The early learning center close abruptly 8.14.26... little to no warning to the parents and the…read moreleadership team said it came down to the money... no follow up.. teachers are great but the leadership is problematic around everything.. go somewhere else

The recent poor reviews are clearly malicious and patently false (they are far from the only game…read morein town, for one). I have sent both my kids there for the past five years. We have experienced three different directors in that time and each has been better than the last -- and the first was good! The staff are all friendly and the teachers my kids have had were all fantastic. Yes it is pricey. But I have never felt I was overpaying for what we get. But don't take my word for it: visit and see for yourself.

I was hesitant to write about my disturbing experience with this school, but the recent incident in…read morea Philadelphia Starbucks made it clear that this is a story worth telling. A few weeks ago my wife and I visited this school to see if it was a good fit for our child. We met with the school director in her office, which is just inside the main entrance and has a large window from which she can see the front door. During the one hour that we met with her ten or fifteen people came up to the entrance and rang the bell. Each time she glanced at the door and quickly buzzed them in. Although we didn't notice it yet, all of these people were white. Then a young African-American woman, maybe 25, rang the bell and the director stood up, apologized to us for interrupting the meeting, went to the front door and opened it just a crack, and said "Can I help you?" I was stunned. I turned to my wife and asked, "was that some racism?" My wife agreed. I would be inclined to give the director the benefit of the doubt--perhaps she knew all of the people she had buzzed in and simply didn't recognize the young black woman--but my wife and I had arrived separately and were each buzzed in immediately, and she had never met either of us. The character of an organization comes from the top, and this type of subtle racism and discrimination is not something we want our child exposed to.

My children have attended this school for five years, and it's be a great experience. My sons were…read morevery prepared for prek and developed a real love of learning and reading. (They also learned Mandarin!) It's a wonderful option for working parents, since it's open early and late and doesn't close as frequently as other day cares. But the best thing I can say is that the environment is warm, loving and safe. I left my children every day knowing they would have a wonderful time and be taught by teachers who were exceedingly caring. I couldn't ask for more. I have to address the negative review accusing the director of racism. The staff there is very diligent about not letting strangers in the building -- which I applaud as a parent! They absolutely stop people that they don't recognize, regardless of race (including my mother and mother-in-law when they came for pick up.) It's an extremely diverse staff and more diverse school than many in the neighborhood.

We have had an outstanding experience with East Rutherford Montessori. I attended the school myself…read moreand graduated kindergarten here, and years later, we chose the same school for our daughters. Our oldest recently graduated, and although we had the option to move her into public school earlier, we intentionally kept her at Montessori. The combination of small class sizes, individual attention, and the quality of the math and reading curriculum made the decision easy. She left extremely well prepared academically, which was exactly what we hoped for. Our younger daughter is entering Pre-K4 this year, and we're very happy to continue with the school. The Montessori approach and strong curriculum are major advantages, but the consistency of the staff is equally important to us. Teacher turnover is very low, and the staff are experienced educators who focus on learning and development rather than simply providing daycare. I also appreciate that the school continues to add experiences for the kids beyond academics. Dance classes and the annual recital have been great, and this year they added an aquarium field trip as well. It's rare to have the perspective of experiencing a school both as a student and, years later, as a parent. East Rutherford Montessori has continued to deliver the same strong educational foundation. 10/10 from our family, and we have happily recommended it to many others.

Our two girls have had such an amazing experience at Montessori of East Rutherford. They have…read morelearned and grown so much during their time here, both academically and personally. The teachers are incredibly nurturing, caring, and truly invested in each child. Most importantly, our kids genuinely love going to school every day, which says so much about the environment the teachers and staff have created. We are so grateful for the wonderful experience our family has had and would highly recommend Montessori of East Rutherford to other families!

One of the worst schools in my history of being a mother. I had such high hopes until one incident…read moreoccurred where one child was hurt and the school closed temporarily and went through an investigation. A teacher and a teacher's aid were removed. After some time the school reopened. About a month after reopening the teacher that was removed was reinstated. My child was not involved in the incident and continued to attend. Upon speaking to a teacher during an interview I discovered awkward body language which told me there was more than meets the eye. About a couple of months went by and there was a new teacher's aid. She was not introduced to the parents. This woman did not look friendly which lead me to further investigate without the help of the school. At the students' graduation the school administrators Irene and Shirley and this particular woman that went by the name Ms. Janet did not not show up to celebrate this special moment with the students. Red flags After the last of school, I was contacted by a fellow parent stating that something serious happened at the school. I was told that Ms. Janet was hitting the children. The students were being abused by this monster. The following thought was the teachers have to have known. It broke my heart and made me mad. I write this review in hopes that you think twice about sending your child to this school if it ever reopens in the future which I hope it does not. The administration consist of young irresponsible women who do not have enough information to offer when it comes to staff members. Just a lot of ummmm uhhhh a Hamina ahamina and made up nonsense. And SHAME ON YOU TEACHERS FOR NOT PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN FROM THIS MONSTER. Kudos to the student that bravely spoke out. This review does not warrant an arrogant response. Police reports have been made to support this review.

