Why Teens & Parents Love it here 🤍

Previous Student at PS Academy Arizona

‘’When PS Academy was still known as Peiceful Solutions, I had been applying for jobs, and during each interview, when I was asked about the meaning of "Pieceful (referencing the autism puzzle piece)" I felt as though I was seen through the lens of the label of autism and not for my abilities. Other students also felt stigmatized. We brought our concerns to Administration, and they took the time to listen and agreed that a change was needed. In 2019, the school was rebranded to PS Academy Arizona. It’s awesome to see how PS helps students reach their full potential while also recognizing the impacts that autism has in their lives.’’

  • "I’m over the moon happy with our first week at PS Academy. Never saw my son leave school with a huge smile before. Thank you."

    -Rachel

  • ''I wanted to let you know that Gavin is truly doing awesome in his classes at MCC. He is taking them very seriously and working really hard! I attribute it to all of the preparation you gave him to be successful! We miss all of you!''

    -Jack

  • “Our son has never liked going to school… until he started here at PS Academy! The thing that gets him going and excited for school is their ‘culinary’ program. It’s like he can’t get enough!”

    -Stephanie

  • ''My child was an 8th grader with his first year at PS Academy. With the past rough experiences with schools it was imperative that we find a good fit for our son. PS Academy is not just a school - it is a community. The staff and kids encourage each other and form friendships, which is an important key to our son’s success in life. I am at peace knowing that my son’s future is in good hands.''

    -Amy

Adam J. Rasmussen, Ph.D., Dean of the College of the Arts at ACU

‘‘Obviously, Matthew's high school must have prepared him to be successful at university. I was impressed by his performance in my humanities course. The readings were not easy as they included theological and poetic portions from Augustine, Boethius, Milton, and Donne -among others. As a professor who thrives on interaction in the classroom, I found Matthew to be an active participant in the entire curriculum and learning activities.

I very much enjoyed his insightful (and often humorous) interactions in our whole class-discussions. In addition, many times I witnessed his contributions to the smaller group discussions as well. Furthermore, his written work was cogently constructed and clearly displayed his depth of thought on the subjects assigned. I would gladly welcome other students with the same college and university preparedness.’’

What parents are saying

“Since Landon's second week in-person at PS Academy he has talked non-stop about everything he's been doing and learning. Landon is now in 8th grade and this is something we have never seen before - it's truly remarkable. He has this newfound interest in astronomy and history that has prompted him to educate himself further by watching YouTube videos on subjects he likes. His overall engagement in school seems so much better and instead of having meltdowns every morning before school, he is calm and ready to tackle each day of learning! I don't know how PS teachers connect with these kids the way they do, they are doing something right and I cannot express how grateful we are! Thank you PS Academy!”

— Natalie

“PS Academy has been amazing, I have told you that many times. You all have worked with Me and Michael since the day we enrolled. I am honored you all accepted him during the application process, He has even said many times ‘When I think of PS Academy, I think of Success.’ I know you all have our kids best interest at heart. If I didn't believe that - you all would have heard from me. Thank you All for All you do.”

— Cinthia

“PS Academy has been a life-changing experience for my son and our entire family. Dillon is in his 3rd year at PS Academy and still loves it, which is huge for him! We came to PS Academy very skeptical simply because we/he did not have a good experience in his 5th-grade year at another local private school for autistic children. From the first orientation at PS Academy, the administration, teachers, and staff were very knowledgeable, and we left feeling excited about the opportunity for Dillon to attend. I can't say enough about how much we love this school. If you have a child with any needs, please make an appointment to meet with them; you will not be disappointed!”

— Shannon

“My son has become a happy successful student at PS Academy. He has made many wonderful friends and feels at ease in an atmosphere of supportive, caring staff. In his words, "The teachers explain things better at this school and there aren't any mean kids." Finally, the stress is gone for him and our family! In addition, there are simply no words to describe the feelings of camaraderie and friendship with other PS Academy parents.”

— Anne

Having moved from Tucson to Gilbert for our son to attend PS Academy was the best decision we could have made for him. His experiences at public and private schools in southern Arizona do not compare to what PS Academy has been able to provide for him. He feels safe, comfortable, secure, supported, and ACCEPTED to learn and grow just as he is. The staff and administration provide a nurturing environment for all students to excel at being their best. Our only regret is that we did not know about PS Academy sooner! Thank you, PS Academy, for making a difference for our son!!

— Donna

“As a parent our decision to move to PS Academy has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! My son absolutely loves going to school and is excited to tell me about all he has done at school. There are so many opportunities for students and the faculty have been absolutely amazing.”

— Marissa

- Jenn

‘‘My son has attended PS since 4th grade. It has been a good experience for him. There is always room for improvement, as no one and no program is absolutely perfect for everyone. My son has friends, loves his teachers, has classes that fit his interests, and so far, when any situations have come up, they have been willing to work with us to find a solution. Having my son be happy and healthy is all that matters to me. As a note, though, I always suggest that parents do their research. Not every program is a good fit for every student, you need to make sure that it will fit your needs and wants as well as your students needs and wants. If you are looking for a school for your little one (or big one), I would recommend taking a tour, attending a school function, talking to other parents, and meeting with the administration or the teaching staff. Get all the info you can to make an informed decision. As for us, it has been a good fit and my little guy will be graduating this May.’’

