Pros
The kids and the relationships I've formed with coworkers.
Cons
Though a quick google search can give you plenty of information about SA, I feel compelled to add my own experience and findings. Note that this isn’t even a post from a disgruntled employee, but rather someone who has been generally successful with the company, but will soon be leaving behind 18,000 kids and their families that have been duped into believing this is the best choice for education, only hoping that they will soon see the light and put their child first, and find somewhere better able to care and educate their child. — Even the most organized person in the world will burn out quickly, hence the high teacher turnover. With the physical day in front of children starting at 7:30 and ending as late as 5:15, your day is a minimum of 10 hours. This does not include any time for lesson preparation, grading, or contacting parents. In order to be “successful” and move up in positions, you need to be the best. But unless you are working yourself to death, which could mean 14+ hours a day to create and plan and outline everything perfectly, you will not be “successful” in the eyes of SA. Don’t worry, you are constantly reminded of your shortcomings, which is damaging to your fresh out of college self-esteem, as that’s who SA prefers to hire. With that being said, you’ll notice most of the staff is young, because SA preys on those fresh out of college with no experience and most likely no family obligations. SA’s hiring process is quite simple for those with no experience or credentials, as SA is looking to “mold them” into following and believing in their “mission” and continue to hire those not equipped or have the skillset to provide a high quality education outside of rope memorization. SA expanded far too quickly, and now they fill positions with unqualified, warm bodies to keep them operational. I know certified teachers with plenty of experience have applied to SA, and they weren’t even brought in to interview. Probably because SA know’s how damaging their “culture” is to children, and any teacher with experience in a different school environment will quickly notice and flee/report SA for their “rigor” - IE, working children to the bone for test scores, and gently pushing out those who can’t meet the excessively high bar. (Example verbiage for push out, “If YOU feel this isn’t a good match for you…” Yes, smooth move with the parent blame/making it the “parents choice” to leave.) It took me a while to try and figure out why parents would send their children to SA. Why send your children to a school where a majority of the teachers have never taught a child, have no experience in education, and aren’t certified? My first guess would maybe be physical safety? I will give SA that, they make sure every bump and bruise is taken care of. Though it’s because they know how many people are anti-SA and will try and sue the pants off of them (which people have done multiple times). Additionally, SA does tote high test scores and rely on those to brainwash (especially new/first child) parents into thinking that those scores are the only path for success. That is partially true. You’ll have to be a good test taker in life, but SA does not teach independence or any other life-long skill. The constant parent follow ups if kids aren’t “in the blue,” the rigid structure and management; that is not how the real world operates, and children and parents won’t feel the effects of such a rigid structure until the child is much older and can’t do anything but recite test taking tips and tricks. The current lack of success from their most recent high school graduates is proof. NYC schools definitely need help, and SA knows this and preys on low income and vulnerable families that feel they have no other choice. SA is not the answer to education. SA will most likely respond to this with the usual, “Sorry your experience was poor. We pride ourselves on X, Y, Z…” and nothing will change, but hopefully this review gets through to someone and saves them from applying for/accepting an offer from SA, or to a parent thinking of sending their child here.