Testimonials
After the loss of his mother, my son faced a very difficult time. He lost interest in school, withdrew from activities he once loved, and struggled to stay engaged. We were deeply concerned and unsure of how to help him get back on track. Finding Spring Academy was truly a turning point for our family. The support, understanding, and encouragement he received from the teachers and staff made a world of difference. They not only helped him regain his focus on academics, but also created a nurturing environment where he felt seen and supported. Thanks to Spring Academy, he has been able to rediscover his confidence, his interests, and a sense of purpose. He’s a much-changed young man today–more positive, engaged, and hopeful for the future. Our family is deeply grateful to Spring Academy for the compassion and dedication they’ve shown. We are so thankful we found them when we did.
I’m not sure I can adequately express my deep admiration and gratitude to this amazing school, its administration, and staff. Our son arrived broken and deeply depressed by his traditional high school experience, and left a well-adjusted straight-A student with a passion for Philosophy and admission to a highly selective liberal arts university. Spring Academy not only saw him through the pandemic, they stuck with us through a cross-country move and even coordinated an amazing work-study experience in NYC that was perfectly suited to our son’s talents and personality. I owe Spring Academy, and in particular its principal Frank Hewins, a debt of gratitude that I will never be able to repay. We looked carefully at all the similar choices before enrolling; this school was by far and away the best choice, then and now. Would give a thousand stars if I could.
Andy Smallman and the Spring Academy teachers were amazing to work with and I highly recommend Spring to others – especially for kids that may struggle with the public school environment. I had two kids attend Spring Academy. One that struggled with severe social anxiety and another that has ADHD. Both found the public school environment challenging. Spring’s small 1:3 teacher/student ratio really helped meet my kids’ learning environment needs. I also really like that the kids don’t progress forward in the curriculum until they do the work. This means my kids actually had to learn the content rather than getting rubber stamped through the public school system where they weren’t learning anything. I know there are home school options with online learning but my kids really benefited from the structure of Spring where they were in person, alongside other kids, engaging in conversation and able to ask questions in the moment as needed. I will say this structure is not for every child but it worked well for my kids. I highly recommend Spring and can’t say enough positive things about the Spring staff – particularly the principal, Andy. He was such a great partner to me and my kids – and truly cared about their success. Overall a great experience!
We cannot thank Spring Academy enough for helping our son to complete high school. He attended Spring Academy for the summer before his senior year, and then his entire senior year, up to the personal online graduation ceremony. He enjoyed the amazing teachers, the attentiveness of the principal, and being able to choose honors or advanced placement classes in a few cases. He was learning at his own pace, with no homework and unnecessary extra requirements. This simplified education allowed him to focus on improving his personal health and getting ready to apply to college. We’re so grateful that another parent at Spring Academy had alerted us to this fabulous 1:1 support system. In our wildest dreams, we could not have come up with a better option for our son. We will be eternally grateful to Rob and Frank and all the fabulous and caring teachers!!
We’ve had two students at Spring Academy for very different reasons, and in both cases, this school made a huge and positive difference in their lives. Our oldest child struggled with anxiety in middle school and needed to leave school mid-year. Spring Academy took us in right away and created a comprehensive academic plan that kept our son moving forward in a low-stress and supportive way. He not only graduated from 8th grade, but re-entered high school with increased confidence and a full semester of high school credit. A few years later, our youngest child was struggling with some learning challenges so we enrolled her in Spring Academy as a full-time student. Over the last two years, we’ve watched her grow into a passionate and engaged learner with solid critical thinking skills. She engages deeply with the material through 1:1 conversations with her teachers, and discovered she loves history and politics. She’s rolling into high school with a ton of confidence, skills, positive experience and a love of learning. Thank you Spring Academy. We really appreciate you.
