I remember searching for daycares before I had my daughter, worried to find and secure the right one for my infant as I returned to work as a first-time mom. APA was/is my favorite because of how tucked away it is from the hustle and bustle of traffic; it has a beautiful mountain outdoor landscape for outdoor play; and the center is extremely secure and cozy with a key code and a new digital checkout system... BUT, the teachers are community environment is what really made it for me. My daughter has been at Anderson Preparatory Academy since she was 6 months old. She is now in the young two's room. I love it because, even though the teachers are young, they really do care about their students. The teachers are trained in how to respond and nurture young children instead of just being thrown into the room and expected to learn. And it seems like all the teachers know all the children and what rooms they belong in, etc. It truly is a community as it's easy to connect with the parents since your child is growing up with theirs! I sincerely loved picking up my daughter from school and seeing her teachers interact with love. So important for any child, especially toddlers. APA is now directed under Tara O'Neale, who is a former kindergarten teacher. She is incredibly proactive in making sure the daycare and preschool are updated with monthly flash cards, the latest learning trends (Learning Without Tears), Scholastic book fairs, and monthly themes. Mrs. O'Neale has also brought on the SmartCare program - WHICH IS AMAZING! My husband and I consistently get updates whenever my daughter is working on activity, napping, getting changed, moving rooms, etc. Plus, the teachers always update adding pictures of what my daughter is doing, which is way more secure than texting. It's just a really neat program, and my in-law's in Washington love being updated with their first grandchild. And I know it makes my day when getting a picture of my daughter playing with her classmates. Along with the curriculum and community, APA has a monthly calendar and everyday has a purpose. Whether it be "wear your pajamas to school" or "crazy sock day," it's a great way to get the kids involved. My daughter especially loves Tuesday because that's karate day. That's when a teacher from a local karate school comes in to teach the kids a few moves. The school also has amazing holiday events -- from a school egg hunt for Easter to a Mother's Day tea. I personally loved the Christmas holiday because each grade level performed a holiday song. During summertime, they have activities like a bounce castle, weekly field trips to Arizona Science Center or even Fry's. But, I love the way this school is organized; it really is a community. I am a high school English and journalism teacher, but did teach early education 10 years ago... I really do feel like my daughter is getting the best education at her age. My husband and I considered enrolling her at the Montessori that opened up nearby, especially as she is getting older, but the level of community isn't what it is at APA, and I do feel like since Mrs. O'Neale has joined, that the level of academic rigor has increased. She is engaged in play-based learning, always bringing home craft or painting projects. She loves playing "teacher" and showing us flashcards for us to guess. Her counting is remarkable and she is extremely verbal. She loves her friends and her social skills have completely blossomed over the past year. Her infant teachers have moved on from APA, but we still keep touch through social media. Her one's and two's teachers, Ms. Brianna, Ms. Diana, and Ms. Stephanie, are THE BEST TEACHERS any parent with a toddler could ask for! They are on top of things, organized, creative, nurturing, and involved in seeing their students succeed. Without a second thought, I would recommend APA to anyone! It is THE best daycare and preschool in the North Valley, hands down. read more

Anderson Preparatory Academy - Young two's working on crafts. - Preschools Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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This facility and its staff are now called Moon Valley Preparatory Academy and are still located off of 7th street in N. Phoenix. The owner and manager, David Weekely, along with his "new" staff are very capable and caring in their administration of this excellent facility. They have recently had a significant turnover in staff due to a couple of disgruntled caregivers and many hurtful and vindictive allegations that are just plain not true. My little 3 year old Granddaughter is the most important person in my life. I totally trust the staff at Moon Valley Prep to take care of her and also provide her with an excellent education as she continues to grow in to a wonderful young lady! read more

If I could give negative 10 stars I would. DO NOT SEND YOUR KID TO THIS DAYCARE. The good teachers quit because of how they were treated. The owner Polly does NOT care about the kids or the staff at all. The kids are not fed enough and are always hungry, they're left in soiled underwear and diapers for hours every day. There aren't near enough teachers and all the ones that are left now are horrid. They hide the toys from the kids so they don't have to clean up after them. They only interact with the kids to scold them. The kids are bored, hungry, dirty, and mistreated. Never again will my child be treated this way. God awful horrid dirty daycare. read more

The owner Polly is rude, and they've had state called multiple times for different reasons. The teachers there were GREAT, but they all left because of how this business is ran. Don't recommend this place. I will never put my kids in Andersons care ever again!! read more

