"Disregard all the reviews that are complaining at the director, she's not working with this academy anymore. The management that currently is here is wonderful. My daughter is been attending this school for the last half of the year and we are extremely happy. This place hire real teachers, licensed, that have proper education and experience. The teacher that we have is extremely talented and devoted, we love her. She constantly brings new lessons, shares her curriculum and plans. My daughter has eczema and dietary restrictions so I bring my own food. My daughter had never been exposed to anything else they watch it closely and very carefully. The school is clean, fresh and modern, uses secure video cameras so you can always see what's going on with your kid. Kids go outside twice a day and spend a lot of time on the playground. Playground is really nice too, not just to show but a real playground where kids really have what to do. Couldn't be happier!"
"We were lucky to find this facility with our first born. The staff is so loving and friendly, it makes the kids feel like it's one big family. We have grown very close with the staff and it's reassuring to know our baby is in good hands while we are at work. Definitely recommend! The teacher retention rate is incredible which speaks volumes to the care provided by the facility."
"Wonderful sensory playground! Ashley is amazing at designing a sensory friendly atmosphere. Awesome experience! Wonderful toys and climbing structures provided delightful times. Loved how clean and thoughtful everything was designed. Phenomenal ideas for kids who deserve a place to play with peace. Ashley is the owner and excellent to work with about kids and their needs. Reservations are recommended ahead of time. They regulate the number of children to keep it sensory friendly, five families at one time period. They offer packages to be the most affordable price. The package is good for two years."
"My sons attended Cadence for about 4 months this year after our nanny abruptly left - we needed short-term, full day childcare until we moved to another city. The team there is fantastic - friendly and genuinely kind people who care about the kids in their school. Food is included, but it's "kid food" - lots of chicken nuggets and fish sticks - so if you're looking for something organic or fancy you might want to provide your own food instead. That said, they were very accommodating of my kids' dietary restrictions and never made us worry that our kids would be fed something they couldn't eat (something I can't say for every child care facility we've encountered in LKN). The playgrounds are a little old - mulch-filled and older style equipment, chain link fences, etc. Compared to some newer facilities, the playgrounds could use some love, but my kids were happy so I didn't mind. Water play day on Wednesdays in the summer! Ice cream truck visits every other Tuesday in the summer! Older kids might even go for a walking field trip to Bruster's - the highlight of their week. Communication with the front office and with your kid's teacher is more challenging now because of COVID. I found I was still able to reach people if I needed to, and they answered all of my questions to my satisfaction. A weekly newsletter or email from teachers to parents might be a good idea - sometimes we felt surprised by planned events and daily/weekly themes. I love the layout of the building inside - the older kids' classroom in the middle feels very much like a Montessori environment to me. Overall would highly recommend!"
"We have been a Goddard family for over a year and love the huntersville location. The owner, administrators and teachers are all wonderful. We had experience with the 2 year old and 3 year old room. Each teacher genuinely cares for their students and delivers a curriculum and structured day that allows each child to flourish in the environment. The school plans special events and really engages the families. Our son comes home talking all about his day, his teachers, and his friends - his vocabulary has exploded and he learns so much each day. We will continue to be a Goddard family until he is ready for school! Thank you Laura!!!"
"My kids have been going here for about 2 months now. I love the entire staff. Very competent and nurturing. Attentive to the individual child's needs which can be difficult but they handle it well."
"DO NOT BRING YOUR KIDS HERE! My 4 yr old went to this daycare for 5 mos and has a different teacher almost every day because they can't keep teachers here. There is ZERO LEARNING they just play with a toy bucket on the table until it's time to go home. They can't control the kids and the teachers have terrible attitudes at drop off/pick up. They don't speak when you walk in they'll continue their conversation talking about how they hate their jobs and cases open against other teachers in front of the parents! I even filled out a allergy form at registration for my son to only drink lactaid milk and all of a sudden they just gave him whole milk anyway and it made him sick. I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I talked to the director and she got an attitude and told me she would have to call me back and never did. I checked the camera at lunch and I caught them giving him whole milk again! When I called the director Sonya cut me off and yelled hold on! She is so rude and they just don't care about the kids. When I came to get all of his things when I unenrolled him they gave me my child's blankets from naptime nasty and brown smelling like strong urine! I can't believe they lay kids on these dirty blankets! I attached a pic beside a clean white tshirt for proof of the filthiness. My child don't wet the bed at all so other kids used his blankets and they don't even bother to wash them!! I'm so thankful we got our child out of here and to another better school."
