Preschool of America35108

READ THIS BEFORE ENROLLING!!! GET YOUR KIDS OUT NOW!!!!!

Owners charged with stealing $2.5 million in federal free-lunch money was released on bail Friday - and was promptly re-arrested for attacking photographers.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2011/09/16/2011-09-16_preschool_owner_charged_with_25m_raid_of_freelunch_program_attacks_media_after_m.html#ixzz1YbylqE2N

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/17/nyregion/couple-accused-of-stealing-food-money-from-red-apple-preschools.html

I’m responding to the post written on 2/15. My daughter graduated this past June from the Park Ave location and she loved her teacher, who is now the Lex director. She was very open to the parents and spoke with everyone every day. My daughter left that school reading and writing on her own. On her graduation day Gina wrote a heartfelt speech which included personal things about each and every student- and this brought parents to tears. For the different monthly holidays my daughter would bring me home crafty presents that were purchased from stores as opposed to just construction paper cut outs. She always went above and beyond and all of the parents knew this. She hardly ever was given an assistant and managed all of the students on her own and had each and every one of them excelling. One day my daughter was too tired to walk home from Central Park and she told me that Ms. Gina carried her home. I have a younger son and wanted to enroll him into the Lexington school just because she was there and I knew that I would not have to worry about him but she had no available spots. My point is that the previous post is clearly coming from a parent who never had a child in Gina’s class. The 3’s teacher, on the other hand always looks miserable and I can only assume that she was the person the mother was referring to. My daughter still talks about Ms. Gina and we visited her a few times at the Lex location before we moved. I’ll end this by saying both the Lex and Park Preschool of Americas are great school run but two great individuals and you would be lucky to have your child in either school.

Preschool of America on Lexington ave is a fantastic preschool for my little one! I was very hesitant about putting my son in a preschool or anywhere away from me at all. I went to Preschool of America on Park Ave & Lexington Ave for 2 tours. The Park Ave location is very dark and hardly any windows for the infants and that is what turned me away from that one location. The Lexington Ave location is very bright and open. All the teachers were very welcoming with smiles when we went in for our tour. And the director was very friendly and answered any questions I had at the time as well as any I came up with afterward. She told me i could stop by and call to check on my son whenever i felt the need. She also greeted us every morning when we came in. She has hired great teachers and they are all very welcoming and all have friendly faces. My son has grown so much and every morning when i take him to school and pick him up he always has a smile. All of his teachers are great and they are under a terrific director. I appreciate the way they have helped him grow into the little man he is now!

Always looking for great resources for my kids and wanted to pass this one along that I had gotten from a friend of mine that sent her daughter to this school. Several months back I enrolled my daughter in Preschool of America on Park Ave. I was very hesitant at first for two reasons. Of course because I was leaving her for the first time and the second was because although my friend highly recommended it she had her daughter in the older program and was not fond of the teacher. She found her to be not personable and disconnected with the families. But, I was pleased to hear that she is no longer at the Park Avenue location which is why I decided to go to this location rather than the one on Lex which is closer to my apartment. As I heard she is now the manager there at the Preschool of America Lexington location. As for my daughter she does not do well with separation so I knew this would be tough but the staff was excellent with her and I felt like everyone at the school was involved with her feeling comfortable. The director Wendy noticed right away my daughterâ??s hesitation to attend school so she would greet her at the door when we arrived and walked with her to class to ensure a smooth transition. Once inside the classroom the teachers would work with her to make leaving mommy easier. By the end of the week my daughter had fully transitioned and was so happy to go to school. She has learned so much. I canâ??t believe the things she is learning. And, the best part is that they potty trained her. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Park Ave Preschool of America!!!

The Lex location was great under the previous director. Unfortunately it has gone down hill. They just fired 4 teachers for bogus reasons because they were trying to unionize. My daughter lost both of her teachers in one week with essentially no transition time to the new teachers. The new teachers have no previous professional experience. When I picked her up the day her last teacher was fired the new teachers didn't notice she was running a fever. It was 101.3 when I got home. We're looking for new day care. We've lost faith in POA.

im so disappointed at their times square location. they say "call anytime" and when you call they are always busy!!! they say "open door policy" but when you visit they kick you out after 30 minutes irregardless of anything! i am so concerned. i want to elevate a complaint!

a waste of your resources, the school program is average at best, no computers in the class room, and I wonder if the Bachelor degrees (if any) among the staff, is really in early child care development. Opt for your nearest public school as oppossed to Preschool of America - and fast!

