Two of my daughters attend various classes at the American Academy, so we are here 5 times a week…read more Compared to plenty of other families, that's pretty tame, which is a testament to the quality of instruction and enthusiasm for the craft here at this ballet studio. We've belonged to three ballet studios (we've moved a few times) and have been here the longest. This school impresses me with the level of quality instruction starting with the youngest kids. At a previous dance studio, the "Pre-ballet" or "Ballet I" classes were taught by young college students (and even one high school senior) who were trying to get teaching experience. Here, every teacher we have had has been a professional and has instructed the kids as such. The atmosphere is caring and loving but also fairly serious. You are following in the footsteps of many dancers who have attended the school over 52 years and have gone on to dance careers. The Nutcracker performance sells out at UB every year, and the end of the year recital (also at UB) is an enormous production. This is not the YMCA's music and movement class. They offer ballet, pointe, acro, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, Broadway dance, jazz and tap, as well as adult ballet classes. The cost seems comparable to other dance studios in the area, and there is a discount for families. The school also offers camps in the summer, including a "Princess camp" for girls 8 and younger that seems very popular.

We moved my daughter here this year. The instruction is top notch and the office staff are very…read morehelpful. They are very caring while being serious about instruction. The Nutcracker production at UB is quite the undertaking and they do it with Style, grace and flair. We plan on increasing our classes here next year!

I'm writing this review months after the fact (well into the winter) because the negative impact…read morefrom last summer's Park Camp experience is still lingering in our home. My daughter, who was thrilled to return for her second year at Park School Camp after an unforgettable first summer, continues to mimic an inappropriate behavior she picked up from observing the camp counselors: constantly hiking up and rolling her shorts to make them shorter. Despite our ongoing efforts to address and correct this at home, it's become a stubborn habit that's proven difficult to break, all because she saw it modeled as "normal" by the adult role models at camp. This was never an issue before. The contrast between the two years could not have been more stark, and the disappointment is profound given the significant financial investment I made, as a lone parent household. Thousands of dollars for what is marketed as a premium summer program on a beautiful campus. The first year was, admittedly, truly exceptional: the staff were kind, knowledgeable, professional, and courteous; the weekly themes were creative and fully embraced; and the events were spectacular, thoughtfully planned, and executed with evident care and resources. It genuinely felt like a meaningful investment in the children's growth, joy, and development - a true, dream like partnership between the camp and families. The following year, however, felt like a complete bait-and-switch. Cost-cutting measures were glaringly apparent in every aspect, from reduced staffing quality to stripped-down programming. Weekly themes were barely present - if they existed at all - they felt tacked-on and half-hearted rather than woven into the daily experience. Events that had once been "out of this world" were now subpar: fewer in number, smaller in scale, and lacking the creativity and polish of the prior year. The professionalism evaporated; many counselors dressed casually to the point of inappropriateness, often in extremely short shorts that sent confusing messages to young, impressionable campers who should be able to view them as role models. I am not exaggerating when I say that I saw counselors' private parts showing on more than one occasion. If I had had viable backup childcare options lined up, I would have pulled my daughter out right away and demanded a refund. As it stood, we felt trapped into seeing it through. When I repeatedly raised concerns with the administration - specifically about the counselors' attire and its clear influence on the kids, proposing a straightforward solution like staff uniforms or basic dress code guidelines, I was stunned by their dismissive response. They refused to act, citing fears of "getting sued" if they enforced any standards. This struck me as a weak excuse; a simple, neutral uniform policy could have preserved professionalism and consistency without inviting controversy, yet they opted for inaction over prioritizing positive role modeling for the children entrusted to them. Overall, this experience shattered our trust in the program. What was once a summer highlight has left lasting negative effects we're still navigating months later, alongside deep hesitation about ever returning. Families paying premium rates rightfully expect accountability, consistency, and genuine investment in quality - not apparent corner-cutting that undermines the entire experience. Sadly, the second year fell disastrously short of the high standard set by the first, leaving us feeling deceived by what amounted to a classic bait-and-switch. As a business owner myself, I fully understand how tough the economy has been on everyone these past few years, and I genuinely wanted to give the program the benefit of the doubt. Cost pressures are real, and no one expects perfection in difficult times. However, the lack of accountability and unwillingness to engage seriously with constructive feedback left me no choice but to share this publicly. I tried repeatedly to resolve these matters privately, but my concerns were not taken seriously. I hope this review helps other families make informed decisions and perhaps encourages the camp to restore the high standards that made our first year so special. Regrettably, I don't think we will be returning.

The Park School Campus reminds me of the resort in Dirty Dancing for some reason. I didn't realize…read morethat this is true campus style and that there are separate buildings here. The art teacher here, Mrs. P, is awesome! She put together an art lesson for our Girl Scouts, which they all totally enjoyed. Parking is a tad bit confusing. We just pulled up along the road in front of the building. No parking lot. Anyway, pretty campus. I saw some people using the campus to run/exercise on, which is a pretty good idea.

