Feedback on Goddard School Bethesda

[Anonymous]

My family is moving from Petworth to Bethesda (Hillmead neighborhood) next month and we are considering the Goddard School for our 2.5 year old. I've heard good things and we were very impressed on our tour. It's very close to our new house and ideally located directly on my route to work. The only thing that seems dramatically different from our current daycare is the size. They said there are currently 180 kids (including part timers). The individual classrooms certainly didn't seem crowded (and are the same teacher/child ratio as our current daycare) and it seems very appropriately staffed but I would be interested to hear from current Goddard parents if overall the school feels big? Any other general feedback from current Goddard parents would be very appreciated. It seems like most of the negative comments on here are from several years ago, so I'm curious to get more current feedback. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

We have two kids that currently attend 3 and 4. Both kids have been there since they were infants. We transferred from GH early on with the first for several reasons. As an educator myself, we can’t say enough wonderful things about The Goddard School of Bethesda admin, faculty and parents. They have been always caring and loving to our kids and the programming is second to none. Our friends in the area, who have kids there, recommended this school and we have always been appreciative to them for that. Our kids have been learning specializations such as Chinese, Spanish, Art, Music and Movement and or oldest is getting piano lessons ( this is only given for 4 and 5 year olds). All are included in tuition. Also we have been involved in the strength of the community several times when the community has come together to help families or teachers within the community that have undergone different types of adversity. The school is large with 12 classrooms but they always properly staff and the staff is highly credentialed. They have a lot of kids in the school because it is in high demand. My friend is still on waitlist trying to get in with her little one. I have never seen them not maintain proper ratios. Again, I can’t say enough great things about this school. Definitely has my thumbs up!

[Anonymous]

That sounded like an ad!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That sounded like an ad!

Jeff did previously believe that this Goddard location was sock puppeting parents, but I remember it being kind of unclear how/why he reached that conclusion.

I live near the Goddard and know a couple of people who use it. They seem to like it well enough, although I don't think they would describe it as effusively as the other PP. I've heard the owner has a kind of odd disposition, but it doesn't really impact much on a day-to-day basis. But this is all second hand, so it take it for what it is or isn't worth.

[Anonymous]

Please see the locked topic at the top of this forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That sounded like an ad!

Jeff did previously believe that this Goddard location was sock puppeting parents, but I remember it being kind of unclear how/why he reached that conclusion.

I live near the Goddard and know a couple of people who use it. They seem to like it well enough, although I don't think they would describe it as effusively as the other PP. I've heard the owner has a kind of odd disposition, but it doesn't really impact much on a day-to-day basis. But this is all second hand, so it take it for what it is or isn't worth.

I remember those threads. The sock-puppeting was painfully obvious and whoever was doing it was also posting blatantly false information about Children in the Shoe, which is nearby (and where my kids go, so it caught my attention). That was a while ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please see the locked topic at the top of this forum.

Oh come on. Does this mean we can't talk about Goddard Schools at all?

We are at the Goddard School in Gaithersburg and love it. It's really wonderful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That sounded like an ad!

Jeff did previously believe that this Goddard location was sock puppeting parents, but I remember it being kind of unclear how/why he reached that conclusion.

I live near the Goddard and know a couple of people who use it. They seem to like it well enough, although I don't think they would describe it as effusively as the other PP. I've heard the owner has a kind of odd disposition, but it doesn't really impact much on a day-to-day basis. But this is all second hand, so it take it for what it is or isn't worth.

I remember those threads. The sock-puppeting was painfully obvious and whoever was doing it was also posting blatantly false information about Children in the Shoe, which is nearby (and where my kids go, so it caught my attention). That was a while ago.

Exactly. It was a long time ago. It makes zero sense to ban all conversation of this entire company.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please see the locked topic at the top of this forum.

Oh come on. Does this mean we can't talk about Goddard Schools at all?

We are at the Goddard School in Gaithersburg and love it. It's really wonderful.

I'm 16:04: the sock puppeting was specific to Goddard Bethesda, which is what the OP of this thread is considering. So, yeah, it's relevant.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That sounded like an ad!

Jeff did previously believe that this Goddard location was sock puppeting parents, but I remember it being kind of unclear how/why he reached that conclusion.

I live near the Goddard and know a couple of people who use it. They seem to like it well enough, although I don't think they would describe it as effusively as the other PP. I've heard the owner has a kind of odd disposition, but it doesn't really impact much on a day-to-day basis. But this is all second hand, so it take it for what it is or isn't worth.

I remember those threads. The sock-puppeting was painfully obvious and whoever was doing it was also posting blatantly false information about Children in the Shoe, which is nearby (and where my kids go, so it caught my attention). That was a while ago.

Exactly. It was a long time ago. It makes zero sense to ban all conversation of this entire company.

You can talk about the schools. I would simply advise everyone to assume anything positive is being posted by a sock puppet. I wouldn't believe anything posted here about the Goddard schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That sounded like an ad!