I've always loved the Lex location and my son's been attending since he was 3mos old. he's over a year now and i think he's been so loved and cared for. i love the teachers and they all babysit for me when i need.

HOWEVER, i am NOT happy with the management of the entire school. They opened a times square center for development of their teachers or something, and to pay for it, they raised everyone's tuitions by 50-100 bucks a month! in THIS economy? Are you kidding me? umm..i'd rather NOT have the state-of-the-art center and keep the same tuition! at least give the teachers a raise if you're going to do that! PLUS, they are forcing everyone in the 1's room and above to sign up for their red rabbit food delivery program. although the food is great, its an additional 80/month! so now instead of paying $1800 a month, i am going to be paying $1980 a month starting september! sorry, but why should they force me to sign up for a food program that costs additional money and then raise tuition to pay for something that i barely see the benefits for?

i am getting back on the waitlist for other daycares in this neighborhood. i'm lucky that my kid is young enough that he wont have too difficult of a time adjusting.

Preschool of America advertises early drop off in its materials and then has you pay cash only to a specific teacher when you use it. this is not told to you beofre you use the service. It reeks of tax evasion and breaking of their licensing standards as well as labor laws. When I inquired about this issue and the lack of insurance coverage they would have if something were to happen to my child during this time I was treated very roughly. The director refused to even provide the name of the owner t ome so thatI could speak to her about this practice. I am pulling my child out of this preschool as soon as I can find another place.

I am considering Lex location for my 3 year-old. It seems a bit unstructured, and the directors keep changing? Any opinions?

I'm considering POA-Tudor City for my 3 and a half son. I read a lot of reviews about POA but most of them are for other branches. Any comments, suggestions or experiences you want to share? Thanks a lot!

My 2.5 years old has attended the Park Ave. site last winter. I was assigned to a project in NY for 6 months. Being out of the country, my son didn't speak any English then and we knew it would be a real challenge. However both Wendy and all his teachers at Park Ave. POA were excellent help. Although it was hard for both my son and the teachers at the beginning, by the end of 6 months he was having a great time, learning a lot and socializing with his new friends. I can't thank them enough for making this time a wonderful experience for both my son and us!

My son has attended the Park Ave location for almost a year, and I could not be more delighted with the facility (clean and bright) and staff (tremendous attention paid to the students). PSA provides an excellent group environment and my son has prgressed amazingly. I have paid many

I visited both the Park Ave and Lex locations looking for a daycare space for my 2 year old, as our regular sitter will be leaving for 2 months over the summer. I plan to have him remain in a full day program until Kindergarten if it all works out. I think he needs the group environment and a little more structure at this stage of his development. I found both Wendy (Park Ave) and Suzanne (Lex) to be quite lovely and very professional. My son and I sat in on 2 classes at Park Ave; on Lex we just peeked around. I found both to be clean and bright; and the kids seemed happy and stimulated. We were able to get a space at Lex for July. I actually preferred this location b/c I liked the newer facility and that the food is prepared on site, whereas Park's food is brought from an outside kitchen (and I am sure just as good, but us parents each have our "thing", right?) We'll see how it works out, and I'll post a follow up, but I'm anticipating a good fit for my son. Nothing can take the place of mom and dad, and no one is going to do everything exactly as the parent would, but as long as he's happy and comes home in one piece, I wouldn't ask for more.

Like with everything in life, there is good and bad. My son has been with PSA in West End since 2 months old. We have no complaint regarding each one of the teachers that has put individual attention and that have loved my child unquestionably. The management has recently changed and there has been some turnover at the school. The management shows an interest to resolve the differences. There is even a PTA to bring awareness to the school. My son is happy and shows it everyday when we pick him up and he does not want to leave. We are satisfy with the school.

My baby used to go to the Lex Ave location, and I found some teachers to be excellent (Zoila, Marisol etc)- very dedicated and loving. One day I unexpectedly walked in and saw one of the caregivers yelling at the children. I have also observed some teachers to be very sullen and grumpy and fighting amongst themselves, more concerned about their lunch time than the children.

