Our family couldn't be happier with our experience at this school. From the very first day, we've felt welcomed, supported, and valued it truly feels like a community that cares deeply about every child and family. Each morning starts off on the right foot thanks to Miss Lorraine, who always greets us with kindness and a smile. Miss Teresa and Miss Donna and the administrative team deserve so much credit for everything they do behind the scenes (and often right in front of us, too!). They're always approachable, professional, and eager to help. You can tell they truly love what they do their communication is clear, their leadership is steady, and they treat every family like part of one big extended family. They go above and beyond to keep everything running so beautifully. And of course, we have to give special thanks to Miss Elizabeth, who is an incredible teacher. She creates a classroom that's both structured and full of joy, where every student feels seen and supported. One of the things that stands out most about this school is the sense of stability and consistency there's very little turnover, which says so much about how well the staff are treated and how much they love being here. We're truly grateful to be part of such a positive community. This school is a special place one that not only helps children learn and grow, but also makes families feel supported every step of the way. read more

I'm so happy we found Stepping Stone for my son. He started at 12 weeks and is now 19 months And it's been great so far. The teachers are attentive and kind, providing regular updates on my baby's well-being throughout the day. Communication with the staff has been outstanding, with prompt responses to all my inquiries. read more

Stepping Stone School - Child Care & Day Care Near Me - Austin, Texas

I am the parent of a now six-year-old who has been a part of the Stepping Stone family since preschool at age 3. My child has attended two different locations, the Lakeline location, and the McNeil location which he currently still attends. I am happy to share that I am proud to have my child be a part the children and family centered care. They uphold every moral and value that any parent should want their child to experience in an early learning setting. The staff is always extremely kind and quick to respond to situations that require conflict resolution. I had the opportunity to meet the owner and I would love to say once again THANK YOU to you and your amazing team of staff. I also want to give a special thank you to the McNeil staff who has certainly become our family away from home. I can speak for both my husband and I and say that we are grateful and appreciate all that you guys do. read more

The team at this location is amazing. Our kids love going to school and the teachers love our kids. Our 2yo loves Ms Lorraine and Ms Elizabeth. Our 3yo loves Ms Alex and we all love Ms Donna. read more

My son has been going to this school for the last 3 years, and it's been nothing short of amazing! Miss Cami (the principal) has been fantastic. She always addresses our questions promptly and professionally, while also being connected and involved in an empathetic way. Miss Melissa is our all time favorite teacher. She handles the pre-k class like a pro, and my son absolutely adores her! He has learned so much, and always talks about how much fun he has in her class. Cannot give this enough stars! If you're looking for child care that's friendly, fun, and education based... this is the one for you! read more

The teachers are good, depending on who you get, but because they don't have enough staff, and too many kids, the children get left in buggies or swings for over an hour as a way to just have them out of the way. If they were to put them in a class, this would mean the class was out of ratio, and they would get in trouble with licensing. So instead, they have them in a buggy in a hallway or in front of someone's desk. read more

Our daughter has been going to the McNeil campus for over a year and loves it. We transferred from the Shoal Creek campus (equally as wonderful) and we were very nervous on how she would adjust to the change. Surprisingly, with Ms. Donna as her teacher and the continuous love and support the Stepping Stone family has always embodied, our daughter has adjusted beautifully. One of the hardest decisions new parents have to make is where/who to entrust with your child when you go back to work. Stepping Stone has always been the right choice for our family. We love all of the staff at the McNeil campus. Ms. Melissa is now our daughter's teacher and she is developing (cognitively, socially, etc.) right on schedule. We couldn't be happier...thank you, Stepping Stone! read more

I highly recommend Stepping Stone McNeil campus! My daughter is 13 months and has been going to Stepping Stone since she was 12 weeks old. We have always had the best experiences and the staff could not be better! As a first time mom and a working professional, it was important to place my daughter in a school where she would be mentally stimulated, even at a young age. The communication has been superior and I've always appreciated the advice given by the principal and staff. I have and will continue to recommend Stepping Stone to other parents. Also, have to add that Ms Francis and Ms Adrienne are the best - the experience they both bring is unparalleled. read more

