Kids Village INC

We have had a truly positive experience overall with the VPK program. My daughter is learning so much from Mrs. Ellie and is always excited to go to school and learn new things. The women in the front, like Mrs. Jackie and the director Brandy, are consistently communicative, kind, and understanding. Although there was a misunderstanding with one of the teachers that led to a difficult interaction, Brandy addressed the situation promptly and with a high level of professionalism and care. Her response made me feel heard as a parent and reassured me about keeping my daughter enrolled, and I appreciate how the situation was resolved.

A truly special VPK experience at Kids Village! We've had an incredible experience with the VPK program at Kids Village, and we can't recommend it enough! Mrs. Ellie is an absolute gem. Her patience with each child and their individual needs is truly remarkable. You can see her genuine love for children and learning in everything she does, and it's what truly sets Kids Village apart from other classrooms. My daughter, now in 1st grade, still loves to visit Mrs. Ellie whenever she can, a testament to the strong foundation Mrs. Ellie built. Both my son and daughter are thriving, and I attribute their readiness for kindergarten and their early reading skills directly to the principles learned in Mrs. Ellie's VPK class. Ms. Robin at the front desk is a delight. She's incredibly thoughtful towards parents during sign-in and out, always helpful and welcoming. We're also very impressed with Ms. Brandy, the newest Director. While there has been some turnover in this position in the past, Ms. Brandy jumped right in and has straightened out so much. She's been a fantastic addition, getting the school included in the Martin Luther King Day Parade, promoting inclusivity with special days, and pulling off a truly beautiful graduation ceremony this year. Thanks to the VPK program here, my child is more than ready for kindergarten. The dedicated staff truly prepare the children for their next academic steps. A quick tip for parents: Be sure to pay fees on time. There used to be more grace given for late payments, but unfortunately, some parents took advantage of that flexibility. Kids Village now has a strict late fee policy, so it's important to be mindful of payment deadlines. Also, I understand the challenges of work schedules, but it's worth noting that signs are now up specifying how long a child can stay, as some children were at Kids Village for excessively long hours. This is just a heads-up for planning your drop-off and pick-up.

This daycare is literally the best, they help kids in every aspect of their. The teachers are the best they handle kids so well and make things so easy for parents i cant thank them enough for helping me potty train my daughter. She was potty trained within two weeks of this school i love it.

To the Owner of Kid’s Village – Lake Mary: I am the father of two children who were enrolled at your daycare from August until December 2022. Neither will return to your establishment, nor will the child of anyone who asks my opinion. I will explain my position. First though, let me praise Amber, who works in your 1-yr-old room. While I have no stellar opinion of the young ladies who assist in that room, Amber always came across as a compassionate and attentive teacher, and my son adored her. Kudos to you for that hire; Amber is wonderful. Much of our discomfort stemmed from the 3-yr-old class and teacher. There is an apparent lack of attention, compassion, patience, and accountability from this teacher. At various times my wife or I arrived to pick up the kids and found no teacher in the 3-yr-old class at all, found the teacher in the classroom but buried in her phone with ear buds in both ears, and have seen the teacher with children on the playground while she was at the back fence chatting with constructions workers in the adjacent lot. Earlier in their enrollment, the 3-yr-old would report having been in trouble for having a potty accident. Mind you, we sent pull-ups with her every day for nap time, but they were rarely if ever used for that. Instead, she would come home wearing a pull-up after having been scolded for having an accident, often at nap time. Later on, she reported that her teacher told her she could not go use the bathroom. Listen, I understand the frustration of taking a toddler to the bathroom 10 times in 15 minutes, but denying this only creates a compounded problem. Toward the end of her enrollment, we were either arriving to pick her up and discovering that she had had an accident that she had not reported for fear of being scolded, or she was having accidents on the way home because she had not asked to go the bathroom for fear of being told “no”. The lack of attention and compassion in the 3-yr-old class culminated twice in the form of physical injuries, neither of which were reported to us at the time. Twice, my child came home with bite marks on her arm. And twice, my child was the one who told us about it. The first time, the incident had been reported internally but we were not provided with an incident report to sign until the next day (after we asked about the bite mark and why was it was not reported). The second incident had not been reported, and when I asked the director about the incident I was dismissed immediately. I was told that she was not surprised; she said that one child “was on a rampage yesterday”. I still have not seen or signed an incident report for the second bite. At the root, there is a huge culture problem inside Kid’s Village – Lake Mary, starting at the top. Certain behaviors are either allowed or condoned that are both unprofessional and inconducive to maintaining a safe and positive learning environment. My wife and I have witnessed teachers yelling at each other in front of children on more than one occasion. We have also witnessed teachers yelling at children – not speaking sternly, but yelling inside the office so loudly that it was audible outside the building. This is unacceptable and a symptom of an incompetent culture. Considering these events, coupled with the flippant and dismissive attitude toward injuries, my wife and I have decided that it would be irresponsible of us to keep our children enrolled at Kid’s Village – Lake Mary. I am not communicating this as any kind of threat or ultimatum. Rest assured that I am not seeking any form of compensation for anguish or injuries. Although, I hope my words are not in vain. I hope, for all the other children’s sakes, that immediate steps are taken to improve the culture and accountability at Kid’s Village – Lake Mary. You are touching impressionable minds every day – and that needs to be the top priority, always.

Thank you Kids Village. You have truly made a difference. From the beginning you welcomed my son in. Always engaging and keeping clear communication with our supporting family. Together we were able to improve and work on my son's behavior. Receiving today's compliment that my son has made a 360 change means so much. Thank you again to all teachers/staff. It really does take a village to help a child succeed and function accordingly. We will be back for the summer!