Rapha Academy Fresh Start Childcare

We have been with Rapha now for a few months. Our family enrolled in June for their Summer Program and chose to stay on during the school year. This has been a complete life change for our whole family. Recommended by a good friend, I took the chance and started a new daycare, after having issues with hours and staff at a prior center. No shade towards them, it just wasn't cut out for our family. Rapha has been the best thing that has happened to us in a very long time. Some key points I want to share for other families looking for a center. Their location is ideal to our house and work. Right on the corner of Gulf and 57 (the old Northwood Middle School Building), I am able to drive from the West side of Elyria, drop them off and head straight to work. Rapha and it's staff are big on health and cleanliness. There is always a staff member cleaning or doing a care task for a child or the building. Rather, it be sweeping, vacuuming or just sanitizing, their center is always fresh and clean. This includes wiping faces and tidying outfits when they are a mess. Upon each check in the kids get temperatures taken daily and are required to wash hands before joining their friends in the cafeteria or classroom. They promote love, support and leadership for young children. They work to mold the next generation with manners and kindness. I am not a member of the church that is affiliated with this daycare, however I do feel like a member of their family. My girls were accepted with open arms and are loved on daily. The administration is some of the best that I have ever worked with in the industry and my kids have been in daycare centers for over ten years. Upon touring the facility they showed us where our kids would be, where the food is prepared, and what to expect as parents while they are enrolled. They have lived up to every expectation we have had and far surpassed it. Also, they are huge on security which is a big plus!! The team treats my babies like they are their babies when in their care. If there is any question about billing, they answer it right away. They are very transparent about their expectations (behavior wise) and what they will provide for your child(ren). They bus my children to and from school daily, so they don't have to deal with large groups of children on the bus. The hours are 6am-Midnight. They have shared in singing, dancing, worship and more! Rapha's Summer Program involved lots of fun activities for them. Something different each day! Bowling, swimming, skating, movies and park adventures. My kids are never sitting bored in a classroom. Even in the evenings, they have open gym time. They are constantly being enriched and engaged. We will probably be at this center until my girls age out of it. Side not: They also run Safety Town and have a nice graduation ceremony at the end of the program.

From what I witnessed today at the movie theatre, the little children from this school were treated so badly by the caregivers they were with. I felt so bad for them, being dragged by the arm, yelled at, singled out to sit on the bus alone if they didn't "behave and move" when barked orders at! The children were so good during the movie, barely moved or made a peep. The older short ladies were so short and had no patience. They weren't running around or screaming, very well behaved and should not be treated like that!! Some of those ladies need to think about a career change if children are not in their hearts. It broke mine and that was what was happening in public! Who knows what happens behind closed doors. I have two of my own, I know they can be testy, but what I witnessed was totally uncalled for!

They are VERY unprofessional. You call them. They say they’re gonna call back and never do. You constantly call them and their response is always we’re going to call you back and they never do. We’ve stopped up there cause I got tired of them saying we’re gonna call back just for them to pretty much say the same thing in our face. IlThey said they have infant availability and I’ve been trying to get a call back since December 2021. It’s now mid February 2022 and no matter how many phone calls they could careless about returning phone calls

They are very well put together.

Very kind people