I toured this school with my son and was initially drawn in by the welcoming environment, the…read morefaith-based values, and the kindness of the teacher we met. The enrollment process itself was straightforward.
Unfortunately, our experience after enrollment raised concerns for me regarding staff training, classroom management, communication with parents, and the unenrollment process.
My son had recently experienced an abrupt transition from a daycare he loved, and he had only been enrolled for a couple of weeks when his teacher pulled me aside at pickup and said, "He was doing a phenomenal job listening the first week or so, and now he's just not listening. Is there something going on at home?"
I was surprised that the first explanation offered was something happening outside of school rather than examining what might be contributing to the behavior within the classroom environment. At the time, my son had no history of behavioral issues, and I believed he was still adjusting to a major transition. I also suspected he may have been under-stimulated. I suggested that when he appeared disengaged, he might benefit from being redirected toward a task or activity.
Compounding my concern was the fact that another child had repeatedly been aggressive toward my son, including incidents of physical hitting. We brought these concerns to the school's attention, but the behavior continued, leaving me feeling that the situation was not being adequately monitored or addressed.
After discussing the situation with educators from other preschool programs, I learned that many early childhood professionals first evaluate classroom dynamics, developmental needs, peer interactions, and environmental factors before assuming challenges originate at home. That perspective aligned more closely with my own understanding of child development.
Ultimately, I decided not to keep my son enrolled through kindergarten and informed the school of my decision. What followed was the most disappointing part of the experience.
Shortly after notifying the school, I received multiple calls encouraging me to keep my child enrolled. During one conversation, I was told that withdrawing him could result in being responsible for 20% of future kindergarten tuition because staffing decisions had already been made. When I expressed surprise, I was told, "This is a business, and we hired accordingly."
While I understand that schools must plan financially, the conversation felt focused on retaining revenue rather than understanding the concerns that led to our decision. For an organization that places a strong emphasis on faith and community, I left feeling that financial considerations were prioritized over family experience.
Every family's experience will be different, but ours ultimately left us feeling unheard. We are confident there are many excellent educational options available, and we are grateful to have found a different path for our son.