I went on a tour of the lexington ave. POA recently and found it to be a bright and kid-centered place, but the staff and director, from what little I saw, were NOT the kind of people I would want to leave my infant son with. The woman giving the tour di not know where the teachers take the kids when they go out - this is the same person that answers the phone. The director was not friendly at all, in fact, barely said hello to me when I visited. I had the exact opposite experience at the Park Ave. site. The director and teachers seem VERY approachable, professional and loving.

I inquired about the preschool while I was on maternity leave but changed my mind when I witnessed how one of the staff treated the infant kids. It was a hot summer day and a group of infants were out with 3 staff members. One of them shoved the bottle to a crying baby while she chatted with her coworkers. What I saw was enough for me not to enroll my child in this school.

The 'new' (as of a few months ago) Lex ave Director, Suzanne, has made a great difference, building the team cohesiveness, building teacher ownership of their classrooms, and keeping everything organized. Feels more like a family. Thanks for all her and the teachers' great work.

Does anyone have any comments about the West end school? I am considering preschools for my 2.5 year old.

Hi, I am thinking of enrolling my baby in 42nd St. PSA, and was surprised to find out that there is a short waitlist....can anyone give me an opinion on how the school is overall and in particular the infant room? Is there a short wait list because it is not good? or because of the location? I find the current Director very involved and helpful, but it is hard to tell how good is the place....please help!!!!

We've been here with our 2 1/2 year old for a few months. This school is amazing. The teachers are great, the parents are great, the kids are well behaved. The teachers are working with the kids on major milestones from potty training to drinking from regular cups, to saying please and thank you.

I use the play ground near the 42nd street location, also used by the school kids. I have had a toddler approach me in a separate section of the play ground to where the school kids and teachers were, asking me to help him get on the swings. He was near me for at least 10 mins before I took him back to the school group (who, interestingly, had not noticed that he was missing). I am looking at pre-schools for my 2 year old and although I live opposite the 42nd street location, I would not consider it. Other friends in the area have made similar remarks about the care free attitude of the teachers in the play ground.

I looked at about 8 pre-school programs for my bright little 2-year old boy. Most of them seemed short, and with not enough actual learning involved. We were guided by the Parents League, and PSA is not a member, so I was not even aware of it until walking past 94th and Park and saying "THAT's the kind of place I want my kid to go." The energy level was so much higher and the overall visitation experience so much more pleasant than the other places we went, I knew we'd found the right place. When school started, my son hit the ground running - he wakes up each morning talking excitedly about going to school. He had never been anywhere, so we were worried about full day, but as of the 3rd day, he stayed all the way to 5:30 and seemed to love it, especially the structure. So far, so good. I'm very impressed.

Preschool of America on Park Ave. is run wonderfully. I actually cannot fathom the idea that some people think otherwise. It is quite a shame that this website would be a breeding ground for negativity stemming from unhappy parents that do not feel as though they are getting enough attention. From what I see the teachers and the director have a busy daily schedule. If I were in their shoes I know I would have difficulty meeting the needs of every single family every single moment. What matters to me is that my child is happy, safe and unconditionally loved at this school not to metion benefits from a great early education. I cannot say enough.

I have known Wendy, the Director at Park, since my son started at the school early in 2006. She is one of the most approachable, supportive and organized people I have met. The school environment is first rate, and it is obvious to see that the kids are well-cared for, learn at the same time as having fun and are well-fed. What I find amusing coming from out of town, is the weird views and parenting techniques of many UES parents. Fortunately, the staff at Park are rooted in the real world, which is important when raising children.

I have had nothing but wonderful experiences with Park Ave POA. My infant from day one has been nurtured, cared for and loved beyond anything I could have imagined. I have never felt uncomfortable or nervous (beyond what a normal mommy would feel!) about leaving her in their care - her "teachers" have always been very communicative and collaborative, making sure I am ok with their approach to caring for my child. If the office phone goes unanswered, it's likely because the director is interacting with the infants/children. She and her whole staff should be applauded for creating such a loving, supportive environment.

The director and staff at the Park Ave. location are about as available, approachable and friendly as I can imagine. I don't know what to say to the "door is always closed" commenter except to say this is an observation from some bizarro version of PSA.

I have to disagree with the parent unhappy about the leadership of the Park Avenue PreSchool of America. I have never had trouble reaching the director, and find the entire staff very accessible and accommodating to reasonable requests. And my daughter has been happily going there for more than a year and a half. We are impressed on a daily basis with the things she has learned. My only complaints: the problems last year with the center's paperwork did leave me less than impressed with the owner, and from time to time I've encountered other parents who have serious attitudes and unreasonable expectations, but I guess that comes with the territory on the UES. Overall, we feel really fortunate that this works so well for us.