My son has been here for five months. We have been grateful for his caring teachers, thoughtful parent programs and resiliency during a time of change. Polly has stayed on during an ownership and management change last month to make sure that "things are at a great place." We are looking forward to the future for what is yet to come. We feel our son is safe, loved, well taken care of. As a parent restarting daycare after a big move, I have appreciated the advice, flexibility and reassurance I have received when I have visited the office. read more

AVOID AT ALL COSTS. Unfortunately this daycare has gone drastically downhill with the new owners, and this is now a bare minimum establishment. As other reviews stated, all of the good teachers immediately quit when new management started and it is now very clear why. Classes are consistently out of ratio, with children of all ages grouped together with 1 single teacher. Meals are literally slop - they serve nachos and ramen for their advertised "healthy meals" for multiple days in a row. My child has come home puking more than once. The app that is supposed to be used for updates is rarely if ever used, so you will have no clue what your child did all day. We used to get daily pictures, now I haven't received a photo of my child in months. If you ask staff how your child was for the day, they will have no clue. They do not have enough staff for the same teachers to be in the same class, meaning there is no consistency or personalized care for the children. You and your child will be treated as a number and nothing more. There are no fun events, enrichment activities, or even themed spirit days for the kids as there used to be. This is the equivalent to a holding cell - your children will be kept alive, but they will be bored, hungry, and they won't be learning a thing. We were out for weeks very sick, and they continued to charge us without asking once where my child was, if she was okay, and when she would be back. Further proof that their only concern is collecting payment. When new ownership began, they purged all toys and decorations, leaving the classes bare and cold. This is not a safe, warm, fun environment for children. I highly encourage anyone considering attending to review the state inspections for this place - pages and pages of repeat major violations. It is terrifying and genuinely surprising they are still in business, especially when there are better CHEAPER options in the area. I feel so sad every day that my child was left in their care. One week in at a new daycare and wow - the difference is truly night and day. Do not give this place your money , that is all they care about. They do NOT care about the kids. read more

If you're looking for a daycare, look no further! My 4 year old daughter has been going here for a couple months now and let me say we love it. We have tried a couple other daycares even "well known" larger facilities and this by far has been the best experience. My daughter actually looks forward to coming here & they are always planning a fun project and giving them something to look forward to. This daycare really cares about these kids and treats them very well! read more

My daughter has attended Anderson prep from Feb until now and they have gone above and beyond with her. She absolutely loves her teachers and they've been so understanding when we've had to switch her days around and try to work out schedules that fit in our budget. My daughter was in the one year old class and those women are amazing. All of the women who work at the center knew who she was and they really do try their very best with each child. The classroom sizes were great and we were always excited to see the things she would bring home that she would make that day. On her last day, they all told her bye and made her a card. Such a loving center that I would recommend to anyone who is close by. If we weren't moving, she would still be there! read more

Ratings were great on here so we checked this place out and thought it was decent, not the cleanest but I guess we leaned on the reviews and moved forward without even looking into the alternative options in the area. It only took three days before we pulled our kids out and put them in the Tutor time near by on 7th and Bell (significant improvement). There was a girl in the newborn room that didn't seem to know how to take or hold a newborn baby, which was frightening for us as the newborn's parents. There was also a language barrier that made it difficult for the caregivers to comprehend our instructions and communicate their questions. Our toddler came home each of those three days with sand/dirt all over the inside of his diaper... he played outside all the time at his previous daycare and never had an issue like this and was getting bad rashes right away. The last straw was when on day three I went to put our 2 month old baby in her car seat in the big room up front and found mud and dirt all over the inside. I was told that the older kids that play in that room were climbing all over the infant car seats and there's nothing that can be done because there's no other place for the car seats. That was the response. There was not empathy or apology, as if that excuse makes it okay. We just didn't get the vibes and feelings we have had when we have had our children in quality care, and the final conversation with the director on day three confirmed our decision to move them out when she acted like she couldn't care less. Don't leave your kids with people who aren't organized, can't communicate, and don't seem to care about your children. The near by Tutor Time has been absolutely perfect, huge clean facility, friendly and efficient communicators, and genuine care for their customers. read more

My son has been going here for a few months now and both he and I LOVE IT. Talk about a staff that cares about the children. My son loves going, his face lights up when we pull into the parking lot and he runs to his classroom once we are inside. It makes me feel so good having my son somewhere that he truly enjoys being. All of the other kids always seem to be having a good time as well. Thank you so much to all the staff for caring for my little boy and everyone else's kids. You guys are truly an amazing child care/preschool. read more

