We have thought a lot before writing this review which mostly reflects how we felt about Aspirations at the end of our almost 5 years with the school. We ended up leaving because despite having had such a long time with the school, it became obvious to us at the end that we weren't valued as a family and that our little one wasn't truly seen as a whole person. We had one child start in the Bambini (baby) room just before COVID, went back after COVID and continued all the way through until starting Kindergarten. We had another child that spent a couple years here before just leaving this year. On a whole, Aspirations feels like a Instagram dreamspace - the Emilio Reggio style learning emphasizes the environment and it truly shows. As a parent, you know your child is surrounded by beauty. The art show feels special (although you eventually come to realize how much "teacher guidance" the final auction pieces actual reflect). The gala is also exciting and fun (when it happens). The playground is spacious and beautiful. Our years through Aspirations meant our kids have been in almost every room and in reflection there were great teachers and there were so-so ones and almost every year there was at least some unexpected teacher turn-over in the middle of the year. We ended up leaving because the first time we had any issues, we were surprised at the inflexibility of the administration and unwillingness to work with us. We requested that our little stay with friends in transitioning to a new class, shared the difficult family/life events that were affecting her and had the admin team tell us that they were not going allow her to change classes that despite the fact that the requested class was not yet being filled (they wanted to keep spots open for newer families/kids). Additionally, they weren't even willing to come up with a alternative plan (ie she could move to that class if someone transitioned out). The finality of "administrator knows best" was a slap in the face and made us finally look around and realize that this was one of the most expensive schools around, does not provide lunch, and its premium for the "extended care" (4-5pm where all extended care kids get placed with another teacher for that last hour, sometimes a different one daily) was not the standard everywhere. read more

I toured today with my 15 month old grandson and was in awe of the director, teachers & facility. Outdoor learning was as enriched as the classrooms with bridges, slides built into hills, riding toys, and of course art! read more

Can't say enough good things about Aspirations! We have three kids, one has graduated from kinder and our other two kids still attend. From our time in the baby room, to basically having kids in every room, and almost every teacher, we have loved our time here. I've been a room parent, mystery reader, volunteered at their annual gala and attended their amazing kids art shows. The school and the teachers go above and beyond in everything they do. If your looking to find a caring, safe, creative and loving environment, this is your school. read more

We have had our child at Aspirations since he has been 8 months old and he is now 2.9 years. We have had the pleasure of experiencing the infant program, toddler program and look forward to our preschool experience. My background and education is in early childhood and I'm a first time mom, you can imagine my expectations being incredibly high. My husband and I absolutely love Aspiration's Reggio Approach towards learning and we adore the community it has given us. We have been so fortunate to build friendships with other parents and Aspirations is dedicated to bringing families together with a variety of events. Our son is thriving and so happy at Aspirations. He is learning his independence while exploring his curiosities of how things work. The teachers support his car obsession, with providing many opportunities to learn and grow. Don't sleep on this program, it's incredibly wonderful, teachers treat the children with love, respect and are always keeping us up to date on information, milestones and silly stories of our little guy. I am able to drop him off knowing he is well taken care of, stimulated and the proof is in the pudding of " I go to school mommy" every morning when we put our shoes on. I really hope you take a tour to see the gorgeous classrooms and you'll notice how happy and engaged the kiddos are. read more