Does anyone have any feedback on the West End Preschool of America? We are thinking of enrolling our baby there. Thanks!

My child attends at the Park Ave location and absolutely loves going there. The teachers are great, specialists and activities, etc. However, the management and director are the absolute low points of the school. Parents are constantly told to bring concerns and questions and the answer is always "NO". It seems the school is driven by profit and of which we are reminded daily. It is also extremely difficult to get in touch with the director during the school hours, as the door is shut and phone is left unanswered. If my child was not so happy within the class, I would immediately look else where due to the poor supervision and management of the school. Very unprofessional and disappointing to say the least.

We have our 10 month old in the Lexington Ave preschool and just love it. The teachers are involved and attentive and constantly working to improve the curriculum. They give each child personal attention and there are always many staff members around. The facility is wonderful and my daughter comes home with new words and actions every day. I can't say enough good things about it. Any child would be lucky to attend.

I have a child in the infant room at 42nd Street and have for some time. Their staff is excellent and my child loves to go there.

I was repeatedly disapointed and unimpressed with this school and am taking my child elsewhere.

My son has been enrolled here since he was 3 1/2 months old. I'm so happy with the staff in the infant room, they are really loving and attentive to the babies. I was so nervous leaving him in someone else's care to return to work, but it's a huge relief to know he's in good hands. The director is also helpful and involved. I really don't have any complaints!

Our daughter started at the PoA in Chelsea when she was 4 months old and had an exceptional experience in the infant and toddler rooms at PoA. The teachers are excellent, loving, committed, sweet, smart, etc. They give individualized attention to each child and encourage them in their development. Many are taking childhood education and CPR classes after hours. The food is healthful and the school very clean and bright with a huge variety of toys and activities to stimulate them. We recently had to move our daughter to a different school and it only confirms our belief that the experience we had at the Chelsea PoA was superior. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a nurturing, safe, cheerful, and stimulating environment for your child.

I have great reservations about this school.

I love this school. My son really loves to go there. Initially when the school opened there seemed to be a quick succession of staff turnovers, but that has really stopped in the past year. It was most unnerving to me, and there was little communication about it. usually just blind sided. But the care and "love" of the children never seemed to waiver. My son was younger, so the transition had lower impact. The Director was always kind and attentive. She has since moved to another location and there is a new director, who we are only just getting to know. The teachers of the class my son is in have me so sold on themselves as caregivers, that we choose to make a very long commute down to the school. We may have to switch schools, and this has me in a major panic--because I feel so good about this school.

My infant is currently attending the Lexington Avenue site. Everyday I am impressed with how much attention the teachers give to him and his classmates. Not only are they interested in interacting with all the children (and they do a great job!), but they also try to help each child reach their milestones. I am more than happy with this environment and would highly recommend it to my friend.

Preschool of America is poorly run. The owner is not involved in the day to day management and very young, inexperienced people are left to run the schools without guidance and oversight. At Tudor City in particular, there are endless problems. The quality of teachers varies greatly from classroom to classroom - some outstanding and some completley carelesss and disinterested. The classrooms are unstructured and overall things are very disorganized. There is no formal PTA and very little communication between management and parents. Parents are not involved in the decision making process at all. Overall, many parents at Preschool of America Tudor City are very upset with the way things are run and are looking for other options. You will not be suprised to learn that there is not much of a waiting list. Personally I would move my child immediately if I could find a better option nearby.

I am thinking of enrolling my infant in the 42nd Street location. Can anyone provide feedback on this program or on the 42nd Street location in general?

I am a parent considering the Tudor City location in Midtown East. Does anyone have experience with it, or somer perspective on the facility and the teachers? Many thanks!

My son currently attends the Lex/96th street location. The teachers are both wonderful and caring. As some of the other parents have said, I can't say that I am overly impressed with the owner, as she seems very detached from the organization. There have been changes to the food program recently, where they now serve organic foods with vegetarian options. I hope this satisfies some of the parents that complain DAILY about the food choices, although I doubt it. Give the teachers a break...they do a fabulous job!

