The Akers Family enrolled Andrew during his 7th grade year.

Why did you make the switch to St. John School?
Our child really struggled with online schooling, and it had a negative effect on our family. We reached a point where a change was necessary. When looking for other options, leadership and staff at St. John were welcoming and reassuring. 

Was there anything specific about St. John that influenced your decision to enroll?
We made the decision to enroll during the tour! We were given a tour by Mr. Reffett, who took the time to show us the whole school. He asked our child questions about himself as we went. Every teacher we encountered greeted our family warmly. After the tour, we sat with the principal for another 30+ minutes and he answered every question we had for him. He also encouraged our child to ask questions. Lastly, our child is a huge reader, and he immediately recognized a map of Maycomb, Alabama from To Kill a Mockingbird on the wall. This book is a family favorite, which made our child feel some familiarity and maybe even belonging. 

What grade was your child in when you made the switch? Did their grade influence your decision at all?
Our son was in 7th grade when we switched. If anything, I would say that his grade was in the "reason not to switch" column of our considerations. We really worried about making a change, but it was worth it. 

Has St. John School lived up to your expectations? Was there anything that pleasantly surprised you? It has absolutely lived up to our expectations! We have so much gratitude for the welcoming and community spirit of St. John. The transition  - which occurred in November - was almost seamless. We really held our breath waiting to see how it would go, but our son really adjusted well. To us, that is a credit to the welcoming spirit at St. John. In addition, teachers were really responsive to any questions we had.  Lastly, we really appreciate that service is important to the St. John community, and are grateful that our son is receiving that as part of his education.

How has St. John helped your child thrive?
I think our son has recovered his love of learning during his time at St. John. The teachers have been unbelievably supportive. For example, our son had no exposure to Spanish, and we were really worried that the immersion experience would be really difficult for him. Quite the opposite has occurred, the teacher has been incredibly patient and encouraging and has spent time with our son during Friday "office hours" to help him . We have found that most of the teachers are incredibly helpful to students. 

What advice would you give families who are considering St. John School?
We would say that we have not had a single regret about making the change. Indeed, looking back we wish we had done it sooner!