The Goddard School of Laurel

"It is quite sad, however we have made the decision to withdraw our child from this institution. Too many incidences of unprofessionalism, with covert act of spite and disrespect. Our little one teacher is fantastic and she would be greatly missed, happy to have encountered her on this journey with our little one. Whilst I don’t see it essential to outline all the instances that led to us withdrawing our LO, we would never keep our child at an institution where there is act of vindictiveness. After numerous exposure to such we finally wrote an email about one of the incident and still haven’t received any proper protocol outline."

"Goddard in Laurel is one of the best preschools for your child. My child started attending around the age of 2. My child is not very vocal. The teachers really helped my child grow while patiently assisting with increasing expressive language. The teachers and administrators act as an extension of our family, which makes it an intimate experience for my child. I wholeheartedly recommend this school. The owner and administrators are supportive and friendly. I'm greatful I found this school for my child."

"My daughter is a current student at the Goddard School in Laurel. Every morning she is excited to go to school. When I drop her off she runs into the arms of her teachers, no kicking, screaming or crying. This is very reassuring for me to see. You can't fake that genuine joy and love of caregivers. We are in pandemic times so I cannot go into the school but based on the exterior of the building, parking lot, lobby, and 2 playgrounds, and how my daughter looks when she comes home everyday, they run a clean operation. Also, my daughter never gets sick, despite the fact that small children are walking petri dishes who constantly touch their mouths, noses, and other kids and toys. We are halfway through the year and she hasn't had so much as a sniffle or a runny nose. My daughter is taught by a diverse group of teachers who speak multiple languages. The administration is a pleasure to deal with. I don't want to continue to lavish them with praise for fear you will question my motives and think they are paying me but I in fact pay them every month, a good deal of money, and not once have I had to question whether or not it is worth it. She is thriving. If you send your child here I expect you will be equally as impressed."

"The lack of accountability and transparency for a children's day care center resulted in numerous head injuries that led to permanent scars, and back to back viral infections to include hand, foot, mouth disease in a short period of time. The teachers complained how dirty the floors were and how they were not cleaned daily. The curriculum is provided by Goddard; some teachers have little training and experience around children. Some infant care teachers were experienced and children had happy experiences. Toddler classes were hit or miss; good teachers never stayed; very high turnover. Only a couple toddler teachers stood out that children went to comfortably. On a good day multiple photos/videos were provided, on a bad week nothing was sent. Meeting with owner and Directors to discuss issues never resolved in a reasonable agreement. Much of the conversation were excuses, and "CYA" tactics - which is absolutely unacceptable in a childcare environment. Many parents have voiced their opinions and concerns to the school verbally and written; only to deaf ears and the detriment of their child's unhappy painful experience. Only upon leaving this center, did we see our child happy, and healthy again. I have a soft spot in my heart for those children whose parents have not withdrawn. I hope this center raises their standards, enforces Goddard policies; and creates an accountable and transparent environment."

"This school is amazing. Our son started at one year old, and he is now 18 months. The amount he has learned is amazing. The daily reports keep us informed of what he is learning so that we can reinforce at home. We get pictures of what he's doing, updates on what he eats, stats about diaper changes in the reports. He also recently transitioned to the next classroom up, and the transition was done gradually and we were kept in the loop about his progress and were made aware of the steps involved in his transition. It was clear that if he was not ready, they would not move him up. The teachers in his old and new classrooms coordinated and relayed specifics about my son's habits. Aside from the organized info, what's most impressive is that every single teacher and staff member knows my son's name- even the ones who aren't his classroom teachers. The director and the owner are hands-on and are in the classrooms throughout the day. I've even picked my son up in the evening near closing, and found him playing contentedly in one of their offices with them watching. He loves them all and blows kisses when we're leaving. :) I truly feel that our son is in a safe and welcoming environment in which he is thriving. We plan to keep him at the school through pre-k. It's worth every penny."