My daughter attended Aleph Bet for 5 months and I decided to not return in the fall this year for…read moreseveral reasons. They provided 1 day notice to parents about extensive demolition and construction while school was in session. Kids were moved into a basement room instead of their usual space. To take it one step further, they were painting right next door. We were very concerned about the paint smell and brought this up to Shirly, who assured us that it was fine. When we picked her up it really smelled like paint within the children's room. Several days later major demolition started in the building. There was a lot of dust in the common lobby. As we became more concerned of possibly hazardous conditions we asked the owners if any tests were conducted prior to starting demolition. Specifically if they tested for lead paint and asbestos, since it's a building from the 60's. They refused to share the results. I am in contact with the EPA and department of health and hygiene regarding this matter. Also, see picture of the children's bathroom, this is the only one (looks friendly, right?). I was not shown the bathroom during my tour and made the mistake of not having asked to see it. When I was ready to start potty training with my daughter I discovered this bathroom which looked more like a janitors closet and decided to postpone potty training. Hygiene is important and I would not want my child in a tight space with dirty mops and buckets within arm's reach. Also the light bulb wasn't working when I took this picture. Their yard is a nice play space, however it is infested with mosquitoes. My child came home with new bites ever day. The yard is lined with old AstroTurf that holds water for days. Instead of fixing the problem they sprayed the kids with bug spray daily. The last straw was when they refused to return my deposit of $880 after I decided to not bring my daughter back in the fall. When I registered my daughter it was based on the calendar dates they provided in the contract. After I realized the calendar was inaccurate and the dates did not work with my schedule I asked for a refund since my daughter would not be returning in the fall. When I confronted them they dismissed their error as a "clerical issue" for which I should be held financially responsible. They used words like "extortion" when I insisted on a refund of my deposit and "slander" when I was transparent about my plans to leave a negative review. Both of these are illegal and I don't think I've entered any criminal activity by writing my opinion, wanting to know if my daughter may have been exposed to any hazardous dust and asking for a refund based on an inaccurate contract which they provided. I will say that the staff provided good care to my daughter for the time she was there. Ms. Jenny, Ms.Cindy and Ms.Gina we're always great.

We love Girafas and Monica. First I have to say I've never seen a school that kids don't cry when…read moretheir parents drop them off until I went to Girafas, my daughter on our first visit to the school wanted to stay so badly that I sign her up right then and she stayed, amazing! She is so happy on the days she goes to school, even if the weather isn't great she's a sunshine! The days she isn't going she asks me to. She really developed at school, it's amazing how the kids are so well integrated and the families are like one big family. With people of so many different cultures is great for the kids and us parents to learn new things everyday. It's located in a great neighborhood, we commute to get there but it's so nice to get there and stop by at the cafés and get to meet the neighbors. The little kids love going on field trips to explore it. Thanks to Monica my daughter has had a great experience as a base to her school life ahead.

I waited until my daughter graduated to add this review. This school started well when my daughter…read moreentered in the 6th grade but by the 8th grade, it went downhill. They had several teachers that were great throughout but a few of the new teachers were nothing but subpar. My daughter became ill one day and her teacher ignored her raised hand for 10 minutes before allowing her to go to the nurse... alone! The school is on the 4th floor... what if she fell. She mentioned she was not feeling well to the guidance counselor as well, who also sent her downstairs. They tried to call me but I missed the initial call. The nurse eventually told her she could either sit in the main office or return to class. Return to class?! The school is on the 4th floor! What happens if she falls?! She ended up having a virus and out for several days. I tried to call to complain and the parent coordinator lied about the principal leaving town. My husband ended up walking in without an appointment to find him there and made them talk to him. I also filed a 311 complaint. The algebra teacher was inexperienced and failed thesem of teaching. They talk to you like you are stupid but guess what...I have a Master's degree. Please don't. I tried to talk to the principal but again the parent coordinator managed to block us and other parents from meeting with him. Even the students created a petition to remove the teacher. My daughter passed her regents but only because I had to pay for private tutoring. I do not recommend this school.

