The teachers and staff here at MPA are unparalleled to any other here in the Cypress area. We came from another school where my daughter had been for 1.5 years and we realized that we needed more for her and our expectations for her care weren't being met. After touring several schools, we were very comfortable with the care practices, curriculum and approach to childcare as a whole at MPA. We've now been here for 6 months and the day we watched our daughter drag a log on the playground with her friend to make a see-saw, we were not only impressed and grateful that they're encouraging creativity and that engineering mindset, but felt validated in our change and confident in our decision to make the change. MPA is a great school and we're grateful for their support! read more

From the moment I first walked in, I was greeted by people who clearly cared. I was understandably nervous about trusting my child to people I didn't know, but they put me at ease. My kid loves it there. His teachers are incredibly kind, and he's making new friends. read more

With deep regret, I have entrusted my two-year-old daughter with what I thought were educated and caring people. Yet to my surprise, my daughter was attacked and bitten one inch away from her eye by another child. When I came to question how the incident took place and where the adults were, I was refused an answer and ridiculed. Later, I was emailed that my daughter, who was bitten, was expelled because my husband raised his concerns to Anabel, who is in charge. Laws should have been created to keep order, which are enforced by punishment. The main goal of all these rules is to protect children from each other and to keep the group safe, content, and happy. As children live and react more closely together, more rules are needed to prevent conflict and violence. I assumed the adults who are in charge of the children would be more familiar with child development theories and have a wide understanding of how they can control children's aggressive instincts. I understand children could naturally feel aggression, but if these feelings are left unchecked, these instincts would tear a child apart. Adults left in charge should teach that these behaviors are not allowed and are forbidden. read more

Magnolia Preparatory Academy - Preschools Near Me - Katy, Texas

Magnolia is a fantastic daycare. My son has been here almost 2 years now, and we love it. He's 3. The school is beautiful and well-run. I love that there are no screens, and they get tons of free play and outdoor time (which is exactly what early child experts say they need most). It's a blend of Montessori and other educational methods. They get these cute rain suits so they can play and splash when it rains. All the teachers have been great-- very loving and caring. Communication is excellent with the administrative team. We just trust them. It's very well run. At our old Montessori daycare before we moved, we had multiple situations where my kiddo had injuries and I was not notified until I saw at pickup. Not here. You get a report for every little tiny scratch. I like that. I trust if something happens to my child, I'll be notified immediately if it's of any concern via phone call, and for tiny things, a written report at pickup. I like the cute uniforms. It's like a fun summer camp with learning and great activities. My kiddo is thriving here. The school is also very diverse which is awesome. I also have to mention I love the organic veggies and fruits (not easy to find at a daycare!), and filtered water in all the classrooms (also not easy to find--and I asked various local ones about this!), and the meals are healthy. They accommodate different dietary needs and preferences. Price-wise it's reasonable and par for the course for a great daycare. We are very grateful for our Magnolia school family! read more

Our son has been going here since February- he started as a sprout and is now a twig (everything is wonderfully nature-themed) we toured last year when we decided to build a house in the community and promptly put him on the waiting list while it was being finished. My first impression of Magnolia was that of a calming atmosphere, professional staff, and a culture of kindness and patience. I've had experience with less-than-stellar schools with a poor-performing staff and unhappy atmosphere and was on the lookout for that while touring. The most important thing for me is that the staff isn't overworked or unhappy (which creates an atmosphere where carelessness and bitterness affect the children's experience.) Our son is greeted by name every day by everyone he encounters and is given a huge smile and hug by his teacher every morning. His afternoon teacher gives me an update and assures me when his behavior is age-typical and praises him when he's showing great social skill improvement- they are ENGAGED and PRESENT. Any incident- minor accidents, or altercations has been presented as an incident report which is signed at the front, and regular communication emails are sent so I feel very informed as to what's going on. One of the unique things about Magnolia, and the biggest selling point for us, is that children get outside and explore and play- especially in the big city- nature is sometimes hard to experience and he gets that every day here. plenty of sun, nature, fresh air, and exploratory play. I've met other parents at birthday parties who rave about Magnolia- there seems to be a strong parent network here too. If you're considering Magnolia, please set up a tour and ask all the questions- I think you'll be very pleased with the answers and your experience. read more

My kids have been going to Magnolia Prep for about 2 years now, and they absolutely love going there! I like that there is a lot of outdoor play, field trips, hands-on learning and connecting to nature. Staff is amazing, and communication is great, always making parents aware of what is going on! read more

We enrolled our two-year-old this past summer, feeling a bit uneasy after he had been in another daycare since he was four months old. However, choosing this new center turned out to be the BEST decision we've made. His development has been remarkable, and seeing how happy he is each day reassures us that we made the right choice. The amount of time they spend outside is a huge plus; it makes me happy to know he's not just indoors all day. The nurturing environment and engaging activities have truly helped him thrive. Highly recommend! read more