Spring Academy is fantastic, and going there has been amazing. Having just graduated, I’m going to miss working with all the teachers and staff there a lot, and learning has been so much easier here than at any school I’ve gone to previously. I’ve always had a lot of anxiety around school and classes, primarily asking questions or testing, but both of those issues were minimized immensely in spring, and the support from my teachers was priceless in my learning. My younger sister will be attending next year, and I’m confident she and anyone else that attends will have a great experience! -PJ
Spring Academy has been a transformative experience for our son. Seattle public high school made him anxious and he was really struggling to learn in loud, overcrowded classes. He had fallen behind and was not on track to graduate on time. The team at Spring Academy carefully listened to us to understand all the challenges and then developed a personalized academic plan for our son to catch up. Their teachers thoughtfully tailored their instruction to accommodate my son’s unique learning style and provided the level of direct attention he required to overcome challenges. They were not only very knowledgeable and patient but also genuinely invested in my son’s success. This personalized learning approach helped our son rebuild confidence, stay engaged, and reach milestones we never thought possible – he not only graduated on time but he’s now attending college. We’re deeply grateful to Spring Academy for creating such a nurturing and effective learning environment.
Spring Academy is a fantastic school! I have 2 kids who have been students here for the last 2 years. They were not getting what they needed at our public school. Like so many kids they get lost in the shuffle. It got to the point where both of my kids were not wanting to go school. It broke my heart to see them so unhappy and I worried about their future. When they started Spring even on their first day they both said that the teachers were nice and they felt comfortable asking questions. My kids have not said once they didn’t want to go to school. They are happy kids once again who now have their confidence back. I can’t thank Andy and the amazing teachers here enough for all they do to support and encourage my kids.
My child attended Spring Academy full-time for 9th grade. Spring was a very positive experience for us after some setbacks and mental health challenges experienced in public middle school. My child excelled academically at Spring and regained a lot of personal and academic confidence. They have a lot of classes to choose from including honors and a Minecraft computer coding class . My child had great connections with the teachers and really looked forward to going to class each day, and as a parent, I felt that the teachers were invested in understanding and supporting the unique needs of my child. I also felt that the teachers accepted my child without any judgment or bias about past experiences. The self-directed learning combined with the immediately accessible support of the teachers worked well for my kid who is naturally curious but needed to build study skills and confidence. My child also loved the weekly game night Spring hosts. Another great feature was the ability to count extracurricular activities we were already doing outside of school towards a P.E. credit. I would highly recommend Spring Academy.
As parents, we were drawn to Spring Academy because of the credentials of its leadership and faculty, the school’s accreditations, and that it is a local school tied to the community. After enrolling our child, we can now say first-hand, that Spring Academy is a wonderful school that provided the “just-right” supportive environment and academic structure our child needed to thrive again after a medical setback and because the traditional school setting did not work. I encourage you to meet with their amazing principal and teachers. This is really a special school.
Spring academy has saved my grades and my outlook on college. When I joined spring, I had a very low GPA and was not doing so well. In a few months I was very happy with my results and amount of work that I was producing weekly. My grades went up and the speed of learning also increased which keeps it interesting and doesn’t allow you to be bored or avoid work. I love the ability to be able to move faster through work which I wouldn’t be able to do in other schools. I think Spring Academy is the best for anyone who either needs more interesting work or has had a challenge in their education which may affect their confidence.
Our daughter endured a health crisis that required us to un-enroll her from our public high school before the end of the first quarter. Spring Academy was flexible and accommodating enough that she was able to complete a full sophomore-year course schedule between January and August. The 1:1 instruction and individualized pace of the coursework were exactly what she needed to manage her care, regain her academic footing, and thrive in her classes instead of potentially missing out on an entire school year. Our daughter will reenter conventional high school this fall; however if that environment does not work well for her, we wouldn’t hesitate to return to Spring Academy .
My son went to Spring Academy after struggling in his freshman year of high school. Spring Academy not only brought him up to speed, but he excelled and now loves learning! He graduated and was accepted to the college of his choice. I couldn’t be happier with my son’s education and the fact that Spring Academy gave him confidence in his academic ability. I would recommend this school to anyone!