I wish I had more hands, so I could give Aspirations School of Learning four thumbs up! My wife and I have had our daughter enrolled in Aspirations since she was six months old, and we cannot express what an absolutely amazing experience it has been the entire time. Our daughter's time in the infant room was during the height of COVID. We had concerns about our daughter being around other kids and teachers while we'd been hunkering down at home. Aspirations had established a workable safety protocol, and we never had issues. To date, our family has not been diagnosed with COVID, and we credit a lot of that to the process, clenliness, and guidelines established by the Aspirations leadership, staff, and teachers. As far as the care, we'd receive email updates and multiple daily pictures via a mobile app. It was such a joy to see what she was up to during the day, and to witness the challenges, creativity, and activities that the Aspirations team worked on with the kids day in and out. Safety has never been a concern we've had as parents. The facility is immaculate, well maintained, and caters to young minds open to learning. Monitoring and supervision has been above expectations - and when incidents did occur, we received a call right away letting us know what happened. I'll pause to emphasize that Aspirations is not just a day care - it, like is mentioned in the title, is a School of Learning. At 18 months old, our daughter transitioned to Room Due. Moving to the toddler room from the infant room was an unbelievably amazing experience for our daughter. In Room Due, toddlers were mobile, walking, talking, and developing personalities. The teachers really helped each child to grow, explore, create, and develop in ways that put us as parents in a constant state of awe. Her language skills, vocabulary, socialization, creativity, and physical abilities grew by leaps and bounds during her time in Room Due. We were also continually impressed by the Room Due teaching team who kept us up to date with progress, areas that needed improvement, and how our daughter was doing day in and out. They truly were a partner with a vested interest in the development and growth of our daughter, and their actions, care, and nurturing demeanor was compassionately demonstrated unwaveringly at all times. I'll again pause to mention my daughter has moved on from Room Due to Room Seis at the end of the hall. When I pick up my daughter, she ALWAYS looks into Room Due as we pass to look for her former teacher. We don't always see her, but when we do, my daughter bolts for her for a huge hug, and she tells her former teacher she loves her. It's not just something she says randomly, the teacher in Room Due truly holds a special place in our family's hearts, and she means it. I could go on and on about what a special place Aspirations is. We know multiple families who have had their children attend Aspirations and it has afforded them all a significant jumpstart on their educational path and journey as creative, caring, and considerate human beings. read more

Aspirations School pf Learning has been an amazing school for my child. My child has been in attendance since they were 3 months old (now almost two) and I can honestly say I would not trust any other school with them. I spent 6 weeks with my child, just the two of us as my wife had to return to work and enrolling them in a childcare program was a very hard step for me. These teachers are loving and communicative. While I struggled initially, they helped our family through the transition. We love this school. In regards to other reviews, I have to say it seems as though something did not go the negative reviewers way because every point mentioned is mute as far as our family is concerned. The school is clean, the directors are personable, the classrooms smell nice and the learning my child does is made visible through thoughtful newsletters and classroom documentation. My child is happy at drop off and pick up and has a close group of friends that are also, all happy. read more

Our family has been a part of the Aspirations family now for over 4 years. Our son started in 2019 at 18 months and continued on through the PreK program until this fall when he started Kindergarten. Our daughter started in 2022 at 5 months old in the Bambini Room and is currently in Room Due. We have nothing but positive things to say about this school's philosophy, the facility, the teachers and the administrators. Our kids walk happily into school every day. They are greeted with smiling faces and hardly look back when we say bye as they are washing their hands (which is the first thing they do when they walk in the classroom). The Room Due Teachers are incredible! We have had the pleasure of both of them teaching our son as well during his years at Aspirations. Our daughter says their names constantly at home with a smile on her face and truly enjoys going to school every day, which we attribute to the love she has for her teachers and the environment they have created in the classroom. We were shocked to read a recent review commenting on the cleanliness and neglect of the facility as well as the mistreatment of a child. It seems unbelievable, as this could not be further from the truth of our experience over the last 4+ years. The communication is exceptional, whether it's photos and updates from our child's day or a phone call if they have an accident on the play ground (like all kids do), it never leaves us wondering what our children were doing all day. Aspirations is a safe and loving environment for learning and we plan to continue to be part of this family until our preschool years are done. read more

This school has been a blessing for our two children. The teachers in Room Due have a magic that can't be recreated and helped to teach our 2 year old emotional regulation while providing a fun, loving and intellectually stimulating environment. The room was always clean and thoughtfully curated with developmentally appropriate activities the children had shown interest in. My child was so bonded to her teachers in room due that I worried she would struggle to bond with her new teachers at the preschool level this year (she didn't- they're amazing also). We have had an amazing experience with the teachers at the Toddler, Preschool and K-Prep levels at Aspirations. They have all been well-educated, well-qualified and provide a thoughtful emotional, social and intellectual education opportunity for the children. I can't recommend them enough. read more

