It is with a heavy heart that I write this review of Preschool Social Academy (PSA), as I always believed it was a wonderful, safe, and professional preschool and I often recommended it to other families in the area who were looking for a good fit for their preschool-aged child. Our child attended PSA for three years until recently when we pulled her out midyear due to some significant concerns brought to our attention by both previous and current employees. I was always somewhat uncomfortable with the high rate of teacher turnover at PSA throughout our three years there. Over this amount of time, EIGHT teachers left abruptly with no transition or formal goodbye to the children in their classroom. In January of this year, several current teachers started seeking out parents to let them know that things were not what they seemed. They shared serious concerns about the director falsifying injury reports and directing teachers not to tell parents the details of their child's injury when it could possibly implicate her in being negligent. Also reported was that the director was not serving the children enough food because she didn't want to spend the money on it and, many times, food that was served was expired or contained mold. Mouse feces and urine were found frequently in classrooms, in the school's kitchen, and in the refrigerator with the children's food and the problem became worse because the director refused to deal with it appropriately. The director had also been telling parents that their child's lunch was "organic from Whole Foods" for years when it never was organic or from Whole Foods. I didn't want to believe any of it because of our history there so I sought out three previous employees who had left on separate occasions over those three years we had been there and did not know each other. ALL THREE of them confirmed that these accusations about both the school and the director were true. I was absolutely devastated and heartbroken. When I confronted the director, I caught her lying several different times. She never took any accountability for anything and blamed every single issue on the teachers either as a whole or individually. It was always someone else's fault or she claimed to be "unaware" of things that were happening, when I had the testimonies of eight different teachers over the span of three years all saying otherwise. It was at this point that I realized that the director was not who she seemed to be. She strictly views her preschool as a business, acting as a CEO in her office while treating her employees horribly and portraying herself to families as a kind and caring professional. The educational curriculum is spotty at best, despite the neat and structured daily reports that come home and any skills that the children have learned can be credited solely to the classroom teachers, who receive little to no training or guidance from the director and are expected to work in a place where several EEC regulations are not followed, including teacher to student ratios. FIVE teachers have quit and ELEVEN children have left PSA since January. While some are blaming this mass exodus on the typical growing pains of moving to a bigger facility, teachers have been leaving consistently since we started there years ago because of how terribly they are treated by the director and how uncomfortable they are with working in a place where regulations are constantly broken and families are consistently lied to. Let me be very clear. To pull your child out of a preschool midyear with very few to no other options is an absolute nightmare. No parent would be that easily swayed by one or two employees who were unhappy with their job. I feel awful for the families that the director is manipulating just like she did to us for years before I found out what was really going on. What these parents don't know is that this has happened before and it will undoubtedly happen again. It's important to note that the majority of the families who have left PSA were all families who had been there for several years, ourselves included. We have seen the cycle repeat itself time and time again and have heard the same lies many times. Most of the families that are still there are relatively new to the school and have not yet realized that the director is a master of manipulation. Even if she claims to have "fixed" the aforementioned issues, she is not to be trusted, which is hard to admit after believing her for so many years. I was not planning on writing a negative review of PSA initially when we left, but I cannot sit idly by while other families are doomed to the same fate. PLEASE think carefully before sending your child here. It is my hope that in sharing our story, I can prevent other families from experiencing the same heartache and stress that we have been through at PSA. read more

I have two kids at Preschool Social Academy (aged 2.5 and 4.5 years), and I couldn't be a bigger fan of the school! I judge a preschool's success based on the one major factor that I think matters most -- my children's happiness. This is my daughter's first experience with school and she couldn't be happier. She is all smiles when I drop her off and pick her up, and she chatters all afternoon about her friends and teachers. More tellingly, my son raves about going to PSA. When I picked him up one day recently, he said "today was my best day at school. But actually every day is my best day." This is lovely to hear in and of itself, but it is particularly lovely for me to hear based on our previous experience at a different preschool. My son attended a more "traditional/established" preschool in town, and cried every morning that I dropped him off. He woke up panicked that he had to go to school and complained nonstop about going from the moment he got up. That all stopped when we started at PSA. He enjoys every minute and is always happy to go to school and see his friends and learn in the wonderful environment PSA creates. The flexibility cannot be beat anywhere in town. The regular day at PSA typically runs from 9-12 with options for staying for lunch and into the afternoon. There is also a summer camp which my kids did last year and loved! Kimberly is to be commended for a great job building her school from the ground up (it started as a small in-home preschool several years ago). As you can see from previous posts over the years, parents have been extremely happy with the school. In the past year, Kimberly moved into a bigger facility on Cross Street and the space is truly FANTASTIC. It is clean and bright and very open. All of the toys are at child-level and accessible for child-directed play. Which brings me to the curriculum - the kids are engaged in learning language, writing, science, physical development and most importantly, social development (which, really, is the point of preschool). Most of the day is centered around self-directed play, but there are also opportunities created by the teachers for both group activities and one-on-one attention based on an individual child's needs. As with any transition from a small entity to a much larger one, there have been some growing pains as Kimberly has built out her school, but PSA is dedicated to creating a great learning environment, and Kimberly consistently delivers. There was some recent teacher turnover, but that again was attributable to the change from a very small-to-larger school, and she is building out her staff again, and all the teachers are excellent. We could not be happier with our choice of school. read more

