We had high hopes for Prodigy Academie. Our infant and toddler both loved their core teachers, who…read morewere warm, consistent, and truly cared about the children. Unfortunately, our experience with management and some aspects of the overall culture left us deeply disappointed.
On a Friday afternoon, we picked up our two-year-old and saw she was visibly upset, which was very out of character. She had been with a new teacher we had never seen before. When we asked what had happened, the initial response was vague. We followed up with management, who told us she had been "gently redirected" after spitting. The explanation felt scripted and evasive, and our questions were met with repeated, circular responses. Our gut instinct told us that something just felt off.
Eventually, we were invited to view video footage. It had already been queued to the moment our daughter was crying, but we asked to rewind. That's when we saw what really happened: the teacher aggressively pulled her by the arm, and then left her standing there crying by herself. It was painful to watch. Not only was the physical interaction too rough, but the complete lack of empathy or attempt to comfort her was deeply upsetting. The teacher was let go on the spot, which validated our concern, but we only got the truth because we pushed for it. The claim that she had been spitting was not reflected in the video either; she and her peers were making silly sounds, which was totally age-appropriate behavior.
What made this harder to accept was the school's constant emphasis on "transparency." We had been told, both during our tour and in written communication, that parents are always notified about staff changes and that the director is consistently on-site. Neither was true in our experience. The director opened a second location and was rarely present, without formally introducing or announcing the person she had placed in charge. When parents, ourselves included, asked for clarity, the response was defensive rather than collaborative.
It also felt like a revolving door of new teachers. The lead teachers in each classroom were consistent and wonderful, but there was frequent turnover among support staff, and we were rarely, if ever, introduced to the new faces working with our children. This raised questions about why so many people were coming and going, especially in a setting that promotes stability and trust for young children.
As someone who works in early childhood myself, I came in with a trained lens and tried to give the benefit of the doubt. But even before the arm-pulling incident, there were things that gave me pause, particularly the way certain staff members interacted with children. While many teachers were warm and developmentally appropriate, we also witnessed harsh tone, punitive responses, and outdated disciplinary tactics that didn't reflect best practices.
After the incident, we asked if they would consider a small tuition credit as a gesture of goodwill. Instead of a thoughtful conversation, we received an email accusing us of "extortion" and were told to direct any future communication through a lawyer. It was a jarring and frankly alarming response, especially coming from a program that emphasizes partnership and trust with families.
Our children were happy with some of the teachers and we're grateful for that. But ultimately, we could no longer trust the leadership team or the culture they fostered. If you're considering this program, know that while it may appear polished from the outside, our experience suggests there are serious cracks beneath the surface.