We have been part of the Stepping Stone school for 7 months. Our daughter Anna (4) loves it. Every morning she is telling me "mom let's go, I will be late for the school". Teachers are very caring, Annas teacher Miss Payton is very dedicated and loving educator, Anna talks about her a lot. Our family strongly recommend Stepping Stone school read more

My 20-month-old has been going to Stepping Stone since he was 5 months old and we absolutely love it! Every teacher he has is outstanding including Ms. Francis, Ms. Sakina, Ms. Elizabeth, Ms. Melissa, Ms. Lorraine, and Ms. Paula. Everyone knows his name when we walk in and you can tell they really care about each kid. When I go to pick him up, he often doesn't want to leave because he loves playing with his friends so much. He also loves the chef-prepared snacks and lunch every day and it makes my life so much easier. He also learns so much while he is there and comes home every day knowing new words and with stronger skills like drinking out of a cup without spilling. Thank you Stepping Stone! read more

Our son has been attending Stepping Stone at McNeil since he was 2 years old. He's now 4 and has grown leaps and bounds. We absolutely love his teacher Ms. Payton who is very patient, thoughtful, and loving. The leadership under Ms. Cami has been excellent! In true form it takes a village so shout out to all of the staff! Everyone has been great with following COVID procedures and sanitizing ensuring our little ones stay safe and healthy! read more

We've been sending our daughter to Stepping Stones School - McNeil for almost a year and have been thrilled with the experience! When we drop her off in the morning she runs up to the door of the school out of excitement! The teachers and staff are all sweet and it seems like every day our daughter comes home having learned something new. I'd recommend Stepping Stones - McNeil to anyone looking for an early education school for their children. read more

My kids have been in school here for over two years and have had a consistently great experience across different age ranges (1-3 and 4-6) and with many different teachers. My toddler in particular has had wonderful classroom and student-teacher experiences with Miss Elizabeth and Miss Rana. The administration (Miss Cami, Miss Crystal, and Miss Amy) is very involved and cares about the wellbeing and development of each kid. When my younger kiddo is having a rough drop off, they are warm and welcoming to ease the transition. This is an all around great preschool! read more

We absolutely LOVE Stepping Stone McNeil! My daughter has been there since she was 9 weeks and is 2 y/o now. I'm sad every time she moves to a new class because I have loved the previous teacher so much and it's a reminder that she is growing up so fast. Then we get another AMAZING teacher! Yes, there have been a few teachers come and go, but the main teacher in the classroom has been constant from age group to age group. Ms Francis (infant room) is beyond fantastic and set the bar very high for those to follow. Ms Elizabeth (18-24months) filled Ms Francis' unimaginably magical shoes to a T. We have just moved into Ms Lexi's class (2 years) and I am already excited for my daughter and this new chapter. All 3 principals since we have been there have been fantastic. They have all been compassionate, open minded, patient, and listened to any concerns we had. Ms Chrystal (Assistant Principal) gives it to us straight and keeps an open line of communication with us for all happenings with our daughter on a day to day basis. I truly feel that I can trust the staff with my daughter and to inform me of any major incidents concerning my daughter. I highly recommend Stepping Stone at McNeil. I am always surprised and sad to hear from parents that have had a different experience there. It feels like they are at a completely different campus/school. I have heard complaints about staff turnover, but most daycares have this issue. I know that the administration is doing their best to keep the turnover low and their efforts are paying off. Other complaints were about normal kid stuff; missing socks/bows, dirty clothes, looking disheveled at the end of the day, bite marks/bumps/scratches, etc... Missing socks/bows show that my daughter was exploring with dressing/undressing herself (they also ask you to not put bows in your child's hair in the infant room to avoid other babies from trying to pull them out cause you know, babies). Dirty clothes show that she enjoyed her lunch and played hard outside. Looking disheveled shows she was active throughout the day and didn't just sit in a chair until I came to pick her up. Bite marks/bumps/scratches, though not what any parent wants to see on their child, shows that she was exploring with socializing and sharing. A bite, scratch or fall can happen in seconds whether there are 2 kids to 1 teacher or 10 to 1. Just like most things, you will get out of the school what you put into it. I regularly talk with her teachers and the administration about any issues I have, how my daughter is doing, how the school is doing and really get to know them as more than just my daughter's teachers. They are always receptive and address any concerns instantly. The curriculum is good too, my daughter comes home with new words, more compassion, songs and smiles everyday. On many occasions, my daughter has ran out of my arms to greet the staff when we arrive in the mornings. The staff at SS-M are with my daughter for more waking hours than myself some weeks, it is important that not only she feel safe with them, but I do as well. We are fortunate to have found our safe place in Stepping Stone-McNeil. LSS: Stepping Stone McNeil is AMAZING!! read more

