Since I chose Cadence based on reviews, I wish just one parent was honest with the issues going on here for apparently many years even before we arrived. This place is a logistical mess. They are short staffed constantly putting care into constant question and they have to rotate students who can't come to school that day because they don't pay their staff enough at all to stay. Teachers leave all the time. New ones come in, then leave shortly after. They're good with the kids, but for the astronomical cost that they keep raising, Cadence should come with peace of mind at least that you'll be able to get to work and know your children are being cared for by happy teachers who aren't overworked and underpaid, and constantly rotated so there is no bond formed. The gaslighting by the director on how this "isn't that bad" is obnoxious and insulting. On top of all this, they'll keep accepting new students and taking your money although they can't even handle the enrollment they have. It's all about money here. Interesting note: another Cadence location in the area had a teacher walkout because of pay and lack of training, so this is a pattern in this company. They're based in AZ and aren't local. And no matter what Cadence tells you, this is NOT NORMAL. There are a multitude of preschools in the area who do not put parents through this circus. I would highly advise you look elsewhere. This school is not at all worth the hassle. I've included photos of just a fraction of the "short staff" emails we recieved and that they're limiting classes that day or a warning that you may not be able to count on them for the day. If you have a very flexible schedule with work and don't need to follow any sort of structure in your personal life, this is the place for you. And to the teachers who do stay longer than a few weeks: you're saints and you should be paid a living wage. read more

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Leaving your kiddo with someone for any period of time is hard, let alone 5 days a week almost all day. Let me just say that Cadence is an answer to prayer and we LOVE them. The staff is so wonderful and my daughter loves going. At two years old she comes home talking about her friends and all the things she did that day. It also helps to have updates throughout the day so you can see what they are learning. We are truly blessed to have this place and Mrs. Nancy and Mrs. Reagan are AMAZING! We wouldn't want our munchkin attending anywhere else. read more

My two kids have had a wonderful experience at Cadence. We have moved so much due my spouse's job and they made our kids feel very welcome. They are excited to come to school, see their friends, and learn. My oldest has learned things as a three/four year old that I, most likely, wasn't taught until first or second grade. The teachers and the staff truly love our children and care about them. We have been incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity for our children to attend Cadence. The curriculum is fantastic and the love our kids get couldn't be greater. We will miss the school so much when we move. Thank you for everything!!! read more

We absolutely love Cadence Academy! Our son will be 7 months next week and has been attending 3 times a week since he was 12 weeks old. We are first time parents and like most first time parents, we were so nervous leaving our son while I went back to work. When you come to the door, you have to put in your security code (you provide upon enrollment). Then you enter in your code again for checking in and out. We liked that no one can just open the main door. If you are a guest, you have to ring a buzzer to get in. Our son is in the Infant room where the ages are approx 0-1. They use the Kids Report App to log our son's daily activities, which sends us notifications. So they document when he's eaten, if he has a wet diaper, BM, if they needed to apply any ointments, etc. They will also take pictures of your cutie throughout the day and send them to you via the app. They'll also send you a notice if you need to bring in more diapers or wipes. I've also been notified when he has a fever or if there is any cause for concern. They're quick to send notice and prompt to answer my call concerning the matter so I can determine if it's something I need to come pick him up for. In addition to the above things that I think most daycares should have, even though our little ones can't run around yet, they have fun, creative, activities for them. They had my son paint a pumpkin with his fingers. He did some finger painting of some snow flakes on paper. Then did some ice cube painting. They hang the projects up around the room, then send them to you when they switch out to the next project. Just fun things that, with 2 full time working parents, when you're home, you just don't get a chance to do because you're exhausted. I never expected this from a daycare. But they really go above and beyond in my opinion. And honestly, I think the cost is very reasonable. We couldn't pay a high school student this much to take care of our child while we worked. It would cost us more! Some people are concerned about the turnover. We just had a teacher leave and she was so great! But the other teachers are just as great! We love them all! And to be honest, turnover isn't necessarily a bad thing. Unless you're some sort of ultra special super being, I would imagine that you would be burned out from watching a ton of babies/kids for 10 hours a day, 5 days a week just feeding them, changing diapers, playing with them, having to be happy and smiley all day long. I feel like I get burned out for just a weekend with my 1 son. It's exhausting!! If the teachers were grumpy and my son wasn't happy when I picked him up, then I would be concerned. But it's quite the opposite! He is always happy and smiling. And sometimes the reason isn't because they're burned out, but maybe a better opportunity has come up for them. We plan to keep him here until he moves on to kindergarten! read more

I don't think my wife and I could be any more thrilled with our experience at Cadence Academy in Gig Harbor. We have young daughters that have been attending since they were each 6 months old - our oldest is now in the classroom for 3-4 year old toddlers. The attention and care that the teachers and directors show towards our daughters provides us the confidence to entrust them with our girls on a daily basis. Our daughters are each learning and developing the skills to ultimately be successful in elementary school. Our daughters are capable of socializing with their peers and teachers, comfortable around non-family adults, and learning daily (it's incredible the lengths the teachers go to teach our daughters new and exciting things). Our eldest daughter has very serious food allergies and the school has gone to great lengths to accommodate her allergies and protect her while still serving her food from the school's menu. In sum, we are beyond pleased with our experience at Cadence Academy and would strongly recommend it to any parent seeking preschool for their children. read more

