Parent Testimonials

Child Centricity

• “Teachers and aides work to develop with us tactics that help address specific elements or focus areas with our child. We feel a great partnership with the staff.”
• It’s evident that both the school as a whole and in each classroom, the children are appropriately the priority and center of curriculums and lesson plans. No doubt everyone who works there loves what they do.
• Daily routine is geared towards the preschooler’s needs and abilities nicely – plenty of time for play and rest as well as learning to focus in group activities.
• I feel like the teachers really know and love our kids and are interested in their individual development.
• Everything seems geared at teaching the children and making it possible for them to do things themselves rather than have adults do things for them.

Community

• I felt a tremendous sense of community immediately after joining Small Faces, and it’s one of the factors that makes Small Faces stand out to me.
• The children get to know teachers from different classrooms which I think helps to build the feeling of community.
• The parent potlucks are a great way to get to know families in the classroom.
• The fundraising events that culminate with a school-wide party are a wonderful way to stay connected to other families and feel a connection with the school itself.
• They get out into it! Really appreciate that they are encouraged to be a part of the world around them.

Diversity

• Various cultures, ethnicities, socioeconomic levels, and definitions of “family” – it’s essential and important to me and my family, love that Small Faces models this.
• Having a child of color I am glad to see children of different races and male teachers, which can be hard to find. Also recognition of different types of ethnic holidays is important to me.
• Celebration of Lunar New Year with the lion dance was a great example that introduced to our son something new.

Exploration

• I am frequently amazed at the large variety of activities and learning discussions our daughter has in her classroom. There are so many different play areas that each contain so many different toys, games, tools, etc to try.
• My daughter has been exposed to so many things through play and exploration at school – more than I could ever do! It’s the crux of learning and development, and Small Faces does it fabulously.
• The SF playground is the best I have ever seen to allow children to be interested in a variety of things. I love the bike days, the bike washing days, the field trips, the bus trips etc. SO RICH and good for the kids.

Responsibility

• Teachers and staff at Small Faces appeared to have found the balance between letting kids do their thing and helping them with conflicts and building groups.
• My son’s experiences have been so positive in this regard, and I’m sure will stay will stay with him the rest of his life as a conscientiousness and responsible citizen
• Each child has a big responsibility at the center with their daily tasks they sign up. This helps in their confidence, and I also believe helps so that they are more likely to respond to this at home.
• I’ve noticed a wonderful and positive shift in some personal responsibility from our son at home (e.g. bringing his dishes to the sink after a meal) that I know he learned at SF.
• The center is very responsible and highly invested in our child’s safety and well being.