Both of my kids started at Bright Beginnings when they turned 2, and we've had a wonderful experience. The teachers are caring, patient, and truly invested in the kids. The facility is clean and well organized, and the playground is a big hit with both of my children. Most importantly, my kids are genuinely happy here. They have fun every day and have learned so many new things. It's been great to see them grow socially and academically in such a positive environment. We're very grateful to have found this preschool and would highly recommend it to other families. read more

Both my kids go here. The older one graduated last year and loves to visit when we pick up his brother. Two years ago we moved from another pre-school that we had bad a experience. Here we immediately noticed the difference. Communication is great. I felt my older got a lot from it and was well prepared to transition to Kindergarten. read more

There is no communication between family and director！All I got was just bunch email talked about how great is the school. I have been trying to reach out million times just trying to see if we can speak with someone and get more info about school and potentially a virtual tour，but apparently no one want to talk to us. On the website they literally said they have opening call us tour，but unfortunately no one ever pick up their phone and respond their email. How funny！A daycare doesn't want talk to potential new family（we literally will pay them thousands dollars） Maggie did pick up her phone one time and told me she is in a meeting and will call me back and guess what she never did and then I tried call her back，no surprise no one ever pick up the phone again！No matter how many voice mails left or emails you sent.  I don't believe a single word that in those email they sent. This is just a joke！ read more

I recently got hired at this place, and had my first day yesterday. Well I decided not to even bother returning. They failed to mention health insurance wouldn't start until after 90 days of employment with them. You can forget about having a 401k, because that only happens if you've been there for 3 years of employment. Even if you're full time, they make you wait to clock in when you get there because you may not be "needed" right away. The videos and part of recruitment is watching a video on gossiping and what it means to gossip. You also have to write them two positive reviews online AND like them on all of your social media. I was there yesterday for my first day, and I didn't get a lunch break until 2pm.... The lead teacher I was with man handled the children and raised her voice multiple times when they wouldn't listen. These kids are PRESCHOOLERS! They are not going to respond by negative punishment. I was completely baffled and honestly thought about not even returning when I did get my lunch break by TWO PM! Don't bother going to this place! Need less to say, I decided to not even go back after the first day. read more

We've lived in Charlottesville for just over 5 years, and we've sent both of our daughters to Bright Beginnings (Our oldest is now 7, and she started when she was 3, and our youngest is 1 & currently enrolled). Bright Beginnings has been a HUGE part of helping make Charlottesville our home away from home. We are relocating back to Florida now, so I wanted to take this opportunity to share our experience. To the teachers (Aurora, Teena, Jordan, Christina, Angela, Karen, Krista.. the list goes on) and the administrative team (Maggie & more!!)-- THANK YOU endlessly for loving and caring for our two girls over these past 5 years. Moving to an area that you're unfamiliar with is difficult, and finding a place that you trust to care for your child is even harder-- Bright Beginnings has been the absolute best & I can't thank you enough for your care, support, and kindness. We love you guys!!!! read more

This place is a scam for sure! After reading all of the other reviews I see I'm not the only one they have gotten over on. After goin on a tour the beginning of September they wanted $150 to my sons place, ok fine. However I am a single mom of 2 kids and they wanted the 1125 for the while month of September. They make it sound good when you go on the tour telling you they will deduct the days or of the month that have already past...LIE!!!!! So with me being a single mom and having a hard time financially right now I had applied for help which I later received with a week. When I had gotten approved Bright Beginnings had gotten the paperwork saying my sons start date was going to be the 13th of September. Meanwhile I had tried to keep in contact with them to let them know what was going on but they would either not answer the phone or say someone will call you back, which they NEVER DO!!! Long story short, they wouldn't manually go in and pay themselves like they are instructed to do if the parents don't have the card, said ib either needed the card or money, and at that time I needed the whole month of October's and the last week of September's money. Which I didn't have. Ah I waited until I got the card, once I received the card, I called immediately just to have someone say I had to wait for a phone call back with a date and time for me to come in and get my son started. Can I just say, NO ONE EVER CALLED ME BACK! AND THEY HAD JUST STOPPED ANSWERING THE PHONE. Meanwhile I'm trying to find another facility and they are ALL BOOKED UP. Since then I've lost my job due to not having someone being able to watch my son and had to move. Being a single mom with 2 kids and no income because of lack of childcare is hard, then they want to take the 150 I have them to hold his place and not call me back... I'M NOT OK WITH THIS. I have recently called back up there and spoke with the director again, just to hear the SAME THING...she will have the owner give me a call back, and AGAIN... OWNER NEVER CALLS BACK!!! So now I'm forced to take things a step further. If you're a single parent I would just keep looking else where. They definitely tricked me into taking my money and not giving me any service. THIS IS ACTUALLY A CRIME AND I'M AT THE POINT WHERE I'M GOING TO ADDRESS THIS SITUATION AS SUCH! read more

