We recently moved and were in desperate need of childcare in our new area. After parting ways and…read moreestablishing a relationship with our former child care center, I was afraid that I wouldn't find another center like it. I did extensive research to find the perfect daycare center for my daughter and came across Top Notch. Within a couple of days of contacting them, my husband and I were able to visit and get a tour of the center. The director was extremely friendly and very knowledgeable. One thing that immediately stood out about the center was that it was organized and CLEAN! In our search, we also visited other centers in the area, but none of them left a lasting impression like Top Notch. Their tuition rates were also very competitive. We decided to enroll our 3 year old daughter and are extremely satisfied with our decision. It is evident that the staff genuinely cares about every single child that walks through that front door. My 3 year old daughter rushes to her learning group every morning without a fuss! The center provides a structured schedule that includes plenty of time for both physical activity and quiet time, learning, and free time. The staff is trained, qualified and specializes in education. Top Notch also has a lower child-to-teacher ratio which allows for more individual time with the children - this was extremely important to me as my child transitioned to a new environment. She has adapted beautifully thanks to the dedication of the staff at Top Notch. Would strongly recommend this high quality center that stands apart from the many others in the area.

We have sent both of our children here starting from 18 months until 5 years old. Our children love…read morethe teachers and staff, which makes us so happy with our choice for childcare. The teachers are great communicators; they call you with urgent issues during the day, give you brief updates at pickup and are always happy to answer questions. In addition, they have parent teacher conferences (for toddlers!) to keep us in the loop. If you ever get a chance to observe the classroom, it's amazing how one teacher that can control so many kids in silence with only sign language, even though they are all working independently. We highly Recommend JBS

If there is a zero star option, this is what this school deserves. No respect for the child or his…read moreparents, no engagement with the family about their child progress. I have not seen any educational or moral progress with my child. Teacher level of education and capability to teach is zero. One year of what they called education, my child still writes the Z inverted. The teacher did not have a capability to correct that!!!!!! I had been in international Montessori school when I was a child, the level of emotional and social support was beyond amazing, while julia brown has nothing to do with emotional and social support. I have no idea how Montessori allowed them to run under their name with such poor standards of education and engagement with the child, never mind the gloominess of this school, old furniture, no modern methods of learning, my child continuously expressed how unhappy he was there. Kids don't lie!!!!

The best way to describe CLC is magical! We toured ALL of the preschools in the Olney/Ashton area…read moreand when we walked into CLC we knew in about 2 seconds that this was the preschool for us. This is my daughter's second year at CLC and my son will join the hummingbirds class next year. The staff is the top of the top. Every single person who works there knows my child and greets her by name every day, even the teachers she has not yet had. All staff have taken a genuine interest in getting to know my daughter and our family. They are incredibly skilled in teaching young children to love school and learn to become the best little people they can be. The teachers make learning fun and engaging through music, art, and play. while infusing academics in the most creative of ways. The staff is committed to making sure that my child's needs are always met and the communication between teachers, the director, and the parents is impeccable (conferences, responsive emails and phone calls, newsletters, and school-wide emails when needed) . They are extremely flexible with our needs in terms of aftercare with drop-ins available when I need it. They make activities fun and exciting for the children, such as a Valentines concert, Halloween parades and field trips in the community. The classrooms are clean, bright, fun, and inviting. The other families that attend CLC are as warm and welcoming as the school itself, we have playdates with friends we have made at CLC frequently. My daughter is excited every single day to get up and go to see her teachers and friends at school (not one complaint about attending ever). To put it simply, I wish my babies could stay at CLC forever!!

This is a true pearl of a school. I did a lot of research before choosing it for my son, touring…read moremany of the nearby preschools (e.g., Norbeck Montessori, Chesterbrook Academy, Children in the Shoe), and while I liked certain aspects of those schools, I just LOVED this school from the moment I walked through the door. Lots of pros and just a few cons. Pros: Teachers: Are wonderful. Full of energy and enthusiasm. Many of the teachers have also been there for many years. Two of the teachers in particular, Mrs Zechar and Mrs Harper, who are in the room for the 3-years olds, have been teaching at the school for more than twenty years and their experience shows. They are extremely patient and good at dealing with any issue arising. Director: Is fantastic. Lots of positive interactions with parents and children alike. Classrooms: Really like their set-up. In contrast to most other preschools, they have separate classes for 2, 3 and 4 year olds (with 3 and 4 year olds merging for aftercare). Also in contrast to many other preschools, classroom sizes are small with a maximum of 15 kids per room with 2 teachers. Playground: Is good. It is fenced in and away from any large roads or neighbors. It is also relatively large, with different activity zones. Program: Very flexible. They offer 2, 3, or 5-day options and various part/ full time options. Price: OK. It is not cheap but - at least for the full-time program that my son is enrolled in - the price is comparable to, or even lower than, prices of most other schools in the area. Cons: Not many. The main one, at least for me, is that the school does not offer a 12-month schedule, which can be a problem for households with two working parents. On a final note, while the school is sharing grounds with a church, it is not actually affiliated with that church.

My husband and I decided to enroll our daughter in the St. John's Episcopal School Pre-K 3 class…read morewhen traditional child care was not working for us. I assumed that we would enroll her in St. John's for the two years of Pre-K 3 and Pre-K 4, and when the time rolled around for kindergarten, we would place her in a Montgomery County public school (as Montgomery county is recognized for its excellent schools). However, the teachers and staff at St. John's have made our decision to stay with St. John's well worth it. Our daughter, and now our son, have met wonderful friends, and enjoy participating in all of the activities that the teachers and staff painstakingly take the time to plan. From a parent's perspective, we love the small class sizes, and the fact that the teachers make our children comfortable and happy. Additionally we have witnessed firsthand the success of the school's work on character development, as all of the students are exceptionally polite, and friendly. Not only has St. John's provided a warm, safe, and fun environment for our children, but it also does not hurt that our children have really excelled academically during the course of their education with St. John's. We love the school!