"A very nice place for my daughter . This place really is academically superior . I like the art , and math work sheets ."
"My daughter loves this school. Her teachers Mrs. Tonya and Ms. Shaina treat all the children like their are their own. Every time we pull into the parking lot she starts yelling for her teachers. As soon as you open the door you are welcomed with a huge hug from the Administrative staff, either Ms. Pat or Mr. Bobby. Everyday when my daughter sees Mr. Bobby or Ms. Pat she runs to them for her hugs. If you are looking to be apart of a family when you send your child off to school then this is the place for you!"
"I had real bad experience putting my child there. There is no personal care not even remote.My baby was left to cry,neglected and ultimately I had to pull him out."
"We are so happy we chose Village Montessori. Our child has been attending school here for about a year and a half. We love his teachers and other staff members. Highly recommend!"
"For a small town YMCA, the Stowe Family location in Belmont has a lot to offer. You'll find three separate workout schedules: two fitness floor classes and water aerobics/swimming classes. You'll also find a plethora of children's programs, personalized fitness classes (which you'll pay extra for), and open gym hours. The facility is broken up into several convenient spaces that keep areas seemingly less crowded. You'll find a "cardio room" with treadmills, bikes, steppers and ellipticals. A stretch area that includes ab machines, floor mats, hand held weights and a couple weight machines that possibly couldn't fit into the actual "weights room" (which is an additional room). You'll also find an enclosed gym and fitness classroom. Downstairs you'll find another open studio area and enclosed cycle studio, as well as the pool area and locker rooms. NOTE: they do not provide towels or locker keys here. Wifi is also very unreliable. They have one water fountain upstairs that could definitely use an update and cleaning methods are a bottle of spray cleaner and paper towels. There's definitely a lot of improve upon, but hours are great and it's very close to the exit off i-85. Also, some of the friendliest community and kick-butt workout classes!"
Jo K.
Aug 5, 2016
By FAR the BEST school for infants, toddler and children! There are not enough words to describe how happy my kids are and seeing their faces when we pick them and drop them off is so telling! They are excited everyday we drop them off. When we pick them up they are happy and engaged in activities. My kids have been to a few other schools/daycares in the area and can't even come close to Kiddie Academy of Blakeney. The teachers, the admin and the owner are all amazing and great people! They TRULY love what they do and its not about a paycheck. The owner is simply a truly nice man and takes excellent care of his school. The directors are beyond kind and personable and real people! Our kids teachers are the BEST as well. I can't thank them all enough for giving us the best feeling dropping our kids off there daily! It's nice to be able to breath again when leaving my kids each day. I would recommend to anyone looking for A+ top notch care and learning for their children! Jo-Lyn K.
Visit Restaurant PageTaylor L.
Jul 12, 2021
Took my 8 month old daughter here last week and I was a little worried there wouldn't be much for her to do but it far exceeded my expectations! We will for sure be back in the near future! It will be exciting to watch her here as she learns and grows!
Visit Restaurant PageJonathan B.
Sep 24, 2015
We've only recently moved our children over to Gateway from the Goddard School.The building is well designed, the lobby was open, warm, and though a small detail, it smelled of warm potpourri as opposed to the normal sterile, hospital smell of child care centers. The middle of the building is open, creating a sense of community among the children. I like that my older daughter can see her little brother at points during the day, she always worried about him.The staff is laid back and engaged with with kids. We felt no pressure from them on signing up, nor were we rushed through the building during the tour.Considering the meals are prepared for the children, the cost is reasonable and I feel is a strong value in the market. The location is convenient to us on the way home but also is off the main roads, so I don't worry about traffic or danger from outside.
Visit Restaurant PageS R.
