Alameda, CA
Bright Horizons - Garner Preschool

Parents' Comments

Parent #1
The teachers for 2 and 3 years old are great at communicating what the child did that day, good and bad. For 2 - 3/not yet potty trained kids, you get a daily sheet with toileting, nap time, snack consumption and activities. I also like that both the administrator and the director know me and my child and comment on what my child did that day at school. They post photos on the bulletin board in the main entrance for all parents to see. By letting me know about my child's interaction with other children, I can reinforce those issues at home. The same goes for letting me know what activities she enjoyed so we can do them at home too.

Parent #2
In general I feel that if your child fits in with the administrative needs of the school it is a really good place. Many children do well there and are well prepared for Kindergarten. All the teachers we knew were very warm with the children and the children seemed to also like their teachers. I felt that administrative decisions especially those related to classroom placement were mysterious and not necessarily in the best interest of the child. Placement was also made many months prior to the children moving up not allowing for changes made in the interrum time. I also feel that the administration was relatively unflexible once a decision had been made. It also seems that some parents had more power than others to make changes happen in the classroom. The younger three-year-old room has had challenges year after year but the older classrooms seem to have been much more stable over the years. I found that communication especially when we started came in drips and drabs and frequently needed clarification -- there was not an orientation night for new parents so it took a while for us to figure out the double check-in system etc. Later we found that so much communication came by paper it was hard to be sure if the parent who didn't do pick-up got the information. Information that was sent out was not always clear.

Parent #3
Overall I am very pleased with the school. However, I would like more of a parent community, play dates, parent involvement, etc. I would like to see school's policies published on line and accessable. Also, I would like more daily or weekly communication on what my son is learning or what he has improved upon.

Parent #4
Garner has a strong academic program, but needs more conflict resolution and cooperation activities. The teachers are competent with a few that are inspiring. The director is capable and professional. The facilities are fantastic!

Parent #5
My daughter had a few biting incidents. The teacher wrote up a form that clearly states what happened, etc. She was also very sensitive in how she dealt with the situation with me. She gave me some suggestions on how to discourage such behavior. My daughter does not bite anymore - in fact, she is developing into a very caring and loving child.

Montessori? Waldorf? Play-based?

What school type is right for your child? Is one model better than another? What does the research say?

View an example from the Savvy Source guide to learn more.

Trace around your child's foot, with shoe on, on a piece of white construction paper or card stock. Have child cut out the shoe print and add a spooky face. Glue it to a popsicle stick and you have a ghost stick puppet!

Comment (3)

Share From Send A Link To Your Comments:

Take Our Expert Quiz

how is your toddler or preschooler progressing developmentally?