Full disclosure: I was an employee of the Highrock Covenant Preschool, now the New Covenant…read morePreschool, for the 2010-2011 academic year as an Assistant Preschool Teacher. I have a bachelor's degree in Child Development from Tufts University, and am Preschool Lead Teacher and Infant/Toddler Teacher certified by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education & Care. That said, this preschool was, by far, the most dynamic, caring, and stimulating preschool I've ever had the privilege to work for! New Covenant is a preschool motivated by the Christian faith. Grace is said before snack, and positive Bible stories are often shared in the morning circle. The Christian faith inspires the school's dedication to thanksgiving, forgiveness, and honesty. The classrooms are well-equipped with a variety of stations and activities. They are clean, meticulously organized, and children-focused. The schedules are intentionally built to foster creativity and support learning while maintaining a four-year-old's attention span. The teachers are extremely well-qualified and deeply compassionate. There is intentional and frequent communication between teachers and parents, and teachers are seen as partners in the development of the children. Academically, the school thoroughly prepares its pupils for kindergarten and beyond. Besides the essential social skills that every kindergartener needs in order to succeed, New Covenant teaches age-appropriate mathematics and literacy, adapted to each child's individual level. Student progress is recorded and analyzed to maximize the efficiency of lesson plans. The arts are a priority, and music is often included as a tool in the lesson plans. I would highly recommend this school for parents of all faith backgrounds.

"Not recommended, especially for those in our generation, --the Millennials"…read more My experience at this church ( Connect Community Church) was bewildering. My cousin and I attended the "new member class". During this meeting, we were told by the Pastor --that many of the young adults connect, with him and others, through Social Media (he encouraged us all, to do the same). The following day, we were surprised to find out (by a fellow, new member) that the Pastor decided to exclude us. The reason being that we were quiet and I guess people see us differently? We are slow to warm up, --as we are naturally, very demure and sort of soft-spoken. The situation was off putting but we took it in stride. We loved our new church home, so we just "shrugged" it off, I guess. To our horror and utter embarrassment, -- the Pastor, put in his sermon the following Sunday, that he didn't have to "include or add certain types to the church's/his social Media" and that it's a "privilege for those who choose to open up." Oh, my! We cried that day and never returned. I cannot recommend this place to anyone, especially if you're a Millennial. It just doesn't translate well to our generation. Thank you for reading this and God bless on this Sunday afternoon. - Daisy

Fantastic multi-site church! We've been attending for over 16 years and have thoroughly enjoyed…read moreall the church community has offered us. Caring staff, upbeat fresh messages, and wonderful music/worship experience. We've also really enjoyed the various small groups that we've been part of over the years from ballroom dance lessons and golf to bible studies. Also, there have been many areas to serve and make a difference!

I am a member of the synagogue. Due to Covid, I have rarely been in the synagogue during the past…read morethree years. I attended the "Empty Nesters" Shabbat luncheon on February 18, 2023. The food was so tasty, that I asked a woman, "Who was the caterer?" Imagine my surprise, to learn that the meal was prepared by volunteers, in the Shul kitchen. I note that I was approached by many individuals, who had not seen me in a long time, with a smile and greeting. This warm welcome meant so much to me.

I prayed here on a shabbat morning several years ago, when I was involved with someone who had…read morefamily in the area. The building itself is fairly modern, as is the congregation itself. There's a more right wing Modern Orthodox shul across the street. This congregation is a magnet for the scholarly and academicians of all sorts pray here, people you wouldn't think Orthodox after reading their scholarly works, which in many cases border on the heretical. However, where else can you say that Dr. Jonathan Sarna davens in front you in shul? Yes, the undisputed dean and heavyweight of American Jewish history was praying in the row in front of mine. The rabbi is scholarly and rather progressive for an Orthodox rabbi in many ways. However, I felt that in order to be a member here, you probably need at least three post-secondary degrees. They seem to be pretty heavy on congregant participation, and the rabbi seems more of a facilitator of people's religious growth, rather than a hegemonic influence, which is a model of leadership that needs to be explored in other milieus. Congregants seem very knowledgeable and empowered, as a result. The kiddush on that particular shabbos was in order of Yom haAtzmaut, the Israeli Independence Day, and there were lots of Israeli salads and fresh vegetables on display. You can tell it's a Modern shul when there are healthy offerings on display, and not just the typical heavy, oil-laden, starchy foods, such as kishke and cholent.

Not only is this daycare phenomenal, the approach to learning is unique and encourages kids to grow…read moreand develop at their own pace. Great appreciation for nature and natural learning. This is one of the best schools around.

This is an absolute gem. A true nursery for working parents that is run as a nature school. Feel so…read morelucky that we found it, and that both our kids have been able to attend. The teachers and administrator are gifted and loving, the environment is nurturing and my kids have learned and grown so much. Despite having very different emotional needs and intellectual tendencies both found everything they needed at FCNS.