We transferred from the Shoal Creek location about a year ago. We liked that this was closer to home and had more of a 'school feel' to it. It was ok under the old director but the new directors (Ms Shannon and Ms Crystal) really have it running great! It's like a brand new school. Turnover is always an issue at daycares and this one was no different when we first got here. It seems like that has stopped because the staff has been constant for quite some time. My oldest absolutely loves her teachers (Ms Meenakshi, Ms Anne). Both have done wonders with her. There's always new activities to keep her excited and learning. She's also started onsite ballet classes which is quite convenient. Our 11 month old is in the baby room and the teachers who receive her in the morning (Ms Francis, Ms Melissa) are extremely sweet. Her day teachers (Ms Shiloh, Ms Drifah) are also wonderful and have helped her accomplish many milestones (tummy time, crawling, walking, blowing kisses, dancing, waving bye, etc). It's truly amazing the things she's learned since she's been there. I read a complaint about the babies missing socks, missing hair bows, food stains, etc. That's what babies do and i'm not sure there's any way around that. As far as the curriculum, there's full transparency as every room has a camera. If we really thought it was an issue we could always pop in and watch. Curriculum has always seemed to be a top priority here. I can honestly say we've never been happier. Both daughters are happy, learning, and safe. At the end of the day that's what really matters. read more

We had a great experience with Ms. Cami & her staff here! Our daughter looked forward to going to school every day with all of the various learning activities & playtime. The campus is well kept, and has a huge playground with lots of oak trees for shade. She loved her teachers, and made great strides in her development thanks to the care they provided her. They were also excellent with covid protocols and made us feel comfortable that she would be safe while attending. This is a great Stepping Stone, highly recommend! read more

We have to start with all the compliments: Ms Shannon and Ms Crystal are dedicated, gentle and loving. They are super understanding, never too busy to talk and very helpful. We had our son at this school for 16 months. We decided to pull him out only because I lost my job. When we toured the facilities (almost 2 years ago), we liked the school but we LOVED the administrator. We were on a scouting trip to Austin at the time and with so little time to find a daycare and a place to live, it meant the world to us that the administrator understood all our concern and had us feel so comfortable that we were in tears (of joy) as we hugged her neck before leaving. Unfortunately, that administrator had to quit for personal reasons and her replacement was not kind. She never agreed with any of our concerns. She never took our side with any of our complaints. It got so bad that I called the main corporate office and talked to a Lisa Kretzer and even she didn't exactly take our side. The complaint was about our son coming home with a dirty diaper so old that the poop was dry on his skin leaving him with bloody soars. My call to Lisa happened after the incident repeated itself 3 times, with 3rd time my husband lost his cool in the main lobby of the school. They all argued (except Ms Donna which we absolutely adored) that he was changed very often, that he has sensitive skin, that possibly his asthma medicine is making his stool irritate his skin. All possibilities but never "WE ARE SORRY! IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN." Since we were new to Austin with no family and very little friends here, we decided to keep him at the school cause he loved his friends and the facility is great. To our delight, that administrator moved out of State and Ms Shannon and Ms Crystal turned the place around. The turnover rate is definitely an issue. We met over 10 teachers in 16 months. I doubt it's the local administrator's fault and has everything to do with corporate office (pay rate, hard hours, benefits, etc.). read more

