It makes me sad to have to write this review but I'm hoping what happened to us at the Children's…read moreCenter of Austin, Westlake doesn't happen to another family. My son attended the Children Center of Austin, Westlake location from mid January to mid April, 2024. He was 6-9 months old while there. Our top priority has always been the safety and well-being of our son, yet incidents underscored our concerns regarding his safety while under the care of CCOA. Our son was diagnosed with severe food allergies and had a few occasions of anaphylactic shock. Luckily never while at daycare but for the third time in a month, our son was placed in a different classroom without us knowing, the substitute teacher was NOT aware of his anaphylactic allergies and did NOT know the location of his Epi-pen. Senior management's response was to keep changing policies with the latest one being that they wanted his Epi-pen to be located outside the classroom, such as at the front desk or office, but there were many occasions when we've arrived and found no one at the front desk or office -- this left us deeply troubled and indicated a sever lack of understanding about the urgency of anaphylactic allergies. Furthermore, the continued misidentification of our son as another kids name by staff members added to our concerns. This oversight continued to reflect a lack of attention to detail. Senior leaderships response was 'we can understand the teachers continued mistake as your son and the other kid do look similar.' The similarities are that our kids both have the same eye color and hair color. There were MANY other smaller issues: sent home wearing other kids diapers and clothes, terrible diaper rash on multiple occasions (even after raising concerns from our doctor to Senior Management), using other kids diaper cream on our kid, photos loaded to the app that were not our child, misrepresentation of what our kid ate listed on the app... the list goes on. We exhausted all avenues in attempting to resolve these issues with Senior Management but unfortunately, issues continued to arise, leaving us with no choice but to prioritize our son's safety above all else and leave. We cannot recommend this school as a safe environment for children. The evident deficiencies in leadership undermine their ability to create a secure and nurturing setting. Until meaningful changes are made at the leadership level, we fear these issues will persist, ultimately impacting the well-being of the children under their care.

I would strongly suggest staying away from this facility at all costs. In the less than one year…read morethat our daughter attended this school, the following occurred. * A teacher instigated an altercation with a parent with absolutely no recourse from school management. * 9/16/22: I witnessed an assistant alone with 8 children, screaming at one child in his face to sit down or she would make him sit down. The "solution" was for this assistant to never be alone with children again and she was "coached". I subsequently witnessed this assistant alone with children again on 9/23/22 and she was ultimately moved to another age group on 9/30/22. One can only assume so that I wouldn't witness her interacting with children alone again. * Marked disorganization and inconsistency within the jellyfish room specifically. * Our daughter was bitten twice. * Our daughter sat in soiled diapers for too long resulting in painful diaper rash, even complaining to her dad on occasion at pick up that her booty hurt and she really needed her diaper changed - something she's never asked for until our time at CCOA. * I've picked her up twice with pus pouring out of her ear that teachers did not notice. * I witnessed a teacher wipe our daughter back to front on several occasions (this did not improve even after I brought it to management's attention). * The jellyfish classroom had two teachers abruptly depart without notice. * Numerous personal items went missing despite being labeled with our daughter's name. * Numerous items that were not our daughter's were sent home with her. This shows the disorganization of the room. * Labeled children's bins in the wrong cubbies with wrong personal items in them. Again, showing the disorganization of the room and of the teachers this school chose to hire. * Unclear and inconsistent instructions for splash pad days leading to miscommunication and frustration. * Very rare (less than once a week) photos of our daughter despite repeated pleas for frequent pictures. * A few months ago, I witnessed a mother drop her infant off with a teacher who was strolling the other infants around in the large multi-baby stroller. The teacher said that she would just hold the baby because the last available seat had a broken seatbelt. When I came back around the corner after dropping our daughter off, the mother was gone and that baby was "strapped" into the broken seat. Unacceptable and dangerous. Again, choose another daycare provider for your children.

As a prior owner of three preschools, I can tell you first hand you will find no other place like…read moreWonder Well Preschool! I have a wealth of experience owning and even more reviewing and consulting with preschools across Texas and California. So you can imagine how selective I was in finding a place for my 2 year old son. My son is a handful and it is hard to win him over. Not only did he but our family also fell in love with Wonder Well and all it had to offer. The owner and staff go above and beyond to provide not only a safe, but enjoyable family atmosphere. At Wonder Well your child is not just attending preschool, but is at a place that truly cares for your child as a part of the Wonder Well family. The detail that goes into the curriculum and activity planning is like no other. The teachers break everything down and truly get down on the child's level (literally hands and knees most of the time) to help them and grow them in various ways. The creativity and variety of age appropriate activities for learning had my son waking up ready to run off to preschool every morning! The owner is phenomenal and has set up a state of the art facility like no other preschool I have observed. She took the time to develop and create a preschool taking into account all of the small things that matter and make such a difference to the kids and parents. I guarantee you will be 100% satisfied, and this sure the best preschool for your child!