This is an open, warm and welcoming church with a diverse group of members that span generations…read more During regular service the church offers Sunday School for K1 and older and a Nursery for the little ones allowing parents to enjoy the service. The children participate in various activities throughout the year such as community service projects, Christmas Pageant, Choir, Palm Sunday and much more. Members and guests are always welcome for coffee and fellowship while the children play in the gym facilities. The music director will never let you down with a combination of traditional and new hymn arrangements sung by the choir. Last but not least, is Reverend Catherine Michaels, who makes the Bible message always relevant to todays complicated and challenging world. If looking for a church with these qualities and full of life, I would suggest that you come and visit.

This church was so wonderful. The service was under an hour, which is just the perfect length of…read moretime, and the minister had a great message. The congregation was very welcoming and love the idea that they bless pets.

Amazing service. Great youth! God bless this church. Keep pushing god and Jesus's name to different…read moregenerations, Congrats on 41 years!

Out of town and needed a place to worship and be thankful. Pastor brought it with a great message…read more Friendly atmosphere with a clear eye on security as well.

I am the owner of Little Ducks Daycare in Belmont, I have heard nothing but great things about this…read moreschool. This program provides a free location for the rest of us in the area to get our CPR and first aide certifications. Without this we would all be scrambling for classes during work hours. I just wanted to say Thank you for providing the space for Mr. S to provide us with a required and much needed class. Also heard wonderful things about your programs.

Our daughter was a student at Adventures Preschool for 11 months, and it was a wonderful experience…read morefor both her and our family as a whole. Though this is a large daycare center, the care that the children receive is personalized, and caring. Our daughter was well known to teachers throughout the scho, and administrative staff. We never felt like a number here. We loved her classroom teachers, and it was clear to us that they loved our daughter too. She thrived during her time at Adventures, and I could see how she much she was learning, week by week. She was always happy to go to school! I never worried about my daughter while she was at Adventures. We received regular updates (and pictures) throughout the day, via an app, about what her class did that day, what she ate and drank, diaper changes, and naps. I knew that she was in the best hands! And for an anxious Mama, that is a big deal! We did not want to leave Adventures, but due to extenuating family circumstances we had to make a hard decision. The administrative team offered us a lot of support during this time, which we are very thankful for. Hopefully one day we will be back!

Our toddler started at SolBe on day one of the school opening. We had very high hopes after our…read moreinterview, despite the cost being much higher than the alternatives. For the added expense, we were promised minute by minute updates, a two-to-one ratio of teachers to students, and a focus on education that could be overlooked elsewhere. Unfortunately, despite an excellent experience with the Director and our son's first teacher, a significant change was made after a few months. The Director, along with many more staff members, were replaced, and the focus seemed to shift notably towards higher profits and cost cutting measures. Our son was moved into a much larger room where there were often two teachers for eight babies, even after they showed up late. The stress put on the staff still making an effort meant that the "minute-by-minute" updates through the app were ignored until the afternoon when they played catch up while all the kids were napping. Often, we wouldn't find out if our son had eaten or had a diaper change until hours after he'd been picked up. The high ratio also contributed to clothes being lost or ruined with art materials unsuitable for infants, diaper changes being skipped, brusies and scrapes, and a near weekly changeover of staff who were clearly frustrated with the experience as well. Our son's class shared a changing room with another, and it was very common to hear the teachers there, unaware they were being observed, repeatedly screaming at the toddlers "everyone come here" and "be quiet". Another thing for prospective families to consider is that SolBe considers themselves a school first and a daycare second. On the average month, SolBe closes around three working days for holidays, conferences, and "teacher enrichment", meaning that working parents will suddenly have a child to account for (not even to mention the frequency that they contact you and ask you to bring your child home early because they "seem like they're not feeling so well', with no other symptoms than a low fever and a lack of energy; a very common experience for young kids). Obviously, the monthly cost is the same regardless of how many days they actually care for your child. Ultimately, we found another center that is offering 5 nine-hour days a week for the same price that SolBe was charging for 3 seven-hour visits. The new school doesn't have a fancy app or gourmet lunches, but we feel our child is a lot more than just an income source in their eyes, and we're much happier. (FYI- This review refers to the new location on Sherman Road, which doesn't have its own listing as of this date.)

Our family is extremely fortunate and blessed that our son's first social experience was at Solbe…read more He started school when he was just one year old, and was greeted with unparalleled love every day by his class teacher, all the other teachers, the director, and the chef. Now, he runs out the door and into his classroom. This 2 years old ability to love others and accept himself is on full display not only at Solbe, but also at the park, the supermarket, and on trips, where he greets everyone with a smile and a "Hello!" As parents, I am most grateful for : Solbe's nutrition system, the best in the US. Three meals a day, chefs prepare fresh, nutritious, and varied menus, allowing our young children to experience a wide variety of foods and get the most nutrition. So I can forgive myself when I serve him just chicken nuggets at dinner :) Furthermore, from such a young age, the teachers provide new art experiences every day. My son loves drawing, talking, singing, dancing, and running around--all of these activities are spontaneous and active. Thanks to Solbe, his brain, mind, and motor skills have developed remarkably, and most importantly, he seems very happy. So I can forgive myself when I let him watch TV before dinner time :) I am grateful to the teachers and staff who provide the world's best early education, nutrition, with a big love spirit and we truly appreciate their professionalism.