I could not possibly say enough good things about WonderWell and our family's experiences so far. Our daughter (now 2 1/2 years old) has been enrolled at WonderWell (in the pre-primary program) for about 6 months.
Our daughter has thrived in more ways than we could have ever imagined. She blows us away daily with her growth as a child -- in every way possible. She LOVES WonderWell, and she looks forward to going daily. And even more telling, she often doesn't want to leave at the end of the day!
When it comes to WonderWell, the facility is an immaculate, state-of-the-art building. So much thought clearly went into the design, and so much time was obviously invested in its creation. At the same time, there is a certain simplicity about the shape and architecture that lends itself to a clean, clutter-free space.
Speaking of clean, WonderWell maintains a seemingly pristine facility, which is something that I think all parents can appreciate. The wonderful cleaning crew -- Benny and Marcia -- tidies up the school daily, and it shows.
The focal point of the facility is the beautiful courtyard where the students are free to roam, explore, and play. As someone with a health and fitness background and career, I could not be more pleased to see so much emphasis on time outdoors and movement. Along those lines, the physical education/enrichment program is absolutely, hands down the best you will find at any level of school.
The faculty is an absolute cast of all-stars with truly impressive academic credentials (many with Master's degrees) and performance. Their energy and exuberance are palpable and contagious, and it is only surpassed by their compassion for their students and their passion for guiding the children.
The teachers invest an enormous amount of time with their students, the parents, and preparing their classrooms and curriculum. The caliber of teachers at WonderWell is bar none. They are not just exceptional educators, they are incredible people. WonderWell oozes with positivity, kindness, energy, and compassion, and that is the by-product of the people who make it that way.
Something is truly impressive to me is the excellence in communication at WonderWell -- be it in person, through email, or via app (the school uses Remind and SeeSaw to keep in touch with parents daily). There's an enormous amount of time spent on effectively communicating, and that is something I think all parents can appreciate.
Something that is very important to my wife and me is WonderWell's educational philosophy. It's called Reggio Emilia, and what we really appreciate about it is the emphasis on the child and her natural curiosity.
Starting at a young age, we're told "No, don't do that." "No, don't touch that." "No, put that down." "No, no, no..." You get the point. Our natural curiosity is suffocated, and while we as parents and guardians think we may be teaching valuable lessons, what we are inadvertently doing creating a fixed mindset and self-limiting beliefs.
The Reggio Emilia philosophy fosters the child's natural curiosity facilitating a growth mindset and inviting the opportunity to learn (not be told) valuable life lessons. It helps the children explore and define the boundaries in a healthy, appropriate manner, which is crucial to long-term learning as well as mental, emotional, and physical health.
WonderWell is not just a school, it's a community, and we feel so blessed to be a part of the WonderWell family. We love that WonderWell is so inviting to families and sponsor so many events. There's family Friday, International Day, the Zilker Fun Run, the Fall Carnival...and more.
On top of that, WonderWell routinely has community service projects where the kids learn to give back and donate through charities. Community and philanthropy are very important to us (and to emphasize to our daughter), and we are so grateful that WonderWell places such an emphasis on these things.
WonderWell takes safety and compliance incredibly seriously. There's been a police officer on campus since August, and there are multiple points of secure access that can't be broached without proper credentials, and the school is virtually incognito until you're in the building.
Last but certainly not least is the one and only, talented Ashley Reinhardt. She is a visionary, and we are indebted with gratitude to her for her immense sacrifice and investment to create WonderWell.
We could not more highly recommend WonderWell. It has quite literally been one of the greatest blessings in our lives since our little one was born. read more