My wife and I have had the pleasure of being at Anderson a Prep for 6 years. We saw both of our children grow up, learn new skills, and love going to "school" every day. The teachers and owners treated us like family and always were friendly to us. Out kids loved being at this school and we were so greatful for the way they were treated. To expect perfection in every little thing is unrealistic - life is full of challenges and unexpected outcomes. This school is terrific, they care about the kids, and the owners are terrific people. We want to thank Polly and Lisa for being a part of our family - we will miss them dearly and hope that this school carries on the great tradition it has started. Thanks for making great memories for or family - we are forever indebted to you. read more

If I could give this place 10/5 stars, I would! I made the transition to daycare for my little one once he became a year old to get him more socialized with more interactive stimulation. I think Tara O'Neale, the director of APA, started a few months before I had my son enrolled. From the start, she made the enrollment process super easy and straightforward. I was nervous about having my young one out of the home at such a young age but APA really put me at ease. While the teachers are young, they all know the children and the parents and are so proactive in keeping us updated daily. If you call or e-mail the center, Tara is super responsive and is basically at the facility all day, everyday. She is a former kindergarten teacher and has continued to keep the curriculum at APA updated. She is super responsive to either telephone or email about any concerns. I also think the smaller size of this daycare gives it a more much tightknit community feel and everything, including your child's care, feels that much more personal. If I didn't have to move, I would definitely continue having my child attend here and enroll any future children early on as infants also! Never thought I'd get this attached to a daycare/early care preschool but I definitely think APA is one of a kind! They also offer Friday evening care every few weeks for parent date nights and Tara even offered to help take care of my child if I needed any urgent back-up care for days that APA is open! read more

My daughter is 5 months old and has been at Anderson Prep since she was 2 months. This place has been wonderful, for the most part. I am a huge fan of this place for the following reasons: (1) the infant room teacher is amazing! She is very kind and cares for the kids. She has a wonderful attitude and knows what she is doing. I'm one of those people where I like honesty and bluntness more than just being nice because I pay for a service. I appreciate the feedback she provides everyday when I pick up my LO. (2) I enjoy the convenience of not having to prepare pre-made bottles everyday. Most places I called required a pre-made bottle. My daughter wasn't taking a bottle when we first started and the teacher was able to make her bottle on demand and help her learn to feed. When we started formula the teacher was the only one able to get her to take the bottle. Since I breastfeed and bottle feed the thought of making 5 to 6 bottles everyday for my LO is just insane. (3) They have tons of toys!! I love the variety of toys, bouncers, swings, walkers, activity centers, and developmental toys in the infant room. enough said. (3) the infant room is very clean. I appreciate that they clean the toys, bedding, clothing, bottles/pacifiers, etc. every day. I like that when I pick up my LO they are vacuuming or cleaning everything. They keep the area where the diapers are changed VERY clean and always wear gloves. I went to a different daycare center on a walk through and the lady used the same gloves for two kids, gross! This place sterilizes everything. (4) I like that they are allergen friendly and cook healthy meals on-site. They will steam and puree fruits or veggies for babies that are at that stage. My LO has some food sensitivity and it matter that they aren't just cracking open a jar and feeding her from that. My concerns come in to play with the following: (1) one of the lady's who watches the older kids in the main room in the mornings is insanely rude. She has called me three times and left rude voice mails and uncalled for accusations. I honestly think she is oblivious to her attitude and doesn't realize how unprofessional she sounds. (2) the security could be better. THIS IS A BIGGIE WITH ME. I DO NOT like how the only security is signing a piece of paper. Half the time when I drop off my LO there is no one in the front office watching who is coming and going. The door to the area when the children are is always unlocked. It's concerning because I have no idea who is coming and going and the facility doesn't appear to be monitored. (3) I mentioned cleanliness in the pros section above but some areas of the facility are not cleaned as often as I would like. While the floors are vacuumed daily they are not cleaned, as in shampooed or steamed, as much as I would want. (4) the site director is no where to be found some days. I don't know what a site director is responsible for but I feel that she could have more of a presense. While she is very nice and professional whenever I do get to talk to her I feel she is out of touch with parents. As you can see I have my likes and dislikes of the place. My daughter is only there three days a week so I don't get to see the ever day routine. And while the security is a huge concern for me I haven't found a teacher at another facility that makes me feel as comfortable as the one at Anderson Prep. The price is very affordable for what they provide and I feel like if I want a super secure place I loose a lot of the pros I have with Anderson Prep. All the teachers I have met have been wonderful! I just wish the site director took more of a proactive role. read more

