Founders is doing a wonderful job.
I truly appreciate everything the school has done for our students. It is not an easy job, and the teachers and staff make it look effortless.
Thank you for always being accessible, helpful, and easy to work with (in both easy and difficult situations).
As our time at Founders (after seven years) is coming to an end, I cannot imagine a better experience for middle and high school, than we have had at Founders.
I want to truly thank you for all the ways you have supported and sometimes reprimanded my student these past seven years. You have been a huge part of their lives, their new leadership skills, and their becoming who they are.
Thank you is not enough, but thank you to all the teachers (both past and present) who have helped my student become the amazing person they are.
-A Founders Parent
s.mortimer
Note: The comments below were originally posted on the Google Maps page in July 2021. You can read the original post here.
My goodness, a lot of 1- 2-star reviews with no text. Makes me doubt their legitimacy! Well, I'm writing this to offset that a bit. We chose Founders because our school district is the absolute lowest-rated in NH, and we heard horror stories about the public middle school. It just so happens that our daughter started 7th grade at Founders for the 2020-21 school year, which made for a very hard setup regardless of what school it was. She was remote the 1st & 2nd quarters, hybrid the 3rd, and full-time in the 4th.
For being all remote, she really took to the classes and the teachers very quickly and has nothing but positive things to say. And from our observations, and looking at her schoolwork and what they are learning, it is a rigorous but interesting curriculum and the teachers are VERY good. There has been just one problematic teacher, and when we wrote the dean with our concerns, she immediately called us to talk with us for half an hour for more details. (We hate complaining about teachers and had never done so before.)
The workload is a lot heavier than at her elementary school, and even though she had the option to drop classes as needed if she felt overwhelmed, she hasn't wanted to because she really likes all of them (except the one mentioned above). In the 4th quarter she did start to be unhappy with the workload--but her previous charter school had very little homework so it is a bigger change for her by comparison than it might be for kids coming out of the local public school.
Founders is EXTREMELY flexible with parent requests and/or student needs when it comes to tailoring their curriculum, something which public schools can't do nearly as freely. And although the classes are challenging, the teachers have been very fair with allowing make-ups and re-do's, even to the point of walking her through things she was having trouble with on tests, giving extra time, and such; I think their flexibility may be partly due to the extreme challenges which are inherent to this year's remote learning model and we're very grateful for that. And if it's just business as usual, that's even better.
She also had some issues with anxiety in 2020 just due to the pandemic and then we were thinking that may have been added to with the entirely new learning environment, and her guidance counselor was very helpful in this area. It definitely got better when she started doing hybrid.
So, that has been our experience so far. We do not have any complaints!
s.mortimer
Dear Dean Hayes,
I just wanted to take the time to tell you how much I appreciate Founder's Academy. As you are probably aware, we are moving to Florida at the end of the school year. If we were to stay, I would have 100% continued with Founders for the middle school years (maybe high school too...who knows)!
My daughter has done so well and all the teachers have been awesome! They are creative and work collaboratively. I'm thrilled that project work and meaningful homework were assigned while also working on writing skills. The staff I've been in contact with have been great--professional and responsive.
It was so nice to receive a call a few months back as a check in for parental feedback. I'm not sure if that's for all new parents or if you survey all your parents, but it is nice to know you take parent feedback into consideration.
I like the fact that being a charter school you can run things a little differently than a public school. I know not all schools are run the same way, especially given these unprecedented times.
All I can say is keep up the great work! I wish I could have contributed more. I would highly recommend Founders to other parents!
Signed,
A sixth grade Founders parent
s.mortimer
Today in my free time, I spent about 4 hours trying to draw an airplane in google drawings. I completed my goal and it looks great! I learned how to use this fabulous tool in Computer Science class! I used mostly the plotline to draw and color most of the plane.
s.mortimer
“I’m turning 18 in four days and my birthday wish is that I could start Founders all over again from the very beginning.” - Rachel S., Class of 2020
s.mortimer
Hello, and Welcome to The Founders Academy. If you were like me 2 years ago, you’d probably wondering right now, why would I want to go to Founders Academy. For me the reason I came, was the fact that The Founders Academy offers a unique type of education. One that focus on skills that might be more practical in a business type scenario. In Elementary school you learned to read, write, and to do math. That's good, but in a work environment you need those, but you would also need to know how to publicly speak, just like I am right now, debate things and be able to formulate your opinion verbally. And only The Founders Academy teaches these essential skills to success. After making the decision to come to the Founders Academy, I still had one important question. How would I make friends? Would I be accepted? If you are going into the 6th grade, let me give you a hint, everyone else is asking the same questions. Everyone's a little nervous. This makes it easy to makes friends. Especially in the Founders Academy. You will be coming to school one day before the rest of the grades for a 6th grade day only. So while you are at school take the opportunity to make friends with your fellow 6th graders. If you are starting at The Founders Academy in a grade above 6th grade, what do you do? I was in the same boat when I first came to Founders. What I discovered is that many of the students at Founders, especially in the High School, are extremely friendly. I was approached by many students on my first day and made many friends. From there my new friends introduced my to more people, until I met my entire grade. My choice to go to the Founders Academy was the best decision I’ve made in my life so far, and if I were to give one piece of advice to a new student coming to Founders, I’d tell them to go to one of the summer camp programs that Founders offers, because it will allow you to make friends before the school years starts. Thank you, and goodnight.
