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December 2023 by Sayanee Chakraborty
My daughter attended The Learning Company and Academy from 2022 till summer of 2023 and she loved it! She loved all her teachers especially Mrs. Joan and she loved their music program. Everyday she used to come home and sing and teach me her songs. We felt it was a good balance of play, extra curriculars and academics. We used to love the shows where the children used to perform duringq Christmas, Halloween, July 4th etc. The teachers were loving and caring and she loved to go to the school. She made some really good friends there. Thanks to Ms. Joan and her team.
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November 2023 by Sayanee C.
My daughter attended The Learning Company and Academy from 2022 till summer of 2023 and she loved it! She loved all her teachers especially Ms. Joan and she loved their music program. Everyday she used to come home and sing and teach me her songs. We felt it was a good balance of play, extra curriculars and academics. We used to love the shows where the children used to perform during Christmas, Halloween, July 4th etc. The teachers were loving and caring and she loved to go to the school. She made some really good friends there. Thanks to Ms. Joan and her team.
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November 2023 by Sruthi G.
We toured a number of daycares/preschools and none of them gave us the feeling of being the right one until we came to the Learning Company. The very first time we met with Miss Joan and toured the school, it was like everything that we were looking for in a preschool was right there, and without a moment of hesitation, we decided to go with the Learning Company.Our kid is the Preschool class, and loves going to the school, it is like an extended family for her. I was expecting tears during the transition period (she had a difficult transition to her previous daycare), but she blended right in from the very first day and was super stoked to go back from the next day. I have to give credit to the teachers at TLC for making her feel super comfortable and at home. A huge shout out to Miss Lillian for being so amazing and being the epitome of patience when handling the kids. She provides regular updates about the kids, their progress and ensures that the they get any extra attention that they need. She is always ready to listen to any feedback/concerns that we have and is always eager to help. Miss Yolanda is always caring and takes such such good care of the kids.Miss Joan and Mr Winslow (the owners with a couple decades of teaching experience) are the Kindergarten teachers. Miss Joan also teaches music and the kids perform every quarter. It is a fantastic podium for the kids to be exposed to music and fine arts.That being said, the school does focus on academics and the child will be provided worksheets based on their skill level, they are not forced to do them but are gently helped and encouraged for progress. Also, the school is not heavy on technology use, and does not use fancy apps to provide daily photos/updates on the kids, but instead the teachers provide feedback/updates on the kids during pickup/dropoff time. I have not once had any problems communicating with the teachers, they are always ready to listen and they do have a phone number that you can call to talk in detail to the teachers when the kids nap.I would highly recommend this school for providing such good well rounded development to the kids.
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September 2023 by Gaurav
My kid has been a student at this school for ~ 2 years now, so this review is not merely based on "a session". Before this, we tried 2 other schools. While the other schools were good and teachers were nice, my kid did not appear as excited as we see with TLC.<WDT>This will be a short review for now but I plan on adding a few more details so anybody reading all the comments gets a balanced perspective. Every parents love their kid and wants the best for them but that feeling shouldn't affect how a teacher's sincerity towards their student. I will also add some pictures along with the issues we had and how we resolved it.</WDT>
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August 2023 by Graham Herrli
We sent our kid to The Learning Company and Academy from when she was 2-3/4 to 3-1/2 years old.We eventually got to be so uncomfortable with the school that we moved her to a new preschool, even though the new school will mean a longer commute and slightly higher tuition.Below are the reasons we decided to leave.1. Difficulty communicating with the teachers. For example, one day at drop-off, I said "I forgot to bring KidName's water bottle today. Do you have a cup that she can use? Or do I need to go home and get a water bottle?" I repeated this two more times in different ways, along with pantomiming, and eventually had to open the lunch box and point to where there was no water bottle before the teacher understood.2. No easy way to communicate with administration. The school does not have an email address. There's no way to text them. They certainly have no app. The only way to reach them is by phone call.(The lack of communication in the above two points has made it nearly impossible to raise concerns about any of the following points.)3. The school is very punitive and disciplinarian. One of the only times I had any direct contact with administration, they were calling me to ask if our kid had any privileges at home that they could take away at school to force her to nap. Our kid has also been using various terms like "bad girl," "time out," and "troublemaker" that she certainly never learned at home. We have to continually repeat to her that people aren't bad or good, they can do bad things or good things.4. Forced nap time. our kid sleeps for 12-13 hours a night, so she's not tired during the day, and usually does not nap. On weekends, we have "quiet time" for two hours in the afternoon, where she's in her room alone to wind down, but does not usually nap. During my own time in preschool, I also didn't nap; I'd go sit in a room with the older kids and color things with crayons. When I suggested that our kid could do the same, the school refused.5. Extreme focus on academics. They have worksheets that the kids are required to do. While I never personally saw my kid not wanting to do a worksheet, I did see the teacher forcing other kids to sit and do their worksheets while dropping my kid off. This hardly seems like