Smart Start Creative Learning Center

This review is long time coming. Smart start is a place tiny tots need to go to become toddlers with amazing potential. We are an ESL family and our daughter knew nothing but to tell her name in english. Now she is a non stop chatter box who can fluently communicate in english and our native language. She is now in 1^st grade and her math skill is like a 3^rd grader. Smart start teachers are amazing and superlatives needs to be invented to describe their teaching skills from tiny tots to kindergarteners. We now have our son take over our daughter’s spot after she left to 1^st grade. They are very balanced covering academics, extra curricular activities and play time. Needless to say our son loves going to school everyday. We would definitely recommend smart start to any one.

I didn’t want to leave a review until I know for sure this place is 100% or until we are officially finished!! Yesterday was my kids last day. My girls had been attending Smart Start for about 1.5yrs…they had to leave the school because of my job relocation. I wanted everyone to know, as a mother of twins I toured and visited many many preschools. And we finally settled with this one, and Rebecca the director is very attentive to my needs. From day 1 till the very end she made sure that everything works for me and my girls. All the teachers here are great with all the kids, they are genuine and caring, treats your kids like their own. My girls love love every teacher they ever had at this school. They have a great structure and caring group of staff. I highly recommend Smart start for anyone who is looking for a great daycare/​preschool for their kids. We had a great experience here and my kids were genuinely happy here. You know your kids are in good hands when you come to pick them up and they just don’t wanna Leave! All the teachers here understands parents required great communications, I love all the updates via text /​pic msg on how my kids were doing. I love all the healthy lunch menu too. I have nothing bad to say about Smart Start. I see why they constantly have a long wait list. This place is truly quality! If you truly want to start your kids off in the right daycare or preschool check into Smart start, is the Smartest choice ever! Smart start created a very happy mother, they definitely set the bars… now I will have much higher expectations for my kids next preschool!

This was my child’s first experience in school & away from mom. She cried every morning for a month. Director– Rebecca is abrasive & doesn’t have any warmth or interest. She seems to be about the money & getting enrollment up. While I was filling out paperwork in the director’s office, you could see the bathroom & there were girls using the potty in full view of everyone– running around with their panties off. I did not think that was appropriate at all. Teachers aren’t able to give special attention to those children that need extra care due to separation anxiety. Every day during pickup, I asked teachers how my child did. They would just say fine, good, etc. Never indicating there was any trouble until I discussed my child’s unhappiness with the director. Then she tells me a story of how my child would yell out by the door for help. I can’t believe this was the only time they brought this to my attention. After that, I immediately removed her from the school. She is now attending another school that cares for its’ students & is loving it.

My first son went to SS three years ago. Ms. Patti and other teachers were attentive and were always watching the kids. If I asked a question, they had answers to what happened in the day and status of my kid. 5 stars!
Second son went there and Ms. Patti and four teachers had left.
Son got hurt. Asked how. Answer: We didn’t see. This happened four times. We didn’t see. Last time, his face got bloody and scarred. They «don’t know what happened» and I instantly pulled him out.
Other things I noticed:
Some teachers have their kids there. MAJOR favoritism and watching out for their own kids, not the others.
Other teachers have their favorites and it is VERY obvious.
Teachers are braiding the girls hair during recess, NOT watching the kids on the play ground. Hence the answer «we didn’t see what happened».
Teachers are TALKING to other teachers, with backs turned away from the playground, not watching the kids.
Teachers stand in the bench/​fence area talking to other parents, which does not enable them to see the whole playground (the playground is L shaped; counting the garden area, it is U shaped.) Teachers are standing near only one end of the L.)
Improvements to be made:
Teachers need to stand IN the playground so they can WATCH the kids.
Talking to parents and other teachers are fine, but keep visibility of the kids at ALL times.
Other notes:
I was fine paying $ 4 extra for lunch and bringing in enough snacks for 2x/​day.
But I’m at another school now where lunch and snacks are included. Cleaner, newer facility and the teachers are attentive… so I think you have better choices out there.

I love this place and so is my daughter. From the moment I stepped into the place, I know that she will be in good hands. The staff are attentive, caring, and nurturing. They also assure you that it takes time to transition my child (and myself-​lol) and that it will eventually be alright. After a month, my daughter is getting better with her separation anxiety. Thank you for all you do.

I was nervous to send my son to preschool for the first time but I instantly felt comfortable with the staff at Smart Start! After seeing the teachers with the kids, I felt they genuinely cared about the kids and enjoyed being there! I loved all the hands on and age appropriate activities. They have a great balance of academics, free play, art/​tactile activities, enrichment activities, a fall & spring performance (it’s adorable!) and family events throughout the year. I also love how all the classes are decorated with the children’s art projects!!! It’s a very well rounded school with great staff and a great director!!!
At first, the separation was hard for him but the teachers were so sweet, patient and comforting!!!
Now he says that he wants to go to smart start FOREVER!!! He loves all the teachers and his friends!!! It’s been a wonderful experience for us. I couldn’t ask for a better preschool!!! I will be sending our next child there when she’s old enough.
Out of about 20 schools, it’s the ONLY preschool that we looked at that met ALL my requirements — SAFE, FUN, CARING, CLEAN and a WELL BALANCED
CURRICULUM!!!
Smart Start is a well run school with the best staff and a very supportive director and owner!!! Thank you for taking such great care of our son … He has grown so much (socially & academically) over the last 3 years.

