I really don't like to write flat out negative reviews. I try to be fair and list the positive points as well, however, in this case there really are no positive points to speak of. I put 3 of my kids in Lil' Sprouts upon moving to Toms River, simply because it was right up the street from my house. When I signed the kids up, I met the owner whose name is Maryellen or Maryann or something like that. Although she seemed a lightly airy, she sold me on the place when she told me that the teacher for my 2 boys was a former school teacher who follows a school curriculum. I didn't want to leave my kids somewhere where they would sit in front of a TV all day.
I quickly noticed whenever I picked them up, all the kids were watching cartoons. I asked my son's what they did all day and they told me watched TV. I let it go a few weeks thinking maybe they were on an off time because we signed them up mid year. Nothing ever changed. They only watched TV everyday. I soon learned that the teacher who followed a curriculum not only didn't work there anymore, but she had given her notice before I went to see the school. The owner never told me this. I really hope she had expected to replace that teach with another board certified teacher who follows a curriculum rather than just deceiving me to get me to sign.
It should be noted whoever took over never did follow a curriculum, the students all just watched cartoons all day. Now for the worst part:
My 2 son's are both extremely allergic to peanuts so the school had in their possession an Eppi Pen for each of them in the event they accidentally consumed a peanut product. I came there on a Friday afternoon around 3 PM with 2 new pens because the old ones had expired. The owner searched for the pens for over half an hour before telling me she couldn't find them and to just give me the new ones. My head was spinning as all I could think is "what if they had accidentally ate a peanut? What would they do if they didn't have a pen on hand?" I expressed my concern and asked her "what would have happened if they ate a peanut? You don't have their pens". To which she responded "but they didn't". It took everything in me to not flip out. I asked her what she was going to do to make sure that this doesn't happen again. Her answer "this doesn't normally happen. We usually know where all the students medicine is". When I asked her if that's the case then how doesn't she know where theirs are. I asked if she doesn't see that there is a problem with their procedures for storing medicine then how can they fix it to which she got snippy and said "we don't have a problem sorting medicine. We know where everyone's medicine is." So I countered with "ok, so give me their old Pens". When she told me "I just told you I can't find them" I asked how she could then say there is no problem. I realized at that point I was just spinning my wheels. I told her my kids would no longer be attending her school to which she said I'd have to give notice and pay the month (it was only the first or second week of the month) to which I told her she would absolutely not be getting and walked out. She called me on Monday morning to tell me they found the pens locked in their teachers desk (She was out sick that day and had the only key to her desk home with her). She asked "so since we found them will the kids be coming back?" To which I said no they would not.
In summary, this place has been the only place that I have written an entirely negative review for, but in my opinion it is absolutely warranted. I don't think it's safe to leave your kids someplace that you cannot trust would have their lifesaving medicine accessible in case of an emergency. I wound up moving them to The Goddard School which had opened a few months before I left Lil' Sprouts and I have never looked back. The Goddard School is amazing and I would highly recommend taking your kids there instead. read more