Huge praise to Ms. Zohra, Ms. B, and Ms. Gigi. They were warm, caring, and professional throughout the main school day. The issues described below are strictly related to the after-school program, aides, and administration.
Unfortunately, the after-school program and administrative oversight fell very short.
A few major concerns:
Lack of Physical Activity: The rooftop playground was under repair for the entire school year, and the indoor gym wasn't utilized during extended care. Expecting high-energy kids to sit from 3:00 to 6:00 PM with minimal physical outlet is unreasonable.
Lack of Extracurricular Value: Basic enrichment like STEM, cooking, or arts/crafts are an additional cost on top of the tuition, whereas nearby programs and private pre-Ks offer these included. Without these add-ons, the afterschool program offers very little structure, leaving children in the same classroom from 3:00 to 6:00 PM with minimal engagement.
Untrained Extended Care Staff: I witnessed inappropriate behavior from aides, including dangling food over my child to make him "beg" and loud yelling as a redirection tactic. When I raised this, administration initially dismissed it as a "language barrier" before retracting that statement.
Communication & Supervision: Most of the after-school aides speak Mandarin as their primary language with limited English proficiency. While this works well for Mandarin-speaking families, it made it very difficult as an English-speaking parent to have basic daily conversations about my child's day. Administration even cited a "language barrier" when I raised concerns about aides shouting at students. Between the communication gaps, noticeable greeting biases from certain staff, and multiple transition-related injuries due to poor supervision, daily operations during extended care were very frustrating.
The day teachers are great, but for the premium price, the after-school program lacks structure, safety, and proper staff training. read more