Minnieland Academy At The Castle

My son began here late August 2025. I have had nothing but problems this whole time starting off from day one. My son is a diabetic and I asked the area director BEFORE even coming to view the center if they could accommodate him. I was told yes but soon found out that was a lie. She was the only one trained and isn’t even on the property everyday all day so of course they needed to train more staff… They didn’t want to do that and basically told me they couldn’t give my son an official start date (even after I had turned in everything to enroll him) this is the only diabetic trained daycare in Fredericksburg( even tho they suck at it) so I let them get it together. Since then they have had to fire 3 teachers… one for being racist and refusing to take care of black babies, another one I complained about because she was rude to parents and I had literally caught her being mean to students while alone in her classroom, the last was fired because “she was making the center an unsafe environment” (that’s what they put in the message out to family) they told me before he started that they had trained 3 more staff to care for him (there is now only ONE person after only 2 months of him being there) my sons blood sugar has been all over the place at this center going as low as 26… and as high as the 500s recently ( this is around the time they lost most the trained staff and I’m finding out there’s only now one person) my latest complaint was with the teacher as Ms. Morgan I’m sure she’s another racist teacher there and complained of my son’s behavior (NOBODY else has had as many issues with her as him. Sometimes writing him up as much as 3 times a day) the last incident report I signed and apologized I proceeded to the front to sign him out, at that time the teacher was not aware I was still in the building and then began to mock me and call my son names with another teacher at the center. Upon me telling the area director Lindsey she continued on to her classroom IGNORING the dispute between the teachers. Upon me expressing my concerns and requesting a teacher change I was informed that they are so low staffed that that would be impossible and they are going to disenroll my son due to their inability to care for him at my standards. I believe the whole staff should be investigated and the facility should be closed down and completed restaffed and retrained. Please remember this is MINNIELAND and not the fancy Meritt they portray it to be. If you are child is black, a diabetic, or just needs more attention than the others THIS IS NOT THE PLACE FOR YOU! I wish I could give 0 stars, and more than anything I wish I could take my sons last 2-3 months back as I’m sure he’s endured the most out of all this. Attached you’ll see the most recent group message from today nov. 21,2025. So if you guys like being able to work everyday and not having to miss days due to your daycare being toxic and not being able to keep people, again this is NOT the place for you.

The best center that my husband and I could have chosen for our children. The director (Suki) and assistant director (Lindsey) are the most welcoming, compassionate, and trusting people we could have hoped for regarding our children. They go above and beyond for every child in the school and treat our children like they are their own. I have never met two people who are more dedicated to the growth, well being, and success of children of every age. Their communication, attentiveness, and affection have given my husband and I so much comfort that our children will be taken care of and loved. I could not imagine Suki and Lindsey not being there to lead this center; the go above and beyond in every aspect of childcare and I am thankful that my children have been touched by them and their love.

Our son started at Merit School the castle with a lot of separation anxiety, as he wasn’t used to being around other kids. The transition was tough at first, but the incredible staff was so patient and understanding, to top it off the other children are so nice friendly, and well behaved thus making the transition easier for our sweet boy! After just a month, we’ve seen a remarkable change in him! His true personality has blossomed—he's more social, confident, and genuinely excited to go to daycare every day and come back home happy! We couldn't be happier with the care, attention, and nurturing environment the staff provides and not forgetting all their beautiful smiles through the glass windows when we walk through the hallway!😊 UPDATE: While the school started off great for us and may still be a good fit for other families, we had to withdraw our child due to inaccurate updates in the Procare app and him starting to cry again during drop-offs. We prioritize excellent communication regarding our child, and if that is not fully met, unfortunately, we couldn't continue.

I absolutely love and adore the staff at the Castle! They are so friendly and personable. My experience with them has been fantastic. My daughter was 3 months old when she started attending. Definitely not the easiest experience for any new mother. They made it the easiest transition for me to go back to work. They're great about keeping in contact with me throughout the day. I love the status updates and pictures they send to my email every couple hours. The wonderful ladies definitely cater to each child's individuality!!! My daughter loves the interaction she has with their team and classroom peers! I see them cleaning all the time and washing the children's hands constantly. In my opinion, they do their best to control the germs. I highly recommend this place!... You absolutely get what you pay for, the price is well worth the peace of mind.

My husband and I love Merit School at the Castle. We are so lucky to have a place where all staff care for our daughter and take such good care of her so we can work with peace of mind. If we could give more than 5 stars we would.