Anonymous
02/18/2026 12:02
Subject: Got into ATS and private, which is better?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Thing is, with K, you don't know what kind of learner your kid will be. ATS will help you figure that out and you can tutor or go private for MS or high. We had a kid with learning disabilities identified by ATS and highly remediated. Sent kid to private MS and more or less paid for what ATS was providing "for free" b/c the middle school wouldn't do it. Kid is back at APS high school and making great grades with AP and intensified classes. (well, great enough for me. Some Cs but it seems like the harder the class, the better the grade.)[/
Do new ATS students start behind grade level (academically and social-emotionally). And for those students, do they receive good support? You mention your child had a disability and they provided good support… how does the teacher manage 24 students’ varying levels at ATS. Are teachers burnt out and stressed or do they have support?
I had two kids at ATS. The one with was behind and the school caught him up to classmates very quickly. He struggled socially though. Second child was already reading and doing math in prek so during K they would see the reading and math "coach" or gifted push in teacher and have differentiation.
The teachers are not burnt out and stressed. They all seem happy to me. I still text with a couple of them. I think they are well supported. The only one who ever seemed stressed was a relatively new teacher and new to ATS. I think it was fit thing but she went to another school, is happy, lives in ARL and I see her occasionally out and about so she must live near me.
Anonymous
02/18/2026 11:17
Subject: Got into ATS and private, which is better?
I actually have a kid at Pinecrest so can speak to what the difference is between it and the experience our neighbors have at other APS schools. Don't know anyone at ATS. Pinecrest is a wonderful community. My child knows all the kids from PK to 6. It is low tech, focused on social emotional learning, theater / art, and play. It is on the lower end of cost for private, but still obviously not free. We ended up going there because my child needed a calm, quiet environment where teachers could really keep track of them. They are not a self-starter and would do the minimum to get by - but they are allowed to pursue their interests and have really blossomed at Pinecrest. That being said, I think many kids do great at APS, esp ATS. You might start there for K and then see what happends.
Anonymous
02/17/2026 18:21
Subject: Got into ATS and private, which is better?
Anonymous wrote:Thing is, with K, you don't know what kind of learner your kid will be. ATS will help you figure that out and you can tutor or go private for MS or high. We had a kid with learning disabilities identified by ATS and highly remediated. Sent kid to private MS and more or less paid for what ATS was providing "for free" b/c the middle school wouldn't do it. Kid is back at APS high school and making great grades with AP and intensified classes. (well, great enough for me. Some Cs but it seems like the harder the class, the better the grade.)[/
Do new ATS students start behind grade level (academically and social-emotionally). And for those students, do they receive good support? You mention your child had a disability and they provided good support… how does the teacher manage 24 students’ varying levels at ATS. Are teachers burnt out and stressed or do they have support?