Initially, my husband and I were very excited to send our 3yr old son to the East Meadow…read moreMontessori. We had heard good things about the Montessori style of teaching. The school director was initially very nice and understanding of our military style of life (moving in the middle of the school year), however her professionalism did not last. After about 2 weeks of being in the school, my husband - who drops off our son and picks him up - stated that he had a gut feeling our son was being mistreated. We spoke with our son but he said he liked it so we didn't pull him out. I regret that decision so much, we should have listened to his gut feeling. My son was being accused of hitting other kids and being too rowdy. My son has been in the childcare system since he was 6weeks old and has never hit another child or been accused of anything of the sort. My son had a rough day at school and my husband was asked to pick him up early. After I came home from work, I sat my 3yr old son down and asked him (in small, understandable words) what happened to him at school. He informed me that he was telling his teachers "No" when they asked him to sit down and that he hit his friend because of what he did to my son. I asked him why he got mad at his teachers and told them "no". I asked were they yelling at you, or did they do something to make you mad? He said to me "Ms. Cochrin hit me." I initially got very mad but I didn't want him to see that so I asked him in a soft calm voice, "What do you mean she hit you?". He said like this, as he opened his hand and slapped himself in the face. I walked away to ask my husband if he heard about this and he said no. I went back to my son to verify his story wouldn't change and I asked him, What is Ms. Denise that hit you, and he said "No". I asked if it was the other teacher and he said "No". I said "Did Ms. Cochrin hit you?" and he said "yes". I asked him again how she hit him and his story was exactly the same. The next morning I called the school to speak with the Director, Diane. She was not in the office but her assistant assured me that she would be calling me back. About an hour later I received a phone call from the teacher that hit my son denying it, which I expected she would do. However, I did not want to speak with her, I wanted to speak with the Director to set up a time to talk. The Director called me about an hour after that. As I answered the phone she did not even let me talk. She became very defensive saying that she knows for a fact that the teacher would never hit my son and that my son was always bad and hitting other kids and that she has even seen him throw a chair across the room (which I told her is unbelievable because he is only three, and she said well he did and that he is strong for his age). She never let me explain my side of the story, she didn't ask if there was a mark on my son, nor did she ask how my son explained the hit. Her priority should be the protection of the students. Not the fear of a lawsuit. She was so defensive that she never even let me speak. She blamed my son and informed me that she would have to let him go and remove him from the school. The director was completely unprofessional and rude. You should definitely think twice about sending your children to a school ran by a director that does not put the kids first. I would not recommend this place to anyone.

I have only great things to say about this school. I am a mother of three and all of my children…read moreattended this school for Nursery, Pre-K, and Kindergarten and my Husband and I could not have been more happy with it. First of all, this Montessori school uses the true Montessori Method of teaching and the classroom is set up to represent that. Each child is taught at their own pace so your children will excel in the areas they are best at and be given extra time in the areas they need more help with. In addition, the classrooms are exceptionally clean and neat. They also display your childs school work in the classroom so you can see your childs work. It is a great atmostphere. Each day my kids had music, and then Italian and Yoga was taught once a week. The kids also go on educational field trips which is great considering most Kindergarten schools do not take filed trips. Although this Montessori school focuses heavily on education, they also understand that the kids are young and allow for recess and arts and crafts so you know your child is getting a balance of learning and fun. I have seen what my kids learn at Montessori compared to what kids learn at other Kindergarten schools and Montessori is hands down a better learning environment. My kids learned things in Kindergarten that public school doesn't teach until 1st or second grade! As for the teachers and assistants, they could not be better. They are nurturing and it is obvious they love their job. My kids are always so excited to attend school everyday, and as a Mother this is very comforting to see. They also offer an after school program so if my Husband or I had to work late this was useful. The building is extremely secure and there is a buzzer and intercom system to get into the school. The doors are permanently locked until buzzed open by the teacher. The Director is always approachable and even if she is not in the office, she will always call back promptly and is happy to answer any questions you have regarding the school. Both the Director and her assistant are willing to assist you with anything you need. It is obvious that the Director treats her employees well and is concerned about her business and the benefits the children can gain from her school. I am friendly with a lot of the other parents and they all think this school is as great as I do. I would recommend it to anyone!