Our daughter Elizabeth attended Kumon at the Johns Hopkins location for approximately three years,…read morebeginning in third grade and continuing through sixth grade, until the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted her attendance. During that time, Mr. Daniel took an exceptionally hands-on and dedicated approach with her. Elizabeth was not an easy child to work with academically, but Mr. Daniel invested significant time, patience, and effort to help her break poor study habits, build discipline, and develop confidence in her abilities. Over time, her study habits steadily improved, followed by clear improvement in her academic performance. She transformed from a mediocre student into a true standout. More importantly, Mr. Daniel helped her recognize her own potential and taught her how to access it through consistency and hard work. Recently, Elizabeth received early admission to Northeastern University's accelerated CPA program--an achievement that reflects the strong academic foundation and work ethic developed during her time at Kumon. We are sincerely grateful to Mr. Daniel for the meaningful role he played in shaping our daughter's academic journey and helping her uncover her true potential. His dedication makes a real and lasting difference.

Kumon is a self-guided math and reading program for students (pre)K-12. It's pretty simple, the…read morestudents are assessed based on their current knowledge of the subject matter and then started on a path that will allow them to progress exponentially. During each level of learning the Kumon program provides packets of classwork and homework. Students follow the directions and complete the work. After they have reached proficiency in the subject matter they are then tested, and after passing this brief test, they advance to the next level. Every child is different and each child will learn at their own pace. This is the beauty of the Kumon method. It adjusts to each student, allowing them to learn at their individual pace. If they struggle or get confused, they can repeat parts of the whole until they master it. Mastery comes with a built-in reward system, a classic teaching method, that includes trophies, certificates, and a Kumon store. The store provides daily tangible rewards by hosting a collection of items children can purchase with their earned "Kumon Bucks". This factitious money is earned each week by meeting small milestones such as good grades, fast completion times, etc. Rewards include bags, pencils, water bottles, and more. So that is a quick overview of the program, but what about the center on Hopkins in East Amherst? This center has been open for over 2 years and is located across from Williamsville North high school. The Plaza has plenty of public parking, restaurants, a fitness center, and a Rite Aid. This Kumon center is located in the center of the plaza, right across from the main entrance. The center is open for class hours on Monday and Thursday from 2:30-6:30 pm. It hosts a comfortable waiting area for parents, who typically wait 20-60 minutes depending on the proficiency of their child and the amount of assigned work. The main classroom contains tables and stools for children to work at. All materials, such as pencils, erasers, and work packets are provided by the center. On the left wall of the center are gender specific bathrooms, which are spacious and kept incredibly clean. The children also have access to two water fountains, located just inside the main door. In the back of the classroom, just below the parent waiting area window, are the early learner tables. It is here that younger students get hands-on instruction time by the well trained staff. The program is the program, it is self-contained and unfolds according to the center's instructors. A center itself, is only as good as its team, and the owner and operator of this location is one of the best I have ever worked with. Mr. Daniel Jung is an educator who has not only a background in teaching but also has a strong passion for it as well. He truly enjoys being an educator and you can see it on the faces of the children who attend this center. He is well respected by their parents as well, not only for his personality but also for the intensity for which he cares about each child's education and well-being. He knows each parent and student by name, and he has hundreds of students. He also knows each lesson plan by heart, and can call a student aside to help them with ease. I have watched him work first hand and truthfully there is no place I would have my family learning other than from Mr. Daniel. His passion, drive, attention to detail, knowledge, and teaching ability can not be accurately described through these simple words. I encourage you to make an appointment at his center, first impressions are everything and he nails them. My niece has been going to the center for help in reading. She entered into the center not really knowing how to read anything that did not have an image associated with it. Within a few weeks of learning she has grown her vocabulary and can now read many words on site. Just last night she put together two words and then jumped around expressing to me how she "read it" on her own. Before Kumon, we worked with her using flash cards and even considered hiring a tutor. The work she is doing takes about 30 minutes so she doesn't get distracted like when we tried to drill words into her memory with flash cards.The reading is fun and matches her level of understanding. She learns by herself where she couldn't when we just read to her. The program works, she is our proof, and it is all thanks to the way Mr. Daniel instructs it. This Kumon location is the 1st in the area and we are lucky to have Mr. Daniel as its head of operations.

This is one of 3 high schools in our town. We like arrending the school plays and this was our 1st…read morevisit since before Covid. They're very organized. This includes everything from ticketing, concessions, ushers, the orchestra, and the performers. Parking is never a problem. Just like local businesses. We like supporting the local school events. It means a lot to everyone involved. The plays are normally once a year so you need to keep your eyes open to when they're going to be. Naturally the information is on the school's website but also can be found in the local papers, in our case, the Amherst Bee. So go have a little fun and support these students! 2023-9