I love bringing my child here! This is one of four childcares I've looked at, and one of two that my toddler was enrolled in [we left the previous childcare facility for financial reasons at the time, it wasn't bad place for my kid]. We didn't go back to that previous one because I wanted my kiddo at Cadence Academy. I haven't had any problems with Cadence, if anything, I'm always kept aware of any issues [bee stings, hand-foot-mouth disease--hey, it happens! So, yeah, good to know if there's a breakout!] I don't dismiss any negative reviews; I was wisely told, if you have any worries or concerns, you should definitely move your child, use your gut. In my case, all I have are positive statements. I love that the child care teachers/caregivers use an app which updates me on their day; I will typically get a glance at my kiddo in their various activities [half the time, I won't, but I can ask about their participation when I pick my child up]. It's not always updated in a timely manner [some lunch pictures or duration of naptime load later in the day], but I've acclimated to that. I like how messages can be transmitted via the app [reminders to bring in more diapers or wipes, for instance]. Generally, I feel it's a safe facility, I enjoy seeing the staff, I feel like my toddler is fed healthy meals, and the hours of the child care is flexible for my work. [What a list!] I guess some cons could be that the classes have a standard ratio [5:1, kids:teacher] and everyone eats the same meals [so if your kiddo doesn't like what's served, they strive for variety, but I can't explain how the staff facilitate that aaall the time. My child wasn't eating much when he first joined, but after tweaking his milk intake, he's done a great job digging in at each meal]. I have a great relationship with the staff, and sometimes I'm able to chit-chat with parents of other toddlers at pick-up. It feels like a good place to be! Again, all I can say is that I'm thankful to have my kiddo here. I can imagine anyone having problems, because we all carry our own personalities and struggles, so keep finding somewhere that's comfortable [and affordable!] for you, because that's what Cadence is for me [sorry if that sounds cheesy]. read more

**Review is only about waitlist/director interaction** My husband visited Cadence when he was out house hunting in April 2019. He was impressed with the school and we were told that in November of 2020 both my toddler and our soon to arrive infant would have spots. The waitlist seemed pretty rudimentary on a white board but the director assured him she had been doing this for 18+ years and was very good at predicting. We stopped back in this past week (March) and the director told us the baby had a spot but the toddler definitely would not by Nov. She then said my husband misunderstood/heard her incorrectly and she would never guarantee a spot by a certain time. She tried to reassure us that the baby definitely had a spot and didn't seem to understand that it would make no sense to have one of our children there and not the other. Anyway- the center looked nice, I would recommend calling frequently for waitlist updates and taking the initial estimate with a grain of salt. read more

We have been with Cadence Academy here in Gig Harbor for just over a year now. We signed up for the wait list just shy of 2 years prior to receiving a call that they had room. We were very fortunate to land a spot when we did, and couldn't be happier with our experience. We have kids in 2 rooms and they love the experiences they have. We have met a few of the best preschool teachers that we have encountered as well! With all childcare experiences we have run into some short staff times or changes, but we know and trust that the administration is working their hardest to fix any issues that pop up (they do no matter where/what). We'll be sad when our oldest leaves for kindergarten shortly, but will be happy to have our youngest there for a few more years! An all around wonderful experience in such a challenging industry at times! read more

My husband and I both highly recommend Cadence Academy in Gig Harbor, WA. Our daughters have been going there since they were each 6 months old, starting out in the infant room. We feel and have always felt confident they are well taken care of and with their exceptional programs are developing all developmental skills (motor, social, vocabulary, learning and discovery) they need to thrive in life. Our oldest daughter is now in the Early Childhood Learning classroom and we are constantly amazed by the activities they do on a daily basis and skills she picks up every day. The teachers are incredible and kind and leave us with peace of mind dropping them off every day. The Directors of the facility are also wonderful. They have gone above and beyond to satisfy every request and truly make an effort to make sure we are happy. Our daughter has serious food allergies (dairy, eggs and nuts) and they always accommodate her dietary needs (such that she eats from the school menu every day) and make sure she is safe around her allergens. read more

Amazing school! The teachers are very loving and attentive while providing fun and structure throughout the day. Meals are also fantastic using all fresh food. read more

I have to say that my experience at this school has been a roller coaster of emotions. My daughter has been through a roster of teachers, some are socially awkward and can't even make eye contact or say hi. But the kicker came when my mom died and the director argued with me regarding owing money for a week that was supposed to be my one vacation week where you don't have to pay. She never remembered or wrote down the week , so when I got back from burying my mom, I was literally in the office going back and forth with her. I couldn't believe this was happening. It sucked! I thought it was so unprofessional and I would not recommend this school. When I originally put her in this school it was a totally different vibe. If I were to walk in now to enroll, I would definitely go to other tours of schools. When we moved to GH we did not have much time to do other tours. School is not cheap so be happy where your child spends most of their week. read more