Smart Start Academy does NOT care about the children. Initially, I really enjoyed their atmosphere and cleanliness, but quickly realized that is really all that they had to offer... a clean looking environment. There is absolutely no communication between staff/management/owner to parent and NO CONCERN for the child's emotional needs.
Furthermore, the disciplinary practices including, but not limited to, the "sad chair" or "relaxing chair" (time out), is not mentioned in the parent handbook, much like the teachers using their cell phones as televisions to play cartoons like cocomelon, is not. Having open lines of communication, with a team working alongside me to care for my child, is something I take very seriously. They lacked severely in this area. It was nonexistent.
On a specific occasion, I was checking in with my daughter via the cameras the school gives parents to access... which most of the time aren't working properly. I didn't see my child anywhere, and got concerned, so I messaged the teacher... no response. So, I called the front desk. They then proceeded to tell me that my daughter had a potty accident and a big emotion ensued from this (lots of tears and vocal frustration), that they claim was "inconsolable." They proceeded to put my daughter in a chair, by herself, surrounded by her peers, isolated and shamed... while she "calmed down" alone. This didn't work, understandably, because in such a vulnerable and embarrassing moment for my 3 year old, she needed connection and empathy more than anything. Instead she got sent to another classroom where she knew no one. To sit, alone, in another chair.
The fact that a 3 year old is expected to have to have the tools to deal with such new and complex emotions speaks volumes to this establishments lack of real and valuable child education training and knowledge. The lack of compassion, connection and empathy for my child was appalling, to say the least. I picked my child up early that day and politely emailed the school several times, for a week, requesting an IDT meeting to discuss my concerns. I never heard from them. Again, no communication, care or respect. I had to walk in and speak with the owner, Chad. Although he didn't give me the courtesy to speak privately, I was able to voice my concerns and at least get more information on the occurrences of that day.
However, after leaving that meeting, I received an email from his wife, Melissa, whom was not present for my conversation with Chad... That they were proceeding with removing my child from the school. That they can't meet my "requests" they assumed I had, considering no one met with me to ever hear them. I was given no courtesy in being involved in this decision... no meeting, no discussion or involvement. It really hurt me for my daughter. She didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to her friends. How abrupt and sad.
With this new understanding I now know that a school that is not willing to work with parents in raising children is not one that I want my child in.
It appears that Smart Start has a hard structure and care not about each individual child's needs-which says a lot when child care professionals KNOW (should know) how unique each child's temperament is and that each child may require something slightly different from the standard practice. Also including occurrences that don't regularly happen that may require the same flexibility in care.
Clearly their priority isn't the "whole child" as they have expressed they are not staffed enough to foster arguably the most important developmental domain- social emotional, needs of each child individually and specifically.
For these reasons, I do NOT support SmartStart Academy. I hope parents think twice before enrolling their child here. read more