a way to inspire a love of learning. The school also sends home report cards (which seems awfully rigorous for a preschool).6. Not paying attention to kids. In the report cards, they mark what the kids can do, separated into academic things, fine motor skills, and gross motor skills. Our kid has had great gross motor skills for a while. Before starting at the school, she could accurately play catch with a ball from perhaps 40ft (10m) away. Yet, her report card said that she was unable to throw a ball at all. There were several other gross motor skills that fell in this same category. The teacher either didn't pay any attention to her or else didn't provide an environment where she was comfortable enough to show her abilities.7. Messages in songs. The school has concerts every couple of months, where the kids sing songs they've learned. At age 3, you really have to repeat something a ton of times before the kid can repeat it back, which means that the words of these songs are being deeply ingrained in the kids as core messages. Yet these songs reinforce traditional stereotypes. There was a Mother's Day concert, and the full month leading up to it, our kid had a strong preference for mom over dad and kept singing things like "mothers are for hugging, mothers are for kissing."8. The school claims to be just renting space from a church but not actually religious, but it definitely still implicitly pushes kids into mainstream Christian culture. When I raised concerns about them hosting a Christmas concert, I was gaslit and told that it couldn't possibly actually be an issue because I was the only parent who had ever raised it.9. Vaguely racist education materials. Our kid brought home a colo
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July 2023 by Graham H.
We sent our kid to The Learning Company and Academy from when she was 2-3/4 to 3-1/2 years old. We eventually got to be so uncomfortable with the school that we moved her to a new preschool, even though the new school will mean a longer commute and slightly higher tuition.Below are the reasons we personally decided to leave the preschool. (Acknowledging that each family may have different preferences and priorities, and some may not care about some of the points below, our hope is that this list may help you to evaluate whether The Learning Company and Academy is right for you.)1. Difficulty communicating with the teachers. For example, one day at drop-off, I said "I forgot to bring KidName's water bottle today. Do you have a cup that she can use? Or do I need to go home and get a water bottle?" I repeated this two more times in different ways, along with pantomiming, and eventually had to open the lunch box and point to where there was no water bottle before the teacher understood.2. No easy way to communicate with administration. The school does not have an email address. There's no way to text them. They certainly have no app. The only way to reach them is by phone call.(The lack of communication in the above two points has made it nearly impossible to raise concerns about any of the following points.)3. The school is very punitive and disciplinarian. One of the only times I had any direct contact with administration, they were calling me to ask if our kid had any privileges at home that they could take away at school to force her to nap. Our kid has also been using various terms like "bad girl," "time out," and "troublemaker" that she certainly never learned at home. We have to continually repeat to her that people aren't bad or good, they can do bad things or good things.4. Forced nap time. our kid sleeps for 12-13 hours a night, so she's not tired during the day, and usually does not nap. On weekends, we have "quiet time" for two hours in the afternoon, where she's in her room alone to wind down, but does not usually nap. During my own time in preschool, I also didn't nap; I'd go sit in a room with the older kids and color things with crayons. When I suggested that our kid could do the same, the school refused. 5. Extreme focus on academics. They have worksheets that the kids are required to do. While I never personally saw my kid not wanting to do a worksheet, I did see the teacher forcing other kids to sit and do their worksheets while dropping my kid off. This hardly seems like a way to inspire a love of learning. The school also sends home report cards (which seems awfully rigorous for a preschool).6. Not paying attention to kids. In the report cards, they mark what the kids can do, separated into academic things, fine motor skills, and gross motor skills. Our kid has had great gross motor skills for a while. Before starting at the school, she could accurately play catch with a ball from perhaps 40ft (10m) away. Yet, her report card said that she was unable to throw a ball at all. There were several other gross motor skills that fell in this same category. The teacher either didn't pay any attention to her or else didn't provide an environment where she was comfortable enough to show her abilities.7. Messages in songs. The school has concerts every couple of months, where the kids sing songs they've learned. At age 3, you really have to repeat something a ton of times before the kid can repeat it back, which means that the words of these songs are being deeply ingrained in the kids as core messages. Yet these songs reinforce traditional stereotypes. There was a Mother's Day concert, and the full month leading up to it, our kid had a strong preference for mom over dad and kept singing things like "mothers are for hugging, mothers are for kissing."8. The school claims to be just renting space from a church but not actually religious, but it definitely still implicitly pushes kids into mainstream Chri
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January 2023 by Samantha Glassford
I began going to this school myself approx 26 years ago in 1996 I believe. My stepdad’s job brought us to SJ. I think of this place often and decided to look it up to see if it was still around. I still have so many fond memories of the teachers I had and the friends I made (and I’m still connected with a classmate today after all this time). Joan is an incredible director. We moved to NY in 1998 and a couple of years later, we were able to make a trip back to SJ and stopped at TLC&A to visit my old teachers. It was special to be remembered by my teachers and Joan. The fact that I still remember my positive experiences after decades, speaks volumes of the environment they create. Thank you to Joan, Mrs. Lubbs, and others!
