Forest Trail AcademyReviews of foresttrailacademy.com

My child wanted to do distance learning for her junior year while we were moving to a new state. We liked Forest Trail Academy so much, she will complete her senior year there this year! As a parent, I appreciate FTA's project-based approach to learning. The lessons build upon each other throughout the school year in meaningful ways. My child has learned so much more than she did in public school by learning how to do research from trusted sources, how to spot key information and patterns, and how to apply and explain what she has learned in thought-provoking assignments. She has learned HOW to learn from Forest Trail Academy; she's not just memorizing dates and learning enough to do well on standardized tests. The materials are well-organized in the learning portal, and it's easy for me to see exactly how my child is doing in each class. The teachers and administrators are responsive, encouraging, and helpful. I see a successful college student and adult emerging in my child. The study habits and time-management skills needed for school work with Forest Trail Academy will benefit my child for years to come.

Great school!

greatest school ever would recommend to anyone

Thank you, FTA (Forest Trail Academy) for the amazing changes I have seen in my child. My son is autistic and had nothing but problems in our county's public school system. No one wanted to take the time he needed to learn. He was on medicine for stomach problems and he came home with constant headaches. After several heated discussions with the school's principal and picking him up from school with him in tears every day I had to make a change. I began researching homeschooling. My area does offer free homeschooling however, you still have to work on the teacher's timeline and keep up with the class. This was one of the reasons we wanted to leave public school so that would not work. Long story short we thankfully found FTA. We began 5th-grade homeschooling through FTA. I could tell the whole story but I'll make it short. It's three years later, he is finishing 7th grade with FTA as we speak. He has improved so much that he is off of ALL his medicine! The classes are very easy to follow and the teachers are always just a message or email away. I have not had one problem with any of the teachers. They all are very accommodating. We began the first year doing a lesson in each subject a day, the next year we tried 2 subjects a day, this year we have found doing one subject at a time works great for him and he retains more. This is one example of how you can gear the entire school year into what works best for you and your child. We could take breaks when he needed them. If he was having a bad day and we had to take that day off it was no problem at all. They are accredited. You can't go wrong with FTA.

My daughter did high school with your online school. The best thing I've ever done is enrolling her in Forest Trail Academy. Your strong curriculum helped her develop critical thinking skills, thinking outside of the box, and a strong work ethic. The first month was tough but once she got used to it, she really enjoyed all the writing and research. My husband and I am a firm believer in strong academics and also we believe in that regardless of how hard things can be, with hard work you can achieve anything. Furthermore, your staff and your teachers were always helpful. Any request I made or any question I had was addressed within 24 hours or less. I never once doubted to have her and my special need son enrolled in your school. As my daughter is preparing to go to university, I know she will have an easy transition. Thank you, Forest Trail Academy. Sincerely, Tunde B.

Best decision we've ever made! 6 years so far with FTA!

I have attended Forest Trail Academy for four school years (9th - 12th grade). Now, as a near-graduate, I would like to say that I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to be a part of this excellent school. In terms of the curriculum, it is rigorous and diverse. There are plentiful unique electives (Television Production, Astronomy, and Sociology being among my most favorite), and strong core courses. There were plentiful opportunities for me to check/test my knowledge through essays, worksheets, fun projects, and multiple choice assessments. Though this may be a personal preference, I would like to note that I really like the emphasis FTA places on written assignments. I noticed that it enables me to store what I learned better, and allows me to expand on that knowledge through research, especially in essay assignments. Research is also required in many assignments, which allowed me to learn more deeply about a given topic. In regards to the teachers and staff, I have had nothing but good experiences with them. They were friendly, prompt, and helpful. If I had trouble understanding a topic within a course or just wanted to discuss a subtopic that interested me in a lesson, my teachers responded quickly and always helped me. They held regular office hours throughout the week, usually three times a week, but were available via the Message Center all throughout the week. My teachers, in addition, also gave me positive, helpful feedback on my turned-in work. Sometimes, especially in science and history, my teachers would, along with work feedback, add fun facts about the subject we covered! I was always learning. The staff was also always helping me, and encouraging me to do the best I could. Specifically, Ms. Ledy Scott, Forest Trail's guidance counselor, went above and beyond always. She connected me with FTA's director, Dr. Gifty Chung, so I was able to interview her for an article. She also guided me to the best courses and clubs to join. Some additional notes I would like to mention for anyone who is considering this school, most especially if they are first-time online/homeschoolers. Keep in mind that, even with the great teacher and staff support, students will have to learn to manage their schedules and turn-ins. While it may be difficult for those new to online/homeschooling, it is very beneficial to students in the long run. Personally acquiring such a skill has helped me in managing deadlines and work in my own job as a writer. In addition, students will develop research, writing, and citation skills due to the amount of writing required across all courses. This may come off as overwhelming at first, as it did to me, but I got used to it within my first month in FTA. I found these skills an incredible asset to my learning, too. All in all, Forest Trail was a great school! I'm glad to have taken my high school through it!

Best decision made. Great school