I am not someone who thrives off of leaving bad reviews, but I need to explain my experience so other parents who are looking for a day care/preschool for their child can maybe mark this off the list before wasting time.
1. I submitted my interest via their website and received a call to schedule a time for a tour. They scheduled me for the following day. (Apparently today they are on field trips so the directors were not even there, why would someone schedule the tour if no one is there?) They were super laid back on their appointment, sort of a come whenever you want to come. This immediately gave me security concerns for who can come and go from the school.
2. When I got there I had my toddler and an infant. A random man opened the door for me from inside. He let me in and walked away. There was no one in either the office located at the door or the reception desk. I waited a good minute or two before anyone ever came to greet us. Again another huge security concern.
3. When the person returned who was working the desk she had three four year olds (or around that age) with her. She made them sit at the two chairs located at the front. Mind you, the door to exit is maybe five feet away from these chairs. She then instructed them to sit and walked away with me, leaving three children unattended. We were about ten feet away, but in a classroom with no line of sight to those three children at all.
4. It was nap time when we were there. Why would they schedule a tour for nap time? First, I would not want random people poking about my child's classroom while they are sleeping. Second, I was not able to view any interaction between the staff and the children or the children with their peers. All I saw were children sleeping on the floor and teachers mopping floors.
5. I was handed a piece of paper with pricing and explained food and diapers are included. My child is on a special diet and wears cloth diapers so I had specific questions about that. The person giving the tour (I don't know her name since she never introduced herself to me, nor did she ask my name once, again leaving me feeling there are some serious security issues here) had no idea what the answers were.
6. She then asked me if I talked to anyone about the place before coming, I did not. She asked me this same question four times in a matter of 10 minutes or so, made it clear she was not paying attention to anything I was saying.
7. She then asked me if I wanted to see the rest of the school. We walked about twelve feet down the hall around a corner (again leaving three very small children unattended feet away from the door).
8. We walked passed a very unorganized room full of garbage, boxes, and pure chaos. I was told that was the pre k room. I have no idea if that room is active or not? Very strange. The door was open so if it isn't an active space that looks like it is being used for storage should not be left open like it was, to add there was someone sitting in the middle of the rubble eating and watching tv. Not sure if it was someone on break or not? Im assuming it was, and I am not ok with the conditions in which a teacher or staff has to spend there moments decomposing from a morning spent with children. If the staff is unhappy they will not care to watch or teach children as they should and could.
9. I was lead to the end of the hallway and basically shown nothing. It was a pointless venture and no additional information was given to me that would instruct me as to how my sons day would be spent there.
10. I was shown a playground and told that isn't the one he would play on. Why show me that one and not one appropriate for his age?
All in all it was a gut sinking experience. The thought of my son being in a place like that has really frightened me and has put a serious damper on considering any place for childcare honestly. It was disorganized, unclean, unsafe. I have no idea what the meals are like that would be provided. No clue what the educational philosophy is backing their curriculum. No idea what the daily schedule looks like for the children. So many unanswered questions that I honestly don't even want to waste my time being answered. It felt like a place that was completely incapable of caring for children. I am actually really shocked. It was recommended to me by a developmental specialist and I am now heavily judging and evaluating this persons credentials as well. Scary, scary, scary, don't waste your time. read more