Our children attend POA at Park Avenue (bet 93rd and 94th) since its opening in January 2006, and we have to say we are happier every day. Its gone through tough times due to the Department of Health and a poor management by the owner, but the teachers and staff are really good. We have had the teachers in the 6mo class, the 1yo, the 2yo and the 3yo (as the children have been growing) and every single teacher is simply great and appropiate for the age group. We love them and the children do, too. The extra curricular activities (art, dance, karate and especially music) are very good too and the children look forward to them. Our main concern was the food but the menus have changed since end of December and are good and helathy now. All in all, we would recomend this school with no doubt. Director and staff make this place just perfect. Congratulations!

My child attended POA at E93rd Street and Park Avenue and I have to say that my child was very happy there. The company itself, has seen some tough times but it has to be said that this was a direct reflection on the owner as she often acted as though she was "in it" for the money. The teachers and the director are what makes this school special. If it weren't for their hardwork then the school would be nothing more than a money maker for an owner that shows no passion for the care and education of the children. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions regarding this school.

Our daughter's been going to POA Chelsea this academic year, and we love it - it's safe, welcoming, clean, and fun. Her teachers are fantastic - smart, loving and professional -- and the director is great too. Plus the food is provided, and it's extremely healthy. We're really pleased so far.

My child has been attending the Lexington Avenue location for more than one year. My expectations were only for adequate if not great childcare. I am impressed with the quantity of knowledge that has been gained while the quality is just alright. The school provides a clean and secure environment. For an aggressive learning place, PSA is not the place. For a secure and convenient environment, the Lexington Avenue location is great. Agreeing with other comments: staffing and administration is poor; menu not healthy. On a better note, there is diversity and plenty of manipulatives for the children to play with or learn from.

I have been a parent at Chelsea for over 2 years. Overall, I am very happy with the school. The director explained to me that the head teachers have contracts for the year which made me very happy. This new school year we have seen a lot of new faces, which in my opinion I am quite happy about. I felt the old teachers were very negative under the old administration. All of the current teachers in the school greet me and know my daughters name.In terms of tuition, If someone is paying anything different then what the tuition states, I would like to know because I have been paying the same tuition since I have started, which was the contrary with the former director. The positive things are loving, knowledgable teachers, healthy, tasty menu, unequiovocal specialty classes, consistent ordering of educational materials and a big play space. My daughter's teacher calls me all of the time to tell me how my child is doing. She also does a lot of individaul work with her.The director also knows everything about my child, which is quite refreshing. A lot of the time when I come to pick my daughter up early the director is in differnt classrooms interacting with the kids. I can't imagine finding a better school for my daughter. The only thing that would better enhance the program is if the children went outside every single day.

There are so many teacher changes in the Pre SChool of America schools because they have no incentive to stay. They are highly underpaid, making less than $30,000 a year, and they have poor health benefits, if any at all. Where is all our tuition money going?

I'm giving a 4-minus, which some suggestions on how to get them to 4+ or 5: I can only comment on the infant room. My child attends the POA on 42nd St, and he does very well there with the infant staff. My wife is a 14-yr veteran teacher in the city, at one point a lead teacher at one of the top bilingual schools on the east coast, and I have taught as well, and we have obvserved very closely the school's facilities (design, supplies, layout, etc) as well as the actual care our son's gotten in the infant room. I can tell you that the staff is incredible with those children. Our son is happy every day we pick him up, and he wants to show us things he's been playing with at each pick up. The teachers genuinely love him and the other children, which was something from the beginning that was more important to us than a "curriculum" for 5-12 month olds. The only thing that would be great to see more of is specifics of the day posted at the end of each day (you do get some general info for your child via a form that you initiate at the beginning of each day) -- for instance, if music or dance happened, what material was covered in that session (the specialists that come in should post what was done)...or, perhaps the staff could be more prepared at the end of each day to tell the parent one story about the child (today s/he played with ____, and they were laughing together and sharing this book...). That's the only thing I'd ask them to improve upon is receiving unsolicited comments each day. As to the director being new -- it's a brand new school. I expect new faces there. We've had several conversations with her and the other staff there, and every instance has been positive. They've responded quickly to any concerns and have shown that they value their jobs and the safety and well-being of our child.

i was wondering if anyone could give me any info on the lexington ave school? i am thinking about putting my 3 month old in the program. thank you.

