The Goddard School

My son has attended The Goddard School for 6 years. I have referred several families because everyone there goes above and beyond. They are happy and love the children and its obvious. I have never felt like anyone there treated the children like it was just a job. They all know each member of the family and always communicate - Communication is crucial and you don't realize this until later when you no longer attend... I can not imagine taking my child anywhere else!!!

Where do I begin? I suppose somewhere in the beginning, middle, and end; it’s all the same. The Goddard School is GREAT! Teachers – BOOM – AWESOME! Oh yeah, some stuff I really liked. My wife and I decided to place our daughter in Goddard. Why? Because we’re smart [I think so]. There are many things to share about Goddard. The education was/is great, but there were little extra things that brought my wife and I mental comfort. Leaving your kid(s) with other people….at a place, can be weird. Not at Goddard. No odd smells, sticky surfaces, odd interactions with staff; education, order, structure, and fun was in the air. There’s nothing but positives, but a few items of personal interest pop out in my mind. Communication. We were always consulted in advance of our child’s progress through written documentation and daily reports via the Tadpoles App. I didn’t really know the power of the application, but it was comforting and very informative. As parents, of course, we all wonder what happens to our kid(s) when they’re not in our presence – normal. What the Tadpoles App did, was to allow parents to check the status of drop-off/pick-up times, daily activities, see pics, see videos, get notes from teachers, reminders, and much more. The impressive thing, the teachers were fantastic at keeping [us] parents informed using technology – EVERY DAY. Keep in mind, the use of this application wasn’t the only thing Goddard did extremely well at. At The Goddard School, there is obviously a focus on learning, but the school as a whole has a very wide range of activities throughout the year. YOU will see and be IMPRESSED! Teachers and parents [us] were in constant communication no matter the circumstance. If my child did well or needed more improvement at home in an area of weakness, I was happy to employ and reinforce practices that helped the teachers during their day with our child. Likewise, I appreciated the attention that was given to our child. I have not a word of negativity to speak; I couldn’t imagine it. Side-note. After spending half my life in the military, I’ve learned a few things about: - attention to detail - communication - cleanliness - training & education - safety - teamwork - security - good times! [Classified] ……shall I go on? Save yourself the dilemma and worry, Goddard has these components and more. If you’re about making good choices, just bless your child with the gift of Goddard. You will not be sorry. You Will Be Happy! ~ Andrejs M.

“I appreciate how friendly each staff member is to me and my family. The care my daughter receives while being at the Goddard. Also, The expedite correspondence between staff and parents!..”

We are currently going through a horrible experience with this location. I had heard that this school had gone downhill in the past 5 years and I wish I would have listened. We had a spot reserved, but ended up not wanting to attend because when I visited unannounced multiple Goddard codes/policies were broken in front of me (1 of which was a health code - walking in the infant room without booties to cover the bottom of your dirty shoes). The owner mentioned that if we didn't attend, she would only refund the deposit if the space was filled. Long story short, they said the space couldn't get filled so we decided to have her attend in order to avoid losing money. Because I posted a negative review, she has now said my daughter is no longer welcome at the school and refuses to allow her to attend AND STILL refuses to refund the deposit of 1 month's tuition. In the end, it's horrible that of the 3 co-directors, only 1 of them is horrendous to deal with. If it weren't for her, I would give this school a much better rating. Unfortunately she is also the owner, so avoid this school at all costs until ownership changes.

My school is the Goddard School in Chesapeake, VA. After visiting multiple schooling options in the area there was no way we would have sent out child somewhere else. The facility is meticulous and everyone on the staff is very friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and welcoming. Our child has been going here since she was one and she will be turning 3 in January. We have another baby due in October and she will also be attending Goddard as well. The teachers create a structured environment that makes learning fun and exciting. As a parent, it is nice to know teachers will listen to concerns and make sure they are addressed. It is clear that at Goddard, it is more focused on development and education. The staff truly is an extension of our family and our daughter loves all her teachers.