We sent our kids to Forrestal from 2016 through 2020, withdrawing them when COVID hit like so many others. Forrestal has some great aspects - terrific playgrounds, nice and clean classrooms, a separate cafe for older kids to begin adjusting to eating in a cafeteria as they transition to kindergarten, and camera access for parents to check in on their kids. The true highlight for us, though, was Chef Jake. He is the reason so many parents stick with Forrestal, even when other aspects might be lacking. His food was delicious and nutritious, and he set the stage for both my kids to have sophisticated palates. (They ate the Caesar tilapia every time!) We also loved their annual fall festival, where kids dressed in costumes and played while the parents got to enjoy Chef Jake's food and socialize. I wish Chef Jake offered catering or had a cookbook. However, not everything was rosy. Administrative staff and the daycare owners could improve their communication and work on management skills - there is noticeable and disappointing attrition/turnover among teachers (even pre-COVID). I always felt like I knew what was coming in my kids' classrooms - what the weekly theme was, when school would be closed - but it was hard to get staff to explain basics like what you could bring to school for your kid in each class (a blanket, a lovie, a water bottle?) and often their responses were rude. The weekly newsletters were a jumbled mess of information to decipher. This facility is on the pricy side as compared with others in the area, and so I'd expect a better experience on the communication front. They're also not spectacular at accommodating different dietary needs for kids at the school - I'd love to see them offer a vegetarian option, for example - but that improved over time so I'll give them credit for improving. That said, I always knew my kids were safe and happy there. I liked the convenience of the location and knowing that other kids at the facility lived nearby so birthday parties and play dates were feasible. Most of the teachers were wonderful and kind, and my kids really did learn a lot there. It was more than a daycare - they focused on education as opposed to just letting kids sit around and watch videos all day. read more

I'm writing this review as a concerned parent after my six-month-old daughter spent one month in the infant classroom ("Baby Birds"). I want to share my honest experience to help other parents find the best environment for their children. First, the positives: the campus is beautiful, clean, and well-maintained. I also appreciated the organic baby food program, splash pad, and biometric fingerprint entry system, which is a great feature. However, I did notice that at times multiple individuals may enter behind one another without scanning, which somewhat defeats the purpose of controlled access. Beyond the surface, my experience raised several concerns--especially given the cost of tuition. On my daughter's second day, her bottle was mistakenly given to another baby. This is extremely concerning, not only from a care standpoint but also due to the risk of cross-contamination and illnesses such as RSV. The following day, I attempted to provide pre-portioned formula and water as a backup, but was told this was not allowed due to state law. While I understand policies exist for safety, this left me uneasy given the previous incident. I also observed what appeared to be a lack of attentiveness regarding illness. I overheard a parent expressing concern about their baby being sick, and on a separate occasion noticed a baby with visible symptoms (such as a runny nose on their clothing). This made me question how illness is being managed and whether precautions are taken to limit spread among infants. I also observed staff stepping over babies on the floor rather than walking around them. Books were kept in a cabinet behind the front desk and not accessible in the classroom, and I did not observe babies being read to or engaged in developmentally appropriate activities. On one occasion, I saw a baby playing with a small plastic storage container, which raised safety concerns. Additionally, babies appeared to spend extended time (30+ minutes) in container seats, which felt excessive. The school offers camera access with a clear view of the classroom, but it is limited to 30 minutes per parent and does not include audio. From what I consistently observed, the routine seemed to focus on feeding, changing, and placing babies on the floor for independent play. The environment felt rushed at times--more focused on managing the babies than nurturing and engaging them. I also had a small but telling experience where my daughter was changed out of her outfit before I could even leave the parking lot, and I was told staff did not have time to put outfits like that back on. I would recommend sending infants in simple clothing like sleepers. Lastly, there is no online billing portal. Payments are automatically withdrawn weekly using bank information, and statements are not issued until the end of the month, which lacked clarity. Due to my concerns, I ultimately withdrew my daughter before the required two-week notice period. This may be a good fit for families seeking a clean, basic daycare environment. However, for those looking for a more enriching, nurturing experience--especially at this price point--it may fall short. I do believe there is potential, but the level of care and engagement did not align with my expectations. I am looking for a place where my child is not only cared for, but truly nurtured and supported in her development. read more

