My son (now 4 1/2) started at A Child's Place (ACP) when he was 20 months old. He started in the…read moretoddler room and has moved through the trainers (2s), Pre-School II, and Preschool III classes. While he was in the Pre-School II class, the administration turned over and a new Director and Assistant Director took over. The new Director has made some INCREDIBLE changes. Many of the mothers of the 3-5 year olds agree that ACP has seen significant improvement during our time there.
Some highlights to the school include:
1) Caring administration, teachers, and staff. Anyone and everyone is willing to talk to you regarding your child, including how they are doing, any concerns you may have, and they will listen and work with you. An example of this is that they wanted to my my son up to the Pre-K class, and I was very unsure of the move. He had just gotten used to the PS-II class and was THRIVING there. His class is small and the teacher is absolutely amazing. I emailed the director, and within the hour, she called me back to discuss. We agreed that he should stay in the class and we would reevaluate in a few months. He continues to thrive in the class.
2) Outdoor play space. There is so much space and so much equipment that the kids are never bored. Kids and parents (and I'm sure the teachers) can't wait for warm days to get the kids outside to run around.
3) Special activities and classes. You pay an activity fee twice a year and it is worth it. This fee goes to bounce house rentals in the Spring and Summer, musical acts (BJ & Cody and others), Reptile shows (Reptiles Alive), Scoops 2U visits, and so much more. ACP has a P.E. instructor who comes twice a week and the kids adore him. There is music class on Thursdays as well. Outside recreation companies are available for the kids (for registration fees), including soccer, ballet, computer class, and cheerleading. 2-3 times a year, ACP holds a Parents Night Out, for a nominal fee.
4) Balancing the classes. There was a boom of kids, now between the ages of 4-5, and when they moved up from the trainers class, trying to assign them to classrooms has been a challenge. Balancing personalities amongst teachers and students has been extremely successful. "Strong personalities" (including my son) were separated from each other and paired with the right teacher and fellow students. This, again, as helped my son thrive in his environment. I couldn't be happier.
5) Parent involvement. As well as the encouragement to talk to the administration and teaching staff, ACP has several events throughout the year which include the parents. Egg Hunts, Halloween Parades, Family Picnics, Muffins for Mothers Day, Donuts with Dads, etc. This allows parents to get to know each other and to meet the kids.
A few other things to address the commenters on this page.
Safety/Security: I have NEVER been concerned about security. There is a strict sign-in/sign-out policy. Only allocated people are allowed to pick up your child and they have to show ID to do so.
Classroom Size: Physically, yes, most of the classrooms are too small. However, the teacher/child ratio is excellent. My son is completely unaware that his classroom is crowded. There is plenty of room to play, learn and sleep.
Administration: As I mentioned before, the new administration is fantastic. I, too, had concerns regarding the previous administration, but they are gone and the school is better for it.
Incident Reporting: Teachers cannot see everything. They fill out incident reports, signed by the teacher, staff, administration, then signed by the parents. The reports include, what happened, how was it remedied (or even disciplined), and any additional details a parent would need. If there is a more serious incident, the parents will work with the Director and child directly.
Communication: As I mentioned, open communication is encouraged. Daily reports are given every day, including what they learned, how much they ate and slept, and any upcoming information you'll need. Monthly activity calendars are given, teachers/parents email communication, and phone notices (for closings) are also used. Flyers are posted around the school for upcoming events and other notices. There is no lack of communication.
As my son has aged though the school, I've loved it more and more. I started out hesitant and have grown to love it as the administration has made changes. I can't say enough about the teachers/staff either. ACP is a wonderful place for your child to grow and learn.
