Pre-K Schools in Champion/Memorial Northwest Area (77379) (Houston, Spade: credit, daycare)

[FatherofTwinGirls]

Hello All,

I just returned from visiting five pre-k schools for my twin girls. We are new to this side of Houston and generally new to Houston having been here just under one year. I've purchased my home in this area and currently my girls are attending a Montessori school near my work, which is around TC Jester and 610 (77092). This school is adequate and I'm beginning to think more so now that I have viewed more schools.

My issue with this particular Montessori is the Director of the school of which is completely non-personal and rude not to mention never seen interacting with the kiddos (which now that I think about it is a good thing). They say everyone is Montessori certified, but in reality it is only one Teacher per class that is certified, which brings me to another issue that I have with the school, the Teacher at first impression appears to be your loving Grandmother type (Grey hair, Long Dress, Reading Glasses and the such). In reality, she's actually much younger than she appears and over this past year it has become apparent that while she isn't a horrible teacher by any means, our expectations of her and her approach have fell short.

This brings us to the five schools we toured today:

1. Champions Primrose - $220/week for full-time w/meals and activities included; second child 10% off.
   1. This primrose has some variance in their reviews if you can hunt them down. And one of the reviews posted just yesterday was in regards to the Director or Owner being rude and impersonal (a more business orientated mindset). This is what I am trying to avoid in my current school.
   2. The tour given was well presented and offer much of what we are looking for in a pre-k school.
   3. Curriculum seems challenging for a 3 year old and the kids and instructors appeared to be enjoying themselves while learning.
   4. Teachers were uniformly dressed and w/pleasant dispositions.
   5. Lunch Menu offered vegetarian option for each meal, which is a bonus.
   6. All activities that some places charge additional were surprisingly included in the tuition. (Spanish, Music, Gym type activities).
   7. Registeration Fees are atypical with $100 for normal school year and an addition $50 for summer tuition/child.
   8. Supplies Fees per child are $50 and are collected three times a year, so $150/year (on the high side).
   9. All in all this school was the best suited for which we are looking minus the $300/year (for us $600) in Registration and Supply fees
2. Champions Montessori School - Tuition rates: $720/month (I believe) for full-time; 10% discount for second child.
   1. My wife had visited this school prior to me accompanying her and she had rave reviews about the director. Well, when we visited today, apparently it was like night and day, because the lady which gave us the tour was not best suited nor equipped to give one.
   2. The tour, in my opinion, was a disaster and I wanted to leave after seeing the classroom where our girls would be located.
   3. The front desk lady, not the director or the young assistant, was overly emphasizing her love for the kids, which was like her Ace of Spades to draw in potential customers/students. Which she did appear to be genuinely interested in the interest of the kids.
   4. My issue was the approaches that were being taught were lacking. Montessori isn't a free for all (which is what we experienced today). Montessori is learning actively and passively while conducting routine activities.
   5. They will press upon all the "lead" teacher have four year degrees as well as Montessori certification, which is honestly what preempted us to go for the tour.
   6. The other assistants however are your typical 19 or 20 year olds of which in this case were very unenthusiastic even when we were present in the class. Not one time did the two assistant teachers interact with the children. They were just sitting in close proximity to them. The "educated" teacher however was interacting, but nothing special. No wow factor!
   7. They give crackers/cookies and water for both morning snack and after noon snack (No Go for me).
   8. They cater lunch, and the lunch menu is basically McDonalds and charged at $2.75/meal. Or you bring your meals and snack, which I'm sure is what most parent select to do.
3. Children's Courtyard - $220/week with meals included; some activities are extra costs
   1. I had high hopes for this school; The director gave us the tour, which was okay, not bad, but it lacked again the wow factor and no comfort that our kiddos would be not only cared for but academically challenged and social integrated (big for us).
   2. The facility itself is designed much like an elementary school at least similar to the one I attended some 25 years ago.
   3. They have a separate room for a library, which lends itself to a change in scenery for the kids, which is a plus.
   4. Their outdoor play area is really nice, other than the fact that it has no trees and is visible to the Louetta, which I dislike.
   5. They have a separate indoor play area for days like today when it is raining, which I like.
   6. Their actual rooms were typical for these types of places, nothing special.
   7. We didn't get to really see the kids in action, because she took us to a room where the kids were in the library, which was disappointing, because you want to be able to view the interactions of the students and teachers.
   8. We did get the chance to see the kids in the library, which the teacher for this age group was very friendly and pleasant. The kids were flipping through the pages of the books and lounging around until it was time to discuss what they had just experience in the pages (At face value, this is really good).
   9. They have cameras and good security procedures. Online viewing of the cameras is additional charge, I believe.
4. Apple Grove - $172/week tuition; 10% disount for 2nd child
   1. Disaster of a school; Do Not Take Your Kids Here!!!!!!
   2. In route to another school, we happened upon this school, so we ventured in and immediately wanted and should have venture right back out.
   3. Firstly, the parking lot design is frustrating and not a good first impression when they ask me to move my car, which was parked in a non-handicap, non-labeled space and referred me to the small sign behind a bush that is not visible from the street and informed me that I enter through the exit and the entrance was the second entry point again labeled with a very small sign.
   4. Turns out the lady was the owner and gave us the tour.
   5. They have cameras and a security code, but that's the only plus you'll get from me.
   6. They currently only have 13 kids enrolled and are combining the 3 and 4 year olds that they do have with only one teacher.
   7. Let me just get this out there, they have what appeared to be a computer lab, but a further investigation all the screens had individual gaming consoles attached to them, like eight of them.
   8. They have a TV and two computers as well in this room (the morning and evening gathering room)
   9. The instructor did not know how to use proper grammar, nor is she coherent in the what not to wear to work while working with kiddos department.
   10. Just don't go here!!!
5. KidsRKids - $220/week with meals included and activities as well
   1. We had viewed another KidsRKids and this one fell short.
   2. Lady at the front desk this morning, no eye contact, very dismissive and generally unpleasant.
   3. Mia the assistant director, more welcoming and gave us the tour.
   4. It has all the typical things you find in a daycare, but I'm looking more for a pre-k school rather than an over-priced watch program.
   5. The kids were going to nap time when we entered the room and nothing overly out of the norm, but again the teachers were not friendly (in appearance).
   6. They have cameras with internet access included in tuition.
   7. They have a promotion to give you $400 credit after your first month of enrollment to use towards summer classes and/or tuition.
   8. Oh yeah, there is a summer activity fee of $250/child (high don't you think).
   9. Just left something lacking, not impressed especially for the price.