Forrestal Academy - Books kept behind the front desk - Child Care & Day Care Near Me - Huntersville, North Carolina

Our experience with Forrestal Academy was unfortunately not what we hoped for. The facility itself is beautiful, clean, and clearly has a lot to offer. We especially liked the in house purée program and the overall campus. On paper, there was a lot to like about this center. Unfortunately, our daughter's first and only day was a very different experience. She is almost 5 months old and is normally a very happy, content baby. She transitioned calmly at drop-off, but after we left, we watched the classroom cameras and saw her become increasingly distressed without consistent intervention to address her needs. For much of the approximately 2.5 hours she was there, she appeared to be crying or very upset, with periods of crying on the floor, flailing in a bumbo seat, or flailing backwards over a boppy clearly very distressed. Overall we did not feel that her distress was being responded to in the way we expected for an infant on her first day to build a safe trusting environment. When we picked her up early, she was hoarse from crying (at a level of crying we have never seen from her before) and was extremely difficult to calm. The center had not attempted to contact us, and when we arrived the director had no idea what was going on in the room. it was clear she had not been in the room or followed up on how the new infant was settling in on her first day. We understand that babies cry at daycare and that teachers cannot immediately respond to every cry when caring for multiple infants. We were never expecting a tear-free transition. What we were looking for was an environment where an infant experiencing significant distress would receive responsive adult assistance. Overall I felt they were unable to understand or meet our baby's needs during this time and instead followed the route of letting her cry it out on the floor. We also had some administrative concerns prior to as well as following our withdrawal. We requested that our concerns and requests be escalated to the owner but were not provided with an opportunity to speak with ownership. We also had difficulty getting responses to multiple requests for itemized receipts for dependent-care tax purposes. Multiple emails went partially or fully ignored. You will likely pay a SIGNIFICANT amount of money (waitlist fees, annual enrollment fees, 2 week binding payment agreements) to find out if this center can care for your child appropriately. The center requires access to your bank account for payments (no payment portal so you can't monitor what they withdraw), so even after verbal confirmation we would not be charged again from the director- they continued to pull further weeks of tuition from our account unauthorized, of which we had no control over. I would be extremely careful before giving this center access to your bank information. We want to acknowledge that the facility itself is one of the nicest daycare centers we have seen. Unfortunately, for us, a beautiful facility and extensive amenities cannot make up for a lack of warmth and responsiveness in the infant classroom and with the administrative staff. I would be extremely cautious trusting this center with your child. read more

I had a very eye opening experience dealing with Heather King at Forrestal Academy. After reaching out initially to set up enrollment I was notified verbally of a registration fee and the tuition dues. I asked for an in person meeting prior to enrollment date in lou of being thorough and understanding what we should expect. The school requires you to provide your account numbers so they can automatically pull funds as they wish. I let them know I was more comfortable with other forms of payment where I had more control over what amount they were pulling. It wasn't until a few days before the planned enrollment date I received a call from Heather asking me for an additional fee we did not previously discuss. An annual fee. An annual fee, before we were there one day? Annual fees come annually and there was zero mentioned of this during any of our meetings. Heather was quick and happy to mentioned it was in their 20 page packet in the fine print that I signed. This was brought up after they wanted my account information which leads me to believe they would have just pulled any amount they wanted without my knowledge. I ultimately did not provide any account numbers prior as I had planned on setting up a secure monitored account that had not been done yet. SO if I had done so they would have just pulled what they wanted at any time. I decided to put our start on hold because of the lost trust and concern of starting off on the right foot. Now Heather expects me to pay tuition for the time it took me to decide that we were not moving forward because of her untransparent actions. This school is all about showcasing the good then get your account numbers and do what they want where they have control over what they take from your account. Good luck with that business model. read more

We have been with Forrestal Academy since 2019. The entire staff has always gone above and beyond to keep our children and families safe, which has been a priority to us through covid. Both of our sons love their teachers, the classrooms, and the food! We are confident their days are filled with fun and learning! We have, and will continue to recommend forrestal to friends and family. read more

Great staff who are caring and work with you to meet yours and your child's needs. I would definitely recommend them!

