Children'S Lighthouse

When my children first started at children’s lighthouse West Cary the center had no director. Just an assistant director. She was fairly new to her position and was very kind but in the 1 1/2 yrs I had children enrolled, I was never given camera access no matter how many times I asked. And It took a very long time for me to get access to ProCare. Despite this, my children loved their teachers very much, and their teachers loved and cared for them well in return. (Ms. Fanny and Mrs. Miya who are now gone and Mrs. Maddison) so I was willing to over look this. However, Children’s Lighthouse West Cary has gone down hill since being sold (without any notice to parents) to new owners and becoming Children’s Lighthouse Parkside. In just a couple of weeks of being under new ownership, the center’s director, Mrs. Jodi, who we all loved and adored, was fired and replaced with a new director who is very rude to both staff and parents.This too occurred with no notice to families. Staff describe the new director as caring more about numbers than she does about the children. Shortly after this, the school’s longest standing employee Ms. B, whose preschool aged son had attended since infancy, was fired for speaking out against misconduct she’d witnessed within the center. This then lead to multiple teachers quitting and children having to be put into classrooms that are not appropriate for their ages. There were mornings we’d come in and would overhear the directors chatting about how they had no idea what the day was going to look like due to being so short staffed. I have 2 school aged children who have attended summer camp at children’s lighthouse as well as two now preschoolers who have attended for over a year. We once LOVED Children’s Lighthouse. So to see the center go from phenomenal to where it is now is incredibly disappointing. My kids will not be returning.

We had high hopes for Children’s Lighthouse of Parkside when we toured. To be honest, we were so impressed with the teacher in Room 10 and were excited on the potential of our son moving into her classroom eventually that we overlooked how inexperienced room 9 teacher ended up being. We were also informed of a concerning incident where the teacher in Room 9 nearly got into an altercation with another staff member, using profanity in front of the kids and leaving the class unattended. After that, I began checking the live feed more often and repeatedly observed the teacher using her phone and other electronics, including while teaching lessons. She didn't seem as engaged and seems to yell at the kids, this also led to ignoring our son and causing dysregulation. Other issues included observing the curriculum coordinator forcibly grabbing our child from his favorite play center and yelling at him. The previous director was also extremely rude and unprofessional during a parent conference. Even the owner didn’t present as warm, I witnessed a parent’s goodbye go completely unnoticed at pick up. Management and ownership doesn’t seem to know how their lines of communications with parents work, especially in communication delays/closure during inclement related weather. Overall, our experience was disappointing, and the environment simply wasn’t what we were led to believe during the tour. Would not recommend!!

We transferred our 11-month-old to Children's Lighthouse West Cary after a very disappointing and concerning experience at a different center. Children's Lighthouse has been such a world of a difference! The administrators and teachers are so friendly, personable, communicative, child-focused, and responsive, and all know my son by name. I've been incredibly impressed by his teachers, Ms. Evie and Ms. Mary-Beth, and am especially grateful for all of the updates and photos that they send throughout the day. I appreciate how much they interact and engage with the children - inside and outside - and how much they help to foster learning and development, even for the littlest ones! It's clear that my son is not only very well-cared for and supported by his teachers but that he has a great time while at the center. I'm also very happy with the quality of the food and that it is conducive to older infants and young toddlers. I cannot emphasize enough how pleased we are that we transitioned my son to this vibrant, clean, and high-quality center and we are so grateful for all of the wonderful staff!

My kid has been at Children's Lighthouse of Cary for 2 months and loves the school and her teacher Mrs. Miya. There are a lot of fun activities happening throughout the year which keeps the kids excited and helps feed the curiosity of the young minds. We are especially grateful to Mrs. Miya for her kindness and patience. She provides a structure and encourages the kids to be independent. We see a noticeable growth in our daughter since she joined the school.

We waited a full year to post this review so we could truly speak to our entire experience — and it has been amazing. We were very nervous at first, having to choose a daycare from out of state without seeing it in person. But when we finally got to tour, the office staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, answering all of our questions with care and patience. We had both our 1-year-old and 5-year-old enrolled here, and both classrooms exceeded our expectations. As parents who are extremely cautious about who watches our kids, the 24-hour cameras were a huge relief. It gave us peace of mind, especially during those early transition weeks. Our 5-year-old was in a class with zero teacher turnover for the entire year — and that speaks volumes. Miss Misty is an absolute gem. She was endlessly patient with our son's separation anxiety and always made sure he felt safe, loved, and supported as he learned to process his emotions. The curriculum she curated was incredible. He came home daily talking about weather patterns, insects, geography — you name it. And this was in Pre-K! She is so creative and has the kids do the most thoughtful and elaborate gifts. She is THE teacher of the year. In our younger son’s classroom, there was some teacher turnover, but nothing compared to other places we've experienced. The great thing is that all the teachers help out in various rooms, so the children become familiar with many staff members as they grow through the classes. That consistency really matters. Miss La makes the most amazing meals — our son still raves about her food! From growing gardens to splash days, to family-friendly events, this school is always doing something meaningful and fun for the kids and families. We cannot recommend this school enough. We are definitely “those parents” who watch their kids like hawks, and we’re genuinely sad to be leaving this wonderful school. Ms. Stephenson, Ms. Jodi, Ms. Mary Beth, Ms. La — all of the teachers here are incredible. They love these children like their own. We’ve seen them attend birthday parties, stay late to comfort a child, and go above and beyond in ways that most schools simply don’t. LOVE LOVE LOVE. 10/10 stars.