Communication with ownership was often difficult and, at times, felt defensive or dismissive. As a…read moreparent, feeling heard and supported is important, especially when entrusting someone with your child. Attempts to meet in person to discuss my child's transition out of the daycare (with two months' notice given which I have copies of via email) were declined, and communication became passive-aggressive over email. While concerns I raised were ultimately addressed, the interactions left me feeling uncomfortable rather than reassured. My son came home with other children's' diapers and clothes on many occasions. There was so much disorganization. The owner monitors the comments of parents on private Facebook groups and is retaliatory towards them when they post anything critical. You will see this on their responses to critical reviews online as well. She sent out weekly emails reprimanding all parents for the actions of a few. I paid for an extra hour of care each day and came on time, often earlier than I needed to, but I still received these emails reprimanding everyone in the class. There was noticeable staff turnover, including two directors within one year. One departing director communicated to parents via email that the work environment was challenging, which understandably raised concerns among families. Some teachers appeared inexperienced and were frequently on their phones during pickup times, often requiring me to get their attention. While the teachers were kind to my child and did a good job teaching him, this was concerning. Information shared in the app was occasionally inaccurate (for example, meals reported as fully eaten when food was returned mostly untouched). The daycare itself is very small and lacks enough of a large open play space which is concerning, especially in the winter time. Parents were not allowed to enter classrooms to drop off or pick up their children. A friend of mine in town shared with me that her twin girls were coming home with bite marks on them and the owner denied that anyone was biting them and refused to allow them to look at the camera to see what happened. The communication style and leadership environment significantly impacted our comfort level as parents and ultimately led to our decision to leave. I am sharing this review to provide honest, respectful feedback based on our experience. I have noticed that some critical reviews appear to have been removed in the past. My intention is not to discourage others, but to offer transparency and encourage continued improvement.

If i could i woild have given 0 stars, they dont deserve any at all. Bery rude, kids learn nothing…read moreu qualified teachers. Very disappointed.

The quality of teachers is amazing. They really put value in the academic and caretaking of the…read morechildren here. Ms Adaweli has been a teacher here for years and has impeccable ways of helping any child with writing , and reading , and most importantly behavior. My daughter has improved with her help and I am very happy to have her in this private daycare.

I am incredibly grateful for the wonderful learning experience my sons have had at the TLE of North…read moreBergen!. They exceeded my expectations of a safe environment, loving teachers, and an impressive curriculum for nine years! My oldest is now 9 yrs old with my other son four years younger and both have been at TLE from their infant room with Miss Elizabeth to PreK 2 with the master teacher, Mrs. Adewale! In between, there are so many caring teachers and helper teachers who treated my boys like their own, including helping them make good choices with behavior, helping me teach them how to blow their nose, say please and thank you, potty training them, reminding them they love them, ...the list goes on and on and I really appreciate all the maternal help throughout the years. My youngest just graduated PreK2, but I saw first hand how my older son was reading and writing close to a 1st grade level by the time he was starting Kindergarten because of the challenging TLE curriculum that includes all subjects, even science experiments! (I'm a science teacher.) From the moment they started, I've been consistently impressed by the dedication, warmth, and professionalism of the entire staff. The clear day-to-day communication from the amazing business director, Bina Zalawadia and director, Coreen Ensmenger, makes me feel in-the-loop and comfortable. Thank you for providing such an exceptional foundation for their early learning. We are truly blessed to have found TLE of NB and can't recommend you highly enough to other families. If you are reading this as a prospective parent shopping for daycares and you are an educator, the NJEA or NBFT unions have a 10% discount through the TLE Work & Family Program. Feel free to email me if you have any questions: mrshoj55@gmail.com With sincere thanks and love, The Hojnowski Family