I cannot rave enough about this preschool! The kids, teachers and parents are all amazing and it truly feels like we have been a part of a special community these past several years. As my daughter gets ready to graduate after spending 2 ½ years with Smart Start, I am already starting to mourn the 10 month break we are going to have from the preschool before my son is ready to attend.
The teachers go above and beyond every day to make sure every child feels special — whether it be with encouraging words or constant hugs. Rebecca, the school’s director, puts her heart into every event she plans to keep the Smart Start family close and works hard to keep the administration part running smoothly.
My daughter was not an easy preschooler as she fumbled her way through learning right and wrong, but the teachers were amazing with communicating on a daily basis with me and together we helped her find her footing. She would not be the same person without them.
Disclaimer: I am a parent who believes preschool should be a place where children focus on social skills (playing well with friends, behavior, and generally learning how to go to school). Yes, they should learn their academics as well but there will be plenty of time to fine tune letter strokes and particulars when they start attending elementary school.
That being said, I am VERY impressed with not only how this school has helped me raise my baby into a delightful little girl/​student, but how much academically she has grown! She surprises me every day with her knowledge and the true test was that she tested right on par (and even ahead in some sections) with her peers during the kindergarten assessment testing, despite BARELY making the new kindergarten deadline (she’ll be the youngest in her class).
Just a quick note on the earlier poster who complained about teachers leaving — one of the teachers retired/​moved to be with her grandkids and one moved with her husband’s job. The new teachers have been fabulous and certainly add to their already strong teaching foundation.
It’s fairly obvious why this school always has a waitlist and we feel so fortunate to have grown the last couple years with Smart Start. My daughter will hopefully keep with her the lessons she learned (being «green», celebrating holidays/​events/​LIFE, being a great friend to others, and simply loving/​being HER) and we will always be grateful to this preschool.

My son started going here when he was 2.5 years old. My daughter started when she was 3. Both of them are very excited to go to school everyday. They go full time. I ask them everyday how their day at school was and they says it was awesome! They love going there and when I have to keep them home they really want to go to school. The teachers are always very nice and treat the kids great. The kids look forward to going to school. I think it’s a great place for them to learn.
I can’t side with the lady that had her kid in 3 preschools. Any preschool is probably not good enough for their child. This school also teaches the kids on how to be «Green». I get lectured all the time not to leave the water running, or not to waste this and that. It’s cute but also makes me happy that they are being taught things about the world too at such an early age.

we had to switch our child to another school since they lost so many good teachers. I think they have a decent staff but with so many lost teachers, I can’t give it 5 stars anymore.

After reading Love to Eat G’s review, I am shocked and can’t believe that an actual parent of a Smart Start child wrote this review. I was actually so surprised by what I read that I went back and looked at the other reviews this person has posted and it seems that they have reviewed several other preschools and have given almost all of them 1 star. Seems like it might be time to home school your child.
When we were looking for a preschool for our daughter we knew right away after touring Smart Start that it was the right place for our daughter. We feel that she receives quality care and education from the Smart Start team. The teachers that are currently at Smart Start are doing a wonderful job and really put a ton of effort into making Smart Start a great place for our children.
I just want to address a few issues this person brought up in their review:
1. The lice issue. First of all, most schools at one time or another have lice at their school and while it is an inconvenience, it is just a fact of life. Second, reoccurrences of lice at schools usually are due to parents not treating their children properly with lice shampoo and nit combs. The Smart Start teachers went above and beyond the call of duty trying to nip the lice issue in the bud.
2. «The teachers aren’t very sincere. I noticed they try to be very attentive to my child whenever they see me watching them. I doubt they really care for the kids.» This statement is just simply not true. The teachers and director at Smart Start treat all of the children lovingly and are very attentive to the children’s needs whether parents are present or not. My 4 year old is very slow to warm to people and she is constantly telling us how much she loves her teachers.
3. «Lacking in academics. My daughter learned how to write a few alphabets but in the wrong strokes. I’d prefer that she learn in the right way. The kids aren’t given any guidance at all during the writing time.» Maybe this is true of the person’s child but our daughter started at Smart Start not being able to identify all of her letters and now she is able to write and identify every letter of the alphabet.
4. «Recently, a lot of things changed at this school.» Things are changing at Smart Start. They are hiring some awesome new teachers and I am pretty sure most of the parents welcome the changes that are occurring. The staff has made the parents aware of the changes that are taking place and are always looking for feedback.
Anyway, we love Smart Start and feel that they do a wonderful job and would recommend this school to anyone looking for a great school for their child.

