Western Heights Learning Center

Great school with wonderful staff! We’ve had the privilege of attending conferences together focused on improving outcomes for young children, and their commitment to quality is truly inspiring. It has also been a pleasure collaborating on policies that impact early childhood education in New Mexico. A dedicated team with a genuine heart for children and families!

Unfortunately, our experience at Western Heights has been disappointing—especially in working with the Director. I do want to acknowledge that Shianne is absolutely amazing, and most of the teachers are kind and caring. However, the overall experience did not reflect what was promised or expected. Back in January, I toured the school and met with the Director. I shared that my 5-year-old son struggles with change, especially due to our family’s difficult divorce. I explained he would likely need time to adjust. The Director reassured me that they had experience with a wide range of children and challenges, and I left feeling confident that they could support him. I enrolled my older son immediately, planning to enroll my younger son during open enrollment in March as they had no spot at the time. Within a couple of weeks at the school, my son began to run from his classroom. While I fully understand the safety concerns, this behavior was new—his previous daycare had more secure physical boundaries like locked doors and gates. I addressed it immediately: I spoke with the Director. I made an appointment with APS Child Find for evaluation. I looked into occupational therapy. I consulted with his play therapist for strategies. I even offered to connect the school with his therapist to create a plan. Despite all of this, the Director gave us a two-month window for improvement, saying he wouldn’t be allowed to continue if things didn’t change. While we did see progress, he had a few more incidents. Rather than allowing the agreed-upon timeframe to pass, the Director abruptly told me he would not be eligible for kindergarten the following year—effectively removing him from the school a month early. In a conversation about this, I mentioned we suspected possible ADHD (though he wasn’t diagnosed), and the Director immediately recommended medication, saying that “kids like that” often can’t connect behavior and consequences without it. This was frustrating and inappropriate, especially coming from someone who, to my knowledge, is not licensed to give such advice. My son does respond to behavioral tools like charts, and the assumption that he could not was unfair. When I mentioned the trauma my son experienced during our divorce, she dismissed it by saying, “Well, we have a lot of kids with divorced parents.” That comment completely disregarded the unique challenges my son faced. I should not have to disclose every painful detail of our lives to be taken seriously. It felt dismissive and judgmental. After this, I worked on a behavior chart at home, and my son adjusted well. He stopped running, started earning stickers for good behavior, and I consistently checked in with the teachers—who said he was doing well. Even the Director reportedly acknowledged his progress (though not directly to me). But it seemed like pride got in the way of her admitting that he simply needed time, as I had said from the beginning. In June, I reached out via email to set up a meeting to discuss him staying at the school due to affordability and continuity. I was told she was out of town but would follow up in two weeks. I never heard from her again. This lack of communication was an ongoing issue. For example, his teacher Cassandra gave conflicting updates—saying one week that he was doing great, and the next week the Director claimed his behavior was still unacceptable. The only staff member who truly took my concerns seriously was Shianne. Overall, it was a deeply frustrating and disappointing experience, especially from a school that claims to be a 5-star child care center. As a single mom, the scholarship program was a blessing, but it doesn’t mean much if the school isn’t inclusive or willing to work with children who need a little extra support. Despite my efforts to collaborate, I felt unheard and unsupported. From a Christian standpoint, this experience was especially disheartening. As a fellow Christian, I expected compassion, patience, and grace—but instead, I encountered pride, judgment, and exclusion.

My children have had an amazing experience throughout their years at Western Heights Learning Center. We were recommended WHLC by their cousins, and uncle that had previously attended the school. The staff at WH has become like a family to us. They truly care about each child and take the time to get to know them as individuals and what their needs are. I feel that they have become a great support system for our family. We left WH for a brief period during the shutdown and my children struggled to learn at the school they had attended, after coming back to western heights they went the extra mile to get them back on track with their peers. Now both of my children have become very successful academically and enjoy their time in the classroom.

My daughter attended WHLC from prek-5th grade. The student to teacher ratio is amazing! This gives the students more one one with the teachers. The kids test at higher levels. My daughter tested in 7th grade levels in 5th grade! Entering middle she was placed in advanced classes! I love the values the school stands for. To add extra stars the kids learn about Christianity! Glad I found Western Heights for my daughters elementary school, would have loved if they had middle school!

I absolutely love this school! Both of my sons attended since they were three years of age. My oldest is now 13 and my youngest is in 2nd grade. The staff and teachers are very welcoming and make us feel like we are a part of their family. We love helping at school functions and just being in such a positive environment. My youngest son absolutely loves school and is happy to go everyday. I could not have asked for a better school to have my children attend. This school really is a blessing to have in the valley❤️