My child has been in attendance at this school since they were 3 months old, they are now in the Toddler program and I cannot rave about this school enough. First, I will start with the care my child has received. The teachers go above and beyond to understand my child's needs, to make them feel loved, seen and heard. Every day my child walks into their classroom and they are received with nothing but love and excitement. The teachers set up new provocations daily and the infant room playground is PHENOMENAL! With multiple fruit trees, a beautiful flower garden and lots of challenging new terrain, my child gets a healthy dose of vitamin d with outdoor adventures. At just 20 months old my child has made such deep connections to their peers, the infant room has set my child up for success socially speaking and the way I've seen them interact with the smaller infants brings tears to my eyes. The teachers are so loving and empathetic it pours over into their students and the children all love each other fiercely. The newsletters, the app updates and the open communication from Ms. Jean, Ms. Karina and Ms. Azure as well as Ms. Rachel and Ms. Kim have all made my first year and a half as a parent go so smooth, I couldn't have picked a better teaching team if I designed these humans myself! Now about the community. Every teacher has made a point to know my child's name, to say hello to them and to share a smile. The directors and Mr. Tyler frequently pull my child out of the classroom to share snuggles with them and when you don't have much family living close by, this type of connection means so much. These teachers have been instrumental in my life as a first time parent, acting as partners to my husband and I in our child's educational journey. We were so nervous about our child's move into the toddler program because we had been spoiled thus far! Those infant room teachers have left MASSIVE shoes to fill but we have continued to be blown away! As for the overall design/look of the school and classroom? Absolutely beautiful. The infant room is beautifully designed and decorated, as are all of the other classrooms. I saw a quote somewhere that said "beauty insights cognition", to be present each day, in not your run of the mill daycare room but in a beautifully designed, nice smelling and clean environment makes the overall experience that much more inviting for not just my child but all of the students in attendance. read more

All three of our daughters have attended Aspirations School of Learning. Our oldest child started in the Bambini Room when she was well under one year of age at the beginning of 2016, and went all the way through Kindergarten, as our other two children will have done by the time they move on to first grade. Between our three children over the course of nearly 8 years, I am certain that we have had the majority of the teachers in the school, and have come to know those who have not directly taught our children, as it truly is a community. I cannot say enough about our tremendous experience with the team at Aspirations in a way that would adequately do it justice. We have children with three very different personalities and learning styles, and they have all thrived thanks to the teachers and administrators at Aspirations and their approach to education. Everyone there is top-notch, incredibly caring and talented. Our daughters' wellbeing has always been paramount in every way, whether it comes to happiness, education, safety, or anything else. Throughout our time there, we have witnessed challenges arise as they always do in life, with Covid being the most notable. We feel beyond blessed that the staff navigated it in a way that was safe, productive, and thankfully left our children not only unaffected by the situation, but happy and on an upward trajectory educationally. I know that so many kids were negatively impacted by this period, and we are blessed to have the Aspirations team responsibly, lovingly, and effectively guide our girls through it all. Our oldest daughter attends AOE now for grade school, which is a really fantastic public elementary school. It's funny how we, along with friends whose children followed the same route, are asked by teachers at AOE where our children attended preschool, because they are so well prepared in all ways. There's always a nodding "right, of course" type of response from the teachers when any of us parents let them know that our children went to Aspirations. The level of care, education, communication, support, and so much more over a long period of time and with so many different personalities and needs of our children and others of friends gives us a very large sample size, and makes us extremely confident to strongly recommend Aspirations School of Learning to any parent out there. read more

My daughter has been attending Aspirations for over a year now. We have been so impressed with every single teacher and staff member and the genuine care they have to see our child succeed. Our daughter had a tough transition starting and Ms Sonya in Room Due was so patient and loving with her, giving us ideas of how to make her transition from home to school easier every day. They gave us constant updates in those early days to ease our worries. This is such a special school and not to mention, a beautiful property for the kids to play and explore! read more

We have been a part of the Aspirations community since 2020. Our older daughter started in the toddler program and stayed until kindergarten. Her time in rooms 3, 7, and 8 were simply magical. She adored all of her teachers and was incredibly well prepared, socially, emotionally, and academically to start kindergarten. We love this school so much that we enrolled our younger daughter as soon as she was old enough to enter the toddler program. Her teachers in room 2 are kind, thoughtful, and loving. The classroom is a warm, welcoming environment and we love to see her thrive there. Everyone at the school works hard to know you, your children, and build a sense of community. We feel lucky to be a part of the Aspirations family! read more

