NP. (I am NOT the Goddard puppet!)

My kids went to Goddard in Columbia (years ago) and there was a long wait list. It's a decent place (though nothing special) and my kids did well there. I'm confused as to why anyone from Goddard feels like they have to drum up business. There are a ton of kids around here waiting for day care and preschool. If you build it, they will come. There's no need for poor quality guerrilla marketing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:eh i wouldn't care. We were at a fed, NAYEC approved center and a Goddard and there was no competition b/w the 2-the Goddard was so very much better and the NAYEC center was awful.

I can't be the only one who now thinks every post that mentions Goddard is sock puppet lady from yesterday.

Yesterday just confirmed what I've suspected for years - Goddard has a strategy of placing fake reviews online. Do a search for other Goddard mentions on this board - many of the positive mentions have the same canned style. (There are also some that appear legit - but enough canned ones to turn me off of Goddard entirely.)

Anonymous wrote:eh i wouldn't care. We were at a fed, NAYEC approved center and a Goddard and there was no competition b/w the 2-the Goddard was so very much better and the NAYEC center was awful.

I can't be the only one who now thinks every post that mentions Goddard is sock puppet lady from yesterday.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just searched for my kids' center on the NAEYC site and it isn't listed. I know for sure they're NAEYC accredited since I served on the board at the time. All GSA centers must be NAEYC accredited, so if you're looking at a GSA sponsored daycare you can rest assured.

I don't know if its GSA. But I did call NAEYC and the confirmed it is not accredited

And I asked the director and the director said they are accredited.

Anonymous wrote:Just searched for my kids' center on the NAEYC site and it isn't listed. I know for sure they're NAEYC accredited since I served on the board at the time. All GSA centers must be NAEYC accredited, so if you're looking at a GSA sponsored daycare you can rest assured.

I don't know if its GSA. But I did call NAEYC and the confirmed it is not accredited

It could also be an error in the NAEYC web site. Our director was genuinely surprised that the center wasn't listed, and immediately contacted the Association. I haven't heard back regarding what they told her.

It likely means that they used to be NAEYC accredited, and no longer are. NAEYC accreditation is is a lengthy, effortful process by a center, so there is no way that the director doesn't know that they aren't accredited. It is possible the center decided not to re-apply for accreditation (takes time and expense, and meeting of many standards). They still could be a high-quality place that did not complete the paperwork this time, or they could be a place that no longer meets the accreditation standards.

eh i wouldn't care. We were at a fed, NAYEC approved center and a Goddard and there was no competition b/w the 2-the Goddard was so very much better and the NAYEC center was awful.

Anonymous wrote:That is true. All GSA centers have to be certified by NAEYC. However, that does not mean that they are good places for children. What it does mean is that the board and GSA do everything they can to make the place look great on the days of inspection. Remember, it is the workers that are with the kids every day.

It also doesn't mean they're not.

12:42, I completely agree. I really meant rest assured that they have the accreditation, not that accreditation = great environment.

That is true. All GSA centers have to be certified by NAEYC. However, that does not mean that they are good places for children. What it does mean is that the board and GSA do everything they can to make the place look great on the days of inspection. Remember, it is the workers that are with the kids every day.

Just searched for my kids' center on the NAEYC site and it isn't listed. I know for sure they're NAEYC accredited since I served on the board at the time. All GSA centers must be NAEYC accredited, so if you're looking at a GSA sponsored daycare you can rest assured.

Yes, definitely ask the director. The fact that it's not NAEYC accredited doesn't mean it's not good, but if they were lying about it I'd be very wary.

I think I would actually ask the director about it. I just checked and my center isn't listed, but they went through the re-accreditation process within the past few years.

If you found a better than average center that claimed to be Naeyc accredited but Naeyc says they are not would you skip the center?
Is it possible the center did not know it is no longer accredited?