We have been to every class at the McNeil location and love each teacher both my kids had over the years. The teachers are all awesome, fun to talk to, both kids love all the different teachers they interact with and all provide a staple, fun, and safe environment. This school has been wonderful with Covid procedures to ensure our kids are the safe. We don't lose items (blankets, jackets, etc) as they do a great job at keeping track of personal items. I feel very comfortable leaving both kids and know they are learning and having fun in a safe environment. I am so impressed with the amount of information each kid comes home and shares with us. They know way more than we did at this age and it's awesome to see both kids excelling and having a great day at the same time. read more

My 6 month old attends daycare here and we really love it! The staff are very attentive to him and Principal Cami answered all of my million questions before dropping him off for his first day once my parental leave ended. I feel like the caregivers do really care about the kids and also want to make sure my needs are met as a parent. The staff that I regularly interact with are Principal Cami, Ms. Maggie (Assistant Director), and Ms. Francis (infant room care giver). They're all really considerate and fun to talk to so I look forward to seeing them and I'm pretty sure my baby does too. For the infant room there is a window for us to watch the kids if we ever want to drop by and check on them. Also, it's cute to see all the older kids come to this daycare everyday. All of them seem super happy and look forward to coming here since I would like my child to continue coming here as he grows. One other important thing is I feel like this daycare is being very safe to prevent any potential spread of covid-19. No adults are allowed in, they do temperature screens for every kid before they enter, and all staff have to wear face masks. That makes me feel really reassured since I heard from my friends that other daycares aren't being that careful so they pulled their kids out. read more

It's a great school..Teachers are amazing.My son loves the school and talks about it at home..and always pretending to be a teacher ‍ .

My family joined Stepping Stone almost 1 year ago! We have a 2 year old and a 7 month old. I am always quick to recommend Stepping Stone to anyone in need of childcare! My daughter is in Ms. Francis' class. Every morning at drop off, my daughter lights up with the biggest smile when she sees her! It means so much to me knowing that Ms. Francis makes my baby girl feel loved and safe (What more could any parent want)! My son is in Ms. Lorraine's class. He talks about her all the time and constantly asks "when am I going to see Ms. Lorraine?" My son comes home every week with a larger vocabulary and I owe it all to his teacher and the amazing staff at Stepping Stone McNeil! read more

Im was not impressed with this preschool at all. I considered taking my daughter there because I went to school with the owner's son, having grown up in Austin, and thought it would be an educational and fun place for her. I did 2 tours and after reading the reviews I picked up on the high turnover and issues. There was a different teacher (in the same room) when I toured the place in March than when I returned in May with my daughter. They held onto my deposit check for almost two months and then when I called to tell them we've chosen another school they immediately ran out and cashed my deposit check. The place has a very institutional feel with no grass on the property, only fake turf. I also got a strong feel that the employees aren't happy with their jobs. Overall not a very good feel. read more

We have had a total of 4 kids at Stepping Stone from infant stage to Kindergarten since 2013. We've stayed at this location because of the great staff and learning programs that gave our kids a leg up when they started Kindergarten. When COVID-19 hit, Stepping Stone kept their doors open for us as both my wife and I were considered essential employees who required child care. Stepping Stone also implemented additional safety and sanitation measures for the kids . We couldn't be more happy with our choice in child care and will be happy customers of the McNeil location until our last kiddo starts kindergarten. read more