Sep 26, 2023
I wanted to give some honest feedback for parents looking into or have already have their child/ children enrolled at the Goddard of Huntersville. I recently pulled my child out and was so disgusted in our experience there. There are too many teacher turnovers in the span of a very short few months that my child was there. Communication between parents, staff and owners are horrendous. My child was sick, and throwing up, and I was only told "they aren't themselves ". My child told me that they threw up after I picked them up, and after calling the school to ask, then they confirmed. The owners are a complete joke and are only concerned about their monthly collection. When we notified them that we are pulling our child, all we got was an "ok thanks for letting me know" . Staff seem very young and inexperienced. Many have expressed to the owners that they aren't comfortable working with a certain age group of children, but the owners bypass their concerns and continue to place teachers/ floaters where they aren't comfortable. Diaper changes are NOT done on schedule. My child has had overly solied diapers numerous times during pickup and I have had to change the diaper myself when I get there. You are suppose to get a daily report on your child at the end of everyday, and receiving one, was extremely rare. I would also message in the app some days to check in on my child, and there would be no reply. Classes are overly packed because they combine classes, and floaters are "watching over other classes". Last week there were 20 children under the age of 3, with one teacher. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. I am now in the process of looking for another daycare for my little one. I hope another parent doesn't have an experience remotely close to what we went through at this place
Visit Restaurant PageJessica D.
Mar 25, 2018
Our 8 month old son has been here since he was 12 weeks old. We have been very happy with he care he receives here. The infant room teachers are great with the kids and have very calm demeanors which seems very necessary in a room full of babies. Diapers and food are included in the cost, which is really helpful. The only thing we bring is bottles for the day and a few changes of clothes. As new parents we obviously had concerns/questions through the last 5 months. The director, Kari, always takes time to have a thorough and honest conversation with us to hear our concerns. As a first time parent who was new to daycare I would definitely recommend this daycare. Another plus is that they were honest about when they would have an open position, unlike Primrose and Forrestal who just seem interested in taking your money for the infant waitlist.
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"My daughter has been attending Hourly Kids Play 5 days a week since she was 10 months old. We love all the teachers and activities they do with her. She's learned so much since she's been in hourly kids play. You can tell everyone their loves what they do. I recommend hourly kids play 100%."
"Tutor Time of Matthews is great! The new director is very nice and has been so helpful any time I have called. I also love my child's teachers. My interactions at drop-off and pick-up have been positive and my child seems to be very happy and comfortable there.I really love the app that they use to keep us posted during the day. I get to see what my child eats and how much, when their diaper is changed, when they fall asleep for nap, photos AND videos. One of the biggest perks is they feed the children a morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack - no more packing lunch! I also love that they provide diapers and wipes.We are very happy here and it's great to know your child is cared for and having fun!"
"I love this school and so does my child. As a parent, I love seeing how excited my son gets when we walk through the front doors of this school. My son has been coming here since he was a toddler and he's 5 now, I wish I brought my son here as an infant. The infant teachers are amazing. I love babies and I always go and speak to the infant one teacher and talk to all the babies. This teacher is a really great caregiver to these babies, she has so much knowledge that is very helpful to me when it comes to teaching young children. The management is great as well, they care about my son and every single one of the children at this school."
"Amazing. Love them so very very much. We had a preschool in California prior to this we really were not thrilled with and Kids R Kids is the exact opposite. Within weeks of starting my 4 year old has learned so much more than the uptight Montessori school she had been going to. Don't get me wrong I love the Montessori method, it was that particular school that I disliked.Everything is like a breathe of fresh air, the teachers, the healthy food they serve, the notes I get every day detailing my daughters day right down to what she ate, how much, how long her nap was, what she learned....It's incredible."
"They left a toddler outside, alone, on a 102 degree day for at least 10-15 minutes...and the only reason he was found was because a passer-by on the street came to the front door of the facility to say, "There's a little boy outside by himself."The department of health and human welfare has been called to this facility more than once."
"Administrative staff are excellent and easy to get a hold of. They have positive attitudes everyday! My kids went there 2018 and we are back this 2020 as they have a great program for Elementary-aged students. The teacher they hired recently is fabulous and caring. She takes her time with going over the schoolwork with my daughter. My husband and I are very happy we enrolled our kindergartener there! They have COVID-safe practices! Great price, great facility and program!"