We love this school! The staff has always been caring and compassionate from the very beginning. My son has grown leaps and bounds since attending magnolia prep. The staff here genuinely love and care about all the kids. Their teaching style is unlike any other program we have seen. Ide 10/10 recommend this academy!! read more

This is the best daycare we have found in the area. One of our children begs to go back, but they cannot because they are special needs and in a special needs school. The other is happily thriving at Magnolia. Special needs children are the most likely children to experience abuse from caregivers. In fact, at least one of my special needs child's caregivers at a different daycare DID physically abuse them. I mention this because not all children are the same, some are more challenging. My child was more challenging and the teachers at Magnolia made them feel safe and loved. The teachers and administrators still remember them when we go pick up their sibling and it has been at least two years since they attended. read more

My family and I have enjoyed Magnolia Prep. Our toddler enjoys going to school to see her teacher and friends. Magnolia and their Montessori practices have helped a lot with my daughter's development. My daughter knows all of the teachers throughout the school and is comfortable, which makes us comfortably dropping her off everyday. Front staff is nice and helpful, and her teacher Ms.Nancy is AMAZING! My experience has truly been 5 stars compared to other child cares. We have stability and communication which is also very important. read more

TL;DR: Magnolia is a terrible school. 34 employees left in 2022. High turnover. Beware. This is quite literally the first review I have ever written online. Our daughter attended Magnolia prep for 2 years. During the entire time she attended, we received no complaints on the conduct of our daughter, nor us as parents. We had no indication anything we were doing as parents was even remotely close to endangering our daughter with being expelled. Throughout our time we heard quite a bit of negative feedback regarding the administrative staff from other parents, as well as from former teachers. Generally, we ignored this information as our daughter was happy. Within the span of 2 days, our daughter was kicked out. My wife went to pick her up one afternoon and was informed that effective immediately our daughter was no longer able to attend. The reason being my wife creating "mistrust" between the teachers and the administration. This mistrust stemmed from my wife discussing the absence of former teachers with current staff. The fact that Magnolia was upset was understandable and they talked to my wife stating they did not appreciate these types of conversations. Good to go. No problem. At no time did they mention our daughter could be expelled. My wife and I agreed to not say anything to the staff after the phone call. The next day when she came to pick up our daughter she was approached by a teacher, and because of that conversation we were banned from magnolia. She did not threaten anyone, act inappropriately, nor create any scene in front of the children. What she did was harm the ego of the administrative staff who apparently is very self-conscious about the amount of staff turnover at magnolia. Again, we heard stories of this behavior before, and now we had our own experience with the lack of professionalism. I discussed with the owner why this happened, and she gave me her version of events. I was confused because her version closely matched our version, which blew me away how that was an offense so serious as for them to have no other recourse other than expulsion. The fact remains that after 2 years with zero issues, our daughter was kicked out without any notice. The director stressed how much they care about our daughter; however their actions prove otherwise. The owner will likely respond with her with her version of events, which is completely fine as she has the right to defend an accusation. What cannot be disputed is the following: According to Texas Department of Health and Human Services report https://www.dfps.texas.gov/Child_Care/Search_Texas_Child_Care/ppFacilityDetails.asp?ptype=DC&fid=1380606&resCareFlag=F Magnolia had 34 employees leave the school for other opportunities in calendar year 2022. This is an absurd number based on the size of the establishment. This does not count the months in 2023, which we know for a fact include several teacher departures. The turnover rate is horrendous and impacts the kids the most. We had plenty of experience with teachers "quitting due to family issues". Be very weary if your kids go here. You never know if you are doing the wrong thing to upset the wrong person. The misdirection and blatant lying that the staff does to cover the turnover rate, generally not on good terms, is an indication that they will expel you for whatever reason under the guise of parent or child misconduct. We were the first family that I know of who have been kicked out, however we know plenty of families that have had meetings with staff to discuss "problems". Most of these families leave on their own accord. read more

Magnolia has been the only place I've felt safe taking my kids for care. After a traumatic experience at another childcare center, we took our kids to Magnolia, and let me tell you what a difference it made in my kids! My daughter no longer had panic attacks before school and was often eager to go! Both kids when being picked up are always happy and excited to tell me all about their days! My son, when we first took him to Magnolia (post other school) wouldn't speak, and after 2 weeks at Magnolia began to speak and really come out of his shell! My daughter (who is now a first grader) constantly tells me she wants to go back to magnolia and is always excited when she does get to return. She was well prepared for the beginning stages of kindergarten, because of their curriculum. The staff is amazing and makes you feel like family! I've never had a single problem with any of them, and we've been there since day one. If you can't tell, we LOVE magnolia prep and everyone in there! I will say it again, as I say in all my reviews - if Magnolia Prep ever wanted to open a K-12 School, we'd be the first to sign up lol!!! Wink wink, nudge nudge! Lol Anyway, if you're looking for a wonderful place to take your kids that is safe, and doesn't force them to sit down and do worksheets, and treats each kid with love, then this is definitely the place to take them! read more

