Bethany Christian Preschool

"This is going to be a long one- Our son is 3 and he, like many children his age born during Covid, has been home with us- no daycare experience whatsoever. Given that he was an only child until our daughters birth a few months ago, he has not had much socialization with other children his age and had ZERO classroom experience. I work from home full time and he has been with us the entire time. Before enrolling our son we stressed this strongly with the teachers and let them know that he is completely new to a classroom and aside from going to the park on occasion, he has no socialization with other children his age. We were assured that this is fine and that he will do great. We let them know that he is a strong willed child but listens well (to us) and we were worried about him getting the grace and patience he deserves. On his first day we were emailed letting us know that he tried to bite his teacher. We were appalled as he has never ever tried to bite before. We apologized and acknowledged that that is not okay. By no means are we delusional and think that our son is perfect- hence why we were so nervous about him going to preschool to begin with, but this caught us off guard and we apologized to the school and let them know we were committed to working with him as we know it starts at home. What led us to leave this review was when we sat with our son to discuss keeping our hands to ourselves, he told us he tried to bite because the teacher grabbed him to put him in the chair and he was scared. He did say he did not want to put away the toys and we told him that he needs to follow instructions and listen to the teacher. If it’s time to clean up-it’s time to clean up. Period. What we were told by the teachers was that leading up to him trying to bite, they were putting toys away to prepare for reading time. He did not want to clean up so the teacher was helping him out a toy away and he tried to bite her. We were not told the teacher grabbed him. Since that incident it felt like our son was deemed “a bad kid” and was not given the grace and patience we were promised he’d have. Every day we’d pick him up and we’d hear how he wasn’t standing in line, or how he had some big feelings and had to go sit in the office alone. On the rides home he’d just be defeated and sad saying, “teacher just doesn’t like me.” We told him that he has to listen and be good and he would say, “I’m trying. But they just don’t like me.” We were just chalking this up to him needing to adjust and get with the program and we worked so hard with him at home. The final straw was that it was again time to put the toys away and he did not want to. He was talked to by the teacher and saw another student staring at him- presumably because he wasn’t listening (totally understandable). He pinched that student. We were horrified and we brought him to apologize to the girl he pinched. We were told that our son was not to come back anymore. All of this happened within ONE MONTH of him attending. Not a consistent month, just 2 days a week. When I got the email I called 4 other preschools in the area and was completely open and honest about our sons challenges and what happened at the other school with the pinch, attempted bite, and his other struggles. I wasn’t looking for reassurance, I wanted to know if our son was really that bad where he’d get kicked out of a Christian preschool. They were all appalled that he was given such little grace and time to adjust to such a new environment. They said that hitting is something that happens for 3 year olds because their emotional regulation isn’t developed, but that it’s up to the parents and school to work together. We as parents were 100% committed to doing what it takes to get him where he needed to be. But for him to feel like they didn’t like him, for him to be touched without consent, was not okay. If you have a Covid child who doesn’t have classroom or daycare experience, this is not the school for your child. He goes to Burlington Little School now and is LOVED beyond measure and thriving."

"This year is my last kiddos turn at Bethany. All of my kids have attended the 4's preschool program here. They have LOVED the friends, experiences and amazing teachers who have poured so much love and time into their lives. I love how much Art and song is emphasized here, and the small class size really gives your kiddo the attention they need at this age, along with the freedom to ask questions and explore how to learn."

"Both of my boys attended the preschool and I cannot emphasize enough how wonderful the teachers and program are. The activities, field trips and daily routine is a good preparation for kindergarten. The women are wonderful and communication is great for busy parents."

"I have had both of my kids at Bethany preschool and they have each loved it! The staff is so caring and I like the short days, it has been a great fit for our family. I also love that they have a covered playground, it make’s outdoor activities available year round! Bethany preschool is a wonderful place for children and families!"

"Bethany Christian preschool is fantastic! The teachers are amazing and teacher Cindy (administration) is great. I love the way the teachers incorporate teaching with fun. My daughter is learning so much and having a great time. The classrooms are absolutely adorable, and the covered outdoor space is full of exciting toys. I could not ask for a better preschool for my daughter"