Building Blocks II Day School

As a parent who has two kids enrolled at Building Blocks Day School II, I question the underlying basis of Ms. Duncan's review. I do not think all of the context is here for consideration and I will offer another perspective. First, it’s important to note that the review in question was written with the heavy use of ChatGPT or a like type LLM. It’s unquestionable. Without context, LLMs often take liberties to fill in information gaps which typically embellish or create alternate points altogether. I’ll address some key points brought up and offer my counter experience. Communication issues: This is a Spanish immersion daycare as explicitly stated throughout the admission process. If you are not aware of that, then yes you will have trouble communicating here as a non-Spanish speaker. So, my best guess is that the reviewer either knew this and hoped to take advantage of the school Administration or didn’t bother to pay attention and was surprised when the obvious played out. There is no other scenario. Teachers don't say much when parents arrive to pick up their kid: They do if you talk to them. Enforcement and financial ultimatums rather than collaborative problem-solving or early intervention: Well that’s a GPT run-on if I ever saw one…I know another family who was able to work with the school to soften their financial burden during a time of need. From what I understand, the Administrators approached their situation with compassion and did, in fact, work with them to solve their problem. I don't think many other daycare centers in the area would be so kind. So, if “financial ultimatum” means “working with parents in need in a compassionate way” then, sure. Patience and support for children who are transitioning developmentally or adjusting to a new environment: This is unequivocally false. The staff do not rush children or foster an inflexible environment; nor do they disregard any struggles a child may have. I have experienced the exact opposite with my own children. The staff are trained in how to identify developmental issues and provide the appropriate care. They even follow a University of Virginia state-level early childhood curricula that was made available to all Virginia daycares, a few years back. The staff go above and beyond and I cannot speak any higher of them. I was also uncomfortable with the fact that the director recorded my daughter: I find it hard to believe that the child was recorded using a personal device and I’m concerned that this is being framed in a manner that is misleading. The school uses the Brightwheel app which uses encrypted messaging for registered users (parents). I find it comforting that the teachers will often post pictures or videos of the kids during group sing or other group activities to update the parents throughout the day. This is common for daycare centers and it’s nice to receive updates while at work. If a child is in the video’s background crying, as toddlers typically do, they aren’t being singled out but rather part of the everyday environment of a daycare. Parents should not expect to receive updates if their child is not eating well: Again, the teachers will provide updates if you talk to them. I am deeply concerned for my child as she faces the transition to a new school: In both my opinion and personal experience, the school Administrators and staff go above and beyond to help the children succeed. However, it is ultimately up to the parents to be engaged enough to work with the school if the parent perceives that there is a problem. They are not babysitters and personal accountability, or the lack thereof seems to be a common thread in the review.

I have had all of my children attend Building Blocks, and I find it hard to believe the recent negative claims (below)This is a well-established, family-owned school that has always been kind, flexible, and willing to work with families. They’ve worked with me on schedules, tuition, and transitions. The staff is caring and supports children’s development. I don’t believe the negative review reflects the reality me and my children have experienced. I highly recommend Building Blocks, any of the locations, your child will feel safe, cared for and as a parent you will have a peace of mind.

As a parent, I believe communication and transparency are essential—especially when a child is struggling behaviorally or emotionally. Unfortunately, that was not my experience at this school. Over time, I noticed a pattern where concerns about my child’s behavior were not clearly or consistently communicated to me until situations escalated. Daily updates were limited, and significant behavioral issues were often minimized or only addressed after the fact. I later learned from another parent that they had experienced similar gaps in communication and felt the teachers are don't say much when parents arrive to pick up their kid. When concerns finally came to a head, the response focused heavily on policy enforcement and financial ultimatums rather than collaborative problem-solving or early intervention. This made it difficult for me to feel like a true partner in supporting my child’s needs. Ultimately, I made the decision to withdraw my child—not out of conflict, but because I need full honesty, timely updates, and teamwork when it comes to my child’s well-being. They waited so long to advise of my child's behavioral issues that it became normal for her to be disengaged in group activities-not only with the kids in her class-but teachers as well. I encourage prospective parents to ask detailed questions about how behavioral concerns are communicated, how often parents receive updates, and how the school partners with families when challenges arise. My daughter did learn a lot of Spanish while attending this school, and several of the teachers were kind and well-intentioned. There are positives here. However, I found that the school struggles when it comes to patience and support for children who are transitioning developmentally or adjusting to a new environment. When a child needs extra time, flexibility, or consistent communication, the approach felt rigid rather than supportive. Behavioral concerns were not always communicated clearly or early, which made it difficult for me to help my child before issues escalated. Because of this, my child normalized her to disengage herself in group activities. Instead of the school allowing me to step in and nip things early on, they allowed this continue for months at a time. I ultimately decided to withdraw my daughter after finding out. If you have a child who transitions easily and thrives in a highly structured setting, this school may be a good fit. If your child is in a developmental transition or needs additional patience and collaboration, I would encourage you to carefully consider whether this environment is the right match. Another major issue, I was also uncomfortable with the fact that the director recorded my daughter during a behavioral moment on his personal cell phone. While this may have been intended for documentation, it was not discussed with me beforehand and added to my concerns about communication and boundaries. Additionally, parents should not expect to receive updates if their child is not eating well unless they specifically request them. My daughter was loosing lots of weight due to this. It's highly unusual to not notify a parent about a child not eating. Essentially I see them seeing my kid as the problem child and not giving her a real chance to adjust hence we just moved here from Atlanta. And lastly at times, I was told my child was “doing well” or had a good day, only to later learn that there were significant behavioral challenges that had not been shared with me at the time. This inconsistency made it hard to trust the daily updates and limited my ability to intervene early. I am deeply concerned for my child as she faces the transition to a new school. This represents a significant change, and I recognize the challenges she will have in adapting to a new environment due to this major inconvenience the school has caused. I hope someone else can learn from this experience. 💔😞👎

This preschool has been amazing for our family. The staff is kind, attentive, and great at keeping us informed about our 6-month-old's day. I really appreciate their communication—whether it’s through quick chats at drop-off or updates in their app, I always feel connected to what’s happening. The daily updates with photos and details about meals, diaper changes, and activities give me so much peace of mind. My son always has the biggest smile on his face when I drop him off with his teachers. It’s clear they care about the kids, and I’m so glad we found them!