I've brought my little one for the last month. He loves it. He is always yelling at me if I don't leave the apartment fast to drop him off at daycare. I didn't have daycare in mind when I went back to work but i looked up places just in case and Tara was quick to respond to my messages and offered a tour anytime. I loved that there was the Smartcare app so that you know what your little one has done during the day. When I went back to see if the had spots open due to unforeseen circumstances Tara was more than willing to accommodate and have my son in there ASAP. The thing that set me for sure was that when we arrived she was planning curriculum for the older classes and it showed how seriously she takes her role as the director. She also goes in to help out with the kiddos. The ladies that take care of the kiddos are genuinely sweet and bring up any concerns. My son got sick on the third day and was out for a week and Tara was caring in emailing to see how he was doing. I wouldn't want my son anywhere else. read more

We've been at Anderson for a year & highly recommend this center for any age child. The owners truly care about every child & are aware of what goes on in every classroom. The classroom teachers go above & beyond regarding academics, teaching basic life skills & catering to each child. They make all food on premises, it is extremely healthy & they teach kids how to have manners. We love this place! read more

I'm writing my first review because I feel passionate about this school my boys attend. I don't believe the recent lower reviews truly reflect Anderson Prep. I came from another school up the street a few months ago, now that is a dirty school with people who don't seem to be that excited to see you most days. I toured 7 other schools and nothing comes close to this one with their homey looking rooms and healthy snacks and even karate lessons. One of the common complaints was management. The director was such a sweet lady with a bubbly personality, but I do agree she seemed to be unorganized a lot of the times. When she told me she was resigning and explained a little bit why, now I understand. Sometimes personal lives do get in the way of everything else and becomes a huge distraction. I met the owners several weeks ago when they came back full time and I absolutely love them! I see them every morning when I drop my boys off and every afternoon when I pick them up. I don't know if they even go home! :-) I did not know them before but I can see a huge difference in the running of the building in such a short time. Things are getting organized and the general atmosphere seems so light and happy. Regardless of what may have happened with some of the staff that has left, I know my children are always loved and cared for and learning every day. I'm excited to see what other changes are coming in the future. Like the new bench on the playground that used to be a wall where the children can sit like they're at the park. They said when the weather cools down they can go out and do reading lessons and picnics. It makes me want to go back to school too! read more

With our two girls we have experienced four rooms at Anderson: baby, 1, 2, and 3 year old rooms. We have loved the teachers and set up of each one. The teachers are all friendly, caring, and excited to see our girls each day. They are also good at communicating with parents. The school is always clean and the teachers do some cleaning during the day, which helps to get the kids in the habit of cleaning up after themselves. My favorite unique part of Anderson is the breakfast room. They provide breakfast, lunch, and snacks, but breakfast is served in a community room. All kids no matter what age eat breakfast together as they arrive and go out to play before breaking into age specific classrooms. This makes for an easy drop off and allows my girls to eat breakfast and play together before splitting up. Anderson Prep is an outstanding daycare. I would recommend it to anyone. read more

Our boys have grown up at Anderson and they love it! The Academy provides amazing activates to stimulate their little minds: Interactive learning lessons, karate class, drawing, painting, and supported by their excellent staff. Thank you for all the love you've given our boys. read more

We came unannounced for a tour. When we arrived, we knew almost immediately that this was not a place for us. The first indication that something was wrong was the front office was a mess. The carpet was worn and needed washing. An unclean odor evident even in the front lobby. As we stood in the waiting area, a man came from outside and walked through the lobby right back into the childcare area thru an unlocked door. He was a parent but I was concerned about how this place is kept secure. I did not see what I considered to be educational or age appropriate toys in the rooms. read more

I love this place. Our son loves the staff as much as we do. He gets lots of activity time to learn. We wouldn't want to go anywhere else. Did I mention a friendly staff. read more

I am writing this for two reasons. #1 in response to the previous posters horrible review and #2 to explain how wonderful this school has been for our family and so many others. We transfered to anderson prep in February from another center in the valley. We decided to come here for many reasons. Most important being that all of the teachers and owners genuinely love our children. They make each child feel special and go out of their way to make the lives of working parents better. They clean and sterilize bottles in the baby room, and launder clothes when older kids have accidents. The owners and directors are the most wonderful communicators. I always feel like I can go talk to them about any idea I have. My two year old has learned so much. Besides the basic alphabet and numbers, she can speak Spanish for many words and sings the days of the week. They do art projects daily, and she looks forward to going to school every day. She tells me every day that her best friend is her teacher and she is greeted with hugs and kisses daily. Regarding the food... It is fabulous! She eats vegetables and fruits and awesome meals. I have stopped in on occasion and everything looks and tastes delicious. I have not met one family who isn't thrilled with this pre school. I don't believe that the negative review was authentic. There is no way! I believe that Anderson is a blessing for all of the families in this area. Our baby also loves her room and naps awesome here. She didn't at the other school due to noise. They work so hard to help the babies sleep and stay on routine. They even call and give a heads up if she is having a rough day. If you are looking for a pre school and daycare in the moon valley area, you owe it to yourself to visit anderson. read more

