real review that is really kinda unbiased. The policies, ease of parental involvement (they don’t ask for much and are easy to contact!), just overall care and learning was superb in this place. What a blessing we got some time here. Send your kids here— they will learn Spanish, be a young person who is known and cared about and not a number, have tons of sports and activities they can be involved in, and your family will gain a beautiful community."

"Bridgepoint in Miami purchased what was once St. John's Greek Orthodox Day School in Tampa Florida. Parents were promised that children would receive an exceptional education in a nurturing environment from a team of tenured teachers... all with the added benefit of a bilingual focus. This is NOT the case. Corporate will not return calls or communicate when changes happen. Parents find out from the children. As a direct result of poor management, the Principal has turned over twice and is now open. There has been almost 100% teacher turnover. The P.E. teacher is the backup for Kindergarten. Grades 1 through 3 are being taught by one teacher. We had no choice but to withdraw our child from this unstable environment. We have been out of the school for almost two months and still can't get our money returned for future months paid in advance."