My daughter thrived at Smart Start! It has the best mix of social-emotional nurturing and teaching to the level of bright young minds. On our first tour, I knew this was the right school for us. I had no idea how it would pay off until our daughter was accepted into the esteemed Kindergarten-8th grade Evergreen School. (There were only 3spots for girls and 100 applicants.) Smart Start prepared our daughter to "stand out" as a child that loves to learn, is inquisitive, empowered, and caring to other peers. The name Smart Start absolutely reflects what children experience at this fabulous school. As a parent, the pictures and updates throughout the day through a wonderful mobile app made leaving our child at the school so much more comfortable. It really was a bright spot seeing our child LOVE being at school throughout the day. The staff is so fabulous. Every day during pick-up they shared something special about our child. Exceptional communication. If they have a spot in the new location enroll or put your name on the waiting list immediately. After the first few months, we couldn't get any of our friends into Smart Start. Word of mouth spreads fast because it really is five stars. read more

This place deserve at least 10 stars. With two little children I have some experience with daycares and by far this is the best. I haven't met yet other so knowledgeable owner and director and this makes a big difference. Pros: 1. The lesson plan is great and full with activities that are actually executed. I guess when the owner has Masters in Education and makes the curriculum herself is much better than downloading a free plan from the internet and just hang it on the wall like many other places do. 2. Teachers are polite, willing to communicate with parents, supportive (regarding potty training for example), very knowledgeable about how to develop fine motor skills and how to organize the little bunch of toddlers so they can finish their activities and actually learn something. (Ok I believe I am not the only parent who can't make ONE toddler put his shoes on, what about something more complicated). My son's teacher call the kids of her class "friends". For me they are little screaming monsters but for her they are friends. Can't thing of better way to teach respectfulness. 3. They regularly bring some entertainment for the kids like clown, parrot lady, bouncy house etc. 4. The kids helped plant herbs and tomatos in the Spring and now they regularly bring organic tomatos home. Good way to teach about nature and about how the efforts pay back. 5. The prices are very reasonable. Cons: You probably won't find opening there. If there is an opening consider yourself very very lucky. read more

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UPDATE: I updated this review with the following in response to your (the business owner's)response. I posted a more complete version of my response in the photos due to Yelp's character limit. "Within an hour, you texted us that you checked your bank account and did not receive a refund". Untrue. I texted you no such thing. I know a refund couldn't possibly be processed that fast. You really need to stop trying to make me sound like an irrational idiot. I am not. I feel like this only speaks to your poor character when dealing with people. I did, however, contact Groupon as no change had showed on my Groupon account for my Groupon with your company and I'm not someone who will just blindly take someone's word about my personal finances that I don't know. I also figured it wouldn't hurt to double check that something was in the works to cancel the Groupon since nothing showed on my account after a few hours. That's when I was told that it couldn't be cancelled and I should contact YOU because it was purchased more than 3 days ago. I let them know I had already contacted you, and you were adamant about not honoring your Groupon.They said there was nothing more they could do. At minimum I find it very hard to believe that after cancelling like you say you did, you would not check your Groupon account or Groupon in general in over a year or notice a deposit into your bank account from Groupon. But you may just not be a detail person. You make it sound like there were so many crazy or aggressive texts from me that I deemed being blocked. "the texts did not stop and they became aggressive and threatening to the point we had to block your number""you berated us text after text for being dishonest and taking advantage of you" this is almost laughable. From start to finish I texted you exactly 6 times.8 if you include 2 screen shots of my Groupon so you could see what I was looking at. If you blocked me, it was because you wanted to just push me aside and be done with me.It's the equivalent of putting your hand in someone's face when they're talking and then turning your back on them and walking away. I'm sorry you can't take anything possibly being construed as negative being said to you. That's fine with me, I didn't have anything else to say to you at that point, but seriously, you need to stop blaming me and defending yourself by making me sound like some crazy person. I have included screen shots of our entire text string in the interest of transparency. What you found 'threatening' and 'aggressive' I think was my heads up that I was going to leave a review here about my experience with you regarding Groupon.That is exactly what this site is for...to let people know about your experiences and opinions about a business...this was mine and honestly my impression of you personally and your business practices just keeps getting worse as this goes on. I simply stated I would not be comfortable leaving MY children with someone who views themselves infallible and who lies and tries to push blame on everyone but themselves. Not my favorite personality type and not something I would like my children to be exposed to frequently if given the choice. I'm not passing judgement on families in your program. They probably have had limited contact with you and probably not in the context I have. That is why I posted this Yelp review! To share MY experience with others. Again, what Yelp is for. From what I understand from you this Groupon "was cancelled" over a year ago...except the simple fact is, it was not. I'm not sure if it was a mistake by Groupon, if you regretted having the Groupon, or if you simply have a cash flow problem and do not want to honor the Groupon anymore. What I do know, is that it was not MY fault. The issue is how you dealt with the situation and how you continue to deal with it. I had to report the picture you posted of the refund. It contained my personal email (that can easily be inferred) and web site. I find this extremely aggressive and irresponsible. Feel free to repost the picture, but please redact my email for obvious security and privacy reasons. I have made sure the phone number I was texting is publicly known and attached to your business before posting the screen shots of our texts. read more

Above and beyond with kids. Awesome with students with behavior needs. Academic rigor is high and well executed by all staff.