This is an awesome facility. The kids were learning karate when I toured. The staff is incredible! . The children were so happy. The owners truly care about each and every child. The food they cook is healthy. Super clean facility. The bathrooms have child size toilets- everything is designed with the children in mind. I loved the outdoors area- lots of green grass for the kids to play. They even had purchased some new equipment for the kids to play on. I would recommend Anderson Preparatory Academy to anyone looking for quality day care! read more

I honestly can't say enough great things about Anderson Prep. My daughter has attended this location for a year and a half and we have never had any issues while she was here. Ms. Diana in the 3 year old classroom is amazing! When my daughter transitioned to the pre-k classroom, they let her do it slowly so that's it would be easier for her. My daughter has a peanut allergy and I love that they are peanut-free. They school is also super clean, which I love. They do activities like karate and they actually focus time on learning in the older classrooms. Mrs. Polly up front is super friendly and we have always felt welcome. I am sad that my daughter will be moving on to regular elementary school soon and she has already told me she doesn't want to leave Anderson Prep. I recommend this place to anyone. I am very picky when it comes to childcare facilities and this one is an A+ in my opinion. read more

My son had 7 incident reports in only 2 months while attending this school. There were times when he came home with scrapes and no one knew what happened. I feel kind of bad writing this review because the Hispanic ladies in the morning were soooo incredibly nice and good with him. He felt most comfortable staying with them. However they weren't his teachers. He was in the 1 year old class and I know he wasn't being supervised properly. Which is upsetting because he was only 1 and I was paying nearly $200 a week so my son could be well taken care of. I finally pulled him out when I went to pick him up one day and it seriously looked like he had gotten beat up :( it broke my heart. He had scratches all over his face and a bruise from another bite mark. The teacher said he scratched himself in his sleep. Uh ya that was most definitely a lie. It was obvious after all these incident reports that he was not being supervised read more

This is absolutely the best place for my daughter - we are so happy with Anderson Prep. After trouble dealing with an inhome nanny and the bitter disappointment of warehousing kids in the big chain daycare that my husband calls Toilet Time, I found Anderson Prep and couldn't be happier. Our little pumpkin has now transitioned from the infant room to the ones room and she just loves going there. The staff is both knowledgeable and attentive as well as warm and caring. They take special effort to keep her involved in activities and as a parent I'm just delighted with the little decorations and cards that they send home with her. My first Mother's day was celebrated with a Mom construction paper card that included her picture as the centerpiece! My husbands first Father's day had a wonderful Walk with me Daddy poem complete with our daughters footprints. He's normally a bit standoffish about things so it was especially great that he himself put that one on the refrigerator. If you're looking for a responsible, warm, caring, attentive and edutainment day care solution for your infant up to your young child, you can't go wrong with Anderson Preparatory academy. Their rates are lower than the big chain, but the attention and excellence is as homemade and welcome as their meals! Our little girl always feels special here and that makes it so much easier to go to work knowing she's going to be happy and well cared for!!!! read more

A wholehearted thank you to Anderson Prep Academy for loving our son the way they do, offering so much to these young infants/children and making our lives worry free! From our first phone call to day one of dropping off our 3 month old son we felt a sense of warmth and genuine care. This is a family oriented academy and a place we were so fortunate to find. After seeking out this academy we did not feel a need to look anywhere else. This was it, the place we would trust with all our heart to leave our infant son 5 days a week. The best part as a parent is to know that your kids are safe and happy. When we drop our son off he gets so excited to see his teachers and staff. His legs start kicking and he smiles big as he greets everyone. He brings home projects each month that include hand or foot prints and lots of memories that we will cherish forever. If you are looking for peace of mind when dropping off your infant/children each day then Anderson Prep is the place for you! Even if one of us were a stay at home parent, we feel Anderson Prep would continue to be in our lives as it has many benefits for socializing and educating infants/children and wonderful community support. Love this place!!! read more