Youthland Academy of Delray Beach

RUN far away from this school!!! My son was in the baby/​toddler class and he got sick ²⁴⁄₇ because they allowed other kids to come to school sick. They always failed to inform parents if other kids are sick. They would hide it and act as if your child is the only one sick when 5 other kids have already gotten sick and passed it to your child. This facility is very sneaky and all about making money & sweeping things under the rug. Do NOT send your child here you will regret it!!! The teachers are nice but your child will LEARN nothing!

I am sad to say that I let the $ 132/​week fee sway my decision to send my 2yo son here. I had a suspicion that the school would be sub-​par from the first visit. Not that the staff is mean or anything (the center director is incredibly nice and seems friendly), but the grounds are deplorable, the classrooms are lackluster, and I have, in two weeks seen my son’s name on the daily status sheet only TWICE. There are also very few toys and NO books in the classroom. The teacher informed me that the children tear the books up. .. disturbing since we have about 50 books at my house, in his room, and not one is missing a page — he TREASURES his books!!! The normal «stations» in the classroom are just bare shelves.
What is most alarming is my child’s behavior since he started. He is an only child — and this is his 3^rd fulltime daycare due to relocation. At his last daycare, I got constant reports that he was a great sharer, gave hugs all the time, and was kind and giving to all the children. They never reported aggression, fighting, biting, etc. But at this school, when I noticed on two occasions, two other boys fighting, punching and playing «guns», I became more alarmed that perhaps the environment is not as nurturing as it should be.
My son knows his alphabet, numbers to 20 & colors in both English and Spanish, days of the week, shapes, and is an avid reader. His teachers at Youthland were AMAZED by his vocabulary. But in just two weeks, he has become downright impossible at home, has hit and pushed the other children and constantly plays POW-​POW with everything he can get his hands on. And instead of his CONSTANT yapping, «Mommy, milk please. Mommy, potty please. Mommy, snack please» and «Thank you, mommy», I’ve been getting mostly grunting and pointing and meltdowns when I remind him to use his words. Out of character completely!!!
I feel sad, and very sorry that I exposed my formerly well-​behaved son to this madness. I won’t skimp again, no matter what. Lesson learned.