My twin fifteen month old boys have been attending Campbell Christian for a few weeks now and they are thriving there. I did a lot of research and toured other local daycares and Campbell Christian was way above and beyond any other school I found. I wanted in so badly that I scrambled for care until they had availability!
We transitioned the boys by coming to the classroom for playdates before they actually started attending the toddler room for full days. They immediately took to the teachers and loved the play space. I attended the school's open house this week and the preschool director, Kathy, gave such a heart warming presentation. We feel like part of a huge, loving family here. I know that each teacher, and even the supporting staff members, truly care about the well being of my boys.
Some things that made CC stand out to me:
1- The actual space/classrooms. The toddler classroom (and all other classrooms, for that matter) are sizable with great toys. They have a large table with seat cutouts so all the toddlers can eat their meals together. The outdoor play space is shaded and the ground is soft track material.
2- The teachers. From my first day of meeting the teachers they were knowledgeable, friendly, and confident. They are all CPR certified, know how to administer an epi pen (which is important for us since we have a little one with food allergies), plans for all emergencies, and truly care for the children.
3- The transition plan. They have a very clearly spelled out plan for toddlers to transition to the next classroom. The kids make visits to the next classroom up starting the week before they transfer so they can get used to the new teachers and new environment. No other schools I visited had plans like this. That shows care! I visited the 2-3s classroom last week and they have a monthly calendar spelling out the letters and colors they will work on every week, and activities they will participate in. They also start providing food at age 2, can't wait to not have to pack lunches every day! Campbell Christian works with parents in a major way to potty train. Honestly, it seems that they take on the bulk of the work as long as you agree to do your part at home too, what a deal....
4- Structure. Most other schools I toured allowed the toddlers to sleep and eat on demand, which is fine for some families, but I think my boys thrive on structure. The toddlers have a schedule for eating and naps, which I love. They know what to expect every day which I have read in many books is great for little ones. My boys had never slept anywhere but their cribs before, which I thought might be a challenge as the toddlers sleep on mats on the floor, but they did great with guidance from Ms. Stephanie!! They take great naps every day.
5- Safety/procedural guidelines. This might sound silly, and be annoying to some, but Campbell Christian has a handbook that spells out all expectations of the kids and the parents. They make sure parents sign the kids in and out, this is very important to them, and it's important to me that they take safety so seriously!! They have monthly fire drills, check IDs for every new person that picks up the children (and randomly check IDs of even the parents). This is a nut free environment, which again, is great for us.
6- Communication. I have sent multiple emails to office staff and they are extremely responsive. When the boys first started full days I called multiple times the first few days and got great details on how they were doing. I received a note from a teacher in their lunch box asking me to sign the boys out on the correct lines (I had been doing it wrong) which I greatly appreciated, again, safety first! I love how seriously they take these things. When I pick up the boys I get feedback about their day.
Overall our family has had such a wonderful experience here. I am SO glad to have found Campbell Christian, we were welcomed into their family with open arms. I am so happy to have found a school where I can leave my young toddlers and know that they are being taken great care of and I don't have to stress at all. Thank you Campbell Christian! read more