I toured the school on 42nd ST bcz I heard great things about them from my friend whose child goes to the West End one. It was AWFUL. The director is completely clueless and very inexperienced. The teachers are even less experienced with absolutely no level of enthusiam in their teaching. Basically it was glorified babysitting. The kids all looked bored. The food they serve is not healthy at all. Do not go here unless you are deperate for child care!!

POA (Chelsea, 6th Ave & 18th) has problems keeping their staff. Last month more than half the teachers quit. This month more are quitting, disrupting the flow of daily activities for the children, and creating a confused environment for them. Though the new teachers may be good, it is hard to know for sure because they keep changing. The problem is clearly with the administration. Though parents voice their concerns, the director is quick to dismiss the complaints. The tuition is arbitrary; there does not seem to be a strict tuition schedule. When asked about it, the director comes up with a new excuse. One of the reasons she came up with one time for the tuition being high and grossly inconsistent was that the teachers are great (except that they've all quit!). The teachers can't be satisfied with the way things are run either, if they keep leaving. This institution is, at best, mediocre. I'm glad my child is no longer attending.

Preschool of America (Chelsea location) has undergone many changes this past year. New director, new teachers (they seem to quit with little advanced notice, which disrupts the course of daily learning activities), and arbitrary policies popping up more often than one would consider fair. Though the teachers seem to genuinely care about and for the children, the administration (director and owner) seem to care only about the money.

is there a website? i would like to know about the 6th avenue program. i am looking for a program for 2.5 hours, 2 days a week for my 3 year old. any info? quality? website? thank you.

My son had a wonderful experience at preschool on 6th avenue. The teachers in the infant rooms were very attentive and loving. I would definitely recommend their program.

Hi, I'm currently on maternity leave. I plan to go back to work in November. I work next to the West 42nd Preschool of America. I would love if a parent who's child attends that preschool can give me some feed back on their experience with the school. I did see one review and it wasn't very nice. I would really appreciate it if someone can get back to me. Now in days you can't trust NOBODY with your kids.

Our daughter, who is 21 months, has been attending the 6th Avenue branch for almost a year now, and we have been consistently impressed by the school. They have taught her so many new skills and words, everything from eating with a fork to counting and singing. They feed the kids healthy lunches and give them lots of outlets for extra energy. I don't know as much about the programs for older children, but the displays of art and science projects in the halls suggest that the teachers are very cosmopolitan and the children well challenged.

Thank you so much Lexington and Park Avenue director, staff, parents and children!. We now have a reopening date, and we are really looking forward to start in our school. But we are going to miss you, really. It has been a really hard time for us as parents, for the children, and has required a lot of effort from the directors and staff, but the Lexington school has helped to make things easier and we are so grateful. I am sure the children will be happy to be back in Park, but surely they are going to miss the loving teachers and friends. Lexington and Park aro both very good preschools, with great staff and families. Thank you all again!

I have to stand by my sons school on this one. Everyone is fantastic, please dont believe what you read right away. If you are in doubt go and see for yourself. The staff are tremendoulsy loving and an added benefit is the new camera system with cameras in each classroom, hallways and even outside the entrance!!!!!!!! Please take it from an active parent of the school, everything is okay.

We have great news!!! We have received the license from the New York City Health Department, therefore the Park Avenue location of PreSchool of America will reopen its doors on Monday, August 28, 2006. We are very excited to be back at our school and we are also very appreciative for the understanding and support from all the affected families. We are looking forward to the upcoming school year, let's make it as wonderful as when we first began. Sincerely, Wendy Jinete and Preschool of America Staff

I kindly request that any parents who are concerend about previous posts come speak with me or email me so that I may be able to validate your concerns. It is my intention that we keep Gocitykids an open and honest forum for discussion as the editors of gocitykids are unable to confirm the validity of the comments that are posted leaving our parents and the general public wondering what is the truth and what is fabricated. Your support is greatly appreciated and I thank you for handling these situations professionaly. Sincerely, Ashley Irizarry

Does anyone have any news on the opening of the Park Ave. location? an estimated date? If anyone knows anything please share.

Well, thank goodness for this message board! I'd be completely in the dark without it as I have received no communication from anyone at Park Avenue. I now know that we are not the only parents waiting for Park Avenue to re-open so that our child's pre-school education may continue. This is a disgrace, I think perhaps it's time to start looking at alternative daycare.

Does anyone have a 6th avenue location review for us newbys?? thanks. We dont know how this location compares to others and other centers. Thanks again.