We have had an amazing experience with Magnolia Preparatory Academy for 3 years now with both of our children. They love their teachers and friends, and have learned so much from this place! I know they are well cared for, always under the supervision of kind and attentive individuals, and it has been so fun to watch them grow after starting here! We love the administrative staff, teachers, and the community here. It makes us happy to know we made a good choice entrusting the care of our babies somewhere that loves and cares for them; in a wonderfully diverse community, with an awesome curriculum, and a great facility! We love Magnolia Prep! read more

In my opinion, this school only cares about how to make the maximum profit. They don't care about your kid development or anything. They will give you whatever sugar coated reasons (such as follow Katy isd standards) and think you are stupid enough to take them. Avoid at all cost if you have choice. read more

I really wanted to love this daycare. My husband and I toured Magnolia August of 2021. We loved it and immediately started the process to enroll our daughter. We were looking for a start date of February/March 2022. Fast forward to February 2022, I contacted the daycare to get a start date for her and was told they would not have anything available until August 2022. How frustrating. So we decided to stay on the waitlist and would start in August. Few weeks later, I get an email that there is no availability until February 2023. So heads up if you're looking at enrolling your children here. Maybe have a back up daycare as well. I wish we would have. read more

Update to my always awful experience with this place: Woke up April 4th (today & the day my son was supposed to start here 3 half days) checked my e mails.. saw a withdrawal from sandbox (the app they use) I was charged the $185 for the part time tuition. Now having to wait a week or two for them to reimburse me. What a nightmare. Get it together. read more

Our experience at Magnolia Preparatory Academy started out great...but has ended terribly. I am beyond disappointed and would never recommend MPA. We enrolled our daughter in September 2021. She has loved her teachers in both Lil Buds and Sprouts classes. She transitioned to Twigs class beginning of January 2023. On January 20th, she begins to voice her concerns. I brought these concerns to management and Twigs' attention. We had our conversation and nothing became of it other than to monitor. Fast forward to the past two weeks- Her demeanor and attitude towards the daycare and more specifically her class has drastically changed. She's been refusing to go, throwing tantrums at drop off, saying other students hit her, pull on her hair, bite her, etc. MPA continues to say that they have not observed such changes in her behavior. When I questioned about scratches on her neck and bruising on her back that were NOT recorded or reported on an incident report, I was told by the teacher that I "should not believe everything my daughter says" because my daughter named certain individuals. That my daughter is also seen at times unwelcome in other kids' personal space. My daughter has had countless incidents where other kids have injured and bitten her since the start. All of which were deemed "normal" and "developmental," that they were working with these families to prevent future incidences to pacify our concerns. MPA has proven to us that they just don't care or want to take corrective/preventive measures according to their own guidelines for everyone's safety and well-being, including the teachers. My sister and I have both witnessed mistreatment and disrespect of their employees by certain parents and yet the family is still there. I have been in contact with a former employee and they have confirmed the terrible environment there for both teachers and students. I will not allow my daughter to grow up thinking she is unable to speak up and advocate for herself especially in an environment that fosters toxicity and bullying. It was best we parted ways... read more

Magnolia Prep is incredible! If I could give them 10 stars, I would. They're curriculum and program structure is engaging and encourages well-rounded development. From being considerate of others, to developing independence, to increasing curiosity, they have helped both of my children grow in tremendous ways. They focus on exploration of the world and teach in a way that allows children to develop a true love of learning. They have plenty of time outdoors in a beautiful and child-friendly outdoor space that allows kids to be kids. They whole team there treats each child with true love and respect. I truly cannot say enough good things about Magnolia! read more

We were seeking part time for our son and saw Magnolia Prep was advertising part time, and confirmed the part time program with the assistant director Carynn Hawley, and then scheduled a tour. We went and took the tour, made very clear the entire time that we were interested in the part time program, and were given an information packet with all of the pricing and information for the part time program they offered. They made it clear there was only one spot available for our sons age, and encouraged us to sign up immediately even though we didn't plan on putting him into the school for a few more months (they wanted us to start a month earlier than we intended to guarantee the spot for when he moved up to the next year, which we agreed to). We went home and signed up immediately to secure his spot, and for the next month assumed our son had a preschool to attend in April. A month after we signed our son up, about two weeks before he was supposed to start school, some lady we hadn't spoken with before called to inform us that the school was not going to offer the part time program anymore, starting April 1st, the month our son was supposed to start. This left us scrambling to make last minute arrangements and try to find our son a new preschool which can be difficult on short notice/late in the spring in this area. Whether this was a supposed oversight or miscommunication among the staff (how is the assistant director not even aware of their program change a month and a half before the change?), it was highly unprofessional to string us along and assure us our son had a spot in their part time program only to leave us high and dry at the last minute trying to find a new preschool for our son. I will be sure to let anyone looking for childcare in the area know our experience and what kind of unprofessional administration runs this school. As Kristina R. said below, make sure you have a backup preschool lined up, even after you've registered your child to go here, as ridiculous as that sounds. read more