I don't know what was going on here in early 2017, but my daughter enrolled as a "waddler" in late 2017, and has Bright Beginnings has been her second home. One marvelous teacher, Ms. Kristina, was with her and her classmates through their waddler to toddler years, and helped our little girl transition to potty training. She is now an administrator at the school and has helped co-captain the ship theough the uncertainties of COVID. Krista, the other fine administrator, is always available for contact over phone or email. Both of them are mothers. Ms. Teena, who has taught the 3-year-old class for over two decades, was a kind but firm guide when our daughter and her friends went through the challenging emotional year of threedom! Now, with Ms. Desirae and the pre-kindergarten class, our daughter is learning her letters and their sounds, counting to 30, and practicing addition. At every level, her daily curriculum has included age appropriate science and art projects, and the children spend a lot of time getting their wiggles out outside in the phenomenal outdoor play area and classroom. All of the teachers support each other and the children. Ms. Jordan, Ms. Aurora, and Ms. Sarah all know our daughter well and have cared for her even though they have never been her "lead teacher." I know some children do have a challenge saying goodbye and transitioning from parents to school - and there is a period in their 2s where they all seem to suddenly freak out about the separation that was not a problem before. This is a developmental stage that mom-friends of children who live out of town and I encouraged one another through together. It is not unique to a certain care facility. It turned into like 5 minute hug goodbye sessions and then now she's 4 and in the "big kid" class, so she just skips off with her tiny unicorn backpack like she's ready to take on the world. After that phase, my daughter has been genuinely excited to go to school everyday. When we were out for the recent snow/ice storm for a long 4 day weekend, she told me, "Mommy, I wish that we got to go to school every day and that there were no weekends." After 4 days of her cooped up in the house in freezing temperatures outside, I was in full agreement. But that is besides the point. Our daughter is full of energy and personality and at times more sass than is good for her. Her teachers at BB Forest Lakes have steadily celebrated her individuality and precociousness while curbing her rebellious streak with firm discipline and steady kindness. We could not have survived the last 3 years without them!! read more

I had a similar experience from the last review. They didn't take my money however they told me they had a spot available and I toured the facility. I was told I would get an email for enrollment I offered to pay to save the spot thank goodness I didn't. I never received an email, no call back. I called multiple times and was told someone would be calling me they still haven't. I went to the facility since I'm in such a time crunch to find a place and there isn't openings anywhere else I ran into Maggie the director at the door she was busy since they were closing early that day which I understood she promised to call me or email me still haven't received anything. It's sad the place looks clean and overall the environment is nice just the administration is lacking. I was told when I toured their main core Value is transparency but that is clearly a lie which makes you wonder what else are they lying about. read more

We are consistently pleased with the care and curriculum provided at Bright Beginnings. Our son began attending as an infant and is now in the 2-year-old classroom. We credit the teachers and staff with being a crucial part of so many of his early childhood milestones, including establishing a solid nap schedule; teaching and reinforcing manners and polite behavior; and laying the foundation for potty training. The kids engage in a wide variety of activities, like morning meeting, reading, water play, art, experiments and lots of outdoor play. All staff seem genuinely invested in our son's well-being and development, and he is eager to see them and his friends at school. In fact, many days at pick-up, he begs to stay and continue playing! :) Bright Beginnings has been the ideal fit for our family's childcare needs. read more

Bright Beginnings is a Horrible place to bring your kids and to work! The owner only cares about money and she bad mouths all of her directors while she sits in her office and does nothing! Apparently they must still have billing issues and they were just on the news because a teacher was abusing the infants and finally someone reported it but the baby's parents were never notified. I have no clue how and why they are still opened. I worked their for maybe a month and that's when I saw so many red flags. A staff member would get to work at 9:30 and since a class was sometimes still in ratio without that staff that just got there the directors were told by the owner not to let them clock in until they were needed. Then on top of that kids were rarely taking a nap in their own classroom there was so many transitions because they were also so short staff when it was nap time hours. Or if a staff member arrived at their scheduled time they could be sent to another center at least 25-35 minutes away and wouldn't be compensated for that drive. I work at another child care in Charlottesville and we have gotten a lot of parents who have left DARK ENDINGS and said how unhappy they were there and how happy they are now! Don't take your Child there!!! They don't even deserve the one star I'm forced to give. read more

Parents be aware!!! If you care about your little ones DO NOT take them even close this daycare. We got burned pretty bad and I really hope that no child will ever experience the horror that we had to go through. They will not feed your newborn, they will not change your little one, they will lie into your face about their approach to conflict resolution, they teach all the kids to laugh and point fingers at the kids that cry. All the teachers do is to try to catch a "happy" moment on their cameras to send parents pictures of their kids, so that parents thinks that everything is all right! If you take your child there you will notice that your child will start crying hysterically every single time you take her there. So, please LISTEN to your gut and to your child and take your child away from there. Also, after pulling our baby from this horrible place we started researching about this place and apparently there was a police investigation because a child was wondering on a street alone because they just forgot the child there. I wish someone just take them to court and sue them for everything they do there! HORRIBLE HORRIBLE place!!! read more

Thanks for a fantastic experience at Forest Lakes. I could't be happier with the teachers and management. The renovations for stunning- you really have to go and see them for yourself. There are no other preschools in the area that provide this kind of environment for children. read more

Bright beginnings is a great school! They care very much for their staff and students alike! They are great to work for and very understanding! Bright beginnings tryst to help you in any way they can ! read more

We had our three year old daughter here when we first relocated to Charlottesville. I should have known from some of the warning signs that this facility had no clue on what they were doing. However, it was nicely redone and the teachers all seemed nice during our tour. During the short two months my daughter was there, she was treated like a number... she went through two directors, two teacher and classroom changes and multiple teacher assistants. It was no surprise, when we went to pick her up, no one even could locate her at times because they didn't know any of the kids!!!! Now, almost a month later, we are being contacted about billing issues. At first, we were told we have to pay the entire month of November because we didn't give the full 30 day notice (although they already took the $300 deposit for this)... wait it gets better: after about a week of talking to multiple people via email (no one ever wants to talk on the phone with you) I finally get a call now stating actually we don't owe for November but we never paid for October so we owe that. Again, everything about this place screams extremely unorganized and misinformed - and after all of this back and forth NO ONE ever accepted this was any of their fault just always stating something about how they are learning to make it better for their families and children. I've heard better things about the other locations but at all costs avoid the Forest Lakes location! read more