My son began attending Preschool Social Academy recently, and I am thrilled to share that he absolutely loves his school! Every day, he comes home bubbling with excitement, eager to tell me all about the wonderful experiences he has had. He often speaks highly of his teachers, expressing his admiration and appreciation for their efforts. It's heartwarming to see how much he enjoys the diverse set of indoor activities, from arts and crafts to storytelling and educational games. Additionally, he loves the outdoor playtime, where he can explore, play, and engage with his classmates in a safe and nurturing environment. We are immensely grateful for the dedication and hard work of the teachers at Preschool Social Academy. Miss Jenn, the head teacher, is truly remarkable. Her warmth, patience, and ability to connect with the children make her an exceptional educator. My son looks forward to her classes and always has wonderful things to say about her. Moreover, I would like to extend a special thank you to Director Kimberly. Her dedication to the well-being and development of every student is evident in the way the school is run. She manages the academy with great care and attention to detail, ensuring that each child receives the best possible education and support. Her commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive environment is deeply appreciated. As a parent, nothing is more important than seeing your child happy and thriving. Knowing that my son loves going to school and is excited about learning means the world to us. We are so grateful to have found such a wonderful school where our child can grow, learn, and enjoy his early education years. read more

Unfortunately, I am not able to give PSA a good review. My son attended for a little over a year a few years ago and seemed happy most of the time when attending. However, while he was still a student I was notified by 2 former teachers that they were unfairly and mistreated by the director. I invested some time and energy into trying to get to the bottom of this accusation but at the time decided to trust the director and keep my son enrolled. As I read some other and more recent reviews I see that there is a consistent pattern of high teacher turnover with many of these teachers claiming it was because of how they were treated by the director. My son also experienced a handful of teachers leaving abruptly and with no official transition, causing him to be sad and confused. At one point I realized that the then pregnant director was conducting school alone (10:1 student to teacher ratio). My main concern at that point was what if something happened to the director and she needed to leave suddenly due to her pregnancy. Her response to me, "I have a neighbor I trust that I can call and have her here in 3 minutes if need be." At that point I pulled my son out until she was able to hire new teachers. In hindsight, I wish I pulled him out permanently. I think I didn't want to believe that someone I was supposed to trust was not running an honest business. I really do hope that the school is able to make strides and improve what seems to be a consistent issue. read more

My son PJ entered the Preschool Social Academy 3 years ago when he was just 2 years old. I was very apprehensive about putting him into a program as I thought for sure he would be too much for any classroom setting. PJ had Short Gut Syndrome and required many special demands throughout the day. Including but not limited to being changed every hour on the hour, one on one attention to get him to eat, and staying away from all water for fear that is Central Line would become infected. Kimberly and her team handled all of this and any other requests I had effortlessly. Kimberly's background in special needs proved indispensible to both PJ and my entire family. Due to Kimberly's tireless work, PJ ate at school, but refused to do so at home or for our eating therapist/specialist at Harvard Pilgram. Kimberly kindly offered to join me on one of these visits in which she consulted with the therapist and assisted in developing an eating plan for PJ. As if this wasn't over and above enough, she then personally came to my home for a few visits to help me implement this. We adore Kimberly, are thankful she came into our lives when she did, and tremendously grateful she stayed! - Samantha Maher Winchester, MA read more

My son attended Preschool Social Academy and had the best experience. The teachers were incredibly caring, kind, and nurturing, and they created an environment where he felt safe, supported, and excited to learn each day. We especially appreciated the school's use of the Reggio Emilia Approach to early childhood education. The emphasis on creativity, curiosity, exploration, and child-led learning helped foster his confidence, independence, and love of discovery. It was wonderful to see his growth, not only academically, but socially and emotionally as well. A special thank you to Kimberly Higgins, the director, who was an absolute pleasure to work with. Her dedication to providing an exceptional early childhood experience, combined with her deep commitment to the principles of the Reggio Emilia philosophy, is truly remarkable. Her passion for nurturing children's curiosity, creativity, and love of learning is evident in every aspect of the school and the environment she has created. We are so grateful for the positive impact Preschool Social Academy had on our son and would highly recommend it to any family looking for a warm, engaging, and thoughtful preschool experience. read more

Preschool Social Academy is a wonderful learning place for children. My son Sam attended the 2 year old program this year. I was apprehensive about sending him since he is a young 2 and my only, but figured I would try it and see how he liked it. There was no question after the first day that Sam loved PSA. From the moment I picked him up he told me of the other kids in the class, how he didn't sit for circle time :), what he ate for a snack and how Ms. Kimberly, Ms. Amanda and Ms. Corrina were his teachers. I loved hearing all about his morning. It was so cute and so comforting as a first time parent sending their only child to school to know that he enjoyed it. I also love the updates and crafts that PSA sends home in his backpack! Unfortunately, we had to take Sammy out of PSA. His father took a job in Long Island for the school year, but there is no doubt in my mind that we will be back next year! Kimberly has not only been a wonderful teacher to Sam, but has helped me out as a parent. When I am back in the Winchester area she offers to take Sam in the classroom, which is a huge help to me. I would highly recommend PSA to any parent. read more

I am a current parent of two children attending PSA. We have been there for three years and we have had three years of positive experiences. My children are happy, safe, and thriving both socially as well as academically. PSA provides a nurturing environment for children to explore their curiosity through both play as well as guided activities. I have had a warm and open relationship with the Director who has built this school from the ground up. She has been responsive to my concerns and needs as a parent. Both of my children are eager to go to school every morning and full of excitement regarding the day's activities when I pick them up. I love hearing the stories of their science experiments or the new songs they learn every day. Kimberly made the leap to expand the school to offer additional hours and flexibility and we couldn't be happier with the space and what she has done with it. All of the teachers who are there now show warmth and love to each student. We are proud and happy to be at PSA!!!!! read more