As a parent of young children, I primarily rely on the good word and referrals from other parents…read morewhen it comes to care and school for my kids. At the height of Delta infections, I was seeking a new school for my toddlers. All the schools I knew of in my area did not have openings. It was the first time since my kids were born I relied solely on a brief tour, and the listed childcare license at the TX department of human services website to enroll my kids at GAP-PLC. Therefore, I'm writing a review for any other parents looking to enroll their kids at this school given there are no online reviews available. I will start with what we appreciated about this school. My spouse and I are avid community members and both work in the social services field. So when we read the mission of GAP-PLC we were excited about what they were building and providing for the Austin community. The tuition for GAP-PLC is also incredibly affordable and they also provide 3 meals a day which was very convenient for busy parents. Her website says the children need to be 3 and above to attend. Our children were under 3 and the owner was flexible in allowing our twins to still enroll. When our children were scared after reading the Three Little Bears, she bought them stuffed animal bears to help them navigate their fears. Lastly, the school's policy requires all children to wear collared shirts, she gave us two as a donation since we didn't have any on hand. Unfortunately, many aspects of the school did not work for our family. Once we started, we received written notice about something that was wrong almost every week. The notices were always very formal and were not prompted by any informal discussion. This type of communication felt very rigid, cold, and transactional in nature. Not the type of communication we are used to or expected from a school that is working to build strong relationships with parents. Second, these 'written notices' were about what our children were not doing right by the school's standards. In these notices, we were told that our children were not acting in a way that was developmentally appropriate for GAP-PLC (not going to the bathroom as self-sufficient students and not communicating during circle time). Our children were 2.5 years old. Instead of recognizing where our children were at developmentally (which was incredibly normal for their age), GAP-PLC informed us that if our kids did not comply they would be kicked out of the school. I can't force my kids to wipe themselves when they physically don't have the dexterity to do so and I can't force them to talk in a space where they don't want to. The final straw was when she sent us a written notice inappropriately labeling our children as selectively mute and was going to separate our twins from each other and put them on a behavior plan. Fortunately, we are actually mental health professionals who knew our children were not mute in any way (but other parents may have accepted this unqualified and misdiagnosis as truth) and were incredibly frustrated with how inappropriate this entire exchange was. It is in my years of experience in social policy that education performance being driven by test scores is what actually furthers inequities in our education system, which would be the antithesis of GAP-PLC's mission. When we expressed our genuine concern over the phone with the owner of the school, she emailed us the next morning saying our children had to leave the school. Fortunately, she did say we could finish out the month while we found a new place. I was so angry I wanted to just pull them out, but our daughters did enjoy the school and we really had no other options at the time. We lasted six weeks and the entire experience left us hurt and stressed. Luckily, we found a school right in our neighborhood that our children were able to enroll into quickly. Within days, the owners noted how brilliant our children were and how much they talked at school. It's just a reminder that your kids will thrive in a place that is developmentally appropriate and safe for them.

Dr Hicks is absolutely amazing!! My husband and I could not be more pleased with the school and…read moreamazed at how much growth our son as shown. Dr Hicks is a stickler of the policies for her school, which we like as some parents think they can get by with the things and when they are called out on it have an issue with the policies. So happy we were referred to this school.

This is a wonderful preschool / mother's day out program. Both of my children (ages 3 and 5)…read morestarted here at age 18 months. The teachers are wonderful and caring (most are mothers of children attending the program) and the curriculum is fun and engaging. The class size is small so each child gets the attention you would want them to have. Every time I dropped off my kids, they were each lovingly welcomed by their teacher. I always left feeling my kids were going to safe and that they were going to have fun. When I picked them up, this was always the case. The building is old but there are plans for improvements and upgrades. Please don't discount this program because of the site or location. It is a wonderful place for your children. We have since moved out of Austin and use our experience with St. Mark's as a standard while looking for a new preschool.

My son has been attending St. Mark's for about a year - he started at 18 months and has really…read moreenjoyed his time so far with the toddler class. He is absolutely in love with Ms. Bonny and Ms. Suzanne (I'm sure he will miss them next year!) and always comes home with new words, phrases, a joyous smile - and ready for nap time :) The facilities are clean and there are lots of activities to keep him occupied (plus a really great playground out back). There are lots of opportunities to get involved if you want - monthly events for kids/parents, lectures from parenting experts, Mother's Day breakfast, etc. but these are also entirely optional. Like many of the parents, we are not part of the church or any religious community but have never felt that this was an issue in any way (as one other reviewer also noted). At the end of the year, we received a beautiful photo album with photos and artwork from throughout the year; it was so touching to know that they had collected these moments/memories with this final project in mind and I think is symbolic of how children and parents are treated here. I know my son is not only well taken care of but also cherished as a little human being and am so grateful for the wonderful staff who make him feel loved. I found the place thanks to Yelp and noticed there are not a lot of recent reviews so here I am - if you're lucky enough to get a spot here, don't hesitate to enroll!