As far as many of the parents were told (though we were not told much at all, on any regular basis), the owner went on vacation to China in the midst of all of this. She does not seem particularly concerned about the children or parents. I wonder if many of the parents have pulled their children out yet? I think from the owner's point of view, there are always more children and parents where those came from. At least that's the message that her actions send.

Who and where are the owners? Shouldn't they be working to get this school opened??? The parents pay a lot of money for tuition and the director and teachers are doing all they can. Maybe the parents should let the owners know that they need to be held accountable for this mess. In the middle of all this they go on vacation while the rest of us struggle with this terrible situation. Get this school opened!!!

...going on with the Park Avenue school...not even the directors. They are just as in the dark as everyone else is, and are equally as frustrated. The director of Park Avenue has made a petition and is getting signatures and is sending it to those that she feels can do something about this. She is trying her best to provide us with answers.

No, you are not the only one. We are also waiting for Park to open so that we can attend school. Does anyone have any info.on the current situation, I don't seem to be getting any answers. When will the school open?

I am very, very happy for everybody who is very, very happy with the current state of affairs. A big pat on the back to all involved. BUT, please spare a thought for those (though I suspect that I am the ONLY one) whose child has not been to school for the duration of the closure of Park Avenue and has not been offered a temporary place at Lexington. We (I) live in hope that this shambles is corrected sooner rather than later. I am pretty sure my child has forgotton he ever attended Park Avenue and by the same token, am sure Park Avenue have forgotton my child exists.

I truly wanted to thank all of the supportive parents at the Upper East Side locations! There have been many things said about our school on this site that I both agree and disagree with. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I respect that. It is quite true that our school has experienced some changes during these past two months. We opened our doors to some of the Park Avenue location students and staff members. While it was a very very busy atmosphere at first, it eventually settled down. All of the teachers know that the most important part of their day is keeping the children safe, happy and well educated. I fully support our teachers and feel that they have done a wonderful job with the recent changes. I commend the teachers who have stayed through thick and thin on their flexibility and positivity! I truly enjoy being the interim educational director at the Lexington Avenue location. I feel as though I have gained invaluable experience from the previous director and am looking forward to the new school year! Again, my heart goes out to all of the supportive parents! Without your support our school would not be able to thrive among the many other preschools in Manhattan!

It sounds like the east side schools are rivaling, has it really come to this? Parents should get a grip and feel fortunate that Lexington has accomodated them. Its busy and loud? Of course it is!!! There are 2 schools located in one space. Teachers arent being welcoming? Have you ever thought about the stress levels that all teachers are experiencing? I would rather both sets of teachers take care of my child accordingly then take the time to make friends with eachother, lol. What do you all expect during this time? If its a miracle... keep holding your breath. Good luck Park Ave. We hope just as much as you do that you go back to your school soon.

Being that the Educational Director of the Lexington Preschool just up and left wiht out a trace, the school has maintained its grace and structured curriculum while continuing with the academic year offering its children and parents the best possible preschool experience they physically can. The teachers work very hard to plan and implement a lesson plan that will not only enhance their students, but help them to LOVE school, and they succeed with every passing week. If it seems chaotic during morning transition hours that seems to be the case with every preschool, full of chidlren from 3 months to 5 years doesn't it? And represents that it is fun, creative and full of life, exactly as it should be. Park Ave is more than welcome in my child's room. It seems that the teachers, management and most importantly the children are making the best of this unforseen predicament, I just wish the parents could, because Lexington does not deserve the harsh comments it has been receiving, nor does it seem that way to the other 300 parents it is accomodating and pleasing every single day from 8 am to 6:30 pm. I would not only leave and entrust my child there everyday for the last 3 and a half years but I will continuie to do so for as long as I can. GREAT GREAT SCHOOL.

The staff are amazing here. Nice teachers that are welcoming and polite. You get a strong sense of a team which puts me at ease. All in all a well run location. My daughter is very happy. Very open and inviting space, large classrooms with large windows! Thank you for all that you do!

Park Avenue is waiting re-inspection which might take 2- 3 weeks or more - there is no certainty on when this will take place

Hurray for the loving and commited teachers and director from Park Avennue. We are all doing a great effort, but they are having a harder time and so far they are doing great. I hope management realizes what a great staff the Park Avenue school has, and rewards them consequently. They really deserve it. Lexington is not so wellcoming, but our staff makes it nicer and hopefully we will be back soon.