My daughter has been in 3 preschools and smart start is the worse of all.
The teachers aren’t very attentive. Kids are given work sheet to work on their own, nobody guides them at all. The kids go potty on their own without anyone being there for them.
2 cases of lice in 3 months.
The teachers aren’t very sincere. I noticed they try to be very attentive to my child whenever they see me watching them. I doubt they really care for the kids.
The director is wishy-​washy. She quoted me in different a few times. She might have given discounts to some families but not others.
Lacking in academics. My daughter learned how to write a few alphabets but in the wrong strokes. I’d prefer that she learn in the right way. The kids aren’t given any guidance at all during the writing time.
Recently, a lot of things changed at this school. I withdrew my kid but i heard 2 teachers walked off the job. And 2 years old are told to go potty without any teacher supervision, while the teachers stood around chatting.
I am a protective mother. I think this school isn’t for anyone who wants nice and sincere teachers who can give attentive care to their kids. Thumbs downs!!!
Tuition isn’t cheap for what they offered.

My son has been going to this location since he was 2 years old. He went here when it was Birch Grove School and I saw the transformation from that old school to this new, beautiful, wonderful school. Being that we were here before Smart Start took over I can tell the difference Smart Start made.
First of all they are a «Green» school which is great! They have their own garden in the back that the kids helped to plant. They take their shoes off and wear slippers in class to keep out the dirt (love it why can’t we do that at work?). They use eraser boards to practice their writing to save paper and take digital pictures of the kids work and have them on a digital photo page for parents to view. Not only do they take pictures of their work but also of their day to day activities. This is great because where else can you get pictures of your kids in school during class. I mean I have over a hundred pictures. And it’s conviently on Shutterfly so you can select which pictures you like and order them or even make a photo album of the school year. I like to look at them with my son and he tells me what they were doing in the pictures.
My son comes home singing songs in Spanish and telling me words he sees when we are going places, «the, that’s my sight word!» He loves doing his homework and can’t wait to turn it in to get his new package. They also have a recorder that they take home to practice, which is a nice way to get him to love music early.
Another thing he loves is he there is a pet Turtle, Shelly, that they have to take care of. Also, 2 rabbits named Elvis and Presley. Ms. Matthews also sometimes brings her retired assistant dog Camilla that just lays there and lets the kids pet her. My son will sit there for hours just petting her during class.
The teachers here are great, they make you feel like they are one big happy family. The communication between parents and teachers is awesome. I always know what’s going on with my son in school either by email, phone call, on the shared website or a note in his lunch bag. They are so great that I’ve even become great friends with one of them outside of the parent teacher setting. They have lots of get together’s to get parents and families together. They do field trips and have performances done by the kids as well. They really go above and beyond and you can tell they are really pationate about what they do and it’s not just a paycheck for them.
My son is going to be so sad when he has to go to public school and leave this place. He constantly tells me over the weekends that he misses Ms. Matthews and wants to go to school to see her. What 5 year old says that?

My 4 year old daughter has been going to this school since it opened. She was part-​time but started full-​time this past fall. She is a very sentimental girl so when we drop off or when she misses us during the day, she would sometimes cry. The entire staff is not only nurturing and sensitive to kids like mine (giving them big hugs and comforting them) but they go above and beyond. They also make learning so much fun for all the children there. The children sing, dance, learn Spanish, have yoga classes, and have plenty of time to play outdoors. My daughter always has something exciting to talk about when she comes home — a project, a song, a new perspective. The teachers are great at communicating and working with parents as well. They take the time to talk to parents about challenges that they have noticed and work with them. I have to say that I feel very fortunate to have found such a wonderful place. My daughter is very happy at this school and I look forward to seeing her explore and use her imagination further in the kindergarten program.

Am a first time mom with a very sensitive affectionate kid at 2, so needless to say when i was looking for preschools I was being an overprotective mother hen.
This school is not only good for the environment (first green school), but also great for young learners.
Teachers enthusiasm, cheeriness and availability is all commendable. What i liked most was most kids who cried and could be kept calm by a teacher holding, they did. Few times i have seen teacheres hold two kids, and have two attached to the leg just so they wouldn’t cry. Basically, they will do anything to help sooth a crying kid, may it be song and dance, reading or even blowing bubbles. So was the case in the first month when they opened school at least
They allow a lot of song and dance, creative art work, play in the sun and best of all on sunny days even do outside lunches.
They provide organic fresh lunches at a minimal rate and best of all provide option for a kid (part time) to stay extra hour or so for a fee of course.
Only drawback is they don’t offer snacks, although they do keep some at hand in case parents forget to bring them. My son was a picky eater and tried new things only because he saw other kids eat them.
Main point i like is, they work with a kid and their personality and do not try to change them… its a very warm and welcoming place for a child