Discovery Time Learning Center (Del Ray)
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Anonymous
| Hi - I'm a mom who's had a child at DTL for about 2 years. (I was actually googling around for reviews on other programs because we're moving and I just came across this.) We really like the school. As you can see on this board, it definitely went through some rough patches in the beginning, but I think they are over that hump now. My child really loves his teachers and is excited to go to school in the morning. I also think the curriculum is good, and your child will be well prepared for kindergarten at the end. So for the person who bumped this thread--I can tell you that the school is in good shape and if I had a young child I wouldn't hesitate to enroll them. Good luck! |
Anonymous
| We started last summer and we love it. The teachers are fantastic and have a genuine love for children which is a big deal for us. I agree with the pp that the curriculum is well balanced and the music class is a big hit with my daughter. The field trip to the zoo last month was also huge for my daughter who talked about riding a school bus for at least 3 weeks straight! I haven't experienced any turnover in our class although there was an email about a teacher in the younger class leaving due to a move but I believe she came back a few weeks ago. |
Anonymous
| This thread does not do this center justice. This is our third daycare between two children and this has been our best experience by far. The caregivers are attentive and loving and seem to have as much fun as the kids. Turnover has not been an issue for us at all and this is the biggest difference between DTL and our previous centers. |
Anonymous
| Does anyone know if they have a waiting list? |
Anonymous
For what age? |
Anonymous
infants |
Anonymous
Doesn't everyone? I'd guess yes, but calling is probably your best option. |
Anonymous
| We started our son there at 17 months and have been very happy. We've only been there 2 months, but no turnover in our class and haven't noticed it in others. Good communication from the teachers and director. We were with an in-home prior to this and happy with infant care but wanted more for him for toddler care - more physical activity, sensory activity, etc, and we've been very happy with the curriculum here (as much as you can even call a young toddler program a curriculum!). Would be happy to answer any other questions about the center. |
Anonymous
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The teachers are great with the children, the location is great, the price is great, but the business administration and parent communication are egregious and the owner is just completely inept at customer service and business administration.
Talking to the owner feels like dealing with a representative from Comcast. You never get direct answers, nothing is ever their fault, and there’s no incentive to change or listen to opportunities for improvement, because there’s plenty of other people that will take your spot. The business processes and policies are rife with contradictions and asking for clarity on those policies can literally get your kid terminated from care. Which is exactly what happened to our family. We were terminated under the guise of “making her staff feel uncomfortable” by asking too many questions after “things were already explained.” A smart business owner would think “how are mixed messages being sent and what can I do differently?” Through the owner’s eyes though, she can do no wrong, immediately blames parents, and terminates them when they ask for clarity. We were given 0 days notice and left to find somewhere else for two parents that work full time. Business owners like this would not survive 2 weeks in an industry/market with competition, but the owner has found a perfect niche where poor attitudes like hers can thrive since getting a spot at any daycare is so competitive. She clearly has a history of doing this, since she specifically added language in the parent manual handbook about disagreements with parents. I’ve never seen any other handbook in the area include that. (If the world around you is full of “problems” that make you “feel uncomfortable,” perhaps exercise some self-reflection of the reality that you may be the problem.) As a parent, do yourself a favor and ask yourself if that environment and threat is really worth the constant looming stress. Like others have already mentioned, we found our initial interview with the owner to be very curt and rude. We should have trusted our instincts. It was a really expensive lesson for us. |
Anonymous
| We were at Discovery for almost three years before moving to Bethesda and were pleased with the care that both of our daughters received. We didn't experience the issues that the PP mentioned and always felt welcomed by all of the staff including the Director/Owner. The curriculum was wonderful along with the activities and crafts that were regularly sent home. We found the communication impressive, particularly the electronic daily report and photos of the day's activities. They also offered a date night for parents during our time there which we miss greatly!!!! They do have a handbook with the school policies but this is pretty standard for daycares in the area. |
Anonymous
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Hm, it’s disappointing that the PP’s poor experience would be what revives a nearly 2 year old thread about Discovery Time.... sounds like your issue is a personal communication concern versus a substantive issue with the programming. I’d be curious what policy you’re speaking of — I’m a current parent at the center and I’ve found the owner/director to be very fair.
There are multiple ways to provide feedback including a weekly anonymous survey link and every concern I’ve brought up has been has acted on and responded to right away. By choosing a center and not a nanny there’s some autonomy and control over policies, environment, convenience etc that we give up but I’m ok with that trade off for the value and social experience.... and the curriculum at Discovery Time has been more than we could have expected for a mid-priced infant/toddler program. Lesson plans and themes etc are more than I’d expect from a nanny! As for the director’s interpersonal skills, I can imagine it’s hard to be the sole leader managing both the business and curriculum side of a child care center while also responding to parent concerns. Sometimes she doesn’t come off 100% customer service focused in unscheduled one off conversations but she’s never been unprofessional. In our interview/initial visit what struck me most is that the director spoke to every parent and child by name.... kids were running into her office to tell her stories about their day. Maybe during your initial interview you caught her on an off day? As for policies.....frankly I’m not sure I’d want someone in charge of my child’s health, safety, and development to be focused on making every single parent happy with every policy or procedure. The daycare licensing standards etc. are no joke so I assume there’s a lot to balance including those regulations, parent interests, staff needs, etc. For the price, location, and quality of care I feel like I’m getting a great value. Our son has been there nearly a year and he is happy and well cared for. My kid might not be at the most popular or well known center in Alexandria but he’s thriving and enjoys the people who care for him. His teachers (the people he interacts with daily) are genuine and loving. I’m sorry the PP had a bad experience because the neighborhood is lucky to have Discovery Time’s availability as a relatively new center in a competitive market.... I expect that there will be some growing pains and hiccups but so far I’ve been happy with their response to feedback. |
Anonymous
| Can you give any specifics about why you were terminated? |
Anonymous
| Can anyone provide updated feedback on this center? We are thinking of enrolling DD in the fall at 20 months. |
Anonymous
My 1.5 yr old is doing well and we’re happy with the curriculum and teachers. Not sure what more specific feedback you’re looking for? |
Anonymous
| We are considering enrolling our kiddo in the Fall at 19 months. Is Discovery Time still a good place to consider? I've seen some mixed messages on the thread... |