My son has attended this school for 2+ years and we were initially pleased with the teaching staff and their curriculum. There were minor issues to start regarding consistency in activity reports and the occasional bite marks/injuries from other students, however, we were generally happy with the teaching staff and the use of weekly lesson plans. As others have stated, the class rooms became more crowded (even though the ages of children hadn't changed) and my son's teacher would frequently tell us that she was doing her best to work with the kids even though she had more students than she was supposed to have. No fault of her own, and she truly did try to meet the needs of all her students and knew exactly how to work with my son when he would have issues at school. Due to the high numbers of children and low numbers of staff, my son and his fellow classmates started having behavioral issues in class and on the playground. The former principal of his school told us, based on her 20 years of childcare experience, that my son had ADHD and that he should be tested/medicated to deal with his behavioral issues. Unprofessional to say the least. After testing by his doctor, it was determined he did not have ADHD. The principal seemed almost disappointed when we told her. Luckily, his teacher was willing to put in the time and work with us as a team to address and correct his behavior. The reports from his teacher showed improvement in his behavior and attitude and we stopped receiving complaints from staff. In the last year the turnover rate of teaching staff and management has been unbelievable. The teachers that knew how to talk to my child and redirect him in a positive way are long gone and the consistency of teaching staff throughout the day was out the window. With this fluctuating and inconsistent environment my son fell back into his old ways with his other classmates and began having issues. No longer would we get detailed reports about his behavior and the majority of incidents were downplayed when we asked for more information so we could address the issues at home. With the most recent staff change the management team also brought in regional staff that are trained in childhood behavior. I was taken by surprise when one of these staff members pulled me aside and told me of all the problems my son was having and that she feared for the safety of the other students. I explained my son's past issues and talked about the fact that nothing has been said to us regarding his behavior other than minor issues throughout the day. The staff member and I discussed a plan of action to better my son's behavior and I explained the methods we used with the previous teacher that had worked to better his behavior. The next day we were informed that my son is being expelled from the school due to his behavior. No warnings, no discussions of expulsion prior, no time to correct the behavior. I spoke with the regional supervisor regarding the matter and it was explained that this has been an issue for close to 6 weeks, yet I never received any updates on the frequency or severity until a day before they make a decision to expel my son. The response was that they agree they mishandled the communication process and could have done a better job, but their decision still stands. I hoped for a more professional approach to issues like this from a company that claims to be a premier private education facility. Informing someone of these issues the day before you plan to remove their child from their facility is as unprofessional as it gets. If they had taken the time to actually talk with us while the issues were minor i feel as though we could have stopped the problem before it got to this point. Unfortunately their inability to communicate these issues has created a bigger problem and it seems as though the easiest solution in their mind is to remove my son instead of fixing the internal issues that created this situation in the first place. Judging by what the regional manger told me, my son is not the only one having these issues in his class, however he seems to be the only one being expelled. Instead of looking for the easy way out and removing kids that require some work, I think they should be spending more time actually working with the students to improve their behavior. I hope others continue to have a positive experience at this school, and I want to stress that I'm not here to drag anyone's name through the mud, but I feel it's important for anyone looking at these reviews to be informed of what this company and their staff are lacking. read more

Our 7 month old attends Stepping Stone at McNeil and we absolutely love it. The infant teacher, Ms. Francis, is the BEST. My little one practically jumps out of my arms every morning to see her. Quite a few of the staff have been at this school for many years so their is a lot of consistency. We couldn't be happier with this school and look forward to our little one growing and learning here for years to come. read more

This specific Stepping Stone School location is awesome! My kids, 8 year old boy and 5 year old daughter, have attended this daycare for the past two summers. The staff is lovely. They work well with kids of all ages. My two children wake up excited each day because they know they are going to Stepping Stone. My kids talk about what they have learned and how much fun they have had each afternoon when I pick them up. I am blessed to have found such a wonderful place for my kids to stay while I am at work. read more

My son attends the Stepping Stone after school and day camp programs, three years and counting. As a mother I have the utmost faith in this team, Cherie leads an amazing staff. I was shocked to read an earlier negative review, I truly believe everyone at this location is colour blind. The children are valued, loved and encouraged irrespective of creed or colour. Children here thrive, it's a positive, nurturing environment, children are treated as individuals and shown love and respect. No two children are identical in character or temperament and Stepping Stones recognises that. Teachers like Eric, Megan, Taryn, Leanne, Frances, Calynn and others strive to bring out the best in the kids. In the evenings you'll see the parents waiting to drag their children away from the playground, a book or a game of chess - children here matter and it shows. It's a happy place. The curriculum engages children of all abilities, my child tested several grades ahead at school and at Stepping Stones he is engaged intellectually and treated with great kindness and care. We are moving home over the summer, but I'll be driving the extra few miles to ensure that my child is able to attend summer camp at this location. As a work outside the home mother I never need to feel guilty about leaving my child at Stepping Stones, children aren't an afterthought here, it's a great place and my child is surrounded by good people. As a parent I'm thankful for this team. read more