Attended the February 2020 musical presentation of The Wedding Singer. This review is about our…read morepersonal experience with attending this play from ticket purchase to exiting. The tickets are available to purchase online. You can select the specific seats you want and print the tickets at home. We have discovered that the ticketing website changes occasionally but if you are interested in attending an activity at the school, call their main office number for ticket information. We like attending high school plays because we like watching students make an honest effort to give their best to the audience. You can tell that the performers are passionate about the roles. The plays we have seen at this school have all been wonderful. Sure there may occasionally be someone a little off tune or a cue missed here or there but so what, it happens to professionals too. We always leave the performances impressed with the singing, acting, choreography, orchestra music, lighting, set design and direction. Some of these students will eventually become professionals in the preforming arts. Exiting the school and the parking lot has never been a problem. For full disclosure, we have absolutely no vested interest in this school or it's activities other than living in the school district.

stay away. the rank is a zero if that was an option. overcrowded schools we are talking 26-30…read morestudents per class to onward of 55 in PE. if you need support services with a 504 or IEP move out of district and move fast. The school and administrators do not care to support student. Kids are big time excluded on purpose especially those dumped in gen ed because they claim exclusion but that's far from it. students are ignored and excluded needing support services and not provided. Exceptional classroom students are treated favoritism meanwhile kids with high needs not wanting to be in gen ed are sunshine's and feel secluded.

Bullying prevalent, not alumni friendly. Beefed up security is understandable with the school…read moreshootings that have, but it is like they treat everyone as a criminal now.

Ever since my toddler jumped in a bathtub full of water when I turned my back, my husband and I…read moreknew we had to get her into swim lessons and ensure she knew water safety. So, we signed our daughter up for a free trial at Goldfish Swim a couple months ago (wish I could remember the young man's name who taught the class!) and were immediately impressed! My daughter has been scared of water ever since my reaction to the bathtub incident, but her teacher Ms. Annabelle has been so incredibly patient, accommodating and consistent during her weekly sessions. Our daughter gains more and more confidence and skills each week and absolutely loves her teacher! Our daughter also has a speech/language delay and can shut down when not understood but Ms. Annabelle has worked through each breakdown to show her support and understanding which we appreciate so so much! Our daughter is really coming out of her shell and gaining so many language and social skills in addition to swim and safety skills- we are so grateful! Weekends at Goldfish are definitely crowded and hectic and I do wish sessions were an hour long rather than half hour but the progress we've seen in such a short amount of time has shown us how truly valuable these lessons are! Other parents have noted that week days are much calmer but it just doesn't fit well into our schedule. We like that Goldfish offers makeup sessions and recently did back to back sessions. The second/ make-up session was with Ms. Eva and she did such a wonderful job making our daughter feel safe and comfortable, it was such a great experience! Every teacher and employee we've interacted with has been wonderful. We drive almost 40 minutes each way for lessons and it has been worth every mile and every penny! Our nephew is in swim classes at a Goldfish school on Long Island and his parents highly recommended the program when they knew we were looking for a place to join. So happy we gave Goldfish a try, we look forward to every session and the growth we see weekly! The skills our daughter is building are so worth it and we can't recommend Goldfish Swim enough!

We had a swim party last September for my daughter (2024). This was the worst party and I would…read morenever recommend spending hundreds of dollars at GoldFish. They did not provide any of the "perks" that were advertised- no lifeguard, no activity staff, no Birthday invitations, no tshirt. The two staff that were present sat at the front desk on their phones. This was at the Williamsville New York location. I called directly following her party and all that could be said was "I'll pass this to my supervisor." As we both of my kids did lessons there for the good part of the school year, I asked that I be removed from the calling list as I was getting repeated calls to sign back up. Even a year later, I'm still getting calls to have another party and sign my kids up for lessons. I just received a phone call for a birthday party and I kindly asked, again, to be removed from their calling list. I was told the system was down and I couldn't be removed at this time but they would note to remove me. So you can look up my daughter to know that her birthday is in Sept and look my phone number up to call, yet you can't remove me from your system?? My husband and I have spend thousands of dollars on swim lessons for the duration of a school year. I would not recommend Foldfish in any capacity.

Shannon has been working with my 2 year old son for about a year now and is absolutely amazing! My…read moreson had a lot of issues with ear infections and his hearing suffered because of it which put him behind on his speech. He LOVES Ms. Shannon so much, running to her with the biggest smile and hug every time he sees her. He went from not being able to say mama/dada to saying sentences and working through his frustrations by communicating instead of being physical thanks to her. She is great at communicating his progress and things we should be working on at home. I wish I would have found her sooner for my older son.

We highly recommend Shannon to anyone who is in need of a speech therapist. Our son is 19 years old…read moreand has Fragile X Syndrome and Autism. He has a difficult time transitioning to new tasks and Fragile X causes his speech to sound muffled and difficult to understand. Shannon was professional, efficient, and effective. She used a variety of methods to help him transition into each therapy session and he responded to her and cooperated without any bad behaviors. Also, his communication skills improved. He started to answer questions using complete sentences, used more than one to two word answers, and his speech was clearer. As parents, she was wonderful to work with and helped us find ways to assist him in communicating. Wish we could give her more than just the five stars!

This school sucks the nurse doesn't do shit the teachers are rude and give so much homework and…read moreit's not even a nice looking school the students learn nothing the substitute teachers have no clue what there doing and also the lunch's are awful we should not be feeding are kids that disgusting food and it's probably not even edible