Spring Academy was an excellent choice for our 17-year-old son. After struggling at a private HS for his first two years (during the pandemic), he was dying a slow death there as his parents, so were we. Getting to school was a struggle, and completing homework was even a bigger struggle. A “regular” high school experience was just not the right fit for him. It was like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. And believe me, we tried to do that. Midway through his junior year, when things continued to go downhill, we decided it was time to start looking for alternative educational routes for him. At the recommendation of a medical professional, we visited Spring Academy. It was a breath of fresh air. Our son didn’t care about all the social activities a regular high school offers. He just wanted to get through high school as soon as he could. He was easily distracted (ADHD-Inattentive) when it came to classes and learning, so the shared 1-1 teaching model that Spring employs worked really well for him and kept him on task. Getting the work done while he was at school (w/no homework) was key. And we were free, too, of trying to manage our son’s homework, which improved everyone’s home life. He was able to continue working at a job he loved and get to the mountains to pursue his passion for skiing more often since there is no school on Fridays. We are extremely grateful to principal, Andy, and former principal, Frank, for their caring and encouragement, and personal investment in our son’s success. Our son liked all of his teachers and is very grateful to have attended Spring. He just graduated last week with a diploma in hand! We are so grateful that we set up that initial meeting – Spring Academy more than met our expectations.
My daughter attended Spring Academy full-time for 7th Grade. We were extremely impressed by the high-quality instruction and support she received there. The one-on-one (or two) model allowed her to complete a full course load in 3 hours a day, which gave her ample time and space to pursue her passions- dance and art . She enjoyed all of her teachers, and her confidence and sense of academic competency and independence grew and grew. She started at a new school this fall in a traditional classroom setting, and it’s very clear that her year at Spring Academy prepared her well. The anxiety she used to feel about herself as a student and learner is so much better! Spring Academy is a truly wonderful resource for any student who, for whatever reason- temporary or long-term, needs a positive academic experience in something other than a full-time, traditional classroom setting.
Spring Academy was a turning point for our son after a tough junior year in public school. The supportive environment and caring staff helped him regain focus, confidence, and motivation. He graduated feeling prepared and excited for college. Andy, the principal, was always kind, responsive, and understanding. We’re so grateful for the warmth, flexibility, and communication throughout our time there. Highly recommend
I can’t say enough great things about our experience at Spring Academy. My daughter was struggling in the traditional school environment and Spring Academy was exactly what she needed. My daughter was able to graduate with an appreciation and love of learning. Thanks to Andy and the whole team that supported us along the way. The patience, encouragement and acceptance the whole team showed helped my daughter gain her confidence back. And the instruction is top notch!
Spring Academy was just the solution we had been looking for! Our family is at peace since we were able to move our 9th grader from a traditional public school to Spring Academy. The traditional school model was not working at all and as a result, our family was constantly stressed, angry, worried, etc. Now that we have a new way for our teen to learn, they are thriving! We were able to make the switch midway through the 2nd semester within a matter of days and then came up with a plan to ensure our student could get on track to finish the school year. T here is no pressure or contracts, so if it doesn’t work, then we were not locked in. Once we got going, our student was willing and even excited about topics they were learning – we could hardly believe the turnaround! Our student speaks highly of their teachers and all of the communication has been clear and positive. We’d highly recommend this alternative school option – the $ spent is worth every cent to invest in a school option for our student that is accredited and creating a positive learning experience.
I have attended Spring for the past two years and have managed to feel both comfortable and productive throughout my time here. I have always had trouble asking questions, but the environment at Spring is one in which I feel comfortable asking for the help that I need without feeling ashamed or looked down upon. I have very much enjoyed my time at Spring and have learned a lot about how I can best accomplish my goals.
Spring Academy has been life changing for our middleschooler. She wasn’t a good fit for traditional school so after yet another tumultuous semester we made to move to Spring. The program is one on one learning and the entire staff is very supportive and flexible. The ability to move quickly in one subject and slowly in another has been really effective. We went from having a totally shut down child to one who is happy, engaged and loves learning again. Honestly it was the best decision we ever made.
Our 6th grader was feeling overwhelmed, anxious and even badly about his academic performance. Mid year we knew we had to make a change in order to improve his experience as well as to ensure he would not fall behind. We had searched around and looked at many possibilities, but ultimately selected Spring Academy in the Northgate area of Seattle . From our initial meeting to follow up meetings as well as feedback from our son we feel that Spring Academy was a great decision. Our son has maintained and in some subjects (math and science) excelled beyond the 6th grade level. We feel that the Spring Academy teachers and staff are warm and that they create a safe, nurturing, academic environment where children needing a little extra instruction can get that and more . We highly recommend Spring Academy!