So, all in all, today's day off from work to view school didn't present us with much options. Currently we pay $720/month/child w/10% discount on second child, so it comes to be 1360ish/month. All of these school besides the primrose are sub-par in comparison to where my girls are currently located and they are more expensive.


The girls just turned 3 years old, so we wanted to make a change when they would be integrated into the older class. Now it appears I have two options, stay and just move them to the older class or Primrose and pay the $250/month difference.



The upside to Primrose is that it is the closest to where we live (girls wouldn't have to make the hour commute twice a day with me) and it includes the meals and activities in the tuition. Currently, we provided lunch, morning and evening snacks, which adds up to a lot of additional monies over the course of a month.



I hope these reviews of these locations are useful to others search for the allusive childcare/school for pre-k. If anyone knows of good, reliable and warm, loving schools out there, please do respond with the name and tuition rates if known. Thank you for reading.

[PCCC77379]

Avoid Champions Montessori! Poor communication with parents, not willing to work with ALL children, will ask your child to leave their school if they need too much attention. Teacher fired & parents not notified who was teaching the kids. And to top it off, my daughter came home with 3 bruises on her arm that looked like someone forcefully yanked her up. Worst school ever. I could go on & on for days. Do not make the mistake of taking your child there!

[crone]

Check out Northland. We have several friends whose kids attend. My neighbors grandkids go to pre-school. They are all pleased.

Several friends started in middle school. The middle school Catholic kids sometimes think the religion part is a little top heavy, but not enough to change schools.

[fnh]

Northwood Montessori is up in that area and is considered one of the better Montessori schools in all of Houston area... I don't see it on your list so perhaps you are unaware of it?

[jello1388]

Originally Posted by fnh

Northwood Montessori is up in that area and is considered one of the better Montessori schools in all of Houston area... I don't see it on your list so perhaps you are unaware of it?

Second that. Nothing but praise for the staff at Northwood.

[redriver1991]

I just wanted to write in praise of Champions Montessori School. It is a second generationfamily-owned local business with certified Montessori teachers and great care is taken to adhere to the Montessori teaching method which has been prover to work so well for children. The classrooms are large and bright; the materials are clean; the teachers love the kids. I met the owners when my daughter attended their other Montessori school many years ago. I had done my esearch and knew what I was looking for. By the time she graduated on to public school she could read and knew her 100s board. Everything the owners do is done with the convenience of the parents and the best care of the children as their primary goal. If you are looking for a school where you child will be happy and well cared for, Champions Montessori is the place.

BTW, I don't spend a lot of time writing reviews online but had to post here because Champions is a great school an this is the only place I have seen anything negative written about it.