
Students, Families, & Staff
Avalon supported me in expressing myself and exploring my identity as a high-schooler. The project-based model allowed me to dig deeper in academic areas I was more interested in, which ultimately helped me find my niche in the world today! I also feel Avalon was ahead of the curve on supporting and empowering LGBTQIA+ students.
Project based. Students are valued and considered individuals with different needs. The advisory concept. The true acceptance of students races , genders, disabilities.
Graduating from Avalon helped be take accountability for my success. The project based education I recieved was invaluable in my real world experience as an adult. Even when I didn't do the work because I thought it was beyond me, every teacher empowered me and believed in my success.
To this day I think Avalon contributed more positively to my life than any other single institution, educational or otherwise. I arrived there in a pretty rough place, had more or less given up on education and I don't think I really believed I'd even graduate high school. Four years later I graduated - I had rediscovered my love of learning. Avalon rekindled my intellectual curiosity, bolstered my confidence, and helped me remember that I cared about the world and wanted to at least try to make it a slightly less crumby place. Avalon was borderline life-saving for me; words can't express how much I love and appreciate the place.
Our son has finally become invested in his own learning... it's incredible!
It has given our child the chance to be “seen” and to make mistakes in a smaller environment.
I genuinely believe I wouldn't have survived high school without Avalon. I think there's also a very high chance I maybe wouldn't have graduated if I went anywhere else instead of Avalon. The support from the Avalon staff was unmatched, I never would have done so well in any of the subjects if not for the support from my teachers. From the individual attention from the advisor, to the class discussions you could feel that the Avalon teachers wanted you to succeed and that they were going to help you do that. Avalon has also had some of the most informed counselors and mental health professionals I have ever come across in a school setting and I think that was a huge part of my personal success.
Avalon's flexible schedule allowed me to take PSEO as a sophomore, saving me so much money for my AA degree.
Avalon encourages students who are committed to learning to meet and exceed their goals. For example, I graduated with almost 50 credits at the end of my senior year. I frequently exceeded my goals on the time I spent working on my learning through projects.
The small size allows for a lot of personal connection with and support from staff and for our son to have developed a solid group of friends, which he didn't have in his old school. I like the way academics are explored and how students are encouraged to think for themselves and take responsibility for their own learning to a good extent. The school feels like a real community, involving families in the school culture.
Our daughter has gained confidence and maturity and is excited to learn.
I think Avalon has always done an excellent job of empowering students to do the things they really care about and be themselves. During my time at Avalon I was able to truly explore what it meant to be myself and even do projects and get school credit for that work.
Avalon really gave me the tools to be a productive adult, advocate for myself and take learning into my own hands. When I was going through middle school I really struggled with public schooling, so when I made the move to Avalon I learned how to excel at what I do best and use project management skills to my advantage in my future.
Flexibility and understanding around mental health needs and my child has been able to be themselves fully without worries around bullying because of how they dress or their sexual orientation.
The inclusivity, the overall approach to learning, the staff is incredible.. I could go on and on.