What parents are saying

“Our son struggled in public schools over the years and home schooling was not a good option. PS Academy has been incredible and definitely changed our son's life in so many wonderful ways. He looks forward to school every day, has made good friends and has learned more in one year than in several while at public schools. The teachers at the school are kind and take an interest in every student. Words truly cannot describe the positive changes PS Academy has made in my son's life. I highly recommend PS Academy and am thankful for what they have done to help my son build confidence and grow as a student and a person.”

— Kenn F.

“My son has struggled to do well at every school I have put him in and I was searching for a place where he can succeed and feel good about going to school. He has autism and because of this he has had many discouraging experiences with teachers and peers at his schools. I searched and found PS Academy. After reading about them I decided to take the tour and see if they might be a good fit. It was very impressive seeing all the resources they have, and life skills, and the teachers were engaged and seemed happy to be there. I was still skeptical if it would be what my son needed but we went ahead signed him up, hoping for the best. Since attending PS Academy his whole attitude has brightened. He is doing so well in school now. This school and the teachers go beyond for him, to help him succeed and to give himself confidence that he had been missing. Love this school! They go above and work so hard for each of their students. Finally found a positive environment for my son where he can focus on his education!”

— Renee

“Thank you all for an amazing school year. I have seen so much growth and progress with Noah this year; it truly reflects all of you. Noah has overcome many things this year. His academics have progressed because you all teach at his level and take time when he needs it. You make sure that he learns! His social skills... I can barely comment that my child is a completely different child then 9 months ago. He is confident, has a positive attitude and really learned how to have friends.”

— Jackie

“PS Academy gave us an alternative to public schools that allows our son to learn and grow at his own pace yet reach his full potential. We chose this school as an alternative to public schools because of the small class size and programs that allow social interaction with peers and the community. The electives are wonderful and allow Nathan to truly grow and learn new skills that can help him through out his life. His favorite thus far has been cooking. They provide a gluten free and lactose free option so he can participate. They work with PowerSchool which helps me as a parent be able to help him. When I’ve had a problem the teachers are quick to return my messages and concerned with helping out in any way possible. PS Academy has exceeded our expectation for an educational program that would fit the needs of our son. Thank you PS Academy for all your help.”

— Kara

“PS Academy is a wonderful educational institution where our daughter has learned and experienced many positive things! The staff and administration have been so helpful and supportive in addressing our child's needs. Our daughter has learned so many skills that have made her feel more confident about herself. As parents of a child enrolled in PS Academy, we are always informed of the educational programs and activities every week. We are very satisfied with our experience with PS Academy!”

— James

“PS Academy has been a game changer for my family. My son attended public school through the 4th grade in a "typical" classroom. I absolutely love his prior elementary school, unfortunately it became apparent that he would needed extra assistance that only a school that specializes in ASD could provide. We tried another local Autism school and it was not a good fit for Dillon. Thankfully we toured PS Academy and my husband & I immediately knew after meeting the educators, administrators, and other staff that this would be the perfect fit for Dillon. Dillon has been attending PS for nearly a year now and we could not be more satisfied! His homeroom teacher and administration keeps me informed of any issues that come up immediately and they work on his behalf to help in any way they can. They have fantastic electives with so many options! My husband and I were, and continue to be, so impressed with this program. Dillon will graduate with a HS diploma and attend college, if that is the path he chooses. Some other ASD schools are not accredited and a GED equivalency test will be required if the student decides to attend college; this was another reason we chose PS Academy for our son. I could go on and on about how happy we are. Please take the tour, it was life changing for our family!”

— Shannon

Ilene

‘‘We had a B-day party for my daughter; 10 kids showed up, and four parents stayed. What happened was magic. The kids were teenagers; it was a pool party. They swam, exchanged phone numbers, talked, and played. They are all authentic- no pretenses of "I have to impress or act a certain way." In the pool, they had chicken fights, sword fights (pool noodles), jumping off the diving rock, sliding down the slide, and yelling, "Look at me" . Playing ball. I decided that what we have been trying to do is having our kids in "typical" schools and making accommodations and having them with an adult all day, modifying work. It's like taking an avid chess player and putting him in a group of baseball players. The baseball players will be courteous and polite, and the chess players will just exist in this life. Is one life better than the other? No. They are different as they have different thinking processes and interests. But take the chess player and put him with other chess players, they think the same, have similar interests, they converse and genuinely care about what the other is talking about. They have fun together. They uplift each other. Whereas before, they were just tolerated. I love that my daughter is with "chess players.” I love that she's gotten three "no's" in school. She got one for not doing homework, one for talking too much and not doing her work, and one for reading a book instead of doing her schoolwork. To me, this means she is being paid attention to. Her participation is valued and wanted, her voice is being heard and needed, work isn't modified for her, because she can do it, the expectations meet the abilities. She is 100% responsible for her. There are no more excuses and leeway for her schoolwork and actions. So to conclude, one boy said, while we were taking photos, "we need to submit this to the yearbook, in a section, 'out of school get togethers' and we need to do this more". Thanks for providing a place where my girl is now experiencing life rather than being the fourth wheel and trying to fit in.’’

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