Immanuel Baptist Pre-School

1) Although they say parents are welcome in the classroom, they are not. They still had "covid protocols." Gathering was fine at school events, in the reception area while waiting for students to be walked back/out, masks were no longer required, and covid shots had been available to those who wanted them for some time. But no parents in the classroom. 2) No school tour or meeting of the teacher/staff before school starts - unless you push the issue. Then maybe 5 minutes. 3) Requiring a TB with results. Pediatrician said no way, under 7 is not ok. 4) School provided food/drinks only. Despite all of my reservations I sent my son anyway bc he's an only child, cost, cousin attended YEARS ago. I should have listened to those reservations for the following reasons. 1) I got the feeling the staff did not like him very much and it showed. For example, I was told it would be best to not bring him to "Meet the Teacher" night about a month into the school year, but every other student and their siblings were there. 2) Communication was terrible. His teacher was never on the clock at drop off and always at lunch during pick up - even if I picked him up early. Most of my communication went through the program director - who had few answers. I had to figure things out on my own most of the time. 3) My son turned into a different person. As soon as I told him he didn't have to go back to IBS he became the little man he had been before starting preschool. Literally overnight he was a changed child. 4) When I sent him to preschool my son knew numbers 1 - 20 and most of the alphabet. After pulling him I went through numbers and the alphabet to see what I still needed to work on and he only recognized a few numbers and less that half of the alphabet. He lost knowledge. 5) While I heard about every time my son was mean to another student - as I should! - not once did they tell me about the times my son was being picked on and hurt. Every time he was hurt and I asked what happened it was because HE did something wrong or they didn't know what happened. "He was running too fast and must have bumped into something." The final straw for me was after battling the feeling that he wasn't safe at school for months, months of wanting to pick him up right after dropping him off, I picked him up at the end of his day & he was wearing a different shirt. I asked why. He got wet when cleaning up. Why? He was freaking out. Why? His nose was bleeding. When I asked what happened, they didn't know. When I asked my son he told me another student punched him in the nose. He named the other student. His story never changed no matter haw many times or ways I asked him over the long weekend. I know when my child is lying and when he's telling the truth. He wasn't lying. Another student punched him in the face. When I asked him what the teacher said/did he said the teacher did nothing "because teacher never sees when the other kids are mean to me or when they hurt me." I get a report via the app and told in person every time my son is mean, misbehaved, or won't listen, but no one tells me about all of the times kids are mean to him or hurt him? We had a long talk the night I decided to not send him back. He broke down and bawled. He cried for an entire hour. He begged me to not talk about it anymore. He cried some more. He was the saddest little guy for the whole rest of the night. But he was a whole new person the very next day. He's at a different school now. He's been there for 2 months and it's completely different. Staff is wonderful & kind. Parents are involved. It feels like a community. He never tells me that his teacher is mean anymore. He doesn't complain that the other kids are mean to him. He calls the other students friends now. I wish there wasn't a limit because there is so much more. It's been a year now & I'm actually angrier now. This is not a safe school in my opinion. I wish I would have reported the school at the time.

Some of the staff here are rude and racist，My child is being bullied here and nothing changes after talking to the teacher. He is afraid to go to school every day. It is a horrible school.

My family has had such an amazing experience here. My son loved Ms. Alexis! They listen and return phone calls. They truly try to accommodate children and parents. I felt like my child was safe here and learned a lot.