Couldn't wait for my daughter to get out of this school. The overall attitude within the school…read moreis acceptance of mediocrity. At the graduation, prior to the commencement they were playing Tupac music. I found this to be very inappropriate. The keynote speaker spoke of his ex wives and "baby mamas ", this annoyed me as my wife and I believe in the core of marriage and family. This set a horrible example to our children. Parents if you have a choice, choose a better school. We want better for our children, lead by example. #DoBetter

Midwood Montessori is a wonderful neighborhood school, and we feel lucky to have it nearby. The…read moreteachers are warm, patient, and deeply committed to the Montessori philosophy. They truly understand and support each child as an individual, and it shows in how confident, curious and happy the students are. As a family-run school now in its second generation, Midwood Montessori has a strong sense of community. The mixed-age classrooms encourage kids to learn from each other and grow at their own pace, in an environment rooted in kindness and respect. Our son is starting his third year (kindergarten) and we've seen tremendous growth--socially, emotionally, and academically. He loves his school, and we're excited for our daughter to join next year. Midwood Montessori provides a strong foundation, and it's easy to see why families stay through kindergarten. The children graduate as independent learners and leaders, well prepared to enter a wide range of public and independent schools.

My son has been attending Midwood Montessori for almost 2 years, and it is a fantastic school. The…read moreteachers are very caring and super knowledgeable in early education. They really tailor the curriculum to each child based on their progress to make sure the materials are at the right level to maximize learning.. All the kids are very friendly and intelligent as well, and my son has made quite a few close friends. Overall, it's a great school and highly recommended.

Bank street is the standard in Head Start Education…read more It did not take long for my partner and I to realize we made the right choice for our son with Bank Street. From day one the entire staff made us feel safe and welcomed us with open arms. Our child has developed wonderful relationships with his classmates and teachers these last few months. Classrooms have one lead and two assistant teachers - the environment is very intimate and close knit. There is structure, yet the children are encouraged to rotate activities at their will. Lots of group and individual reading - such an important habit to develop at an early age. The children are also assigned "jobs" for the week- our son raves about how well he is as the "line counter" The children visit Tompkins Square Park for daily outdoor playtime, weather permitting of course. Parents receive weekly newsletters dedicated to the recent learning and happenings in the classroom - we love these since it gives us a closer look at the projects the kids have worked on and what to expect for the following week. An applause to the chef who is always leaving a mark - our child loves the cous cous (recipes are shared throughout the year). Parents are given a lunch calendar. The opportunity to join a council and team up with staff is great as well. Reiterating how much they value family involvement in the classroom. The leadership at BSHS is astonishing, Director Willis is always communicating with families - no matter the time of day or night. She masterfully manages all operations for BSHS. I truly admire her tact and skill. Thank You Willis, if there were more YOU's in this world we'd all be in a better place. Bank Street Head Start will not disappoint you - If you have the chance please enroll your kid(s) here. Solid learning, emotional and social development. What more could you truly ask for your little person? BSHS has played such a impactful role for our family in such a short period of time. I sincerely do not know where we would be without them. Our 2nd child will definitely be a student at Bank Street. Good luck to all!

My son had the best time of his life at this school…read more He had it very rough during the first few MONTHS of school. He cried and cried and cried every morning, everyday for three or four months of school. His teachers, Terry and TA-Joanne were patient, caring and understanding. Their everlasting efforts of trying to gain his trust had finally paid off and I had never felt so grateful on the day that my son waved good bye to me and told me he loved going to school. The school had a great staff. The teachers are college graduates and TA are all professionally trained to care and assist within the classroom. Every morning, children were allowed to explore and "play" with any activities of their choice. The only rule is you must clean up after yourself. Their morning activities includes art and craft, play dough, dramatic play area, blocks, puzzle, or simply being read to. When the weather permits, the children were allowed to go outside the secure area of the building for 45 minutes of physical exercise Monthly sing-along where parents are invited to attend with their children. Most importantly, they have awesome extra activities such as children yoga. Students also visit the Third Street Music school in the East Village regularly for sing-along, music appreciation, and group activities. Food is cooked and prepared on premises by staffs that are licensed by NYC DOHMH where they ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS use fresh, and healthy ingredients to cook for our children. During the summer, they shop at the Farmer's Market to get low-price organic fruits and vegetables. Academically, they encourage children to learn through play which I also believe is the best way for children to learn. Children are being read to everyday to encourage and to establish the love for reading. And I can't believe I almost forget to mention those field trips to the farm, different museum, Highland Park, puppet shows and much more. Today my child is a sweaty but confident little boy who loves to read, play legos, and wanted to become a robotic engineer when he grows up.