"Great preschool. They over-communicate which is what I love. From my initial phone call scrambling to find placement for my two kids with 1 week notice, they've been pleasant, professional, and transparent. I enjoy getting the daily updates and tracking throughout the day. Highly recommend them and love that lunch, snacks, breakfast is all provided."
"My kid went here for a month through back up care at work and I really liked the place. The teachers in the toddlers class (my kid's age) were super nurturing and I felt they really cared for the kids. This was my first time taking my kid to a daycare facility so I was nervous but as soon as we walked into the class my kid ran up to the teacher and gave her a hug. Good sign as he must of sensed her good energy. All in all I had no issues taking my son there and would have kept him at the facility if it was closer to home. Definitely worth giving it a try. The only negative thing I can think of is the price. Daycare should be cheaper, ijs!"
"My son just started, and he's super attached to me, however the staff is so friendly and his teachers are incredible ! I love the updates from their parent app with what he eats, does, and when he naps etc . I am so happy we chose The Learning Experience ! Everyone there is so sweet and so loving toward my son and all the other kids ! I feel safe and more at ease knowing how wonderful they are with him !!!"
"We joined TLE when my other daycare closed due to COVID. My son was about 14 months when we started and I was SHOCKED at how quickly he started hitting milestones and learning. He was a different kid, more disciplined, using sign language. It was a weird time because I've never even seen the inside of the building due to the COVID restrictions but the staff is so warm and kind. Every person there learns your kid's name and truly cares. We are moving out to the Matthews area in a month and I'm transferring him to the Stallings TLE just so he has the same curriculum and values. It's a great place, highly recommend."
"Wonderful day care where the teachers, director Ms. Turina and all the staff genuinely cared and loved our little boy. The toddler classroom was a wonderful experience, he had fun and came home happy and tired. We loved it!"
"Our experience has been great in the twos room and now the preschool 1 room. The teachers and staff are loving and kind and emulate behaviors I want to see in my own child. My toddler has learned so many academic and social skills and I'm always impressed by her learning. We will soon have a baby in the youngest room and I'm looking forward to seeing the many practices they have and allow such as cloth diapering, careful breastmilk handling, paced bottle feeding, and of course lots of cuddles. I'm always pleasantly surprised to not see babies just left to cry in the two baby rooms, which I did see at another local daycare and immediately knew that one wasn't for us!"
"I have 3 children at Kiddie Academy so my experience ranges from the infant classroom up to the 3 year old class. We have been at KA since they opened in October and so far are thrilled with our experience. My 1.5 year old struggled in the beginning as she is at the age of going through separation anxiety but her teachers and her sister's teachers even jumped right in to show her extra love and attention in the mornings. Now she runs to jump in their arms as we enter the school. Each teacher at KA is so helpful as it is always a juggling act for my husband at drop off and for me at pick up with 3 under 4. The Director and Assistant Director have gone over and beyond to answer all questions, remind me when things need to be turned in (as I often forget things with 3 kids!) and even help me out to the car some days when my hands are just overflowing!"
"This is going to be a factual review of my experience with this place.Once you read it, tell me if any of this would be acceptable to you. If it is then I will chance my rating.Before I do begin I have to say the only saving grace for this place is it's lead teacher Misty. She is everything! Thoughtful, caring and goes above and beyond EVERYTIME! She deserves a better job! My son started at this daycare in January.There was always someone new in the classroom in the afternoon, the first 2 months I think he went through 5-7 2nd shift teachers. The owner seemed nice at first but...keep reading.1st - the owner lost my sons medical and sent me a nasty text 2 months after it was due telling me that I didn't do what I was supposed to so my son could come that day but not afterwards unless I got the paperwork ( keep in mind not only had I turned it in, but it was the 1st thing I got done and took a day off just to get this paperwork in) of course that annoyed me a bit but I thought ok I can deal with this.2nd - the owner had an awful habit of texting at all hours of the night. She texted me at 3 am several times....what could possibly be so important that couldn't wait till morning? My phone had to be on in case my husband has an emergency, but often I found myself woken up by a text from Ms Glenn asking me to bring formula or some other nonsense. 3rd - went back on her wordsThe owner stated that formula was included ( this was probably just a tactic to get people to sign up) she quickly negated on that and I had to bring formula. 4th - I witnessed several violations such as teachers being over ration and many more...I'll ensure I report that to the right authorities.5th - the owner had a NASTY NASTY attitude perpetuating the stereotype we are trying to erase. She is rude to employees and parents alike. 