After years of chaos in multiple public school environments our move to Spring Academy feels like a gift from the heavens. Our son is thriving academically for the first time in his life, and most importantly he feels respected, empowered and excited to learn. Amazing staff, great flexibility, a truly caring environment!
Spring Academy is a wonderful place. Our son completed 12th grade and was accepted into the CS program at VIrgina Tech, Case Western, WPI and a few other great colleges. Dr. Hewins the Executive Director was great and helpful throughout the term.
Our daughter started at Spring Academy partway through high school, and the transformation was amazing. Spring Academy provided a safe and calm environment that allowed our daughter to focus on her education. What surprised us was how much more our daughter was getting besides the graduation requirements. She graduated as a confident and eager young adult excited for college . She really got so much more than the diploma from Spring Academy.
My teenager has been struggling in public school for quite some time. His self-esteem was shot. Based on a recommendation from his neuropsychologist we decided to try a learning environment where he would receive individual teaching. We found Spring academy close to where we live, so decided to give it a go. It has been wonderful for our son. He’s learning and doing well on his tests and his self-esteem is back! He gets along great with his instructor and the staff and are very friendly and genuinely interested in his well-being. Highly recommended!
Spring Academy has been a life saver for our family. Our son bounced between high schools during the pandemic, navigating a very stressful time of school closures, online and in person instruction. He started with a single class at Spring and then transitioned to full time. We are very happy with the quality of instruction and his engagement with the course work and staff at Spring. He never hesitates to go into school which was not the case in the past. He graduated on time and fully prepared for the rigors of college academics. He is currently a successful student at Penn State University.
Hi, my daughter Elodie attended Spring Academy during that first pandemic year when it was clear to us that a traditional online school setting in high school would not meet her academic needs. My kid has ADHD and dyslexia and while intelligent and hardworking, her processing speed requires a steady, patient, presence to help walk her through both math and reading assignments. The Spring model, which pairs one teacher to two or three students, has this built in support and accountability model. As the teacher pivots back and forth between the students, students are left briefly alone with tasks, but the teacher is constantly checking in. Due to the highly interactive and intense model, the student absorbs content at an accelerated pace. Elodie has succeeded in classes at Spring that would have been impossible in a 1-30 teacher studio ratio at our local public Lincoln high school. After that, we lobbied and successfully won permission from SPS for Elodie to have a dual enrollment, allowing her to attend classes at our local public high school, and supplement math and English at Spring. So she absorbed academic content but also had a challenging and engaging social environment. Elodie has had three or four different teachers at Spring and all of them have been top notch. We did not once have any issues. The principal, Frank Hewins, also continually checked in with her progress. I have referred ten or fifteen families to Spring in the last few years. Whatever reason a family might seek a school like Spring, to support a student’s learning style, supplement home schooling, or enrich the learning of a student so they might gain more academic confidence in themselves, I really recommend Spring as a worthy investment.
High school can be such a trying time for teens – particularly those with learning styles outside of the norm. Thank goodness for Spring Academy. Our son started at Spring taking a few summer school classes to get caught up and we quickly realized that he thrived under the individualized lesson plans with instructions tailored toward his learning style. In his senior year, Andy created a unique elective class designed to fulfill some remaining credits. Our son received credit for creating and producing original music, a passion of his. This is truly a special place!
Spring Academy has been wonderful in transitioning my son from a 24/7 care and school facility to being ready to enter back into a regular school. I feel that we could come back to Spring Academy at any time for a bump up or even a summer school program. They were able to seamlessly get my son to an age-appropriate level in his academics. He was able to shine in math and science and earn high school credit in some areas [for middle school courses]. They have a game night to help with social skills which my son loved. As soon as you enter Spring Academy you feel looked after . Frank Hewins, the principal, is kind and honest in his approach. He is a great resource. Thank you so much for looking after my son.
I can’t say enough good things about Spring Academy and the impact it has had on my 13-year old son. His interest in learning and his confidence have been restored, after a year of ups and downs in his middle school. He loved all of his teachers and couldn’t wait to go to school each day. I think the close attention, tailored program, and ability to work at his own speed were the key factors in his success . He even opted to attend for an additional month during the summer. I highly recommend Spring Academy to any family looking for alternative options for their teens.