Communication with ownership was often difficult and, at times, felt defensive or dismissive. As a…read moreparent, feeling heard and supported is important, especially when entrusting someone with your child. Attempts to meet in person to discuss my child's transition out of the daycare (with two months' notice given which I have copies of via email) were declined, and communication became passive-aggressive over email. While concerns I raised were ultimately addressed, the interactions left me feeling uncomfortable rather than reassured. My son came home with other children's' diapers and clothes on many occasions. There was so much disorganization. The owner monitors the comments of parents on private Facebook groups and is retaliatory towards them when they post anything critical. You will see this on their responses to critical reviews online as well. She sent out weekly emails reprimanding all parents for the actions of a few. I paid for an extra hour of care each day and came on time, often earlier than I needed to, but I still received these emails reprimanding everyone in the class. There was noticeable staff turnover, including two directors within one year. One departing director communicated to parents via email that the work environment was challenging, which understandably raised concerns among families. Some teachers appeared inexperienced and were frequently on their phones during pickup times, often requiring me to get their attention. While the teachers were kind to my child and did a good job teaching him, this was concerning. Information shared in the app was occasionally inaccurate (for example, meals reported as fully eaten when food was returned mostly untouched). The daycare itself is very small and lacks enough of a large open play space which is concerning, especially in the winter time. Parents were not allowed to enter classrooms to drop off or pick up their children. A friend of mine in town shared with me that her twin girls were coming home with bite marks on them and the owner denied that anyone was biting them and refused to allow them to look at the camera to see what happened. The communication style and leadership environment significantly impacted our comfort level as parents and ultimately led to our decision to leave. I am sharing this review to provide honest, respectful feedback based on our experience. I have noticed that some critical reviews appear to have been removed in the past. My intention is not to discourage others, but to offer transparency and encourage continued improvement.

If i could i woild have given 0 stars, they dont deserve any at all. Bery rude, kids learn nothing…read moreu qualified teachers. Very disappointed.

We have been incredibly happy with our experience at Lightbridge Academy - Westwood. From the very…read morebeginning, the center provided us with a warm and welcoming environment for our then 6 month old. We are now in our third classroom and each one has been cheerful, nurturing and supportive of learning and playing. All of our son's teachers have been truly wonderful, each loving, attentive, and easy to communicate with. They consistently partner with us in caring for our child, always putting us at ease. Their genuine care and kindness continue to create a space where our son is able to thrive emotionally, socially, and academically. The center is truly a safe, supportive, and joyful place for children to grow.

It is quite difficult finding childcare in Rockland County, NY. My review is for my experience…read moretoday. I drive 25mins twice a day to take/pickup my son from Lightbridge Academy-Westwood. His teacher Aneta is a dream. She's incredibly compassionate, patient, empathetic, loving and above all genuine. There is no one else like her and my son loves her truly. She's the only one who calls me if my son has an accident or isn't feeling well. She keeps me in the know always. I thoroughly appreciate the care and her positivity toward my son and everyone around her. Her people skills are incredible. The past 2 weeks I've been receiving emails requesting feedback on the staff. Today there is a need to write this review ...I'm sad I have to write it. This week has been difficult trying to find childcare for my daughter for spring break. Bright Horizons has been notifying me there is no placement in my area. Imagine my surprise when I saw Lightbridge Academy- Westwood pop up as placement. I was thrilled since my son goes there it would be perfect to have my daughter there for 4 days for 4hrs a day. I spoke to the assistant director this morning and told her I was surprised they were listed as a center. I told her I submitted a request for my daughter for the following week..and asked if she could confirm my daughter can be at the same center as my son. She said she'd look into it. I said do you mind letting me know sooner rather than later since it's Friday and I need to lock in childcare for my daughter..her response "I'll look into it" ..I was thinking to myself ..wouldn't she say "of course" and try her best to assist especially since my son already is enrolled at this academy for several months...As I turned to leave, I said to her again do you mind letting me know by 3pm ET today. and her response "I'll look into it... I already knew my daughter was not going to be taken at this center for the 4days with Marisa's lack of enthusiasm and her apparent annoyance at my request. I'm truly disappointed in Marisa. As a working mother like herself..I wish in that moment she put herself in my shoes but instead I didn't leave the building yet..and her and her colleague at the greeters window were talking about me behind my back. Who I am is a mother who needed help for 4 days- for 4 hrs per day ...and instead of trying to accommodate a parent who already has one of her child enrolled at their center...Marisa called me and told me sorry we don't have placement. (There was NO surprise there) ...I told her I was already notified by Bright Horizons. I told her I'm disappointed and it's unfortunate..she apologized she couldn't do anything ...I have worked with Bright Horizons for over 7years ..accommodations could be met especially for a parent who has a child already enrolled in the center. That's who they accommodate first (siblings). Marisa said it's nothing personal. I hope she understands my review is not personal. I wish they had more Aneta's in the world ..and above all I wish there were more Aneta's at Lightbridge Academy-Westwood. The world would certainly be a happier, friendlier, kinder place.

