Chatham Nursery School

I felt compelled to join Unilocal just so that I could write a review about this school. The school that I am reviewing is the one that is on Redwood Road. I made an appointment with the director, Maureen, to tour the school. I arrived at the front office at our scheduled date and time and she was nowhere to be seen. Her staff had to call and look for her and about 15 minutes later, she appeared and told me that she was «waiting for me downstairs.» Being a new parent, I’m not sure how I would have known where to go to meet her other than the front office. That should have been an indicator for me, but I just brushed it aside.
Strike 1 — During my son’s first week there, he came home with some marks on his body and he told me that another student was pushing him at school. I know that children can play rough, but I wanted to mention this to the staff in order for them to keep a better eye on things. Their response to me was that it was my son’s imagination.
Strike 2 — My son is not a napper and I explained this to the director and teachers before enrolling him there. They told me that they would be able to accommodate him by allowing him to rest for a short period and then do quiet activities. When I asked him how naptime was going, he told me that one of the teachers shouted in his face to go to sleep.
Strike 3 — My son likes to play with girls and made friends with a few of the little girls there. When I picked him up afterschool one day, one of the teachers told me that she was «encouraging him to play with boys.»
Of all the times that I picked up my son, I never saw any of the teachers interacting with the children outside. They were always sitting down and talking to each other. My son was not enrolled there for too long before I pulled him out. I will never forgive myself for leaving him at that school. I should have listened to my gut feeling. Please think twice before enrolling your child here. If your child is enrolled here, make sure you talk to your child and listen to your child and your instincts.

My son and daughter went to Chatham on redwood road full time for over a year. The cost was a bit high but they did do activities my children enjoyed. I volunteered my time when i could including holidays and teacher appreciation. We paid on time and were very cooperative. There was one teacher that barely spoke any English so it was difficult to communicate daily stuff with her and my son couldn’t understand her. Some of the other staff were a little rude and occasionally had attitudes. We also had a few missing items of clothing but didn’t make a big deal about it. However they ended up telling me that my son had too much energy and they didn’t want to deal with him anymore. The director Maureen gave me the notice on Friday evening that I could no longer bring him there so I had to call off a few days since I was not given any time to make other arrangements. I asked to have it put in writing that we were getting kicked out and what exactly my son was doing to inform his pediatrician but they were not cooperative at all. I would not recommend Chatham and suggest you keep looking and researching other preschools. Also read the old reviews on Unilocal that arent on top recommend reviews.

I recommend Chatham School on 39^th anytime anyone asks, and sometimes when they don’t. It’s just a really good environment for my daughter — between both of my kids, we have been to 4 different schools, and this one is the best.
Here are some of the things I like about it:
* Size — there are 2 groups of kids, broken down into 2 – 3 yr olds & 4 – 5 year olds. Each group has around 20 kids in it. It’s a good size — small enough to feel intimate, but large enough to have a good chance to find other kids your kid will really like
* Teachers — I love the teachers. The ones for the younger group are so caring, and the ones for the older group are fun and doing a lot to get them ready for Kindergarten. They also this year have a male teacher which I really appreciate (and he is a great teacher!)
* Animals — I couldn’t count the number of animals the school has — a quail, a snake, a chameleon, mice, crickets, silkworms… and then at certain points of the year they have hatched baby chicks and baby turkeys. My daughter was explaining to me the life cycle of the silkworms the other day…
* Cost — Compared with other schools around, this school is reasonably priced. What a relief! And it includes lunch! This exposes her to wider variety of food than she would get if I was making her lunch at home.
* Flexibility — I really like that you just pay for your days — it is open from 7:30 to 6 — there is no extra charge for extended hours. They coordinate most of their school closures with OUSD, and are only closed for 1 week in August. Also, when situations have come up (both with me and other parents I know) they have been flexible in helping (when they can) if you need a schedule change or other special request. The last school my daughter went to it was Director’s way of the highway (ugh!). Chatham is so much better!
Thank you Chatham providing such an enriching and fun place for my daughter and the rest of her classmates!

Teachers:
Cammy rules, and all the teachers are warm and friendly towards each other and with the children (which says a lot about the work environment). They are always in control (but not in a heavy-​handed way) and as a result the children seem to thrive and really enjoy their experience.
Instruction:
Every so often my child will tell me that he knows some fact or another because Chatham taught it to him. One day he told me what the albumen was (white part of the egg). Another time he explained to me the difference between deciduous and evergreen.
The singing:
A big part of the school community are the semi-​annual performances that they put together (luau, graduation, etc). As a consequence, they’ll be learning a ton of songs (and singing them to you in the car). I picked up my son a few hours early one day and they were working on fuse beads. One of them would start singing and a bunch of them would join in. It felt very much like Santa’s workshop.
The backyard:
There is a giant tree in the backyard that provides shade all year round, so you don’t feel like your child is getting scorched while he’s playing outdoors. My children used to be wimpy before enrolling into Chatham, but after a year they were monkey bar athletes. Be prepared for the sand that accumulates in their shoes, however. :)
Art Projects:
Every few days you will get different art projects in your child’s folder. I didn’t know so many different art projects existed.
Critters:
There are (non-​allergenic) pets for the kids to interact with, like lizards, ant farms, and silkworms.
Lunches:
Lunch is provided, as they have a cook on staff, which is a great boon.
Redwood Heights Elementary:
If your child happens to transition to RHS, Chatham will provide before school and afterschool care for your kindergartener, which includes dropping them off before school and picking them up afterwards.
Overall, we have loved our 2 year Chatham experience. Our children liked it from the beginning, which was a change from the Montessori that they weren’t very happy to be in (for a few months).

We LOVE Chatham too – our 2 ½ yr old and 4 yr old are both there – Miss Amy and Miss Janine are the BEST :) Ms. Gregoria is awesome with the babies as well – lots of the teachers have been there for a long time! its great!

Cammy. That’s all you need to know. She is the prek guru /​Yoda you want in your life. I’ve been in this business a long time. Finding a teacher like her is like your kid winning the educational lottery.

Our son has been going to Chatham at Redwood Road campus since he was 2 years old and he is very happy there. We love this daycare and playbased preschool. The teachers are all great, caring and professional. The school rooms are spacious, nicely decorated and well equipped. The children get every day a nutritious meal and snacks. The curriculum is excellent and my son comes home with very creative art pieces. He has developed and learned a lot in this school. There is a large outdoor play area and the kids play outside twice a day.
The director Maureen is very dedicated to her job and you are always welcome to talk to her about any issue, whether it is related to school or if you need upbringing advice.
The school is open M-​F from 7:30 am — 6:00 pm and part-​time options are available. We are very pleased and satisfied about this preschool and soon our daughter will start at Chatham in the baby-​room. Highly recommended!