Oakcrest Preparatory Academy

Oakcrest Prep Academy - Looks Can Be DeceivingIf you're considering working at Oakcrest, please think twice. I've been an employee here, and let me tell you--this place is a disaster behind the scenes. At first, you'll be impressed by how nice the buildings look compared to other childcare centers, but once you're hired, the cracks start to show. It took me a while to put everything together, but now I'm counting down the days until I can escape. And I'm not alone--a mass exodus is/had happening/happened across all locations.You might wonder why I'm leaving a review instead of talking to management. Well, I have. Many of us have. But nothing ever changes. The best thing I can do now is warn others before they make the same mistake.1. High Pay = High TurnoverAt first, Oakcrest might offer you slightly better pay than the average childcare center. But that's only because they're desperate--teachers quit constantly. The hiring process is a joke. If you have a pulse and claim to love kids, you're in. Experience? Not required. Training? Barely exists. You'll be thrown into tough classrooms without the support you need, and when things go south, you'll quickly realize why the turnover rate is so high.2. Teachers Are Treated as DisposableOakcrest doesn't value its teachers. Class sizes are way too big, and behavioral issues aren't handled properly. Instead of fixing the root problems, teachers are moved around like chess pieces to cover shortages. You could walk in expecting to teach toddlers and end up in an infant room with zero preparation. If you struggle? Too bad. If you complain? Have some free snacks. Management's way of 'appreciating' teachers is handing out food instead of addressing the real issues.The life expectancy of a teacher here? 5-6 months. If you last longer, congratulations--you're one of the rare ones. Oakcrest knows this and actually expects constant turnover. They even switched to weekly pay, not as a perk, but because it's easier for payroll when teachers quit mid-month.3. A Fake Curriculum ChangeOakcrest now pre-plans all lessons for teachers, claiming it's to "give us our free time back." In reality, it's a sneaky way to make it easier to push underqualified hires into classrooms. The school's curriculum is weak, inconsistent, and uninspiring. If you're a passionate educator, prepare to be frustrated.4. A Warning for ParentsYour child will be loved by the teachers here. Most of us go above and beyond to make sure kids feel safe and cared for. But if you're looking for a strong, structured curriculum? Oakcrest is NOT the place.Parents aren't allowed to visit classrooms at certain times--why? Because those are the moments when the school is pure chaos. Too many kids. Not enough teachers. Poor behavior management. The cameras in classrooms? They aren't for you. They're for the school to control the narrative. I've even heard of parents being denied footage of their child being hit due to "confidentiality." Convenient, isn't it?Final ThoughtsAt its core, Oakcrest isn't run by people who love children--it's run by business-minded individuals who see childcare as a money-making machine. The school is understaffed, overfilled, and poorly managed. If tuition actually went where it should, teachers wouldn't be drowning while owners sit comfortably in their offices.If you get hired and look around after a few months, realizing you're suddenly one of the "longest tenured" teachers there, trust me--you'll understand why. Oakcrest will never be as great as it could be because those at the top don't actually care. I refuse to stay longer than I have to, and if you're smart, you won't even bother stepping through the door.

I worked for Karen and Donnie in 2017. From the outside looking in, this was an amazing daycare. The families were wonderful and the facility is top notch. However, if you are looking for employment- go somewhere else. They genuinely do not care about their employees (hopefully that's changed over time but from what I've heard from current employees, it hasn't) All they care about are dollar signs... not even the children. They made it clear that everyone is replaceable which is sad, considering they wouldn't have a center without their hardworking employees. I hated to leave, for I loved the curriculum and the families I cared for. But I could not stand working for such selfish people. For parents, I'd rate the facility 4/5 stars. For employees, I'd rate a 1/5.

TCCA has been such an amazing place to provide care for our daughter. Everything is run so professionally and the level of care and education is second to none!I can't help but think how much value this place adds to our lives when helping balance work and family! Thanks for all you do!

We love their enrichment programs and the teachers attention to my son's activities. Would definitely recommend TCCA to all my friends.

This Review is from a parent-This school is absolutely amazing! They understand the direction education is headed with new age technology. I do believe my child will be more than prepared for kindergarten. They even have a cool program that allows parents to order dinner when dropping off in the morning and when you pick up your child dinner is ready as well. Just awesome! Well worth the price. You can do a visual tour online but your heart will melt once you visit in person.

Both of my daughter's have attended here and it has been an excellent experience. The staff is incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and willing to assist with anything we have needed. The events they host are fabulous and really go above and beyond just teaching the kids during the day. Great summer program too!

Our almost 3 year old daughter has been there for over 8 months now and we all love it. Her teachers Ms. Jessica & Ms. Lauren are fantastic and the director Lisa is always willing to engage in conversations with us when needed. We are so thankful for TCCA!

THOSE SEEKING EMPLOYMENT AND PARENTS, BEWARE! At first I thought this was an exceptional career opportunity BUT keep reading... I interviewed twice with this company with Karen Oto the VP and Lisa Lewis- Hines executive director in addition to multiple confirmations of offer of employment. They sent me extensive onboarding paperwork to complete which existed of trainings, background checks (cleared background check) etc. , fingerprinting appointments, and medical records for both NC & SC. I had to cover all of the financial costs on my own on contingency of an employment offer with Oakcrest. This process was about 1-2 weeks. Then the day before I was about to put in my resignation for my current employer, Lisa Lewis sent me a message via INDEED going back on their employment offer. No explanation at all. Karen Oto nor Lisa Lewis never answered any emails, texts or calls moving forward. Extremely unprofessional! I just want to forewarn anyone considering employment with Oakcrest because it almost cost me my current career/employment. Parents/caregivers, if they are this unprofessional with their pre hires and employees you might want to consider this before entrusting them to care for your children.

If I could give them 0 star, i would do that. This place only cares about your money and nothing else. My family had covid and I spoke to these people to push our start date out by a week but they still went ahead and charged us from Oct 1st, no care or concern even in this pandemic situation. Just because my kids were sick and i failed to followup on phone call( even though i sent them an email) they didn't considered it.I anyways still went ahead and send my daughter after 10 days and paying them extra money from Oct 1st. My daughter is a very happy kid n she cried all day in this daycare even after coming back to home, she cries herself to sleep. The first thing in morning she wokeup is that "I dont like that class". We went to discuss this on going issue, after completing 1 week in daycare and the owner couldn't care less. They brought my daughter out, assuming we are here to pick her up anyways at 3:15 pm.We decided not to go ahead with this place and spare my kid from mental trauma and i told them that we want to pull her out, so they can stop the billing for next 15 days. Guess what, they still charged us from next 15 days anyways. Spare yourself from all this horrific situation and look for other daycares which are very good.

This school is amazing. My son has learned a lot in less than year and his speech has gotten better. The environment is very clean, a bit off the road from noises (making it private) and beautiful. This is home away from home :) Happy parent!