Bright Horizons at Garner

"This organization has discriminatory and racist practices and is ONLY focused on making money. I was interested in enrolling my daughter and explained to them that I receive support with day care tuition through a day care assistance program which I’m so thankful for. I was told that they work with these types of programs but require a FULL MONTH of tuition for a “deposit” up front directly from the family. Which was very perplexingly to me has I have never heard of this kind of practice. The program I work with well pay my daughter’s tuition but not this “deposit” that is required. I am a one income house hold and don’t have a access to give them $2,000 upfront for a “deposit” for DAY CARE! This is a practice that this organization use to keep families receiving government assistance out of their program. This practice is very discriminatory and is obviously a way for Bright Horizons to ensure that only families with money attend their school. If you look at their Instagram page there are very very few diverse students on their page and the teachers that are featured are obviously there so they can look like they have diversity which they do not. These discriminatory practices are what so many black and brown families who want quality care and education continually face. It is really unfair and boarding unethical in my opinion. I have the means to pay for day care through my assistance program but my daughter is being denied entry because I can not afford a $2,000 deposit. A deposit that I’m sure this company that makes millions of dollars does not need upfront. The economic and racial discriminatory issues here are obvious and the focus on money and greed are as well. They CRAM kids in rooms so they can get as much money as they can. This is the first time as a black woman I have felt discriminated in such a major and obvious way."

"We used bright horizon at Garner for backup care, we chose it because it has a large outdoor play area. It turned out that the teacher there was very friendly and loving. My kid was happy and wanted to go back."

"Bright Horizon at Garner has been our extended family for our 5-year-old. We started with the preschool when he was 3 during COVID times. The staff and teachers were super careful and followed all county guidelines to make sure the kids are safe and stay free from infection. Everyone at the school went above and beyond to ensure the kids' safety during tough times. In terms of child all-around development, the teachers and staff take all the necessary steps to ensure everyone in the classroom feels loved and cared for. Everyone is extremely kind and loving. You get that warm and happy feeling as soon as you enter the center. It's just the place and environment where we as parents would love to see our kids grow and thrive in their most critical foundational years of growth. :) Kudos to the whole team at Garner for creating a fun, joyful, and loving learning environment for our little one!"

"We're in the middle of spring cleaning when we discovered a bunch of art supplies neither of my children use. As we were getting it ready for donation, my daughter suggested we donate it to Garner where she and her brother both spent many formidable years. With that suggestion, we started to go down memory lane and it hit me - that we have life long friends that we met at Garner. Not just the parents but the children do as well. The children learned about Hawaiian luau at Garner and formed a deep appreciation for ALL cultures. My daughter was introduced to martial arts via a demo at Garner by Alameda Martial Arts. Not only did she start martial arts but my son and I eventually got our 2nd degree black belts at the same studio. The more we talked about Garner the more we realized that it was more than just a day care center for us - it was a community that was created and has maintained. I cannot think of a better place to send your children to than Garner in Alameda. Today we stopped by and donated the art supply and it was as if we never left. They welcomed us with open arms and Ms. Agnes reminisced about Skyler and her art skills. It was an absolute joy to stop by and give back to the day care center that helped form both of my children, who are now off to college. On behalf of the Madera family, THANK YOU for everything."

"We moved to the US from India in 2019 and decided to enroll our daughter for Preschool at Bright horizons at Garner. Initially, we were skeptical because it was a really big move for her plus it was during the pandemic and we're not sure how she will do in the school in a completely different environment. But the teachers and staff at Bright horizons are so supportive and they made her so comfortable that it never felt like a transition. They have taken excellent measures for kid's health and safety during covid. There is a very systematic process for covid screening. Their app is great, we love that we get all the updates (and photos) everyday from school about daily activities. The classrooms and playgrounds are very spacious and well maintained. The teachers and administrative staff are very friendly and involved with our daughter's growth. Also, I love that the breakfast, lunch and evening snacks are included and she likes the food there. She likes her school so much that she often asks us to go to school on weekends :-D and that's the reason we decided to enroll our daughter for Kindergarten next year."