I took my son on a tour here- not only were there signs of RSV,Pink eye & croup labeled on 3 different classroom doors of the toddler rooms (which happens) but if you saw how dirty and cluttered this place was you would feel the lack of cleanliness & organization this place has- not to mention there were TODDLERS outside running around bare foot in the bark. When one parent asked about it, the director, Angie told them that they allow this. The toddler play ground is so unsafe and very un kid- friendly- pure dirt and pure bark with so many different opportunities for accidents. I was told teachers wipe down the toys and spaces daily, but that had to be for inside because of the amount of toys outside there is just no way! I would never leave my son at this school at his age/ for an older child it looks decent with arts and crafts. Probably the worst tour experience I have had yet. read more

Really impressed with this preschool. First off, the administration is friendly, warm and inviting each day as you enter the building. I have had two children in this school and we have been in four different classrooms throughout the years. The teachers are very caring and loving and I know my children are well cared for when they are at school. The teachers are receptive to any preferences you have for your child while they are at school. I love the outdoor space and the focus on art. The classrooms are beautifully set up for play and exploration. Each morning the classrooms have new and exciting activities set up for the children. You can tell a lot of time and thought is put into the curriculum. I really enjoy the daily email recaps with photos so I can review with my child what they did that day. I would say it's a great mix of play and academics as they get into older toddler/kinder classroom. It's been such a positive place for my family and we have met many wonderful families throughout our time at Aspirations. read more

The school was a 5-star experience for our eldest and a 2-Star for our youngest. Our youngest is now in public school (TK) and having a 5-star experience. I will be writing Aspirations privately to share my disappointment and suggestions for improvement. What I hope yelp users get from my review is a reminder that no two siblings are the same, permission to trust their gut, and a reminder to listen to your kids. Our youngest was happy for the first two years at Aspiration--but a few months into his third year, he'd cry every morning and beg me to not take him. I reasoned with myself that switching schools would be harder on him; I started to believe their judgments of my son and my parenting, and I selfishly kept trying to make it work (changing schools is time consuming). If I could go back in time, I would have listened to my son earlier and found a better fit. read more

My daughter has gone to this preschool for more than 2 years now and I can't say enough about her experience and growth. Every teacher she has had encouraged her natural interests and given her the tools and confidence to be ready for kindergarten. In addition, we have loved the sense of community and many opportunities to build friendships that the school fosters. From the beginning of the year Bbq, annual art show (put on by the children and teachers), extracurriculars like soccer/yoga--my family has met wonderful families and some of our very best friends. It is not inexpensive, but I know it is one of the very best investments we will ever make. read more

I gave them a $100 deposit after being told that my daughter was being placed on a waiting list and there would "probably" be a space for her in three months. That was almost TWO years ago and they have never called. I called six months ago to check in and was told nope, not yet, but soon. Very soon. Obviously, I can't speak to what it's like to have a child enrolled there. But I can tell you that you should consider the $100 required for the waiting list as a donation to the school or maybe a tour fee because you'll never hear from them again. Oh, and she's enrolled in Encinitas Country Day now and we love it. No wait list there. No scam. read more

Unlike the previous reviewer, my child actually goes to this school. The staff are very friendly and nice. They all really enjoy the kids and always welcome everyone as they come in. My child loves the school, the other kids, and the staff. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because they're closed on A LOT of holidays and it's really hard when my husband and I work full time. read more

My son went here for about eight months earlier this year. We liked the nice, new facility, and the staff is courteous. We did have a great teacher too. It did seem to me though that this school seems to be geared more toward dual-income working families - almost all their classes are full-day. In addition, this school seems very mindful of generating income as a business; this summer they decided right before billing my credit card that children enrolled in the two-week summer camp session in August would pay for the entire month of August. (ouch) That being said, I think Aspirations is suited for dual-income families who want a safe place for their little ones to spend time and for whom cost is not an issue. read more

This school is doing a very very poor job on keeping the kids up to the COVID standards. I was going to see if I could enroll my kid and I saw many kids outside playing without mask. It's a serious risk and i am not happy and will not be bringing my business there read more

