My daughter currently goes here and we love it! Friendly staff, clean place, affordable, and…read morethey're great with the kids! My daughter is in the 3-4 age group and they're already teaching things a lot of children her age or older are barely just learning! Can't wait to keep up with this until she graduates! Don't believe the reviews you've seen here - the director and staff are amazing but also no nonsense and are so great with the kids. Every day my daughter comes home and tells me how much she loves school and always makes the cutest things! Would recommend this school to anybody!

"Greater than 97th Percentile In Early Literacy" are the exact words we just got back from my 5year…read moreold daughters Kindergarten state testing! She was a student at Kinder Academy since she was 2 and we are feeling so grateful! Thank you Kinder Academy for building such an incredible foundation for my girl! She is thriving! I am so grateful for your program and all you do for the community! She was confident walking into her kindergarten enrichment class on her own and hasn't stopped reading! I'm blown away! My heart is so full! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

My kids have attended FHPP for a couple of years and now that my almost 5 year old is about to head…read moreinto kindergarten I wanted to let others know that their children are in safe and caring hands at FHPP. I think that teachers make so much of the difference in a child's experience so I feel pretty fortunate that my sons have had Mrs. Dominic (4 year old room) and Mrs. Conway (3 year old room) during their time at FHPP. Both ladies are sweet and loving and seem to genuinely love teaching the littles. Mrs. Dominic has pulled me aside to show me pictures she took during class of my son playing nicely with other children (I previously expressed concerns about his social skills) and she even mentioned one other child in particular with a disposition similar to my son. I have since arranged wonderful private play dates with the other child and his mother! Mrs. Conway always welcomes my youngest with a big warm greeting and although he somewhat reluctantly enters class at each drop off, he enthusiastically reports back to me that Mrs. Conway is his "best friend"! And the office is managed by the nicest ladies around. Robin (director) and Melissa (assistant director) always greet me like a member of the family... sometimes (okay, often) I'm late, they are warm; many days I'm disheveled, they are welcoming; and on more than a few occasions I've needed a few minutes of adult interaction, they are willing to take 5 minutes to ask how I am. They take a true interest in my kids and my family. I feel fortunate to have found FHPP!

I went to Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Preschool when I was younger, as well did all of my siblings…read moreand cousins. It is such a fun loving environment there! My son, who is 1 1/2 years old currently goes there for their newly opened infant room. I love it and so does he! As soon as we get there, he waltzes right in and starts playing, and get this, he doesn't even cry when I leave, rather, he cries when I come pick him up and take him home haha. The teachers who take care of the little ones in the infant room are so loving, and take the time to teach and play with the kids. Also, the director Robin is so amazing. Super kind and understanding! It is an all-around great program, and can't wait to have my son spend his next few years there!

Loved this preschool! It was the kindest, sweetest place to send your little ones to! They really…read morecare!

My daughter loved this school! The teachers are caring and attentive. The student-teacher ratio is…read morelower than those of any of the other schools I considered, and the tuition is very reasonable. Everyone is friendly and welcoming. The kids do lots of fun projects and singalongs. What a little treasure in the heart of El Cajon!