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January 2022 by Kim Coran
I can't say enough good things about this school. Joan, the director, is a phenomenal educator and overall lovely person. They offer a nice balance of play based education while still focusing on academics. The classrooms are clean and the teachers are strict about adhering to Covid guidelines.Joan and her staff have a lifetime of experience in education, and they bring their expertise into the classroom everyday. Miss Lilian is the preschool teacher and is just a blessing. I don't know what we would have done without her caring demeanor and patience with both of our children.My favorite part about the school is the music and drama Joan brings into the curriculum. There are multiple performances throughout the year and the children love it! All children have an opportunity to play a part, without the stress of "trying out". Songs, costumes and choreography all done by Joan. She's amazing!I also like that the building is set away from the street, so strangers can't just watch the kids play. That's a pet peeve of mine. It's nestled away behind a church, off of Blossom Hill so it's easy to get to, but still away from traffic and strangers' access (not affiliated with the church). I also love the sense of family here. All of the parents chat and stay connected, which is great.Anytime I hear someone looking for a preschool-kinder school for their child, I recommend The Learning Company and Academy.
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August 2021 by Nachu C.
My daughter went to Learning Company for pre-k and the summer after K. She was excited to go to school every morning. Ms. Joan and Mr.Winslow are wonderful people who care for the kids like their own. Ms. Lilian and Ms. Yolanda were amazing teachers who taught values and manners in addition to school curriculum. Ms. Joan teaches music and the class performs every month in front of parents. Overall, well rounded education and care provided by The Learning Company and Academy family. Would highly recommend for preschool to K.
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August 2021 by Juan P.
Miss Joan and her crew are the best you son did preschool and kindergarten, he learned a lot during this time, we highly recommend this school. The level of education is impressive. Thank you all.
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August 2021 by Kim B.
I can't say enough good things about this school. Joan, the director, is a phenomenal educator and overall lovely person. They offer a nice balance of play based education while still focusing on academics. The classrooms are clean and the teachers are strict about adhering to Covid guidelines. Joan and her staff have a lifetime of experience in education, and they bring their expertise into the classroom everyday. Miss Lilian is the preschool teacher and is just a blessing. I don't know what we would have done without her caring demeanor and patience with both of our children.My favorite part about the school is the music and drama Joan brings into the curriculum. There are multiple performances throughout the year and the children love it! All children have an opportunity to play a part, without the stress of "trying out". Songs, costumes and choreography all done by Joan. She's amazing! I also like that the building is set away from the street, so strangers can't just watch the kids play. That's a pet peeve of mine. It's nestled away behind a church, off of Blossom Hill so it's easy to get to, but still away from traffic and strangers' access (not affiliated with the church). I also love the sense of family here. All of the parents chat and stay connected, which is great. Anytime I hear someone looking for a preschool-kinder school for their child, I recommend The Learning Company and Academy.
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August 2021 by Christie T.
I would give this school 10 stars if I could! Both my children went through Preschool and Kindergarten here. Joan and the crew are amazing with children. Patient, kind, and considerate of different needs for each child. I would highly, highly recommend this school.