If you think something is fishy, it's because it is…read more Buyer beware: do not evaluate Mater Amoris solely by its beautiful grounds, polished messaging, or carefully crafted philosophy statements. Speak with current families. Speak with former families. Speak with former staff. Ask what happens when concerns are raised. Ask how incidents are documented. Ask how behavioral patterns are tracked. Ask what standards govern intervention. Ask whether difficult questions are welcomed or merely tolerated. Ask academic questions, too. Ask for specifics. Ask how reading progress is measured. Ask how parents know benchmarks have been met. Ask how classroom disruptions affect learning. Ask about staffing levels, turnover, support for guides, and the frequency of school closures, staff workdays, and other interruptions to instructional time. Ask whether the educational experience being delivered consistently reflects the tuition being charged. Most importantly, ask yourself a simple question: if a school cannot clearly explain how it protects children, measures academic progress, documents incidents, responds to legitimate concerns from parents, and delivers consistent instructional time, what exactly are you paying for? I ignored that one bad review about bullying and safety a few years ago when we enrolled. Thinking it would not be our experience, and here I am writing this review today.

Our kids started at Mater Amoris in 2018, and we have felt so fortunate to have this community be…read moretheir educational home in the years since. The school has many special traditions, an excellent Montessori curriculum, and wonderful faculty and staff. Our oldest is now on the middle school program for seventh and eighth graders, and is excited to tell us about his day which is a rare treat from a pre-teen! Our younger is in the upper elementary class that includes 4th, 5th, and 6th grades, and he is learning new skills daily while having the opportunity to help younger students while himself getting support from older students. The setting is idyllic and in winter the sledding hill is legendary. Highly recommend Mater Amoris.

We love Lily Pads! The teachers are excellent. The management is excellent. When we found out we…read morewere expecting a second child, we--without hesitation--asked Lily Pads about a spot for #2. Our daughter has been at Lily Pads since August 2020. At that time--in the depths of COVID--Ms. Eda and Lily Pads put us at ease with how careful, thoughtful, and communicative they were running the center during a crisis. Since then, our daughter has gone through the Purple Owls (1s), Green Frogs (2s), and Orange Butterflies (3s) class. She has loved all of her teachers and made great friends. We feel involved in her school life, from the pictures and updates in the app, to the art she brings home, to the new songs she sings when she comes home. At dropoff and pickup, her teachers make time to provide updates, answer questions, and address concerns. They've all been great. We could go on and on about Lily Pads. Our daughter is the happy, smart, silly, kind toddler she is thanks, in no small part, to Lily Pads. And--no less important--they've given us the space, and peace of mind during our working days so we can be better parents when she gets home. 5 stars, without reservation.

We loved Lily Pads! We recently left due to a move out of state. Our little one started in March of…read more2021 at 5 months old. As first time parents, the transition to daycare can be overwhelming but the staff was great! The teachers kept our little one thoroughly engaged with arts, story time, and various other activities to encourage socialization and developmental milestones. I always felt that our little one was in good hands. The teachers that he had in both the infant and toddler rooms were phenomenal. They have been instrumental in helping our little reach developmental milestones (for example walking, using utensils to eat, holding a pencil, etc.). We were able to see our little one throughout the day using the provided app. Our little one really enjoyed the yoga instruction days. Our little one always had a smile when entering into Lily Pads. I highly recommend Lily Pads!

We came to Barrie after an uninspiring experience with a chain daycare. It was night and day…read more Barrie teachers are professionals who stay at the school for years and years (as opposed to turnover every few months at the daycare) and who are engaged in active social-emotional, language, and literacy pedagogy. Every detail of the day seems carefully considered. The kids spend tons of time exploring nature. By learning from the teachers and talking with them about what our kids need, we became better parents.

I wouldn't recommend this school. Most students have a family connection to the school, so there is…read morenever any accountability to the promises they make. When leadership is called out they do nothing to even acknowledge that they made a mistake. Communication is slow, and the whole school is completely disorganized. We didn't really notice this until one of our child's classmates pointed out that the only students who stay enrolled at Barrie are student's whose parents work at the school.

The curriculum is well thought out and provides a balanced approach to both initial introduction to…read morematerial (knowledge) as well as the application of the material (demonstration). We love the daily reports! The security protocols provide an effective defense-in-depth strategy that I think adds significant peace of mind. The children are safe, secure and well taught. Discipline is effective and consistent with a focus on positive reinforcement and good decision making. Accidents/incidents are communicated rapidly and the staff are very attentive to the health and well being of our children. The facility is clean and sanitized with the attention of detail that has resulted in the best environment for our children. The food options are excellent and provide a balanced meal to keep our little ones fed and nourished. Issues or concerns that were communicated by myself to the staff were respectfully discussed and addressed in a timely manner. The events and activities that are sponsored by the academy are great team building opportunities for the parents and staff. Additionally, they provide a strong foundational marker for the children to observe the parents being a part of their educational journey. Highly recommended!

My child has been at Kiddie Academy for a little less than a year. The Center Director (Angela) is…read morefantastic. She is attentive and incredibly responsive to parental feedback. Ms. Mayra in the toddler room is also amazing. She is super engaged with the little ones and clearly has a passion for the work that she does.