Our son has been at Aspirations for 3 years. He loves it and so do we. It is one of the pricier options around, but worth it in our opinion. It is stimulating and creative and safe. The teachers are consistently great. In three years, we have had several different sets of teachers on both the little side and the big side. The only portion that we haven't had direct experience with is the infant area. All of our interaction with the teachers and administration have been positive and professional. The staff have been helpful collaborators in helping curb certain behaviors and reinforce others. Lots of activities to help develop social, cognitive and emotional skills. The staff are truly devoted to the well-being of children. read more

My child was enrolled her from sept 2015 to December 2016. It was the show of arrogance in their approach to our questions that irked us. We moved to ranch on bernardo and so we were more than happy to search for a new preschool too. Right timing. read more

Horrible place! They kept my 500.00 after I took my son out for negligence! He was alone in the playground

I love this place! I am an educator and I looked far and wide for the ideal place for my daughter when I went back to work. When I walked in, I knew it was the right place for her. She has been there for three years and just had her last week as she is starting kindergarten in the fall. She has thrived at aspirations. Every day when I dropped her off, I felt confident that she was in a safe, respectful and engaging environment. She has made so many special connections with friends and teachers. My son is now moving in to his second year and is thriving as well. I am happy to continue sending him to this school and look forward to seeing him make new friends, learn and grow in this loving environment. read more

This is not a preschool I would recommend to my friends or neighbors! Stay away from their ridiculously expensive and useless program. My child has attended this school for a year and I was not impressed with the result of my investment. No academics, no serious accounting ability (they wanted to charge me twice for lunch because they didn't keep track of the money I was giving them), and the teachers are more interested in chatting on the playground than watching the kids (Hello, change jobs ladies - that's what you're paid for!)! Save your dollars for a more serious and caring environment than "Aspirations school of Cashing your Money on any occasion they can find"! The owner of the school parks in the fire lane and his wife (the Director of the school) didn't know it was his car (I took pictures). It shows us how they care about safety! Or should I say: evidence that they only care about MONEY! read more

We've been at Aspirations for 2 years and are very pleased. The teachers are all caring and have the kids best interest in mind. They teach respect and kindness and encourage communication. They really value enabling children to learn for themselves so that they can learn important life lessons. My only gripe is the new hours. It went from 5pm last year to 4pm this year. This is very frustrating. Of course you can stay longer for a fee. In general though, it's a great school. read more

I know plenty of parents who are extremely happy with this school. My son has attended for 2 years now, and he loves this school! We are so happy with his teachers and the staff. He is extremely smart and so are all of his classmates. This school has a strong focus on the love of learning and creativity beyond your typical preschool projects. Teachers feel strongly about respect between peers and adults. Tuition is quite competitive compared to schools of the same caliber. I also noticed that both parents and staff make an effort to encourage healthy organic snacks as opposed to processed food. This school is definitely worth visiting! read more

Well the older one graduated and move I to 1st grade with ease after Aspiration's teachers gave so many tools to succeed. Now another one of our children is 2 years into aspirations and her vocabulary and communication skills are developing beyond any reasonable expectation. Try having a sophisticated conversation with a pre-kinder ! We can thanks to Aspirations! read more

My Son has been attending this school for over 8 months now. We love everyone at Aspirations and feel very blessed to have found such a wonderful place. read more