There could never be words to describe how incredible Wonderwell is. Before having children, I used…read moreto think people who cared so much about preschool were silly. But now having two young kids, and knowing the importance of education at this important developmental stage, I know that there really is so much young children need to thrive. Wonderwell is not only the best preschool in Austin, but in the country in my opinion. My son went there for three years and my daughter for a year before we had to move out of state. Leaving this school was the hardest part. My son started when he was 2, he could barely speak and was SO shy. When we left, he was so confident, a true leader, and LOVED school. The teachers, the staff, the other families, are all above and beyond. I couldn't love or recommend Wonderwell more!

We highly recommend Guidepost Montessori Westlake to any family looking for a nurturing and…read morehigh-quality Montessori toddler and preschool program in the Westlake / Austin area. Our son has been attending Guidepost Montessori Westlake since he was 18 months old, and now at almost 4 years old we couldn't be happier with our experience. Our son has a big personality and can be very energetic, and the guides have always met him with incredible patience, kindness, and understanding. We've seen amazing growth in his social skills and language development, and he has become much more confident communicating with both children and adults. A very special thank you to Ms. Angela and Ms. Jacqueline. They are truly wonderful guides who care deeply about the children. Their calm, nurturing approach has made such a positive difference for our son. They were also incredibly supportive during potty training, approaching it with patience and encouragement, which made the process so much easier for our family. The school environment is beautiful, clean, and thoughtfully prepared, and the administration is always organized, responsive, and supportive. We also love the enrichment programs offered at the school like Kinder Dance, piano lessons, Spanish, and sports, which give the children wonderful opportunities to explore different interests. Most importantly, our son is happy and excited to go to school every day, which says everything. We feel very grateful to be part of the Guidepost Montessori Westlake community. Parent perspective: "As a parent, there is nothing more reassuring than knowing your child is safe, respected, and truly cared for every day. Guidepost Montessori Westlake has been an incredible place for our son to grow." If you're a parent looking for a thoughtful, patient, and well-run Montessori toddler or preschool program in Westlake or Austin, this school is truly a special place for children to learn, grow, and thrive

We have been extremely satisfied with the care and attention our son has received in the two and a…read morehalf years he has been enrolled here. Activities are well thought-out and there is ample time built into each day for arts & crafts, reading books, playground time, and other activities (and oh yes, the all-important nap!). The staff-to-child ratio is higher than what we have seen at other daycares and the current head of school, Courtnee, has gone above and beyond in getting to know each child and their parents. One benefit to a Montessori model is having mixed age classrooms. Especially with the toddler room (18 months - 3 yrs), it provides the opportunity for younger kids to see behavior and action modeled by older kids, particularly with potty training. Our son can see children of the same age or slightly older go through that step and I think it has taken out much of the anxiety. He has picked up good habits such as helping to clean up and put things back, sharing, and being kind to others, and I am confident he is safe, well cared for, and growing while at Guidepost.

We love WHPP! We have been with WHPP since 2016 and love the teachers, the staff and the community…read more The teachers are dedicated and passionate. They love the children so very much. More than anything we love the community you join as a family at WHPP. WHPP is more than just a preschool and is so very special. They also have a kinder bridge program which is another major plus.

I am a mother of 4 children, and I also hold a Bachelor's degree in Elementary education with a…read moreminor in Early Childhood Education, as well as a Master's degree in Educational Administration.Each of my 4 children attended WHPP over the course of 10 years, in classes ranging from 2 year old groups to 5 year old classes. My family's experience at WHPP was outstanding in every way. We could not have been happier. Each of my kids' teachers, along with Susan, the director, were consistently exceptional, going above and beyond what would be considered typical and expected in a half day preschool program. I would highly recommend this school to anyone who is interested in touring or learning more about this play-based early learning facility to call and schedule a visit.

We love St. Michael's - the Reggio-inspired approach is amazing -- it's hands-on and lets the kids…read morereally explore and learn through play. The guides are incredible -- so kind, creative, and genuinely invested in each child. You can tell they truly love what they do. Our oldest just graduated and grew so much here, both socially and emotionally. Our middle child is there now and comes home every day excited to tell us what she did. We plan to have our youngest join school soon. The classrooms are beautiful and thoughtfully set up, and the whole environment feels warm and welcoming. We couldn't be happier with St. Michael's -- it's a very special place.

I spent a long time searching for a day school that felt like the right fit for my daughter - and…read morethen we found St. Michael's! We absolutely love it. The small student-to-teacher ratio allows for such personal attention, and every single teacher and staff member knows my daughter by name. The environment is incredibly warm and joyful - the kids always look genuinely happy, and most importantly, my daughter is thriving. Since starting at St. Michael's, she's come out of her shell, grown in confidence, and learned so much. As a parent, I also appreciate how involved we're allowed to be -- there are plenty of volunteer opportunities if you want to engage more closely with the school community. Couldn't recommend it enough!

