This is long, but I'd want transparency when it comes to my child…read more
When we toured in July, Ms. Wilson was the director. She was wonderful--she explained the teacher assignment, said the app included camera access and daily updates, and reassured me they worked with new kids often. She mentioned she'd be leaving soon and new owners were taking over but felt confident we'd like them.
Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case.
After filling out the application, I waited a week for the rest of the paperwork. Nothing came. I called multiple times and was told it would be sent, but it never was. The Friday before my son was supposed to start, I went in person. They couldn't even find the forms and spent over an hour recreating my account so I could receive them.
My son started on Tuesday, and the school called on Monday asking if I still wanted to enroll him because their system showed him inactive. Not a good first impression, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt.
It took three weeks to get a door code and app access. When I did, there was no camera access after all--"Oh we will fix it". A letter later confirmed parents would not be given access. The code itself often didn't work even when I got it.
ACH payments also took three weeks to set up. At first, the director said my balance was zero, then suggested I had given the wrong account, then said my account was closed. Without me changing anything, they eventually "fixed" it.
The teacher I was told would be in my son's room wasn't there. On the first day, the teacher didn't introduce herself. Weeks later, I realized someone else was actually the teacher I'd been told about. No notice, no communication--just changes parents were expected to figure out.
The handbook says to talk to your child first, then ask the teacher for an update. In our case, a new teacher came in at 2 p.m. daily. When I asked her about my son's day, she always shrugged and said she had just gotten there. There was no handoff from the morning teacher. This was frustrating because this was my son's first school experience, and I wanted to know what he was doing so I could support him at home.
At one point, a sign on the door said to check the app for a project due. Since I didn't yet have access, I asked the PM teacher. She shrugged and told me to ask the director, who also didn't know. Just a preschool project--but again showed the lack of communication.
Meals were another issue. I noticed many items my son wouldn't eat and asked if I could pack something simple like a banana. I was told outside food wasn't allowed. Staff said if a child didn't eat, they'd offer something else like a sunbutter sandwich--but that never happened. Most days, my son ate nothing at all.
Eventually, we decided to move schools and turned in our two weeks' notice.
On his second-to-last day, I saw him being walked back to class by staff. The director walked by me to the class. The PM teacher told me my son had been in her office part of the day due to behavior. I got only a one-sentence explanation and was told to "ask the director," but she never came back to speak with me. The app stopped updating at 11:30 a.m., and I picked him up at 3:00. No food, no bathroom notes, no details. No call to me or Dad. If it was serious enough to remove him from class, I should have been called.
Once again, he hadn't eaten and was very emotional at home. I didn't send him for his final day--it didn't feel safe.
Maybe I'm new to "school life," but I expected communication above all else. Instead, I got excuses.
If you want a place to simply drop your child off, this school might work. If you want a place you can trust, where staff truly care about your child's well-being, I'd look elsewhere.