This place is racist to Blacks and Hispanics. I submitted an online inquiry stating EXACTLY what I…read morewas looking for. I even mentioned that I would only come in IF there were openings to not waste my husband and my time since we are very busy professionals. Jessica agreed and invited my husband and I in for a tour but once she saw us she said there were no openings?????? Yep his is after she confirmed an opening abs invited us in. . There were no other children of color in the classes so I'm assuming that's why. I am not one to constantly post reviews or blame racism for everything but it was pretty clear in this situation. Not sure if I can post the email exchange between Jessica here on yelp but I'd be happy to send it to anyone interested. Simply contact me through yelp and I will email it ....

this school is second to none. the teachers are wonderful and genuinely care about the health,…read moresafety, and development of each and every child that walks through their door. my oldest graduated a couple of years ago, and the mark lilypond left on her is still seen everyday. our youngest is currently attending, and she has made incredible strides in her attitude and development. i cannot possibly recommend this school more emphatically, if i could give more than five stars then i would.

TLE RiverVale has been a wonderful experience for our children. The staff are incredibly caring and…read moreattentive, creating a warm and nurturing environment. The educational activities are engaging and age-appropriate, fostering both social and cognitive development. We're grateful to have found such a supportive daycare that our children look forward to attending every day! Ricardo Ferreira

Where do I start...My child started TLE river vale in September 2023. After rave reviews from…read morefriends whose children attend at other locations, we hoped to have the same experience. Upon our tour we were sold on nutritious meals, small intimate classrooms, clean environment, and caring staff. We were extremely misled by TLE. The first few months put our minds at ease with the access of the TLE app. This told a story of our child thriving, eating every meal and participating in activities. We came to find out the app was extremely inaccurate. Upon speaking with the teachers we were told our child wasn't eating at all after we've been lied to for months about our child's eating via the app. Not only was this extremely irresponsible of TLE but this was also neglectful to not tell us that he was going days without eating and posting photos "to show face". My child started with 12 children in the class in September. Currently the class has 16-18 children which is extremely unsafe! It is impossible for a class that size to be properly cared for with the number of teachers provided. When it comes to a clean environment TLE is NOT the place. There have been multiple instances at pick up where these is a mess of food left on the tables from earlier lunch. While I know kids are messy, my child would come back from school filthy which I'm sure contributed to the amount of urgent care and sick visits monthly. The teachers were very nice I felt bad they were dealing with limited resources and staff. Which makes the teacher turnaround at this center believable. Overall There were many occasions where my child was dropped off later in the day and I've seen teachers sitting at the children's table while the kids played on the other side of the room. I am extremely disappointed in this center and how they've handled situations with our family. The lack of receptiveness to our feedback in the past shows the lack of care for anything other than making money off packing these classrooms with kids. Do your research on these chain daycares before enrolling. I certainly will moving forward.

Outstanding nursery and pre-k school. We have had 2 children come up through these halls and they…read moreare the best in the area. Our kids have received top notch care and leave positioned to excel as they make their transition to the elementary school. The owner Mr Jim runs a very professional organization, is fair but firm and we are thankful to to have this wonderful establishment we have continued to count on.

My daughter attended Lollipop for almost a year (due to COVID, her time was cut short). However the…read morestaff is phenomenal, the facility is clean, and there were many opportunities for parental involvement. With such a great establishment, I think they would greatly benefit from diversity outreach- both staff & students.

Appletree in Westwood has been such a warm and nurturing environment for my kids. They've learned…read moreso much during their time there, and the director has always been easy to reach and communicate with.

I highly recommend Appletree in Westwood NJ. My son was so happy and love going school everyday!…read moreHe learned so much and was so fun! Thanks Ms. Allison and Ms.Nicole but all staff was so professional and caring! i love al the pics everyday and all his learning experiences. The best for our children and parents peace of mind! Thanks for the love, caring and teaching for my Mason.

Laura, the owner of Cradles to Crayons, also in Emerson has recently taken over this location from…read morethe previous owner after they told parents they were closing with 10 days notice. In the short time Laura has been in charge of this school the positive changes have been numerous, freshening up of the school, increased communication with parents, fixing safety issues, etc. I know my son is in good hands and I am very excited to see what other positive changes will be made this year. Edited to add: The changes I have seen in the few days since the school year officially started are phenomenal. A new curriculum has been implemented and my son has been coming home much more calm than with the previous owner and schedule.

We are very happy with our experience at Cradles 2 Crayons so far! Our toddler started in April and…read moreloving it so far! All of the teachers and the owners (Laura and Laura) are so nice and personable. We felt comfortable from our first meeting with Laura L. We know our daughter is in good hands with Miss Isabella and the other teachers. They use a Baby Connect app so that we receive updates and pictures throughout the day which is awesome. It's nice that it's a "school" environment too -- the facilities are clean and the kids all seem happy and taken care of. Definitely a nice neighborhood gem in Emerson :)