Our experience with this preschool, was absolutely amazing and exceeded all our expectations! We…read moresaw ,firsthand, the positive impact it had on my nephew. From the first weeks, the teachers made a genuine effort to support his adjustment, keeping us , thoroughly informed and ensuring he felt secure and always included. That level of communication and Genuine care made a big difference for our family. Their classroom environment is very structured, organized, and welcoming. It is a setup, where the students, are not overly stimulated and they keep it simple, but, yet, very relaxed and productive! Smart Starts Academy has a curriculum , in which, encourages learning through, play while building important social and academic skills. Over time, we noticed improvements in his confidence, language skills, and enthusiasm for learning, which speaks volumes about the quality of instruction and Attentiveness to each student in their classroom! Emotions that each child may carry ,throughout their day, was Never ignored , but rather, very respected and handled with Extreme care and Genuine Understanding! The staff is beyond,professional, attentive, and Deeply committed to each child's development and learning journey! This preschool sets a HIGH standard for early education, and we would confidently recommend it to any family seeking a program that combines strong academics with Genuine care. Furthermore, the fact that, the students are to wear a uniform, distinctively separates, from other schools,especially because, the students are grasping the idea that, "we are going to school" and it clearly shows the difference between all other schools in the area. I absolutely RECOMMEND Smart Starts Academy and it will Not disappoint! The Smart Start Academy is a Great School for each child's first major steps in Learning and socially engaging in Healthy and Sustainable Growth and Development!

Our 3year old has attended Smart Start Academy (SSA Lumbar House) in Jersey City for almost a year…read more We are so happy with the facility, staff and overall program. 1) Love the mandatory uniform. She associates her uniform with "going to school", which is a great visual prompt to get us ready & out the door each day. 2) The administration and staff are so helpful & have been extra accommodating to her special needs. There is a great curriculum including an introduction to Spanish language skills & preschool preparation (tracing letters, using glue sticks & scissors, etc) . It's truly like a school rather than just a daycare facility. She loves her teachers Mrs Ruth & Miss Justine :) 3) The tech used by the facility is great. The app lets us check her in & out for the day with ease. We get information and photo updates throughout the day. 3) Food is healthy and our picky eater never goes hungry.

Tutor Time of West Orange has been a great school and learning environment for our daughter. Since…read morestarting, she has developed so much - learning something new every day. In fact, we are frequently surprised when she tells us a new thing she learned each day at school. The teachers and administration clearly care deeply about the students and it shows in the level of care and education they deliver. I recommend this school to any parents in the area looking for child care. I especially want to commend them on how they are handling everything during the pandemic. It's certainly no easy task to manage a school during this time. They are communicating transparently and ensuring safety is the #1 priority, all while giving the kids an "as normal as possible" school experience. I give them a big shout-out and kudos!

My child has been a student at Tutor Time in West Orange since she was 20 months old. She is 5 1/2…read morenow. Our family has had a wonderful experience at the daycare. We have LOVED the teachers and my daughter has learned so much in her time there. Nothing is perfect, but when I raised a concern, I felt it was handled appropriately. My little girl is moving on to kindergarten, so our time at the school is coming to an end. We will miss the staff so much. I recommend

I'm sharing my personal experience with this daycare so other parents can make an informed…read moredecision. We enrolled under what was clearly labeled a 10-month contract. I was informed at the time that this type of contract is typically offered to teachers; however, the director offered it to us as a courtesy when we were preparing to leave, due to the school's 12-month schedule and lack of a guaranteed September spot if a child is withdrawn for July and August. I was clear with the director that I am not a teacher, and the contract was still offered and signed. Based on vocal and written communication, my understanding was that this agreement allowed my child to be out for July and August while maintaining her enrollment for September. Recently, we were unexpectedly asked to confirm our intentions for the next school year. When I referenced the 10-month contract, I was told someone would follow up with me, which did not happen. I then emailed for clarification. The owner responded by stating that I had misunderstood the agreement, despite the contract and email I had in writing from her outlining what the 10 month contract is. When I said I would need to consult a lawyer if the agreement was not honored, I was told the owner does not deal with "litigious people," and my child was removed from the program in the middle of the school day. Separately, my child reported being hit by another student on multiple occasions. When these concerns were brought to the owner, I was told that my child was lying. There was also an incident where staff commented negatively on my child's lunch, telling her that yogurt was unhealthy, which I found inappropriate. This review reflects my direct experience only. I encourage parents to ask detailed questions, get all agreements in writing, and carefully consider how concerns and disputes are handled before enrolling.

My experience from the start with Bells was wonderful. They are amazing with children during their…read moreacademic and social growth. If you ever leave instructions regarding anything whether it's health or restrictions, they listen and follow everything you provide. They give thorough information, guidelines and plans when it comes to the safety of the children. Communication is very quick and always looking to see how they can help. I would highly recommend this childcare facility.

