Sewall Child Development

A friend recommended me to this daycare after I told her I was on my last resort to find childcare before I have return to work from maternity leave. I tried reaching out about 3-4 times and I didn’t hear anything back. On my last attempt to reach someone I simply asked if there was anyone else I can speak to since I never heard back and a very rude lady at the desk said she can’t “make” anyone answer the phone. I was actually appalled that someone who works at this establishment would talk to and treat a possible future parent trying to enroll their child. It left a bad taste in my mouth and changed my mind completely about wanting to send my child to this daycare.

I’d like to say that this daycare is amazing! My son was going here for a bit over a year at the green valley ranch location. Mr. Ben , Mrs Jordan and Mrs. Susan are fabulous! We sadly moved out of the area and my son still is talking about “back in Colorado” he misses his class and teachers and let me say so do I! The school was fabulous starting from location and education all across the board. My son learned to write his name and always was a excited about going! Nicole, Amy and the whole front office staff also was fabulous! If we move back to Colorado I don’t think I’d be looking at any other daycare in Denver!

Sewall is incredible. Both of my kids have been going for nearly a year and we have developed close relationships with the support staff and teachers. My son has special needs and the teachers have been outstanding advocates for his developmental progress.

My daughter has had multiple incidents where she is been being bullied in physically hit by another boy. The administration does not see fit to remove the child from the classroom and now my daughter is scared to even go to school. This is not a good place for children to go to learn the basic functions of being in the classroom! Nothing is done when you're done your child is being physically abused by other children!

I had high expectations for Sewall. I originally met with staff at the Vine Street location to discuss their inclusive program. Though my son is typical, I liked the idea of him growing and learning with kids that were not and mixed with other typically progressing children. I was told that the class rooms at Vine Street were full for the time we needed him in school and that he would be able to attend in the classroom at St. Johns Cathedral just down the road. At first he seemed to love school and was super excited to be there everyday. He made friends and chattered about them all the time. And then he come home stating that Kendrell hit him and he cried. Or that Kendrell had smacked him in the face. I called and left two messages about this with his teachers and didn't hear back. Then I called the administrator at Vine Street to complain, and of course I got a call from a teacher. Who saw nothing, knew nothing and heard nothing. But I was assured they'd watch out for it and take care of it. They didn't. Then I called again...NOTHING. I thought it was normal kid behavior or toddlers just doing things they do - He continued to tell us about kids hitting and pushing and other things going on. Eventually he started to tell us he was scared to go to school. He would cry and become a wreck on the way to school. He's not a whiner, and had loved going before - he's quite adventurous. So this was not normal. He ended up missing 3 weeks of school because of this. I decided to take a day off and sit in the class to see what was going on. I was appalled. Within 20 minutes I saw my son violently pushed by one child 3 times in a row. Not a kid shove, but a malicious shove - and repeatedly even as the teacher told the other child to stop. My 3 year old didn't fight back or push back, but asked the other kid to stop. Then another child hit him and this same child went up to another little boy who was kneeling on the ground and harshly pushed this child's head into a bookcase. The other kid had done nothing to provoke it. Two other kids also hit or pushed other children during this time. The teachers did the right things AFTER the incidents occurred, but did nothing to prevent or teach these kids from doing these things in the first place. I pulled him out of school early that day and we have not returned. I refrained from telling the teachers exactly what I thought of them - I wouldn't have been nice. And once I calmed down I left a message for Sewall's CEO - Heidi Heissenbuttel and was assured by her that she would take care of this. Meet with the teachers and call me back to discuss what was being done. NOTHING again. I'm hardly surprised. I even waited 6 weeks for her to call back. NADA. This school is out to look good, not out to take care of your children. I expect for toddlers to hit each other at times. It would be weird if they didn't. I expect some aggressive behavior. But I don't expect that my child should be hit often enough that he becomes panicked to go to school and terrified of seeing certain kids. I also expect that a childcare professional should know how to take measures to not only deal with the situations as they arise, but take responsibility for them, inform the parents and learn how to prevent them with each individual instigator. This school is wholly unprofessional, but has a great reputation within Denver - but when I did deep their reputation stems from great marketing and being out there to fund raise within the community. NOT in taking care of the actual kids their system is hurting and not in dealing with the parents. I would 1000% NOT RECOMMEND this school to anyone.