I sent my oldest here part time with Miss Sara and Miss Kim. I think they were both wonderful and…read moremy daughter looked forward to attending every day. Directors were kind and it's also meaningful that they have staff that has been there a long time. I would have to say aside from the learning and socializing part, there were a couple things I would want to share as a parent and some improvements I'd like to see if I were to ever send my child back. I took my daughter out because she was constantly getting sick ( which I know some Illness is expected with school but this was too often in my opinion) and because my youngest daughter (2) was returned to me with a dirty soiled diaper and rash on her " practice day" which I did not appreciate. I also did not feel comfortable with what looked like laid back security policies I witnessed which I'll detail below. Too many times I arrived in the morning with nobody at the front reception desk- as a parent dropping my most precious cargo off somewhere ....I most definitely want and expect someone to be at the desk ..not even greeting me ! ...mainly Just for security purposes to see who's coming and going, etc. This is a preschool. Anyone can get the code to enter if they wanted to so this was one thing that made me uncomfortable. Some other times I arrived early and waited a few minutes in the parking lot until it was my kids designated pick up time ..I saw the front entrance left open for the mail man or delivery truck....and when I entered through these open doors, nobody was at front desk either. So any stranger could have walked in while the door was propped open. As a parent, I really did not care for this at all, and my " comfortability" with this facility began to decrease. I want tight security knowing my kid is safe and doors arent left open for anyone and if so, staff is on top of it with eyeballs. Rather be safe than sorry. Again, nothing against staff whatsoever because everyone was kind but just my opinion from a parent perspective in regards to the issues I mentioned above. I am/was bummed out to remove my daughters because they seemed to like it. ! Updated: I did not mention this review is for early 2020...Jan/Feb 2020 I was contacted by the KC supervisor named Will shortly after I posted this review regarding my experience which I really appreciated. He took my concerns very seriously and also let me know that many things have changed since Pre-Covid times also. Again, staff was friendly towards me...maybe will give it another try sometime in the future!

Parents of infants 6 months and younger -- please read before enrolling…read more When I toured this facility, I informed the director, Marcela, that my son would begin attending at 3 months old. During the tour, I was told that rooms were cleaned nightly, babies were changed every two hours, and that the center maintained high standards of care. Unfortunately, my experience after enrollment did not align with those expectations. Health & Hygiene Concerns My son became ill with the flu within three days of starting and continued to experience recurring illnesses during the two months he attended. He frequently came home with dried milk on his head, ears, and neck, indicating that he was not being cleaned after feedings. This contributed to a rash, chest irritation, and eventually an ear infection that required antibiotics. Although I provided healing ointment, it was not consistently applied. Infant Care Issues A bottle feeding was missed. His face and neck were not cleaned after feedings. One day, he had multiple scratches on his nose. Staff stated they were caused by a toy falling on him, but the pattern and number of scratches did not appear consistent with that explanation. When I raised concerns, the responses I received did not acknowledge the issues I observed. Professionalism After enrollment, the director's communication style became noticeably less supportive. I was told that my son required more attention than other infants, despite him being 3-4 months old while many of the other children were older and more independent. I also witnessed another parent expressing frustration with the director during the enrollment process, which in hindsight was an early warning sign. Outcome My son attended this center for two months before I was able to move him to another facility, where he is now doing well. I want to share my experience so that other parents -- particularly those with very young infants -- can make informed decisions. Based on my experience, I would not recommend this location for younger infants.

My son has been at this school from the age of 11 months to 5 1/2 years. I am so sad that we will…read morebe leaving in two months to move on to Kindergarten at another school. This is a play-based Christian preschool. Your child's development as a God loving human being is central but it is not shoved on you as a parent. The kids learn to pray before meals, sing Sunday school songs and go to chapel every Friday for a Bible lesson. Most important they are learning the social skills kids need to learn so badly before going to elementary school. The teachers and administrators are caring and kind, gentle yet firm and just plain loving towards the children. They are always willing to work through any problems and offer advice. Breakfast and lunch are included in the price and they are wholesome meals. My son and his friends eat vegetables every day and through positive peer pressure have learned to like things they may have never tried before. Any special dietary requests are taken seriously. They will also use your cloth diapers if requested. That was a huge selling point for me as the other daycares in the area would not touch them. Another plus is the fun activities they do for parents on Mother's and Father's Day. The church itself puts on a Mother's Day luncheon that is fabulous. There is always a speaker and a lovely lunch with the children. For Father's Day they hold a barbecue/game day on the field. They also have a Christmas program and an End of the Year Program/Graduation. They're all wonderful and a lot of fun. Thank you El Cajon Wesleyan for such an amazing experience!

Both of my kids have attended this school. I can't say enough great things about all of the…read moreteachers and the administration.