We have been incredibly happy with our experience at Lightbridge Academy - Westwood. From the very…read morebeginning, the center provided us with a warm and welcoming environment for our then 6 month old. We are now in our third classroom and each one has been cheerful, nurturing and supportive of learning and playing. All of our son's teachers have been truly wonderful, each loving, attentive, and easy to communicate with. They consistently partner with us in caring for our child, always putting us at ease. Their genuine care and kindness continue to create a space where our son is able to thrive emotionally, socially, and academically. The center is truly a safe, supportive, and joyful place for children to grow.

It is quite difficult finding childcare in Rockland County, NY. My review is for my experience…read moretoday. I drive 25mins twice a day to take/pickup my son from Lightbridge Academy-Westwood. His teacher Aneta is a dream. She's incredibly compassionate, patient, empathetic, loving and above all genuine. There is no one else like her and my son loves her truly. She's the only one who calls me if my son has an accident or isn't feeling well. She keeps me in the know always. I thoroughly appreciate the care and her positivity toward my son and everyone around her. Her people skills are incredible. The past 2 weeks I've been receiving emails requesting feedback on the staff. Today there is a need to write this review ...I'm sad I have to write it. This week has been difficult trying to find childcare for my daughter for spring break. Bright Horizons has been notifying me there is no placement in my area. Imagine my surprise when I saw Lightbridge Academy- Westwood pop up as placement. I was thrilled since my son goes there it would be perfect to have my daughter there for 4 days for 4hrs a day. I spoke to the assistant director this morning and told her I was surprised they were listed as a center. I told her I submitted a request for my daughter for the following week..and asked if she could confirm my daughter can be at the same center as my son. She said she'd look into it. I said do you mind letting me know sooner rather than later since it's Friday and I need to lock in childcare for my daughter..her response "I'll look into it" ..I was thinking to myself ..wouldn't she say "of course" and try her best to assist especially since my son already is enrolled at this academy for several months...As I turned to leave, I said to her again do you mind letting me know by 3pm ET today. and her response "I'll look into it... I already knew my daughter was not going to be taken at this center for the 4days with Marisa's lack of enthusiasm and her apparent annoyance at my request. I'm truly disappointed in Marisa. As a working mother like herself..I wish in that moment she put herself in my shoes but instead I didn't leave the building yet..and her and her colleague at the greeters window were talking about me behind my back. Who I am is a mother who needed help for 4 days- for 4 hrs per day ...and instead of trying to accommodate a parent who already has one of her child enrolled at their center...Marisa called me and told me sorry we don't have placement. (There was NO surprise there) ...I told her I was already notified by Bright Horizons. I told her I'm disappointed and it's unfortunate..she apologized she couldn't do anything ...I have worked with Bright Horizons for over 7years ..accommodations could be met especially for a parent who has a child already enrolled in the center. That's who they accommodate first (siblings). Marisa said it's nothing personal. I hope she understands my review is not personal. I wish they had more Aneta's in the world ..and above all I wish there were more Aneta's at Lightbridge Academy-Westwood. The world would certainly be a happier, friendlier, kinder place.

My daughter had a truly amazing experience at Rhymes and Reasons. Our family is forever grateful…read morefor the kindness the teachers there showed her--she learned and grew so much thanks to their expertise and care. We highly, highly recommend Rhymes and Reasons!!

I would not place my child here under any circumstances. My child was bitten, repeatedly punched…read morein the chest (I witnessed this incident myself) and sent home with a permanent scar on his face which was downplayed as a scar. All of this in a matter of months. Yet all the daycare could provide is "meeting" once we decided to remove him. While we understand things happen with kids this age, they downplayed every situation and became furious at my review of their facility. They should be that efficient and vigilant of the kids as they are of their reviews !

Sandy Lane Nursery has been an amazing place for all 3 of my kids. My 2 oldest wishing they could…read morego back because they had that much fun. I love knowing my kids are being well taken care of in a safe environment. I would definitely recommend this Daycare to all my friends and family.

We've really enjoyed our experience at Sandy Lane. They provided a wonderful environment, were…read moreable to attend to each child's individual needs and have a curriculum that was engaging and fun. Our daughter is always so proud to talk about how she goes to Sandy Lane School, and how her friends are from Sandy Lane School. We'd stay at Sandy Lane forever if only she'd stop growing up!