Jeff did previously believe that this Goddard location was sock puppeting parents, but I remember it being kind of unclear how/why he reached that conclusion.

I live near the Goddard and know a couple of people who use it. They seem to like it well enough, although I don't think they would describe it as effusively as the other PP. I've heard the owner has a kind of odd disposition, but it doesn't really impact much on a day-to-day basis. But this is all second hand, so it take it for what it is or isn't worth.

I remember those threads. The sock-puppeting was painfully obvious and whoever was doing it was also posting blatantly false information about Children in the Shoe, which is nearby (and where my kids go, so it caught my attention). That was a while ago.

Exactly. It was a long time ago. It makes zero sense to ban all conversation of this entire company.

This thread has been up for a while and hasn't been blocked. Maybe no one has reported it, but I would hope that, even if someone did, Jeff would leave it up. It seems like OP earnestly is looking for feedback and I don't see the advantage is blocking it. Plus, since OP and others are hearing about the alleged sockpuppeting, they can take everything with a grain of salt, which you should on an anonymous board anyway.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:We have two kids that currently attend 3 and 4. Both kids have been there since they were infants. We transferred from GH early on with the first for several reasons. As an educator myself, we can’t say enough wonderful things about The Goddard School of Bethesda admin, faculty and parents. They have been always caring and loving to our kids and the programming is second to none. Our friends in the area, who have kids there, recommended this school and we have always been appreciative to them for that. Our kids have been learning specializations such as Chinese, Spanish, Art, Music and Movement and or oldest is getting piano lessons ( this is only given for 4 and 5 year olds). All are included in tuition. Also we have been involved in the strength of the community several times when the community has come together to help families or teachers within the community that have undergone different types of adversity. The school is large with 12 classrooms but they always properly staff and the staff is highly credentialed. They have a lot of kids in the school because it is in high demand. My friend is still on waitlist trying to get in with her little one. I have never seen them not maintain proper ratios. Again, I can’t say enough great things about this school. Definitely has my thumbs up!

I am willing to bet money that this post is fake. I cannot identify a single post other than this one posted by this poster. I can see from the log file that this poster connected to DCUM, clicked on the Preschool forum, and then clicked on this thread. They didn't do anything else before coming to this thread. I am sure that there will be posters who will explain to me that there is nothing suspicious about showing up and immediately finding this thread and posting your first ever post on DCUM. I will be told that there are lots of innocent explanations. You are all welcome to believe those explanations. It is your money and children, not mine.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That sounded like an ad!

Jeff did previously believe that this Goddard location was sock puppeting parents, but I remember it being kind of unclear how/why he reached that conclusion.

I live near the Goddard and know a couple of people who use it. They seem to like it well enough, although I don't think they would describe it as effusively as the other PP. I've heard the owner has a kind of odd disposition, but it doesn't really impact much on a day-to-day basis. But this is all second hand, so it take it for what it is or isn't worth.

I remember those threads. The sock-puppeting was painfully obvious and whoever was doing it was also posting blatantly false information about Children in the Shoe, which is nearby (and where my kids go, so it caught my attention). That was a while ago.

Exactly. It was a long time ago. It makes zero sense to ban all conversation of this entire company.

You can talk about the schools. I would simply advise everyone to assume anything positive is being posted by a sock puppet. I wouldn't believe anything posted here about the Goddard schools.

I gotta be honest, Jeff — there very well may have been a sock puppet here. However, I am a genuine parent of a child at the Goddard School in Gaithersburg and it’s a great school.

I don’t think it’s fair to say that anything positive is not to be trusted.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That sounded like an ad!

Jeff did previously believe that this Goddard location was sock puppeting parents, but I remember it being kind of unclear how/why he reached that conclusion.

I live near the Goddard and know a couple of people who use it. They seem to like it well enough, although I don't think they would describe it as effusively as the other PP. I've heard the owner has a kind of odd disposition, but it doesn't really impact much on a day-to-day basis. But this is all second hand, so it take it for what it is or isn't worth.

I remember those threads. The sock-puppeting was painfully obvious and whoever was doing it was also posting blatantly false information about Children in the Shoe, which is nearby (and where my kids go, so it caught my attention). That was a while ago.

Exactly. It was a long time ago. It makes zero sense to ban all conversation of this entire company.

You can talk about the schools. I would simply advise everyone to assume anything positive is being posted by a sock puppet. I wouldn't believe anything posted here about the Goddard schools.

I gotta be honest, Jeff — there very well may have been a sock puppet here. However, I am a genuine parent of a child at the Goddard School in Gaithersburg and it’s a great school.

I don’t think it’s fair to say that anything positive is not to be trusted.

People are free to believe whatever they want to believe. Personally, I have seen too much blatant sock puppeting to trust anything about Goddard.

[Anonymous]

It's not a belief for me; my kid actually goes to a Goddard School and we love it. It's literally my experience.

It's not fair to generalize about an entire company based on a sock puppet who represents one franchise, but if that's what you're committed to doing, I can't stop you.