I had such high hopes for Aspirations, as my husband and I were blown away on our school tour. We excitedly enrolled our 18 month old daughter. That is where the excitement ended... I knew my daughter might struggle transitioning to school, but I was very disappointed with the school and how they handled things. No support and no sense of community. First of all, when we arrived on the first day of school (2015), there was no director or teacher welcoming students near the front of the school. Luckily we already knew where the classroom was so we walked all the way down by ourselves. First red flag... Then when we entered the classroom, again there were no teachers. It was empty. No morning message or instructions board, no welcome sign, nothing. As a new family, I assumed there would be at least one of her two teachers (or someone) in the classroom welcoming people and instructing us where to put things, what to do, saying hello and good morning, and making our daughter feel welcome. Second red flag... So we find our daughters cubby, stuff everything in they asked us to bring, and head out to the playground where the kids were. Outside it was totally chaotic; kids crying, parents leaving, parents hovering, a few teachers here and there, but not one teacher was wearing a name tag or easily identifiable. Being new, we didn't know who were teachers and who were parents. Only one of her two teachers was on the playground. Since there were so many children and so few teachers we didn't feel comfortable leaving our daughter. She didn't know anyone, and there was no one there greeting her or introducing her to her new environment and friends. Although she had visited the school before it was still fairly unfamiliar to her. We felt leaving her without any direct supervision could have resulted in her becoming scared and emotional. She didn't know anyone! Why weren't all hands on deck for the first day of school, especially for the youngest kids!? It wasn't until we kissed her goodbye and left about 10 minutes later one of her teachers arrived out on the playground. Later I found out she gets to come in late on certain days bc she stays until 5pm. WHAT!? That is just a regular work day for most people. Anyways, we ended up leaving and our daughter was kicking and screaming. It was awful. The director of the school called me at 10:30 and said she was just down in the classroom and our daughter wasn't calming down, so I should come pick her up. My husband rushed from work and when he arrived the class was back out on the playground and our daughter was inside with a "very young teacher" (were his words), and not with either of her teachers. They clearly stuck the 'crier' with the youngest most inexperienced teacher to deal with, not someone familiar to our daughter. I was IRATE! It took two days for the lead teacher to respond to our email about the first day. The Director, Angie, was CCed on the email and she did not respond either. This is simply unacceptable! I was so turned off by their lack of professionalism and lack of respect/welcome to new families. The first day of school is so exciting for kids, but can be scary and uncertain for students who are just starting out. Feeling welcomed and safe is so important because the first day makes such a big impression. The school handled everything so poorly. The director never apologized about our first day impressions or addressed any of our concerns. Instead, they basically blamed my daughter and said she wasn't ready for school and we should only come one hour per day. Needless to say, we withdrew her that week. Terrible experience all around...Took my daughter months to feel comfortable even talking about going to school again. Luckily we found another school that is much more welcoming to new families and cares about ALL their students. They go above and beyond to make sure all families feel invested and connected. This is NOT the case at Aspirations. Take your $$ and time elsewhere. read more

I must completely agree with A.Z. in the review of this school. We started 18 months ago with a fabulous tour in which we were signing papers before we left the parking lot. We had an outstanding teacher who sent daily emails but left after her first year. We should have questioned why! At the time of our initial enrollment, year round school was not mandatory. Subsequently, we were told by the owner that it was "difficult to keep the lights on". In order to "keep the lights on" the second year started rough, with a huge increase in class size and tuition and teachers who were overwhelmed with too many students and no support from the administration. The teachers were AMAZING with what they had to handle and our child did seem happy. However, as we approached the end of the year, we were told that there was no space in our requested schedule for our second child. Ultimately, it became apparent that this was due to the fact that we decided not to have our first child participate in the summer classes as she was moving on to public school. This was particularly frustrating because we had addressed this issue with the owner in the fall of 2009. During that meeting she verbally agreed to our situation, and then denied ever having the conversation when it was time to schedule our second child for fall 2010. Unfortunately, the school promises family and love, but their actions speak differently. Aspirations is a BUSINESS first, not family-oriented, and has not been loyal to the original families. The school charges a significant tuition and then has parents pack lunches, bring snacks, flowers and supplies. In addition, they host an "Art Night" which turns into a complete money-making operation and the "lesson" is completely lost on the children. We thank the teachers for their overwhelming amount of pain-staking work to pull the event together! The "Atelier" is empty and our children spend most of the time painting in their classroom or playing on the playground due to the large numbers of children in each class. We were "wowed" by the beauty of the school and the promises of the "Reggio-Inspired" child. Unfortunately... this goal was never achieved and we will now look forward to an older, established school in the fall! read more

My son has attended Aspirations 1.5 years. He is currently enrolled in the pre-k program. We have been so happy with our entire experience. He has three teachers in his classroom and is learning about art, music and spanish. Learning the alphabet is incorporated into all aspects of learning . Every day there is a poster board of pictures of the kids with a detailed description of everything they accomplished that day. All of his art projects have a quote of what he said while he was creating. In my opinion, it's the best and I wouldn't dream of sending him anywhere else! read more

