Hawthorn Academy

"While Hawthorn Academy has had changes in faculty and leadership since I had the misfortune of attending, many of the faculty are still the same. The teachers here take 0 responsibility for their actions and blame students for their lack of professionalism, common sense, and shortcomings. As a future educator, one of the few positive takeways I received from the several years attending here was having an abundance of awful experiences that I have been able to discuss in education classes and write about. We'd often discuss the severe shortcomings of Deborah Swensen as a principal and several of the elementary and middle school teachers. The leadership never had the student's best intentions in mind and always backed the teacher- even when the teacher was so in the wrong it was laughable. The sped teachers would do their best but were overloaded with work while the other middle school teachers would treat the sped kids horribly. It was normal for teachers to be friends on social media with their students which is contrary to the Utah State Board of Education's guidelines. It was also normal for teachers to "set up" their students with eachother- often pressuring their "favorites" into dating eachother. An english teacher who still works there would often write and send notes on behalf of their favorites to other favorites asking them to date. When I say this school is so unprofessional, this is what I'm talking about. Teachers would frequently speak about students in a derogatory manner to other teachers but also in front of students and on social media. Children with family members on the board of directors would often brag about how they never did homework and got A's while other students worked hard and would never get A's no matter what they did. In general, this school had one of the worst cases of preferential treatment ever experienced between myself or any of my university classmates. I guess the other thing I can partially credit back to this school is extra motivation to be an educator that respects students, parents, and boundaries. While I was a student here I vowed that if I ever became a teacher I would do my absolute best to never become like the majority of teachers at this school. If you've made it this far you may be wondering why my account is anonymous and why it has taken me years to even post this. This is because somehow I still have PTSD from this school and I simply am too scared to publish this under my own name. While I hope that the school has greatly improved, simply seeing certain teacher's names on the faculty list does not give much room for hope. The only advice I'd give a parent with students attending here is to be involved in your student's lives and fight hard for your students. Listen to what your student is saying and get as much proof as possible of any wrong doing as the leadership at this school is beyond proficient at somehow blaming students for their shortcomings."

"If i could give ZERO stars i would. My son has been bullied by a child in his grade for the past 2 years. Mrs. Zimmerman does nothing and makes my child feel like it's his fault. Mrs. Zimmerman will email me if my child makes a little noise in class but will not do a thing about bullying, he was beat up in the bathroom and never contacted me. I found out when i picked him up from school. SHE IS ABSURD. She has asked me for favors to email the school about her son in laws books she likes to read to her class but wont take the time to help my son when he needs it. I have reached out to the principal by email and phone and she will NOT address the situation. They have allowed this bully to punch my child in his private parts without any consequences. If you aren't good at a subject they make the student feel like they have something wrong with them. Avoid this school at all cost. The only good thing they have going for them is Mrs. Ashley and her team. Otherwise your child is just a number and they could care less about their education or safety."

"My kids have attended the elementary school for the past 6 years. I have been thrilled with the teachers and the staff at the school. Some of my kids do really well at school and others struggle. There has been a very individualized approach to each child to make sure they are challenged at their level. I look forward to my oldest starting middle school next year. The teachers are great. As for the uniforms, I love it as a mom. I let the kids have fun choosing a backpack and shoes to show their personality. Having uniforms simplify life so much!"

"We have been at Hawthorn since the first year it opened. This school has been organized and on top of things since the get go. I have always had good communication with the teachers, and all have been very helpful with any needs my kids have had. The special education teachers are wonderful, and each of my children have thrived here. We have loved it."

"I don't know what to say about this school anymore. I'm having a really hard time enjoying myself at any time while I'm here. The education is great, they really teach us what we need to know, and help us learn it, unlike other middle schools. But I think the amount of work they give us is absurd. Each teacher acts as though they are the only teacher that is giving out homework. I don't see how they expect us to do all the work we are given, and still have time to do extracurricular activities, and still have time for ourselves. And I know there are some people who manage it all, but everyone is different, and some people are busier than others. Also, I have gotten in trouble multiple times for wearing socks that weren't in dress code. SOCKS! What is the problem with wearing striped socks? The dress code here is not something I enjoy whatsoever. Also, we aren't allowed to wear jackets (unless they are school approved, but most kids don't like the design of the jackets and no one wants to pay $30+ just for a jacket that they will only wear in school), which is getting kids in trouble every single day. I guarantee that almost every teacher has to tell at least one kid to take their jacket off, and sometimes it wastes class time. Life at this school would be a lot easier if jackets were allowed to be worn. Teachers would be less frustrated, along with kids. Also, majority of the adult/recess aids obviously don't know what they are doing. I have been thrown around at lunch, and an aid just walked right on past. It was obvious she saw, but she just walked on. The aids can apparently tell kids to get off the bleachers at lunch, but they can't tell kids to get off another. Anyways, I dislike going to this school overall. There are some things that I really appreciate about this school, like certain teachers, people, and the way we are educated (kinda). But there are obviously some things they could change about this school to make it better for the kids coming in the near years. Also, there is a rule that if you don't have any hall passes, you can't go to the bathroom without getting a lunch detention. Even if we have to go really bad, there is a punishment for needing to use the restroom. Why? Kids can't even use the freaking bathroom because of this stupid rule."