My 2 girls have been going here for the past year and love it. They love their teachers and all the…read moreactivities they do with them. One of my girls started kindergarten this year and Ms. Jo & Ms. Johnna prepared her for school. She learned so much in their pre-k program. In the morning the girls were always so excited to go to the school they would forget to give us a hug goodbye. They come home daily with arts and crafts and we love seeing them have fun in pics on their Facebook page.

My son's first daycare. We enrolled him when he turned 2. I've only browsed other daycares and this…read moreplace was the obvious winner. They are caring, loving, & the facility is super clean and organized. My son didn't take long to adjust at all. He now looks forward to going to school.

This school is a gem for Montessori kids! Affordable price over the years with low teacher-student…read moreratio. Mixed age groups, fun activities and crafts, not to mention those academic works everyday filled on the shelves. Students get the freedom to choose the work they like to do and always get one on one instruction!

I went here when I was 3, I'm now almost 25 and remember clearly and vividly the emotional and…read moreverbal abuse Cacchioli would put me and other kids through. She would call me stupid and ugly all time time. There was a LOT of public shaming and yelling this woman is pure evil. I wasn't 100% perfect potty trained at that age and had an accident in the bathroom, and she got so angry I was scared to admit it was me. She forced another child, whose name I remember very clearly because she would abuse him and cause him to cry ALL the time, to clean it up. Sad to hear she's still kicking and In business and abusing children still. An investigation needs to be done on her. Unless you want your kid to be traumatized for the rest of their life and responsible for years worth of therapy do not send them here. Also the classroom has not changed at all in 23 years. The cubbies in the back would fall right on top of the kids they are not secured. They do not care about anything, minimal effort on all fronts when providing for children

I cannot say enough positive things about Merrick Woods! MW has been a HUGE blessing to my girls…read more Not only do they wake up early each morning looking forward to another exciting, fun-filled day at MW, but I can go to work and not stress or worry for a minute wondering if the girls are safe/bored/alone/insert your worry here. As a parent, you will always feel safe knowing that your kids have certified, caring teachers surrounding them. The kids even take swim lessons and reach American Red Cross levels of safety and skill. You also will not realize you are even in Merrick or Long Island for that matter once you enter the sprawling, wooded campus! We are very grateful to MW !!!!!

Both of my sons went to pre k here , and my oldest went to kindergarten as well. Great staff and a…read morequality education . It is pricy, but you get what you pay for .

Have had several children attend during the school year and for their summer camps and school e…read morehave the fondest memories thanks to kiddie junction. They have excellent communication and attention to every detail in their educational facility to ensure a nurturing and supportive environment for the littlest learners! Thank you to the director Ms. Abbie and all the wonderful and dedicated teachers!

Kiddie Junction is a wonderful school. I was always apprehensive about sending my son to school…read moreearly but after seeing how warm and friendly the staff were and how much attention they gave my son, I am so glad I put him there. He made lots of friends and amazing memories. The teachers are so knowledgeable and teach them so much! I love that they challenge their minds and come home with such amazing projects. We looked at a couple of schools and would definitely recommend this one.

Little gardens is great! My 2 year old daughter started going there 3 months ago. She only goes…read moretwice a week and she learns so much. She can count up to 20, she's learning her ABC's and has gotten better at coloring. I was starting to get worried she was delayed for her age but she picked up so much in such a short amount of time. She even figured out her passion for dancing when they learned their Christmas dances for the annual Christmas show, which was very spectacular. We really enjoyed that event they put on. The teachers are so caring and understanding. Plus I like that they use this app to keep everyone updated on their daily activities. I would definitely recommend this place.

We love Little Gardens! My son just turned 3 and he loves going to school everyday. We always get…read moreupdates from the brightwheel app with pictures and videos. His teachers are kind, caring, and have taught him so much! We would definitely recommend Little Gardens for anyone looking for a safe and hands on environment for their children.

