Applewild Preschool At Devens

I've debated whether I should write a review because I don't want to come across as simply a disgruntled parent, but I think other parents need to understand a bit about what is taking place at Applewild before sending their sons here. There is another Google review and one on Yelp that are very similar to mine. I've also heard of 2 other similar cases. Essentially, if you have a higher energy boy who may need some firmer discipline and reinforcement, I would not recommend sending them here. Applewild does not seem to know how to handle it, and they often kick the boys out with little warning or a sincere effort to help. They've put numerous families in bad situations because they've kicked out their sons. I talked to several other educators about my situation, and they've all been shocked to hear how little my son had to do to be kicked out and how little the school did to find practical solutions to help him with his behavior issues. The other educators had helpful recommendations on how to provide more structure and discipline. Whereas when I talked to the teachers and head of school at Applewild, they often just said they were talking with my son about his behavior and didn’t know what else they could do. There is a larger issue taking place in private preschools across the country where they kick out kids at a 3 to 1 rate compared to public schools because they can so easily do so without consequences or due process. Applewild is a prime example of this larger trend. My son went there for almost 2 years, and they kicked him out 2 months before he was going to graduate, and during a time when no other preschools were accepting children. When the decision came to kick him out, there was no discussion with me as the parent; they simply talked amongst themselves and informed me that he could no longer come back. They said they didn’t believe they could keep him safe, and he was a liability. The fact that they included the word liability in their reasoning told me that they care more about their business than the children they are looking after and the families they are impacting. I think Applewild needs to examine why it is kicking out so many boys and consider what it can do differently.

This is a wonderful school. The staff and administration are extremely attentive, responsive and caring. Sherri and Valerie do an amazing job overseeing the program and Alisha and Nicole are wonderful preschool teachers. There’s also several fantastic assistants that float between grades as needed. Our daughter loves it here and the staff went above and beyond to help her adjust to preschool life by customizing a schedule that met her needs and made her comfortable during the transition.

My daughter has been attending the preschool program at Applewild Devens for just about a year now, and we absolutely love everything about it. It is exactly what a preschool program should be! The kids are exposed to so much information and so many concepts (architecture and force, just to name a couple!) in really meaningful and motivating ways. Kids are given the opportunity and support to explore the themes in their own unique ways, rather than being given an idea and told what to do with it. I am constantly amazed by the things that my daughter is doing and learning at Applewild! There's yoga and art, and gardening, and the outdoor classroom, which is NOT just a playground. The teachers and the director are amazing. They are caring and creative and educated. They genuinely care about their students and their education, and it's evident in the lessons they plan and the way they interact with the kids. My daughter can certainly be challenging in terms of behavior, and her teachers have been wonderful about dealing with her and communicating with us. We've gotten some great advice from them to try at home! I can't say enough wonderful things about this preschool program!

Never send your child to their preschool programs. If your child does not fit into their box, they will not be accepted. My children were treated unfairly and the staff was unwilling to support the child. Rather, it was easier for them to discard them. The director and staff lack sincere compassion for what is best for ALL children. Thinking about enrolling here? I would seriously reconsider. There are more loving and caring schools in the area.

Wonderful location for a transportation hub to the main campus. This pre-school is already a desired school for area parents and has the same culture of caring, professionalism, community and respect as its primary school in Fitchburg.