From the moment we joined Trinity we felt like part of the family. The teachers are absolutely…read morefabulous, and so kind. My little one really looks forward to seeing them every day. One of the standout features of this daycare is the Friday yoga for the babies. We get adorable photos sent to our app that prove just how cute this is.The arts and crafts projects are (selfishly) another highlight for me. My daughter's language is also developing quickly. She can speak Spanish phrases now (at 2 years old) which is wonderful. This place is truly a neighborhood gem and Windsor Park institution. We're beyond grateful to have found Trinity.

My daughter has been at Trinity CDC for about a year, and she LOVES it. She looks forward to school…read moreevery day and adores her teachers.Trinity feels like such a family like community. They do yoga, arts and crafts, lots of outdoor play, and even trips to the library. What really stands out is how welcoming and inclusive Trinity is. They've been a Windsor Park institution since the '60s, and you can tell. Highly recommend if you're looking for a new school.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about this privately owned and locally operated French School…read moreof Austin - École Jean-Jacques Rousseau! This school is truly a hidden gem in the Austin area. From the moment you step onto the campus, you feel the warmth, structure, and passion that the teachers and staff bring every single day. Furthermore, the wonderful owners of this school are incredibly engaged, very hands-on, and extremely committed to the academic excellence of each student. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the academic contributions that EJJR continues to provide to my children, day in and day out. The curriculum is top-notch, blending rigorous academics with a nurturing environment that allows children to thrive. This French immersion program is absolutely incredible -- my child is picking up the language so naturally, and it amazes me to hear them switch between French and English with ease. On top of that, EJJR even offers the option to learn a third language -- Spanish, Arabic, or Mandarin -- which is such a rare and valuable opportunity for young children! What I love most is the personalized attention this school passionately demonstrates. The teachers truly know each child, their strengths, and where they can be encouraged to grow. The small class sizes make a huge difference, and the community feels like family. Parents are engaged, and you can tell that everyone -- staff and families alike -- takes pride in being part of this school. The extracurriculars are also fantastic! From chess club, to piano, violin and cello classes, to STEM learning workshops -- EJJR is constantly adding new and unique educational offerings. They continue to grow and evolve in alignment with the needs and requests of the students and parents attending the school. Altogether, there are just so many enriching activities to stimulate the young minds attending EJJR. It's incredible to see children challenged academically, while also being encouraged to explore their creativity and physical development. If you are considering a bilingual education in Austin, look no further. The French School of Austin offers an authentic, world-class education in a supportive environment that sets children up for long-term success. We feel incredibly fortunate to be part of this community! Feel welcome to check out EJJR's dedicated website to gain more insight into this incredible school. And -- what's most exciting -- they just opened up 15 new slots for student enrollment in various grade levels! I suggest setting up a consultation today to see firsthand how amazing this school is. We were absolutely enthralled after our very first consultation and applied immediately before slots filled up. That said, please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly with any questions or feedback. As a parent of two attending students at EJJR, I understand we only want the best education for our children -- and that's exactly what you will get at EJJR. https://www.frenchschoolofaustin.org

Bro the amount of times I got put on rouge is crazy. I would like to apologize to all the teachers…read morewho had me in their class. I didn't actually act up that much, but there are still some moments that will live in my head until I die. Great experience here except for that one kid that bit me that one time. Seeing the classrooms in those pictures really brought back the memories. It's unfortunate that I have forgotten 90% of the French I learned here, but that isn't the schools fault. Really nice little school. Will always cherish the great (and bad) memories I made here.

I love this school! Teachers and staff are caring & highly supportive of students and their goals!…read moreYes, the start of the school year was a little wild but its smoothed out so much. Way to go IDEA Parmer Park! Proud Mom of 2nd grade Panther!! GO PANTHERS!!

There is never good communication with anyone.You can call 20 times and they never answer and then…read moreexcuse it with "we are short staffed" but in reality is because the people working the administration side are always more worried about gossiping with each other than attending their duties. I've gone to pick up my child early and the way they treat you is like if you were interfering with their gossip time. The teachers don't care either they will leave in the middle of the school year without a care for the students. One of the males that's ALWAYS in the front is always in a bad mood and ALWAYS ready to talk back to the parents. Please don't send your child here the school is a complete mess.