JStem Academy, Converse | Fees, Rankings, Address, Admission, Vacancies, Reviews & More

I have just graduated from this school. Before you read this review, just remember everyone’s experience is different and some people thrive in certain situations more than others so don’t be so quick to judge. I also must say before I tell my experience, that we have something called PBL week 1 time each semester (2 each year), instead of semester exams, the whole grade does a big project for a week (no classes just working on project for the whole week) in small groups of about 5 people (sometimes you can choose your partners other time they choose for you) , super stressful and is a big part of our grade, at the end of the week on about Thursday or Friday we do presentations to the teachers, sometimes the grade or parents . 6th grade was overall easy and fun, some teachers were a little imitating, but they did their job pretty good. We did dissections. I hated climbing up 3 flights of stairs and still did throughout the other 2 years. In 7th grade, the classes became a little more rigorous, nothing you can’t handle if you just listen and participate, certain teachers weren’t the best at teaching and got less hands on. Mrs.Smith (Texas history) and Mrs.Latimer (reading/ELAR) were great! In 8th grade, maybe it was just because we did school through zoom, but it was very hard. I mean we got assigned at least 25 assignments a week and even work on the weekends, work just kept piling up. Tons of missing assignments and late work. Teachers became more intimidating and were very condescending, some showed your grade(s) to the whole class (usually your worse/bad grades), horrible and humiliating even if you are trying to motivate the students. When I went in person it got better! Some Jstem teachers were excellent at what they did, most were not. The inside gym is always really hot, walking and working out in 100+ degree weather was not fun, things like Mile Monday for athletics and workout Wednesday for both regular and athletics classes. Health class was great. Orchestra was very fun, the choir teacher has a great personality and is great at what he does, band is good, theater was good, art was ok, medical detectives is fun, I learned a lot of useful information in ccr (college and career readiness), app creators was easy and fun, the language classes were great, I didn’t do home ec. Or principals of agriculture but others said they were easy and fun. November fest is very cool, highly recommend going when that time comes around (if you have money to spend on tickets), I only had 1 dance, and this last year we had a hang out each day after staar testing. Clubs are fun, robotics was cool, anime club was alright, sports is fun, yearbook is easy and fun, and there are few other clubs I forgot. I saw like 8 fights in all 3 years. Heads up, you really don’t need journals for gtt ( a computer class). Counselor counselor didn’t help a lot, but she was nice and still recommend you go there if you need help. Mrs. Perez fixes computers fast. Mrs. Worley became less involved since she became the principal of both schools. If you don’t pass your classes by a certain time you go back to your home campus, but they try helping you by doing mandatory tutoring. There’s very few rumors that go around, if any. Take care of the computers they give you! Do your work! You make great friends and make amazing memories!!!

i REALLY wanted to like this school. many of the teachers here are supportive, i can tell that mrs.worley and ms.perez and everyone else in the staff are trying their best to make this program great. although, there’s one fundamental issue that runs against everything that makes me like this school – the stress & the burnout.

often, students are assigned upwards of 15 assignments a week. i remember counting it. many of my friends in 8th grade would have around 40 to 50 missing assignments because it was just impossible for them to keep up with all the work. it’s above high workload, and more around impossible to keep up.

i know the staff here don’t intentionally overwork the students. the high workload and stress is a side effect of being a magnet school in the district: you’re pushed beyond your limit because you have to be the best school. you have to retain the image that will keep the district funding the program, but retaining that image comes at the risk of a student’s mental and emotional health.

i got physical symptoms of burnout because of being overworked here. i’d feel anxious to the point of nausea when the teachers announced a new project. i’d get panic attacks every morning because i wasn’t prepared to have to go through another day. i think it wouldn’t have been as bad if i had accommodations, but i never got treated for panic disorder, depression, adhd, or insomnia until the summer after 8th grade ended.

i had to leave this school before i finished my 8th grade year here. around the beginning of february, i withdrew from STEM and started attending kitty hawk. that’s its own can of worms, but needless to say i really wish i could have finished out the year here; although, the pressure and stress were just too much to bear.

– zeph, aka Velma Farquaad

I have been in JSTEM for three years and currently a 8th grader. I loved almost everyday here.In 6th grade it is so much fun and exiting. 7th grade is where you start to mature and become a 8th grader, and 8th grade smacks you in the face…8th grade is challenging but if you hang around the right people then you will be fine.JSTEM is not only a school but your family….you grow strong connections than you ever imagine and the teachers are lit….mostdays……I am now going to the 9th grade and scared but……I guess I will be fine…