We could not have been happier to have Smart Start play such a significant role in shaping our daughter's future. They put so much time and attention into their curriculum and the children are very supported there. They have a great facility and experienced teachers who focus not only on academics learning but on emotional and social development. We could not recommend it more highly. Good luck finding a spot! read more

We started looking into daycares when my little was about 18 months. After searching for a few months, I found Smart Start. They weren't open yet, but I interviewed Sandra, the owner. She was warm, friendly, energetic, and passionate about early education. She follows Montessori methods but also recognizes that most of her students will go on to traditional public education for kindergarten, so works to prepare students for that transition. My son had been home with me full time prior to starting Smart Start. All the staff worked wonderfully to not only put my little guy at ease, but put me at ease. They texted throughout the day with pictures and reassurances that everything was going ok. Fast forward a year and I've seen so much positive change in my child. I love seeing and hearing about all the great activities they do throughout the day, from art, science experiments, gardening, yoga and more French language and jazz dance! My child is growing and thriving at Smart Start and we couldn't be happier. When our youngest gets a bit older, we plan to send him as well! read more

My 2 year old has been at Smart Start since he was 13 months old. I was nervous about putting him in daycare, but my fears quickly melted away and were replaced by great relief when I got to know Alexandra, Shonny, and Allyson. My son became attached to them very quickly. They are all extremely warm and caring toward the kids, and always friendly and professional toward the parents. It is always clean, always adequately and attentively staffed, and they communicate daily with parents through personalized texts and photos. Allyson, my son's teacher, has the perfect mix of warmth and firmness. If any kid is sad as their parents are dropping them off, she wraps them in a warm hug and offers them something fun to do so you can see them begin to relax before you've even slipped out the door. My son had only ever slept in a crib and Allyson had him napping for two hours on a mat like all the other kids by the second day. I've arrived during nap time a couple of times and both times every single kid was asleep and quiet. I have no idea how she manages that, but I wish I knew her secret! They also do tons of fun activities every day which look way more creative than anything I would ever come up with at home. And, they spend a ton of time outdoors in the large, safe, and not-visible-from-the-street playground. My son comes home happy and worn out from a fun day every day and I couldn't be more relaxed and confident that he is in good, caring hands. At age 2, that's really all I wanted out of a day care. The icing on the cake is that he is learning A TON. They have a learning theme every week such as colors, numbers, dental hygiene, doctor Seuss, and they find different fun activities to reinforce the concepts all week long. We have had nothing but good experiences and highly recommend Smart Start. read more

We have been part of the Smart Start family for over 3 years and 2 kids and could not recommend Smart Start and Ms. Sandra more highly! The love and dedication from the teachers and administrators, the quality of the curriculum, and the vibe of Smart Start has been a critical part of how we raise our kids! We love honestly everything about this place: the age-appropriate ways they teach about topics like emotions and diversity, the wonderful (and huge!) outdoor space for so much exploration and yoga, to the flexibility and care in navigating hard topics like COVID and potty training, and the daily cuteness we see in pictures from the Class Dojo app and in what our kiddos share! It is the best of a "school" environment while also being incredibly child- and play-led. Dynamic phenomenal educators from the top down. Our boys' minds have been opened and shaped and thrive here. read more

After searching for three months, 11 different daycare's, I finally found Smart Start Day School. From the minute I met Miss Sandra I was put at ease. We now have been going there for over a year and it's been the biggest piece of mind for us. The teachers and staff are nothing short of amazing. My daughter is ahead of the learning curve and it's mainly due to this school and the fun way they incorporate learning. If you are looking for the best well you have found it! I can't say enough about this school. It truly has been a blessing from God. Thank you to all of you who work at Smart Start!!! read more

The minute I stepped into Smart Start Day School for our initial interview with the owner and head Teacher, Miss Sandra, I turned to my daughter and said "don't you just feel a good vibe here". Minutes into our talk I knew we had landed at the right place for our family. Miss Sandra is an exceptional early education specialist with a gift for creating a dynamic environment and inspiring curriculums. Sending a two year old out into the world is not a decision that is made lightly, but the staff at SSDS made our family feel so cared for and safe it was like a non-event. My granddaughter loved school from her very first day. You know a school is special when our eight year old wants to stay every morning at drop off. Miss Sandra, Miss Shonny and their gifted team of educators have created a diverse and age appropriate curriculum that welcomes all children. There is a wonderful mix of the academic and the physical which nurtures the whole child. I am actually excited each Sunday when Miss Lindsey posts the weeks syllabus to our parent website. I also love the continuing online communication during the day of what is going on in class. Nothing is more satisfying and comforting than a picture of your child beaming with delight from something she has just learned! From Yoga to STEM to their outdoor library and garden something fun and creative is always going on. If its not raining or snowing those kids are OUTSIDE! As a Grandmother and a school administrator I have pretty high standards and SSDS has NEVER disappointed. Above all this is a safe, clean, vibrant and very nurturing environment that any parent and child will be thrilled to be a part of. read more

We signed up for Smart Start before they even opened. We met with the owner Sandra and had a great feeling about the school. We were right! Sandra is passionate about what she does. She holds very high standards and managed to hire an outstanding director (Shonny) and wonderful teachers. The school feels welcoming and is always very well stocked with supplies. The communication is excellent. The lesson plans are enriching, varied, and age appropriate. Sandra, Shonny, and the rest of Smart Start staff truly care about their preschoolers. They nurture their interests and encourage them to express their feelings. It felt like family. It was so hard for us to leave when our son "graduated". He still asks about them over a year later. read more

I enrolled my child here, and my child was put in the pre K class called Forrest Rangers. The classroom is very adorable. The teacher that run's the classroom does well. The problem I have is with the owner (Sandra) and the director (Shonny). These ladies are very unprofessional. I got a bad vibe from them both. The review that was posted on the 11th is totally right on. read more

My son and I love this school. The director Sandra has a true passion for early childhood education. We explored several school (including Montessori and nannies) and found this to be the most nurturing, educational and secure place for our child. The teachers are kind and capable, and the environment is full of creative elements. read more