100000 stars!! There aren't enough words to say how AMAZING this school is!!! Athena is a special,…read moremagical gem and we feel so absolutely lucky to have found it. The teachers and the atmosphere just radiate peace and positivity. The quality of education is incredible. My son turned 5 yesterday and is already about to start reading!! The amount of personal attention and care each student receives is incredible. My second child is about to "walk through the gates of life" this May and head to kindergarten.. I am honestly heartbroken to not go there everyday anymore lol! We have had a child there for the past 5 years and if I could keep them there forever, I would! We have had the honor to get to know Ms. Alex, Ms. Jazmin and Ms. Morgan over the years and these women are absolutely INCREDIBLE! They have huge hearts and really LOVE what they do, and it shows!! They have a magic way of connecting, communicating and relating to the kids. We are so THANKFUL for the values and knowledge they have bestowed in our children that will shape who they become forever!! We love each of you so much!! My kids made me promise to always take them back to say hello as they grow...that speaks volumes in my book. Athena is a purely magical place!

We have been blown away by our experience with Athena. The support and caring from the staff has…read morebeen amazing. Our son has flourished at the school. The growth from August until now has been exponential on all fronts. He is more independent, communicating more and becoming a member of his classroom community. The other parents as well have created a lovely community and support system as well. My husband and I didn't realize just how lucky we were to get a spot in the school!

Our son started this year in the PK2 classroom. We did our homework and there are no other…read morepreschools like it. The ratios are SO small. He has 6 other children in his class with two teachers. His lead teacher has a masters degree in education and many teachers have advanced degrees. Kiddos experience enrichment activities during the day like music, cooking, spanish, and sensory. The hours allow me to be a working parent and have full-time care. His classroom is outfitted with things that are important to us- natural materials instead of plastic, lots of books, and open-ended play spaces. Yes, there is a year-long commitment required to attend but honestly, that was a selling point for us. It means his classroom community will stay the same the entire year and we will not experience the constant reshuffling that happens at "typical preschools". I work in finance and appreciate that, unlike franchise preschools that struggle with revenue fluctuation (i.e. 30-day cancellation policies), this preschool is operating with predictable and sound financial backing. Best decision we could have ever made for our child. He is loved. He is happy. I couldn't recommend this preschool enough.

We toured this preschool and they seemed to have lots of nice outdoor space, but it was summer and…read morewe were not able to meet any teachers. Even though they seemed very much in a transition phase due to the change in ownership to Trinity, we wanted to try this preschool. About halfway though the online enrollment paperwork, they sprung a year-long commitment on us (and an optional insurance policy that costs hundreds of dollars to get 60% of your money back). Most of the staff members seemed nice, except one who assumed I was a first time parent who didn't know how this is supposed to work. (Note: We are not first-time parents. With our older child, we had to move a couple times and attend multiple preschools in multiple states, and none of them required more than a 30-day cancellation notice.) I understand you are trying to conform to Trinity, but this is not yet a Trinity experience, and a year-long commitment for a 2-year-old who hasn't even met the teacher yet is not normal or reasonable. Another note if you are considering this school: Currently a child has to reapply to Trinity for Kindergarten. No guarantees that you'd get in. If they would bring their cancellation policy in line with every other preschool we have toured, we would consider them, but for now, we are exploring other options.

What a terrible experience. We just pulled her out mid-year because it got so bad. The director is…read moreso awful to deal with. It's her way or the highway. You will get yelled at if you try and have any questions or concerns. Good luck!

By far, the BEST Montessori school around! Silvia and her teachers are an amazing, caring and…read moreenthusiastic group! My son looked forward to going to school everyday and learned so much! I truly believe they helped to set him up for success in his future schooling!

My little has been at this school for the past 2 1/2 years and has been provided wonderful care of…read moreby their loving staff. Would recommend to anybody who wants a safe, fun, play centered daycare. She is now about to start kindergarten and it will be bitter sweet to leave but she has been given the foundation she needs. I will be forever grateful for "her tribe" that has nurtured her through her toddler years.

We love this school. Last spring we started our son at a highly rated daycare school that was…read morepretty expensive and although we loved the teacher nothing about dealing with the school or director went smoothly. We moved our son to child craft and were a little hesitant at first with the price being significantly lower than the previous and just not appearing quite as new or fresh I could say. We love love miss rachel and my son is happy here. He isn't nearly as aggressive at home as he was with the other school and has learning to communicate better and follow direction better and he just loves the playground so much too and they do full on potty training too so the months of stalled potty training at his last school and two months of being at this one and at home training he is almost 100% trained aside from nighttime.

Great kids, great teachers and great parents make for a great environment to learn and socialize…read more A great lead into kindergarten, school and life.

Amazing school that centers the child's learning experience and prioritizes community!read more