We LOVE everyone and everything about FORRESTAL!!! We've tried 2 other daycares prior to because of the waiting list, after 1 year, we're not leaving until they make us Hahahaha. From cleanliness, to quality, to stability, 2nd to none. Give them a call and go on the personal tour, you'll fall in love! As far as the other reviews, you can just tell that they're not understanding of the daily rigor that the staff has to go through. Me me me attitude, when it should be more focused on the kids, and praise them for focusing on the children...And for the comment about how sterile the school was????? Really?!?!? I'm sorry, but I love the fact that they put a lot of focus on hygiene. All the kids have to wash their hands before they can go participate in any activity! Kudos Forrestal! read more

My child started off at Forrestal as a 2 year old. Beyond her Gucci belt (don't judge) being stolen off of her baby waist, it was a great experience. Things started to go down hill before Covid. The passive aggressive mails by administration is beyond unprofessional. They never will apologize or recognize that their behavior is inappropriate in the front office. If a teacher says or does something inappropriate they will call your child a liar. Covid has brung them to all time lows. They call out families (short of naming them) for the biggest hypocrisies. They jacked up prices to provide no additional value or sense of safety. What started as an amazing facility has turned into an ugly family run business that holds no accountability. Advice to Forrestal? Start treating families how you would want to be treated. Make rules that actually make sense. Hold yourself accountable! read more

It is the best pre school, hands down. Staff is amazing; teachers are so nice and well prepared; food is good quality (all natural, they have a chef and prepare everything there, EVERYTHING!); curriculum is amazing, kids are really engaged and learning every day; outside area is very well maintained and so good; they have cameras on every classroom and outside area... I'm really happy with the school, recommend to everyone! Thank you guys for everything you do for our little one! read more

I dropped in for a tour, being new to the area. When I first stopped in, the Director (who I assume was the director, but she never formally told who she was) seemed very busy, so I told her I would leave to get my oldest daughter from dance and would return. When I returned, apparently she was still busy. It was very sterile. I felt like I was at a Doctor's visit as I had to wait about 10 minutes for a tour. I didn't get to actually see INSIDE any classroom, just through the windows. First, I assumed it was because it was during nap time, but when we got to the summer camp room, which is also the after school room for my oldest, we didn't go in there either and they were awake. I would like to have talked with the teachers, observed their interaction withy the children, etc. They didn't seem to really want my business, so I will take it elsewhere!!! read more

Overall, I feel Forrestal is still trying to work the kinks out of "being a new school" and in return, it's having an effect on Staff and Parents. Articles on the school/owner are focused on care and safety of the children, however, the feel and impression that is coming off is they care more about business and financials, which is being confirmed by consistent teacher turnover. From experience, I have witnessed lack of respect with good teachers and poor communication to parents (and even teachers) on changes happening at the school. Forrestal is a Private school, so they are able to hide under that umbrella as they aren't really being held accountable by anyone. Their current handbook on their website is still the 2013-2014 school year. The school does not hold teacher parent conferences, even though it clearly states they do twice a year. Teacher turnover is at it highest (and that is realizing in that profession it happens often). Lack of communication leaves parents feeling uneasy. New room transitions are happening months prior then when they normally would/should. I still have access to their online camera site and can see the rooms, even though we no longer attend the school, which doesn't say much for security and organization of front staff. I never felt comfortable walking in and the front staff mostly feels fake. There is not a warm welcoming presence as they always remain in their offices, rather then someone sitting up front at the desk that is there. I once had a conversation with the Director and Owner on a concern with my child. The Owner hardly looked up and never made real eye contact (while she continued typing on her computer) and the Director looked to the Owner for Guidance- all while the situation being awkward for me. One morning when I was dropping off my child, there was one teacher in the room and kids started funneling in pretty fast. When the teacher got over ratio, she immediately called the front to inform them and have someone sent to her room to help. I didn't feel comfortable leaving that teacher with that many kids in the room and decided to wait for her backup before leaving. 20 min later....20 MIN and over double the ratio- a teacher was sent to the room to assist. I felt awful for the teacher, and you could tell she was embarrassed that I waited. The one positive is the healthy food Chef Jake creates. Yummy. read more

I hate leaving my son but I fee really good about leaving him here-- I know they have high standards on nutrition and education. I feel like my son has learned so much from attending! read more