A Letter From Barbara Garza
Head of School
Hello Everyone!
AESA Prep Academy, SACS accredited and NCAA approved, was created to fulfill an overwhelming desire and need – the need for an elite college prep school that is sized appropriately and is flexible enough to address individual student needs. AESA provides world-class academics based upon National Standards, the SAT, and the ACT, taught in small classes by highly experienced teachers; a master class schedule that accommodates training time for individual students that desire to pursue their extra-curricular passions or those students that need to be accelerated academically in particular subjects; flexibility for travel and family scheduling issues.
AESA (Academic Excellence for Scholars, Athletes and Artists) is a cutting edge school for k-12th grade students who yearn for challenging academics that truly prepare them for the university level. Junior and Senior AESA students are encouraged to take a minimum of 1 dual credit courses such as the University of Texas Dual Credit courses instead of outdated Advanced Placement courses. Institutions that still utilize AP courses are behind the times but many are simply too large and too entrenched in their current systems to be able to change. University admissions offices will prefer dual credit from a credible, renowned institution over AP courses. Dual credit courses clearly demonstrate a student’s ability to successfully master university level courses.
With AESA’s small student-teacher ratio, and independent study periods that provide peer tutoring, the traditional homework load for our students is greatly reduced, allowing families to have a balanced life style outside of school, and time for students to have adequate sleep and socialization. AESA attracts high-level academic students from Austin’s best traditional public and private schools, athletes such as tennis players, equestrians, swimmers, golfers, Fine Arts students, and students that thrive in a small classroom environment – all of whom are searching for a completely unique Middle and High School experience, a new type of school and a school that does a better job of meeting their individual and family needs.
Why us? Traditional public and private schools are acceptable, but are unable to meet the needs of our students due to master schedule structuring and size constraints. AESA Prep Academy students lead healthy and balanced lives! AESA families choose to step out of the traditional path, living a life that can include evening dinners together: no late night practices, no rushing around in heavy traffic, and no missing important family and travel opportunities due to constraining attendance policies. Our certified, highly experienced teachers are able to support and nurture our students in classes with a student-teacher ratio of 4:1.
Finally there is a school in Texas that is able to create and offer life-altering experiences for students and their families. AESA makes a firm commitment to its students, allowing students to request financial aid for academic, athletic and fine arts endeavors up to six years after graduation. As the former 9th and 10th grade Dean of Students for St. Stephen’s Episcopal School for five years, as a former public school teacher with numerous administrative positions for 28 years, and as the founder of AESA Prep Academy. I believe AESA is ahead of its time and that education as we know it is changing and needs to change. The future is now. AESA Prep Academy is proof this revolutionary model of education works. We appreciate your support and I invite you to join the AESA team!
Cheers,
Barbara Ann Garza
Head of School
AESA Prep Academy
Contact Barbara at [email protected] or (512) 560-5584