My older daughter graduated from the school two years ago and my youngest is about to begin her…read moresecond year. For our family the school has been wonderful. The staff is talented and committed. There is a parent participation component, as with all cooperative programs. This is something that drew me to the program. I was amazed my first year how varied people's situations are - one or both parents working outside the home part or full time, nanny's, grandparents and family friends helping out at pick-up and drop-off, as well as moms and dads working as stay-at-home parents. I didn't carpool, but some families arranged carpools. I often swapped child-care of my youngest daughter (when my oldest was in school) on parent-help days and then would watch another family's younger child when it was their turn. I've benefited from the sense of community at the school, and the chance to have a few hours every month or so to be with my child at school. The best part though is the positive experience my children have had at the school, developing social skills and learning through play.

My youngest attended their toddler program last year, and will be entering the 3-year-old program…read morethis fall. We had a great experience in his first year. It is a cooperative program, so you have to be open to that aspect. I personally loved helping in the classroom and getting to observe my child interacting with his friends. There are some volunteer components -- one work day a year to help maintain the school and grounds and service on one committee -- but they certainly aren't onerous. It's not for everyone, but so far I've found it very manageable as a working parent. The other parents are very supportive and open to switching schedules. I'm new to town, so I've found it a valuable way to meet other people and find a sense of community. The curriculum is play-based, so the focus is more on developing imagination, healthy social interaction, etc. I'm looking forward to seeing how the curriculum develops as my son progresses.

I believe this place is discriminatory and only hire people who are either friends or relatives…read more They never answer telephone calls, never respond to emails or never respond to messages. Very Strange place.

The teachers are great. They are welcoming, caring, and have good communication skills.read more

We love First Circle! Our daughter has been here almost a year and the teachers take extraordinary…read morecare of the little ones, with so much love, learning, and silly fun throughout the day. They're also so helpful in helping our daughter progress and become independent. Big shoutout to Amber and Naomi in infant 3! And to Clay and Kaitie for jumping in to help whenever needed!

We love this place! My job forces us to travel often, and I wanted some stability for my son. First…read moreCircle provided that and lots of love, care, and patience. I can not speak more highly of the staff!

When we were considering Lesley Ellis for preschool, we asked around on the playground, and just…read moreabout every parent we talked to told us, "It's excellent! The only negative is the cost." That matched our experience perfectly. The tuition is steep - though financial aid is available! - but everything else was fantastic, and we were consistently impressed with the teachers, curriculum, field trips, awareness of kids as individuals, interaction with administration, and more. My mom worked for decades in early childhood education, and (as an interested and involved grandparent) was also very impressed. They welcomed/encouraged heavy parent involvement, from "come into the classroom to talk about something you're knowledgeable/passionate about" to occasional parent-meetups-over-coffee in the morning and more. But I was never, ever made to feel guilty about not being able to participate heavily, which was the norm once we had our second kid. (Who also went to LES for preschool, once old enough.) We can't speak to their K-8 experience, but for preschool/pre-K/TK they were fantastic.

Lesley Ellis is an independent school from pre-school to grade 6, but expanding soon to 8th. Our…read moredaughter is in her third year there and we have been delighted with the program. The teachers are an outstanding group and attuned to the needs of each individual student. The administration is truly exceptional as they create an environment where parents, children and the school come together to form a nurturing and vibrant community.

We are so thrilled with our experience at CCL. Our son started at age 2 and will remain through…read morepre-K. This is our third experience with pre-schools in the Boston suburbs and CCL stands out for its excellent sense of community, curriculum, location, teachers and tradition of caring. We are so lucky to have this wonderful school in our Lexington community.

Its all about the kids and the teachers at CCL. My daughter has been going there since she was old…read moreenough to attend and to get out of one of the corporate daycares. I feel so strongly about how great this school is that I am also on the board, as it is a non-profit. They treat the teachers with the respect that they deserve and don't send them home without pay when the numbers are down for the day. If the numbers are down, our kids get more interaction with more teachers. Did I mention how great the teachers are! My daughter has thrived at CCL and loves going to "school" everyday. You do have to walk up stairs as the space is rented from the church, but that has actually taught my daughter stair safety at a very early age. I cannot recommend CCL highly enough. The space is a bit dated, but they have tons of toys for the kids and they love it, so don't let the space fool you, this place is great.

My 4 year old daughter attends the Spanish language enrichment class here and I can't say enough…read moregreat things about it! Her teacher, Emily (who is also the program director) is incredibly sweet, patient and knowledgable. The class is conducted in full Spanish immersion and I can tell that Luna is already learning and understanding so much (even more than her older siblings who are taking Spanish in school). Parents are invited into the classroom after each "unit" for the kids to present what they've learned. My daughter loves going to Spanish class!