Our daughter attends Stepping Stone 3 Daycare. It has been almost four months since she has been attending Stepping Stone 3 daycare full time. This has been by far one of the most memorable transition/event in our lives. Our daughter has blossomed in so many ways. Words cannot encompass all of what we feel since our daughter started daycare. At first as any mother and father would, were skeptical just a tiny bit about letting someone else take care of her child. But our concerns were simply flushed away in a matter of days. Our daughter's teacher is Ms. Aly. She is absolutely great with our daughter. She looks forward to seeing her each day. Ms. Eileen has also been instrumental in our daughter's development. I can tell that Aly, Eileen and the staff enjoy their jobs. Aly does her best in ensuring that we are updated on her progress and addresses any concerns she may have. It gives me and my husband great comfort knowing that she is cared for in a loving manner. Any time we have concerns about our daughter, they are very attentive and acknowledge our concerns and pass them along thru the appropriate channels. She has learned how to talk using sign language, which my husband and I were floored. She has learned how to speak in sentences now. She knows her colors and some numbers. She has great crafting skills and loves to interact with other children. We can honestly say that Stepping Stone 3 is by far the best on our books . Kim Solis is the director at Stepping Stone 3. She has been remarkable in her directorship of Stepping Stone 3. Stepping Stone 3 stands by their true dedication and commitment to installing good morals, and values along with proper care to our daughter. When our family and friends ask us what daycare our daughter goes to, we are proud to say "Stepping Stone 3". read more

Initially we were very pleased with stepping stone and had some wonderful teachers, however teachers and principals became a dime a dozen! Before my child was expelled he had 4 different teachers in 5 months! And 4 principals in 5 years! I recieved a call on a Wednesday morning saying my child's last day would be Friday due to the "severity and frequency" of his behaviour. I was told that it had been going on for 3 weeks and special teachers were brought in to help and it hadn't improved. I was NEVER told there was a special person coming into the classroom and NEVER heard the word severe until they said he couldn't come back. There was NO documentation about his behavior and when i was told he was misbehaving it was very nonchalant and Mrs. Crystal even told me don't worry about it, it's the whole class... they don't trust anyone because they've had so many new teachers! But she told her regional director that she was talking to me EVERY DAY! NOT TRUE! I thought she cared about my children, but she had me fooled! They gave me 2 days to find a new daycare.... Never did anyone ask what was going on with my child or bring me in for a meeting BEFORE they were expelling him! Did anyone bother to find out if anything had changed at home because it HAD! His father and I split up, so thanks for making a hard situation harder! I am very disappointed that this school became so unprofessional in such a short amount of time. One of the best and most longstanding teachers there WALKED OUT! And a former teacher saw a child eating sheetrock as a teacher just sat by and let her do it! Find another place for your child! read more