My son has been attending Aspirations for 3 years. I am a mom of 3 and have had much experience w/ preschools over the last 9 yrs. Aspirations is a fabulous place. My son is currently in the Jr Kindergarten program and I could not be happier with the class or his teachers. I agree that it is expensive, but it is on par w/ other private preschools. The facilities are top notch, the class sizes are age appropriate and the administration is always available for a quick hello or to discuss any matters that concern your child. read more

I agree with other reviews that this place may focus too much on profit: 1. Parents are consistently asked to donate, e.g. food drive, toy drive, celebrations of major or minor holidays, annual gala, and etc. I do support donations to good causes and contribute to 5-6 charities per year. But I do not think it is appropriate to ask parents to pay for school's good cause efforts. If the school matches parents' donation, that would be a different story. 2. Too frequent/many request for donation is a sign of bad budgeting or profit gauging. If a serious budgeting has been conducted, the asked tuition would ensure a profit for the school. I do not mind to pay high tuition since the out-of-pocket money is transparent and parents can decide whether they want to have their kids here. However, once kids are here with the school, asking parents to "donate" sounds pushy: who want to have their kids embarrassed and shamed in their classes? 2. Kids are required to attend year-round if they want to return next year (as mentioned in other reviews) 3. Too many days off (as mentioned in other reviews) 4. Staff turnover is too high---why it is so difficult to retain staff. If staff decide to leave on their own, high turnover indicates the school does not compensate them well; If staff were left go, the school did not do diligent screening of potential hires. 5. Create a school policy/common practices that all teachers follow: some class rooms have bulletin board that lists two-week activities---great; some other classes rooms have no updates at all. Parents have to talk to teachers if they want to know what happened to their kids' day.---not a good idea. This school's tuition is almost the high in the area. I would suggest the school uses part of the profit it earns to improve kids' experience(e.g. enrich book collection in each class) and parents' experience (parking is a headache; knowing your kid's day is not easy for some classes). To be fair, many teachers I met here are friendly and pleasant. read more

We have had two children at Aspirations. Both have been there full-time for more than two years. We tried three different preschools in the area and could not be happier with Aspirations. The teachers and administrators are highly engaged, positive influences. And the facility is amazing. Our kids are learning and growing and they love going to school. We recommend Aspirations without hesitation or qualification. read more

I visited this school now twice. The first time we were greeted by a lady (30?) with a Godawful speech impediment. Her severe "lisp" made her very difficult to understand. She had also answered the phone on my next visit out. The facility is new and very nice....I am well versed in the Reggio Emilia concept and found this program consistent with the Reggio philosophy. The teachers seemed to be qualified. The owner/Director Theresa seemed nice enough, however I felt like I was constantly interrupting a "private" conversation when I asked questions. Can we say gossip? It was a bit unprofessional in my opinion. I had many questions and didn't feel that the owner/Director listened well....as my questions/concerns were never resolved. We haven't yet made a decision where our little one will go. read more

My son attended Aspirations starting at 3 months all the way through their Pre-K program. It is a wonderful place. The staff and students became an extension of my son's family. He felt loved there and safe to be creative. I love how they blended science and art together. It really is a great place for your little one to love learning. read more

For the past 2 years my son has been at Aspirations. He started in the toddler room and is just starting in his new preschool classroom, the 3rd room that he has been in since starting there. I can honestly say that each room and each group of teachers has been a wonderful experience. It is a unique learning environment that has had such a positive impact on my son. Everyone there has a passion for children and the work that they do each day. And, as a single mom, I can truly say they are my village. The amount of creativity and love that exists in this school is overwhelming. It gives me great comfort each day when I drop him off knowing he is in the best hands and is being guided by these amazing teachers and staff. read more

My sister and I visited this school. We just didn't get a good feeling when we walked in. Don't get me wrong, very nice and new, lovely decorated in a "warm" way. The staff just felt cold. We went with a Montessori program instead. read more

My son has truely blossomed while attending Aspirations. It is a testament to his teachers and the amazing staff. Angie was one of his first teachers and was nothing but kind and understanding. WE look forward to seeing her smiling happy face each day!!!! read more