As a parent who had my child at step academy this past year,…read moreI feel responsible to warn other naive parents like I was. Please stay away from this school. The teachers are sweet and caring, though most of them are recent high-school graduates without teaching degrees and it is really just a daycare. My kid did not really get much educationally from school, just had a good time with friends and basic coloring/letters. The management is the problem--all are very corrupt and steal money from hardworking parents by "accidentally" overcharging your credit card that is on file with them...and then instead of apologizing and paying you back immediately when you point it out to them, they "credit" it to your smartcare account for the following month. So basically a 1 month interest-free loan for them. This happened to me twice this past year. I know other parents who say the same thing has happened to them. And more importantly, this speaks for itself--check the ocfs.ny.gov website (search "Step Sports" under the Name search field and then click the blue "i" for more info) and you'll see it is pending revocation of its license since Dec 2018 with several uncorrected violations. Unless you want to risk your child not having a place to go because the daycare suddenly closes down, please please look elsewhere for a better place. I sure hope this helps a parent make an educated decision for their child.

There are some negative reviews here that don't reflect our experience at Goddard. My son has…read moreattended this school since he was 1.5 years old (he's is almost 4). Before daycare, we had an au pair, but we felt he would benefit more from being around other children. Of all the options we explored, Goddard was by far the best choice. The school is safe, clean, and has plenty of outdoor space for kids to run and play, plus an indoor gym for rainy or very cold days. The staff is passionate about their work, maintains strict teacher-to-child ratios, and follows a curriculum that balances fun with learning. We receive photos throughout the day and a helpful en-of-day report. We've been very happy with all my son's teachers over the years. They've made him feel special, encouraged his growth, and helped him form strong friendships. The children motivate one another in such a positive way. Some people mention that tuition is higher than other schools, but we feel it's worth it for the level of care and education provided. You do need to pack lunch and snacks daily, but that's no different from feeding your child at home-and it ensures they'll eat food they enjoy. Coming from NYC, we were expecting long daycare waitlists, so we reached out six months before his start date. To our surprise, we had no issues getting a spot, and he's been enrolled full time since day one. We highly recommend this school.

I get the feeling that this daycare is nothing more than a money grab. They presented well at…read morefirst, but it quickly became apparent to me that they prioritize profit over care. Where other comparable schools charge $50 for enrollment, Goddard charges $350 non-refundable and then tells you they won't have space for your child. Other schools provide breakfast, lunch, and snacks - at Goddard, despite the tuition being double, there is no lunch provided. If you need to withdraw your child, many schools have a 30-day opt-out clause - Goddard's opt-out clause is 60 days, and you need to be careful because they are extremely vague and unclear when it comes to money. The teachers seemed entirely disinterested in the families and children, the outdoor space is tiny, and the overall environment did not feel welcoming.

Best child care center IMO (and I used to work at one for 6 years). Facility is clean and spacious…read more Faculty and teachers are amazing and so friendly. I wouldnt sent my babies anywhere else. Worth the money.

Debbie's is the best daycare I know. I went back to work soon after I had my son, and I wouldn't…read moretrust my son with anyone else. The teachers are amazing, and they treat your child like their own.

This school truly feels like home. It's a warm, beautiful program that has helped my son grow and…read moreflourish in every way. The teachers are absolutely wonderful -- you can tell they genuinely love what they do, and it shows in how they care for the children every single day. My son has been there since the 2s separation class and is now in Pre‑K, and I couldn't be happier with his experience. My daughter is currently in the 2s class and will be continuing into the 3s because we trust this community so much. It's a lovely environment with a supportive staff, a real sense of community, and the best teachers. You won't regret choosing this school. Laura Romano

I can't say enough good things about St Marks Cooperative. This school is a hidden gem that I…read morewished I had found with my first born. Our first experience was in a parent and me class which met once a week. I felt welcomed by the teacher and the other parents. The children are introduced to circle time, snack time, turn taking etc. Parents are given an opportunity to socialize and talk with the teacher. It gave me a sense of community and allowed me to feel comfortable sharing concerns and parents an opportunity to learn from each other. It was a no brainer to have my son enrolled in the 3 year old class for the following year. My son is thriving in the class. I love that the class sizes are small, the teachers are certified and many have children who are alumni themselves. The directors are familiar with not only the children but the families. They help coordinate services and keep lines of communication open. I feel supported and know that my child is learning through play and hands on experiences. I love that this school is a cooperative as it gives a unique opportunity for parents and caregivers to be involved in the classroom. This has allowed me to observe my son in social settings and allows me to get to know the teachers and fellow classmates. If you are considering a pre school for your child I can't recommend St Marks Cooperative enough. Your child will thrive and learn and grow which will ultimately help prepare them for kindergarten.