The Academy of Gateway

Reviews 4

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Krystal S

As a working mother, theres a bit of regret and reluctance to leave my child in someone elses care. But I dont work because I "have to". I have a career that I am truly passionate about in the healthcare field. So, starting daycare was a very difficult and personal choice for our family. We lost our daughter to stillbirth before our son was born, and it took 8 long, emotional yrs to bring our son into this world. So, our love and appreciation for him is everything to my husband and I. We started him at another top-rated center 2.5 yrs ago. There were some issues right off of the bat, though. And some significant behavioral problems with my son (like biting, even after he was able to verbally express himself). He would repeatedly tell me his friends were mean or so-and-so did __ to him. He did have some wonderful teachers, though (and a few bad ones). My advise: watch for these red flags! My son has asthma and a life-threatening food allergy, so I like to be close by. However, I changed jobs last year, and his school was significantly out of the way. I didnt want to uproot him from a great teacher or a close friend that he had in his class at the time, though. But when the time came for him to move up to another class at his school, he was actually thrilled (though, he missed his teacher). He did well enough that I felt like he may have been ready to switch centers completely. And there was a wonderful school right across the street from my new location. The Academy of Gateway. Our tour with the director, Courtney, was wonderful (and Chasidy is amazing, as well). She made me feel at ease about their precautions with food allergies. And the center was equipped with cameras, so that I could remotely login and see how my little guy was doing. This was HUGE for me. My son loved this place during our tour. That was all that it took for us to make the commitment. The first day was more nerve-wracking for me than my son. He was a little hesitant about me leaving, but eventually he was comfortable enough to tell me goodbye. I watched from the cameras that whole day! His teacher, Ms. Dorothy, actually held him and carried him around. He is 3, and I still carry him when he wants. Eventually, he wont want me to hold him anymore, so its my own way of savoring this time with him while he is little. So, seeing her carry him around almost brought me to tears. The care and attention toward him that day was unsurpassed! I was incredibly impressed and humbled by this. Within just a few days, my son stopped me in the hallway to tell me something. He said "Mommy, I love my new school. And I love my new classroom." My heart melted. I had never heard my son say that before. It gave me a true idea of how miserable he must have been at his previous school. I was humbled and guilt-ridden at the same time. I hate that I didnt see the red flags with him, and that I waited so long to attempt to transfer him. He has been at the Academy of Gateway for a couple of months now, and its been phenomenal. I love having him closer to my work, first of all. I also adore getting pictures of him throughout the day from their secure app. Teachers that Ive never even seen before address my son by name. His spoken sentence structures and vocabulary have soared, his Spanish vocabulary has improved, and his behavioral problems from his previous school are completely gone! Even his dance skills are impressive. Ha! We have been having some drop-off problems with a transition to a new classroom recently. There are more children (his age, but older than the kids in his previous class and new to him) and a different structure than his previous class. So, I am just spending more time with him at home, and in the classroom, in the mornings to build his confidence and teach him coping skills. I feel great about my son being here. Hes always happy when my husband or I pick him up, and his attitude has changed dramatically. Bottom line: I highly recommend The Academy of Gateway for a toddler.

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Rebekah Napper

I wanted to take a minute to brag on my experience Ive had since Jan 2016. My 3 year old, Mason, is in PS4. He knows his alphabet, he can count in English and Spanish, he knows his colors- and all of them in sign language AND in spanish, he knows all his shapes, he knows the days of the week and months of the year, he knows all about the weather, he can spell his first and last name and is practicing writing them, he knows his address, he knows mine, corey, and strattons full name and our eye colors, and he has made SO many friends at school. Henry has only been there a little over a month, but he has adjusted so well. They even got him to start sleeping laying flat instead of sitting up. He seems to be loving it so far! With both my boys, i get an extremely detailed report of their schedule each day, i get pictures sent to me all day, so much artwork i dont know what to do with it, the school has a family event every month, they provide a complimentary breakfast and coffee EVERY morning, and sometimes lunch! They have all MAC computers for the kids to use. They have an extremely healthy menu to eat from and only milk and water. We have access to all cameras in every room, open area, and play grounds. They have won best school in rutherford county for 7 years and have the highest rating possible for daycare centers. They also have several kids that start kindergarden in magnant schools. I could go on and on about how impressed i am with the Academy of Gateway and the care they provide for my boys each day.

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Melissa Spicer

This school has been such a blessing not only to my son but to me as well! Each morning we are able to go in and sit down and enjoy a hot complimentary breakfast together. The staff and teachers there are so nurturing, compassionate and extremely engaging. The curriculum is unmatched compared to other day schools around. It impresses me to not only witness the teacher’s interaction with my son but other kids as well. The professionalism and love each teacher shares with all the children is truly unmatched. I can not express enough how they are so passionate in providing a stimulating and loving environment. I wanted to write this review for all the parents that are scared about day schools. When we found The Academy of Gateway in Murfreesboro it could not have been at a better time. My son had a miserable experience at a previous day school and I was sure I would not find the “right place” for him. As a worried mommy, I was terrified as I went through the local day care options. Until the day I found The Academy of Gateway. Courtney, the Director and Chasidy the assistant director was professional and both demonstrated how much they understood my fear. I knew right away that my son would not only be well cared for but in a loving environment. My son thrives at The Academy and we feel like part of the family there. The Academy is a wonderful place for any family.

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Katie H

I want to update my previous review---Its been almost a year since we put our daughter in this daycare, now we have our infant there, too. Its like a family there!! They send pictures throughout the day, and I received a picture of my daughters last teacher playing with my infant--it just made me so happy! Knowing my children are safe and well taken care of made coming back to work from maternity leave easy! Im thrilled we found The Academy!! I was a stay at home mom for about 18 months, so making the decision to go back to work was difficult. I did SO MUCH RESEARCH on daycares in the Murfreesboro area, and I really fell in love with The Academy of Gateway. I also love that its called "child development center" not a daycare!! They made the transition for my toddler an easy one, and they really made it easy for me, too!! I felt like I was being somewhat annoying when I would call or email to check in, but the staff made me feel at ease with all of my questions and concerns!! I can check in and see my daughter on the webcam every day, I feel absolutely comfortable while she is there, and I will feel comfortable when we enroll our next baby into their program! The teachers are amazing! The staff is amazing! I really could go on and on about how much I love the Academy at Gateway!!

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