I've mulled over what to say and how to write this review for several months now. I wanted to write as fair a review as possible and let the emotions surrounding the care of my child subside. But I feel like it is important to share our experience... why do thousands of people review a taco joint but hardly anyone reviews the people they entrust their most precious possessions to? Bottom line: I strongly suggest you look elsewhere for a daycare/after school care solution. My daughter attended SS-McNeil for almost a year and we became increasingly aware of huge deficiencies in the level of care as time went on. She started as a tiny one in the infant room. I can say Ms. Francis as mentioned in several of these reviews is an angel (they get a second star just for her). But that is the only caregiver of any tenure that we had a good experience with. Beyond her, they have serious issues with turnover. Once my LO left the infant room, I literally could not name any of her teachers, because it was someone different nearly every day/week. They rarely sent pictures, frequently left big gaps in her care charts, and more often than not didn't notice or report issues of biting, falls, etc. My child was constantly covered in bite marks and I got only a few reports back that it had been attended to. She was a disheveled mess at the end of every day. Covered in dirt, food, lots of missing bows, socks, etc. The biggest problem of all (which probably is a cause of some of the above issues) is they were constantly out of state mandated care ratios. They were short a teacher in the classroom several times a week. I even came upon over 20 toddlers on the playground one morning with only 1 overwhelmed and timid looking teacher. And yes, I had never seen the teacher before and at least a third of the children were in tears. We reported these ratio issues All. The. Time. Management usually blamed the teachers that it was their fault that they hadn't reported to the principal they were out of ratio. I don't know if it is an overall Stepping Stone issue or just this location, but there was definitely a culture of cutting the ratios way too tight and acceptance of being short staffed. They would always act like they had just gotten 'out of ratio', but I could clearly read the arrival times for all students in her class and see that they had needed a second teacher for often an hour or more. And if all of the above wasn't reason enough, they definitely weren't following the curriculum plan they highly touted. Lesson plans weren't followed, they rarely did development activities, and daily I'd find children 'parked' on a buggy. Rather than actively engaging them, I would wonder how long each day they just sat like in a stroller. Very sad to think about. They have had several management changes in recent months I am sure they will say is correcting their problems and the staff was always 'nice', but we saw no improvement and found an alternative as quickly as we could. I also have heard from other parents still there that the problems definitely continue. I hope for the sake of all of the sweet families still there they get it together, but I wouldn't stake my children's' care on that. read more

The director and assistance director weren't the friendliest! I went in to get information about their programs and availability and was told to call the number! I was right there, I wasn't looking for a tour, just wanted basic information. No customer service at all! read more

I wrote a review of the Pre-K program (& Ms. Theresa) already but I wanted to update my review with how awesome the Twos & Ms. Ilene is. As I said in my previous review, the biggest factor in a successful daycare is continuous teachers and Ms. Ilene has been there a long time. I can tell how comfortable the kids are with her and my daughter when there are no issues at dropoff; she just waves at me and says 'Bye Mommy!' in a cheerful voice when I leave her with Ms. Ilene. Ms. Ilene has a great mix of fun, caring, and bookeeping. She's always counting the kids as they transition to the playground/classroom and in between and making notes in the school app. I don't know how she manages it but she is always so cheerful, energetic and upbeat with the kids! Thank you Ms. Ilene for being a great care-giver and role model in my daughter's life. :) read more

My daughter has been here for a little over two years. Mediocre is the best way to describe it. She has had two teachers that I truly felt comfortable leaving her with that are still with the school. They listened to my concerns and made every effort to address the issues. Ms. Francis & Ms. Sheila have been great. Turn over is insane here. There was a period that my kids had three teacher back to back that were only there for a couple of months. This was obviously distressing to my girl. One of the biggest issues we had was potty training. While understandably teachers cannot always keep an eye out on every child for accidents, there were two instances where I arrived and my child was wet and I was told it was "just water," when it was clearly urine, the smell alone was enough to tell. In another instance, I picked some soiled underwear and shorts only to find the teacher had left the entire bowel movement in with clothes. We had to throw it all out. Lastly when we suggested to the principal (who is longer there) that we provide some sort of treat to encourage our girl to use the potty, my husband was told that if we implemented that sort of incentive we would cause our girl to have an eating disorder. Not only did I feel like I was being told how to parent our kid, we were also made to feel like horrible parents for giving our daughter mini m&m's to encourage her to use the toilet. She has since grown out of it and uses the restroom without any treats. Another issue has been accounting. There a couple of instances when I was overcharged and my bank account has been overdrawn. It turns out that there were additional charges that were are not made clear, they use their newsletter to communicate with parents about tuition increases and bi annual fees. It would be helpful if SS would be more proactive about communicating these things in a more direct manner with parents. The Tadpoles app has been insanely inconsistent. 90% of the time information is missing, incorrect or the "report" is blank. It got so bad that I requested a paper update on my daughter and I was told that they did not do that because "I would lose it." When I ran it up the flagpole of directors, I received an apology but very little has actually changed. I have to constantly ask the teacher she had that day if she used the potty or napped. Generally the teacher that had her in the morning is not there in the afternoon so there will be days when I have no clue what my daughter did the entire day. SS needs a lot of improvements. I would not recommend. read more