-an 8th grade student, given at an Admissions Open House
mmooney
Hi, I’m Garrett O., a freshman here at The Founders Academy. I joined the school in their second year, and have had a great experience. Having come from a larger public school that didn’t always go into depth on the things we were learning about, I was very impressed with Founders and what they taught. The school has a focus on English and History, both subjects I love. When I heard about the school and its mission, I was enthusiastic about it, and very excited to apply. When my mom told me I had been accepted, I was over the moon. That year I had an incredible experience, did so many amazing things, and met so many new friends.
The teachers are astounding. As a student, I can say that there is so much passion behind what they teach, and it shows. They are always willing to help students if they need it, and make the class engaging and make learning fun. Some prime examples of this are my french teacher, Madame Barlow, who holds fun, challenging, competitive review games before each quiz or test. Mr. Van Ewyk, my history teacher, holds Socratic seminars, in which for five minutes, each student has to debate something with the teacher, while he tries to contradict everything you say. I know to some it may not sound fun, but trust me, it really helps you understand what you learn. It’s also the most stressful five minutes of your life. He’s that good.
There are also many fun and interesting student-run clubs and extracurricular activities available here. Yes, you heard me right student-run clubs. If you have an amazing idea for a club you want to start, you can present your idea to administration and there is a good chance it will become a reality! Last year one of my best friends started a club all about board games, and each meeting we would play a multitude of them. And just today, another one of my friends, the founder of her own language club, held her first meeting. And the extracurricular activities are amazing as well. The middle school drama club is right now preparing for their Christmas play, Wenceslas, and the high school drama club just held auditions for their play, Little Women.
And of course, how could I talk about this school and not mention the incredible community. The overall atmosphere here is a very welcoming one, and I love walking into this building every day. The teachers and students are very friendly, and are always willing to help you and each other out. Let’s say you need help in math. All you need to do is just talk to your teacher, and they will almost always schedule at time for you to meet them that same day. And as someone who struggled in algebra last year, I can say that first-hand. My teacher, Ms. Henry, was always willing to help me in and out of class.
So in conclusion, this school is amazing. There is something here for everyone, I certainly discovered that. This school truly is passionate about what they do, and get the students here excited about what they are learning. This school was definitely the perfect fit for me, and I hope you come and try it. You won’t regret it.
mmooney
"As a student, I recognize and appreciate when teachers send out their class materials out before late August, as it gives me time to look around at stores, compare prices, and see if there are any sales on the needed supplies. It also allows me to set up what days I can go out and get the materials at my leisure, rather than rushing last minute when a course supplies list was only handed out on the first day of class." - David B.
mmooney
This is The Founders Academy’s fourth year open. In that time, student lead efforts have shaped the school. From influencing the curriculum to creating the code of conduct, The Founders Academy works tirelessly to help US shape our own education.
Students have the opportunity to join a variety of different clubs and committees, though the opportunities don’t stop there. Students can create a new club at any time, and although a faculty adviser is required, there is no shortage of choices. Support and dedication from the staff means we have an eclectic collection of clubs and committees, there is a list on the website.
The staff care to take the time, even if it means rearranging their schedules to accommodate us. Staff come in early and leave late. The Founders Academy ends its day no later than 8:00. Clubs meet, teachers tutor, and meetings take place at the school. The staff lead by example, as they tell us how to lead, they work to improve and bolster the work of their students. Support is a word that is easy to use in relation to teachers, but I have never been in such awe of a staff so dedicated to their students and their student’s success.
The Founders Academy has embraced the idea of student government. There is a Middle School House of Representatives, and a High School Senate. Both committees plan events and influence policy at The Founders Academy. The Senate is responsible for the student Dress Code and the Code of Conduct. This student government has opportunities to lead and create change.
Around the middle of the year, after midterms, students are asked what electives we would like to see implemented in the future. We all weigh in to the process that shapes the curriculum. Specialized classes like AP Psychology and Painting (for college credit) are being offered this year.
I have been with this school for three years, and in that time I have been continually awed by the support and dedication from everyone that passses through our doors. The school’s mission is to create leaders for the future. The staff that work here have come together from all over the United States to teach at this school because they believe in the mission. From Georgia to Colorado to Massachusetts this diverse collection of teachers are here to lead by example and create the leaders of tomorrow.
mmooney
Hello my name is Emily Ahern and I am a freshman here at The Founders Academy. I came to Founders in the 7th grade when the school first opened. Prior to coming here I went to St. Catherine’s School in Manchester. The Founders Academy’s focus on History and Literature is what initially drew me to the school. Our mission here at Founders is to develop leaders to understand and apply the lessons of the past, demonstrate character, and lead by example. Our vision is to inspire students to have good character, foster responsible leadership and be productive citizens. We are taught how to apply the American experience and to become leaders in today’s and tomorrow’s economy, while also building ethical and responsible leaders in society. When I first arrived at Founders I was shy and quiet. The school and it’s community have really helped me overcome that and now I am very involved in different clubs and activities at the school. What I have learned here in the past two years is not just math, science, History or English, I have learned how to be a leader among my classmates, how to get involved and be involved, how to be a future leader and a good citizen. I cannot express enough how positive my experience at Founders has been and how it has helped me grow not only as a student but as an individual and future leader in society.
mmooney
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