Academe of the Oaks, Decatur | Fees, Rankings, Address, Admission, Vacancies, Reviews & More

My two sons attended Academe; one graduated from there and the other attended his first two years of high school there. In brief, I highly recommend Academe.

Academe is Atlanta’s Waldorf high school, and as such, it’s strengths lie in the Waldorf approach as articulated by Austrian philosopher Rudolph Steiner. There is way too much in his thinking to even start talking about here, but from a parent’s practical perspective, my sense of the approach’s overall effect is this: if you wish to raise renaissance children, Waldorf is probably your best partner.

In terms of Academe particulars, I really like these attributes:

1) The curriculum really is designed to promote thinking for oneself. Also, it is balanced – arts and physical activities have their place – and includes practical arts as well, doing things with one’s hands. This is missing from almost every other school.

2) The teachers are very good, by and large well-trained and committed to the Waldorf approach. They engage, challenge and care. And because of the favorable student-teacher ratio, they really know their students and can approach each one where they are.

3) The size of the school, which is very small, is ideal, in my mind. Whatever might be gained in scale is often lost at the personal level, which is simply not worth it when it comes to educating your children. Both my boys played varsity basketball, and they would not have been able to do so at almost any other school. But the benefits of a competitive and team experience, not to mention the inherent benefits in self esteem upon increasing one’s skill level in any endeavor, should not be confined to the few, which is how athletics works everywhere else. It is also worth noting that the faculty and staff really try hard to support any extracurricular activities that students may dream up.

I could go on, but check it out for yourself!

My family and I was very concerned about where my nephew would attend high school. My nephew is now a senior, at Academe, and has attended since 9th grade. This was our first experience in a Waldorf school and we weren’t disappointed.

Being the new kid, my nephew felt nervous and alone until Academe sent all their students on a trip before school started. Once they arrived, the students split into their class groups and became acquainted with each other. There is where my nephew connected and everything changed for him.

The teachers are more than qualified and want their students to succeed. Before school starts, parents and students receive all of the teachers contact information. Whenever my nephew struggled, in a class, his teacher notified me immediately.

Academe is so unique, because all children are different and they are allowed to be themselves without having to fit in. Academe does not have a disciplinary problem, nor do they tolerate any form of violence. We have never experienced any bullying. The male teachers have been excellent role models for my nephew.

My nephew has been accepted to SCAD, this Fall, and is receiving $32,000 in scholarships and counting.

Academe is one of the best kept secrets in Decatur, GA.

Teachers at Academe are very engaged in each student journey. The personal bond they develop for their students combined with original and dynamic teaching approaches are engaging and interesting for the students who become much more involved in their education. The students receive a thorough training in the design and writing of essays in various disciplines, a skill that is of utmost importance for College education. They are also extremely well trained in science, not through learning from textbooks, but in designing, performing and presenting their own experiments, and in developing critical thinking in the interpretation of their results. This is all balance by a great Art and Music program. For our family, Academe of the Oaks is a dream come true as to what we were looking for our son’s education. The teachers are fostering his personal creative thinking, and he feels empowered by the care and respect he receives at the Academe of the Oaks.