6th - she lamented about not having a car seat for her foster child, I quickly gave her one of mine, like new and a boatload of diapers and clothes for her baby among other things (she will later tell me that's nothing and is an obligation as a board member).7th - I feel bad for the board members trying so hard to help this school. They don't know that she runs her customers off! FINAL STRAW - the school is supposed to open at 6:30am, I had informed the owner 2 weeks prior that I got a new job so I would be dropping off at 6:30-6:45. Well that went well for 2 days, after that when I arrived there was no one at the school, this happened 4 times, one time with no one there till 7:15 making me 45 minutes late to work. When I texted her she got an attitude and treated me liked we were inconveniencing her by being there, she offered no explanation for being late and had a nasty attitude. The last time I told her she made me late for work several times and that it was causing me consequences. She offered a halfassed apology which honestly was too little too late.Keep in mind had she just gave me a heads up I would have accommodated her and changed my schedule or something! I gave her a 2 week notice. After some heated nasty email exchanges, she pretty much told me that she would not prorate his last day $35 and my donations were an obligation and really mean nothing, I decided to take my son out that same day. When I got there to grab my son's belongings she had the nerve to ask me for wipes donation!! HA ! As if! I would rather donate the 500 wipes to a REAL Christian, not a money hungry, rude woman that has no clue how to run a business or how to treat people. GOOD RIDDANCE ! You will NOT survive if you do not learn how to treat people. I do not recommend this place unless you enjoy being late for work and receiving unwarranted attitude and a scatter brain disorganized person. No!"
"This daycare is very professional and the atmophere is of a positive learning environment."
"I would definitely recommend this daycare to all parents. I have two kids that go here and I have never had any issues. The staff is amazing and very trustworthy. My kids have learned so much sense they have started."
"Bright Horizons At Carillon has made several updates to this center. Starting with the leadership. There is a fresh new face and teachers with a new outlook on curriculum. The center is in the middle of 5 star rating and has really hard to receive a 5 star rating (our fingers are crossed). My children currently attend Bright Horizons and they offer a 10% discount for your second child. They also have several parent events monthly, monthly parent calls, and are really welcoming. During my tour the teacher staff seemed happy and all the infant room really stood out to me. The education and experience of reach teacher is posted outside of the door and the staff are all continuing with higher education. My first child's teacher is currently in school and continues to bring fresh new ideas to the lesson plan. The teachers also communicate with TSG tool that tracks both of my child's progress. I did read the reviews above but this is a completely different center since those review the updates happened in 2013. Me and my husband would highly recommend this centerPositives: Administrative team (Sonya and Nikki) Rocks, Teacher quality and experience is great, classroom organization is clean and neat, curriculum focus, parent involvement activities are awesome, the menu offers several healthy options, and the playground is in the process of renovations in 2014!Negatives: Parking (pulling up to the 10th floor, the playground turf, location (not in a traditional building), and the sick policyOverall we give this new and improved center 5 STARS!!!! Please check out the updates for yourself!"
"We have sent all 3 of our children here and they are amazing. Organized, safety protocols top of the line with Covid. The new owners Stephen and Laura are very involved and know all the family by name. It's incredible! We wouldn't trust our children anywhere else."
"I enrolled at this facility when my now 6 year is old was 2. Since then, I have had her and my youngest (1) attend this daycare. Prior to the recent shift in administration, I would almost recommend this daycare. However, I have come to realize it has NOTHING to do with those in charge. This facility has had some quality teachers. However, that does not come from their leadership team. Since our 4th shift in directors as a family, the quality of care given to my 1 year old has been downright neglectful and unlawful. I have had two weeks where my son was not fed according to his feeding schedule (given too few bottles), and has bounced between 3-4 teachers on any given day. My son, who has RSV, has also been forced to go outside in 30 degree weather without receiving his breathing treatments. To top things off, my wheezing son was not administered his breathing treatments at all despite me being told sold. The director and assistant director have lied to me daily about administering the treatments. I counted my sons vials daily prior to asking why this was NOT being done. If your child ever gets sick, don't expect them to follow through on anything written by a doctor. We kept having to rush him to the doctor curious as to why his wheezing was not getting better. After being caught due to their being no log of any of the treatments they lied to me about, I was offered weeks of my care back financially. I am gladly running away from this daycare and NEVER looking back! I hope the administrative staff changes before they continue to run quality teachers and families away!"
