In our last year at Ponds-Miss Tina, Miss Rachel, Miss Kristin, Miss Joanne and Miss Andrea are absolute treasures. There is no better feeling in the world than being able to trust the care of your child to these wonderful teachers who feel like family. read more

All 3 of my children have attended Ponds Valley Preschool and I have nothing but amazing things to say. The teachers are not only attentive to each child, but to their families as well. They have always communicated well if there had been any concerns. My eldest started there when he was 2 and is now in 1st grade and was more than prepared when he went to Kindergarten. When my last child graduates next year, I will be sad to leave this wonderful school. read more

My son attended Ponds from September 2022- June 2023 and then Sep 2023 to November 20th 2023. Incident occurred October 31st I do not even want to give this school 1 star but unfortunately I have to put something in order to review. I loved the school and so did my son Lincoln UNTIL they were negligent and gave him a cookie that he is allergic to. Backstory: Lincoln is allergic to Eggs (ALL) , Tree nuts and Sesame. I dropped him off on Halloween for a party. The teacher had texted me asking to call her...Before I even had the chance to respond the teacher was calling me "started the call off by saying oh my god Ms Garrison I don't know how it happened. Lincoln ate a cookie. " I had started to travel to school, while on the phone with the teacher. They had asked if they could administer Benadryl because Lincoln said his tongue felt like jelly. I was told by his pediatrician it would have resulted in the epi pen had the one lady ( a mother ) not thought quick enough to administer the Benadryl. The pediatrician could see that through reading his blood work because internally it showed a bad reaction. Upon my arrival the teacher, director and assistant all came up to me and said "going forward you are invited to all future parties". This made me feel comfortable because I was extremely upset, as any mother should be or I hope would be. I could not get this off my mind and was exchanging messages with the director curious how this happened. Why wasn't a teacher, director or assistant monitoring the table where my son was sitting . I had met with the director on Friday that week November 3rd, and discussed the following. * I suggested a "policy change" The suggestion was if Ponds could celebrate parties with just "oreos" as the safe cookie because I know Lincoln can have that. OR could they operate like a public school. * I wanted to confirm/ request that I could volunteer for all parties going forward. ( I was confirming it because this is something that the Director, teacher and assistant all had mentioned to me ) The Director had told me to send her an email with my requests and she would submit to the BOE (board of ed). I had asked if I would be able to speak with them directly. The director had advised me they like to be anonymous because the board is made up of church members and parents. I believe these parents are "those" parents that don't have kids with allergies or quite frankly care more about their kid being satisfied over a sprinkled cupcakes/cookies coming from a food store than a child who has allergies and could go into anaphylactic shock. What's even worse is when the Director says to me " I am sorry Ms Garrison we should have had a policy in place. Really ?!? Now you think that! I sent the email for the director to forward to the BOE attention. Come Nov 20th I pick Lincoln up from school. Teacher hands me envelope, could not look at me in the face, say goodbye, I felt disrespected. I opened the letter in the car and cried at that time. The letter denied the policy change, denied me being a volunteer and was dismissing Lincoln from the school effective Dec 20th. Lincolns sitting in the back asking me why I was crying and if I am ok. The only reply I could come up with at the time was " there are cruel people in this world" (letter attached for you to read) the letter is disgusting, harsh and NOTICE how in the letter NOTHING is mentioned about the school giving my son a cookie he should NOT have had nor my reasoning behind my requests. I question a lot from the letter to. I just feel like mothers were behind this decision. If other mothers could be volunteers , why couldn't I and why couldn't I when the Director, Teacher and assistant all said that on October 31st that " I will be attending all future parties. I obtained a police report, I also have a doctors note that is attached to the police report , from Lincoln's pediatrician where it states from his bloodwork that was drawn Nov 1st his lymph markers were HIGH due to ingesting something he was allergic to. It is a shame that they punished Lincoln and I for something THEY DID. Lincolns and I don't were recently at his allergist appointment Feb 22, 2024. What is a disgrace is that I noticed while walking out Miss Kristin his teacher was sitting in the waiting room and rather than act like an adult. She turned her head and ducked trying to avoid eye contact. This is disgusting. Don't make your child go through what my child did. Don't make yourself go through this pain. Don't put your kid in a school that says "oh we should have had a policy in place " after the fact. Search for better. read more

Ponds Valley Preschool - Elementary Schools Near Me - Oakland, New Jersey

Thank you for such an amazing, thoughtful, emotional experience, watching my grandson graduate from the same preschool my son graduated was an absolute joy. Ponds Valley preschool is and always has been, a loving, caring exceptional preschool, where children are loved, respected and taught by incredible teachers. Our family will miss you. read more

Our fifth grandchild will be attending The Ponds School this coming year. The teachers are so kind and caring to the students. The kids just love attending Ponds and the teachers. Our grandchildren were very prepared from the Ponds school to enter kindergarten. We appreciate the Ponds teachers and can't thank them enough! read more