When we were looking for daycares, we would become sick to our stomachs worrying about who we would…read morebe trusting to watch over our most precious thing; our son Brayden. As soon as we met the director/owner Nicole we immediately knew that Taproot Tots was a safe and caring place. In the 20 months since then, they have taken so much time to work with us and Brayden as he went through stages, illnesses, etc. They have consistently been patient, helpful and kind. Nicole has taught us so much. With the amount of time Brayden spends at Taproot Tots, together with Nicole and the other teachers we are raising Brayden. He comes home each day and amazes us with the amount of information and skills he has learned. Every day we are all writing on the slate of Brayden's development, formulating who he will become. We are so grateful to have Taproot Tots as part of this process and could not have asked for better people to participate in this most crucial of developmental phases. We really couldn't ask for a better daycare!

It is with a heavy heart that I write this review, because I really wanted to like this place. I…read morefeel it is my duty to warn other parents that if they have an active child, this might not be the place for them. After looking for a local pre-school for my four year old son, I was thrilled that I had found taproot. I walked in and was greeted by one of the teacher's assistants who proceeded to give me a tour of the place. It' a spacious building with three split age groups and a large playground. One of the first things I noticed that struck me as odd was that all the children walked in to the classrooms from their lunch time with their hands behind their back (think cops style). I decided to look past it and tried not to let it bother me so much. Fast forward to the inside of the classroom, the children are sitting in circle time, silent, with their hands behind their backs again (this time it looks sad and the children look robotic). I decided to ask why they were doing that and the teacher said it was so that they wouldn't be distracted from the lesson- OK, sure, whatever works I guess. But there was not a single smile on the kids' faces, perhaps they were very focused. I am impressed with everything the TA is pitching me. She tells me that if my child stays through the pre-k and kinder program, that he would start first grade multiplying and dividing. I thought that was awesome! But wondered how hard they needed to drill these 4 and 5 year olds to teach them that. Naturally, as a parent, you want your children to excel and be the best, but sometimes you need to slow down and remember that they are just children, and are growing and learning every single day. I liked how nice the place looked- it looks like kindergarten, classrooms are clean, etc. I decide to sign him up and hope for the best. Come Monday, he starts. Of course he cried because he doesn't know anyone. I get a call from the head teacher, Elvia, towards lunch telling me he has stopped crying by the time I reached my car (supposedly). When I pick him up at the end of the day, I ask him how his day was, he responds by telling me "Not good mommy.". This made me sad, but I figured he was just getting used to it. I keep him there for a week, and every time his answer is disheartening. For the entire week, my poor child is having nightmares and not sleeping well. He cried all but one day that i dropped him off (that day it was a late drop for him and he went in distracted to a group activity). 3 out of the 5 days he was there, he came back in different clothes. When I asked why, they told me he wet his pants and in one single day, it was 3 different times. My child is fully potty trained, so I found this VERY bizarre. On Friday, the head teacher speaks with me again and lets me know that they are having problems with my son listening. I understand that it can be hard to adjust, but the school seems like it can be run in a military type fashion when they come to instilling order for the children. I agree to help follow through more at home (which I did the whole week- strict bed time, picking up toys, chores, etc). I pick him up at the end of the day, this time in different clothes. I ask one of the TA' s how his day was and if he had been doing any better. Her response is extremely lack luster and ill informed. She was very sluggish with her response and this frustrated me. I put him in the car and notice his shoes are on backwards. I get it, maybe he put them on wrong... why couldn't anyone have helped? There was snot on his face... not offering tissues either? Geeze. We get home and I start taking off his things to get him in the bath when I notice a bite mark near his elbow, and light bruises on his arms. I ask him what happened and he tells me "I was in time out mommy". AT THIS POINT I AM ENRAGED!!! Why on earth does my child have bruises on his arms? I understand he may try to resist being put in the time out chair, but to tighten your grip in that manner to the point where you can leave a mark is absurd. I quickly call and leave a message on their machine that he will not be returning. On Monday I get a call from the head teacher in which she asks me if her words of him having difficulty overwhelmed me. I told her no, but proceeded to explain my findings and the fact that there was no incident report in his cubby. She says none of the teachrs reported anything that day and that they didn't notice him crying or anything. I told her about the bruises on his arms and him being on time out and she started going on about trying to find out who bit him and whether or not he could provide a name so they could address it with the child. How about addressing the bruises? I fully understand that little boys can be active and playful, but my son is not violent and doesn't hurt other children. If he was having such trouble listening and was resistant to time outs, call me, don't force him in a chair to the point where you hurt him. Enough said.