"My daughter will be attending here in the fall & what made me fall in love with this daycare was how much the staff area dedicated to their job. The turnover rate is low because the staff have been there for 2+ years. The principal is so loving and caring and she also gets along with all the kids. They have a great program for helping developing the necessary skills needed to further them in life! Definitely would recommend for any parent looking for good quality daycare."
"We sent our kids to Forrestal from 2016 through 2020, withdrawing them when COVID hit like so many others. Forrestal has some great aspects - terrific playgrounds, nice and clean classrooms, a separate cafe for older kids to begin adjusting to eating in a cafeteria as they transition to kindergarten, and camera access for parents to check in on their kids. The true highlight for us, though, was Chef Jake. He is the reason so many parents stick with Forrestal, even when other aspects might be lacking. His food was delicious and nutritious, and he set the stage for both my kids to have sophisticated palates. (They ate the Caesar tilapia every time!) We also loved their annual fall festival, where kids dressed in costumes and played while the parents got to enjoy Chef Jake's food and socialize. I wish Chef Jake offered catering or had a cookbook. However, not everything was rosy. Administrative staff and the daycare owners could improve their communication and work on management skills - there is noticeable and disappointing attrition/turnover among teachers (even pre-COVID). I always felt like I knew what was coming in my kids' classrooms - what the weekly theme was, when school would be closed - but it was hard to get staff to explain basics like what you could bring to school for your kid in each class (a blanket, a lovie, a water bottle?) and often their responses were rude. The weekly newsletters were a jumbled mess of information to decipher. This facility is on the pricy side as compared with others in the area, and so I'd expect a better experience on the communication front. They're also not spectacular at accommodating different dietary needs for kids at the school - I'd love to see them offer a vegetarian option, for example - but that improved over time so I'll give them credit for improving. That said, I always knew my kids were safe and happy there. I liked the convenience of the location and knowing that other kids at the facility lived nearby so birthday parties and play dates were feasible. Most of the teachers were wonderful and kind, and my kids really did learn a lot there. It was more than a daycare - they focused on education as opposed to just letting kids sit around and watch videos all day."
"My kid has been at Chesterbrook for a few months now, and I couldn't be happier with their care. Miss Bethany in the infant room is amazing with my daughter. It's minutes away from Lowe's corporate campus, so I can get up from my desk and have my girl in my arms in about 10 minutes. I'm able to visit with her on my lunch breaks, which is awesome, and I'm completely comfortable that she's in good hands while I'm away from her. She's been learning sign language while she's there, and experimenting with all kinds of art supplies. I think she has learned a lot from her teachers and the interaction with other kids. The environment is warm and friendly. After looking at a few different childcare arrangements when it was time to go back to work, this one was by far the best. It is a bit pricey, but all daycare is...and it's right on par with other places in the area. The staff has been great about working with me and all my crunchy-hippy-mama ways. I still nurse my baby, and no one is weird or judgmental. She's in cloth diapers, and lots of daycares won't have kids in cloth. They were totally open to it. We provide our baby's lunch because I only want her to have organic food, and they are completely open to serving her what I want and how I want it. I feel respected and valued as a parent, and that is a good feeling. Honestly, the only way I could be happier is if I were keeping her myself. Since that's not an option for my family right now, this is as good as it's going to get!"
"Even after continued calls with the owner I still cannot recommend this daycare. Unfortunately our little guy has to stay here but in 6 weeks we have had to wait for teachers 5 times in the morning.We are grateful to find a new daycare for our baby girl, which we are thrilled about because she often came home sad from her Preppers class. In fact she wet through her diapers 4 times in these 6 weeks and the peed on pants were simply put back into her backpack without a notice.If you are simply in need because of work this might be a place for you but if you are looking for people who love and care for your kids the way you would and have respect and professionalism for a dad and moms time this is NOT the place to come to."