Too much of advertisement and the location made me choose this for my kid. It was a kind of okay.. but not too good. On his 2nd day, i was sitting outside watching his room on the tv, he was given pieces of pancakes on his highchair, i saw him pushing everything down.. later when I went in, the teacher said he ate well and left only a few pieces.. I was upset!! I know some of my colleagues' kids are also here and heard they all are falling sick often. Rates, timing, bring your own food - plus. Nothing much! read more

My daughter has been a student at Stepping Stone for 6 months and I have seen a huge improvement in her learning achievements. My husband and I have enrolled her in 3 separate day cares since she was 5 months and she is now 2 years old. The fourth time we chose to enroll her in a day care we came across Stepping Stone Learning Center. This school is more than a day care; it is a true learning facility and home for all the children who attend 5 days a week. I am impressed with the love and learning tools these spectacular people have given my daughter. If she can't be at home with her mom and dad, I am so happy to have her at Stepping Stone. All the team members are so helpful, courteous and knowledgeable as to what is going on inside their workplace. There are not enough good things to say about Kim Solis and her team to truly explain what a wonderful job they do. I will be very sad when my daughter goes to Kindergarten, but I know she will be mentally and physically prepared for school thanks to Stepping Stone! read more

its just ok. my kids were there for like 2 years total. its loud and chaotic. extremely small rooms. the infant room is the worst! small, too many babies, my kid was sick nonstop. i moved my son to a new school and he hasn't been sick once in 6 months now. snippy teachers, their "chef prepared" food is a joke. I took my own. location is a plus. playground is a plus. everything else, meh. read more

My daughter has attended Stepping Stone at McNeil for the last four years and I can't say enough good things about this daycare. To provide some background, I have three kids and have dealt with at least 10 daycare facilities in the general area for the last 14+ years. This is the first daycare that I found, including another Stepping Stone in another location, that maintains the same teachers. This facility actually works with its staff to keep them, which as a parent is a big plus if you prefer consistency. My daughter has absolutely loved her time at Stepping Stone. Ms. Melissa is wonderful and a jewel of a person. She truly loves each one of her kiddos. Mr. Eric is such a great teacher to the school age kids and they all love hanging out with him. Mr. Eric makes after school fun! If your child is not on the bus after school, they are calling you to ensure that your child is with you. The facility is an older house converted into a daycare, so yes, it is not a 50,000 square foot campus; however the size of the facility makes it feel like home and I found my child preferred the smaller size compared to other glossy facilities. The back playground is large, shaded, and is a paradise to kiddos wanting to play. The Director, Sherry, is never too busy to help you and will go beyond to help you with paperwork for bureaucratic dependent care gatekeeper. My daughter started at three and is now seven. Stepping Stone taught her to read, fostered her love for art, taught her some sign language, and instilled confidence in her learning. She never once said to me that she was bored or didn't want to go - now I get those statements about public school. If you want a place to help your child learn and grow in a safe environment, this is the place for you. read more

Finding good daycare is a difficult task, I work downtown and looked everywhere - most places had very long waiting lists. I was so fortunate to find excellent care close to my home. My two boys have been at Stepping Stone on McNeil since they were 12 weeks old (the oldest is 4 now). The infant room is awesome, the teachers are sensitive and caring and helped me immensely as a first time mother going back to work. Now that my oldest child is 4, I've gotten to know many of the teachers - they have become and extension of our family, all caring about the well being and education of my children. The director is always available to talk about concerns and knows my child well - infact gets hugs from both boys every day as we exit the building. I love that Stepping Stone values education and training of their teachers and that they continually strive to make my children's experience exciting and fun. read more