My experience with this preschool was terrible. Early on they were taking the children outside in…read moreextreme heat. My baby came home with a sunburn one day with no incident report. He also came home bruised with scratches on his back multiple times. Additionally, when I brought up the extreme heat to the school They only attempted to defend their position instead of saying they were going to change the way they were doing things because it was at risk of the children. I also saw children covered head to toe in mosquito bites, and they seemed to refuse to take the children inside when the bugs were swarming. They just shrugged it off. My son is a little rough and tumble. When he's tired, he can be a little handy. They unenrolled him without having a conversation with us first. They just sent a crappy email with a terrible letter with no phone call. Terrible way to run your business. I don't know if I can trust these people again. I would not recommend the school to anyone under the current leadership.

This school is great. I visited EVERY single preschool in the area, christian based and not…read morechristian bases. I was either disappointed in the playground due to being old, unkept, dirty or the classroom... also looking DIRTY.. like they NEVER cleaned toys and disorganized. This place has Exceeded all expectations. The playground is CLEAN! they are constantly switching out the toys so they kids have new activities every few days. They are CLEAN toys and they get washed. they have Kleenex boxes, hand sanitizer on hand. The best is they have mini bathrooms for the kids. the toilets are lower to the ground, and they teach potty training. The teachers are super friendly and take the time to understand your child's needs. Whats even better... they take care of all snacks and meals for you. its part of the program!! Yes no more trying to figure out each day what my little one is going to eat. The price is reasonable and worth the wait list to get into the school. They do chapel once a week and my son is always so excited when he gets to go into the BIG ROOM. I recommend this place.

I do not recommend this school, I took a tour yesterday, the lady at the main office was very kind…read more I proceeded with the walk through of the school. Everything seemed organized & clean. I got to meet the 2 year class, were my 2 year old was going to attend, unfortunately the teacher didn't greet my daughter who was going to attend that particular class. Besides that, the teacher didn't seem happy to be there, her expression on her face wasn't pleasant & she was very, un enthusiastic towards the kids. I also noticed that she sung a song to the kids, which was awesome, crazy but I also noticed, the teacher giving a snack to only about two kids, there were more that 5 kids in the classroom, she also didn't WASH HER HANDS During snack hand out. I hated to observed so much, but my children deserve a communicable, enthusiastic, clean welcoming teacher. I'll continue to do my search.

We are so happy we found Grow Smart! I was a stay at home mom for the first 3 years of our son's…read morelife. It was the two of us all day, everyday, for 3 years. When I say I was terrified to send him to daycare/preschool, I mean it. I had no idea how he would act with no family around, with teachers, and structure. From the first meeting we had the staff at Grow Smart has been PHENOMENAL. They continue to reassure me that toddlers need to get used to structure and the discipline of a classroom setting, and that they are prepared for the transition. The staff is so kind, understanding, down to earth, and compassionate. I trust them to provide our son with the best care, and as a parent that is priceless. We pay out of pocket with no government assistance, and it is worth every penny for the comfort and relief of knowing our son is safe. Thank you Grow Smart!! Also- this is an academic daycare/pre-preschool. So not only is he getting social interaction, and learning patience and discipline, but they teach them there basic numbers, letters, and more!