All in all, it is a mess. We, the customers, are left with no real idea on what is happening, and they have not had the service culture to even bother ringing people up with updates. When the school is running normally, it seems to be well managed

Totally agree with parent at Lexington. I think the Lex school is chaotic with the children from Park. I did not like management's attitude either. Totally misleading and lacking concern towards parents and children. Otherwise director, staff and parents from Park Avenue are awsome (would be better if at their location), but would not be surprised if loosing some of them (parents and/or staff).

During this difficult time the teachers from Park Ave. have gone above and beyond to care for our children and to offer them stability and comfert. I know this has not been easy as the lex. teachers have not welcomed them with open arms but kudos to Park Ave. really. While this time has been difficult the Park Ave. staff has made every effort to make this as easy as possible. I hope the Administration of POA realizes how wonderful and loyal thier Park Ave. staff truely is. One would have hoped the Lex. Staff would have been as kind and loyal to thier sister school, unfortunately from what I have seen that has not been the case.

Good school! I went on a tour and was hooked by the beauty of the school and kindness of the manager and teachers. Im new (or my son is) and I do realize that there is overcrowding issues do to another location (Park Ave?) sharing the school but Lexington has a good consistent team that have been working through thick and thin. I only have great things to say!

I think it is time to thank the wonderful Teachers at Park Ave for how wonderful and caring the have been to our kids during this time. While it has not been easy for any of us they have made every attempt to help. Thank you to Park. Ave and we hope to be home soon .

I am still waiting to hear from the management of Park Ave. Despite promises of phone calls, I haven't heard a thing and am very confused as to what is happening.

I am a park Avenue parent and during the recent closing my child has been at the lexington school. All I can say is I cant wait for Park to reopen.

The teachers are fantastic, front office managment is consistent, and the school is amazing. They seem to be handling the Park Ave situation really well and I commend them on that! Good work Lexington!!!

What's going on? The school has been closed for more than 2 weeks now. Anyone heard from management? How long do we have to wait?

The web address listed here for Preschool of America is NOT the organization's website -- it's a placeholder site with no apparent connection to the school. GoCityKids NY Editor's Note: We called to check the url, and the site should be running end of June. Until then, it's a placemarker.

I like the school, but was disappointed to see that it was closed this week by health dept. was told it was a paper work issue???? Anyone know why?

Overall, teachers are not cheerful and treat children without respect and love. The director appear to be responsive, however there is huge discrepancy between what in the parent handbook and what I saw.

The WEA location has seemed quite chaotic recently. The other location in Midtown was recently shut by the board of ed and all of the students were crammed into WEA. Taking my child there was not organized well. They aren't well versed in dealing with child issues and tend to ignore suggestions. They all seem too busy to be bothered. The outside programs (music and art) are fantastic.

The Park Avenue School is wonderful. My son has an excellent teacher, a transfer teacher from one of the other branchs and he and I adore her. It has been difficult for me to leave my child in daycare for the first time but the staff has been amazing. I want to congratulate the director and her fine staff.

I know that some of the staff from the Lex school actually transferred to the Park Ave. school. And, although the Park Ave school is new, and still not 100% full w/ kids, the staff there is amazing! The director is great, and my son's teachers are wonderful. I strongly recommend PreSchool of America-- esp. the Park and 94th school.

I have to disagree with what some people are saying about PSA's. I used to work in a school facility. People do not realize how hard it is to keep quality staff and to care for several children at once. I have seen a few PSA's, all are wonderful. My daughter goes to LEX in a younger room. There are some staffng issues outside of the room, but it is understandable. You simply cannot keep staff that do not want to work. The staff that remain are loving and understanding, I couldnt ask for a better school. The new staff seem very nice. There have been 2 directors at LEX and both are terrific. People should realize that it takes patience, organization and understanding to work with children and keep a school running. If you are unhappy remove yourself from the program and leave a space for another parent!

a troubled school. They let thier best teachers go and keep the inept. They do try but thier biggest issue is the staff. I am not sure what thier staffing process is but some of the current teachers are simply not adequate. The issue with the director change is also problematic.

Though the Chelsea location has some hiccups in Director transition...the teachers here are amazing. I do wish they were valued and paid accordingly. Our daughter loves it here, but I do have reservations about the turnover...the management needs to understand to charge what they do and retain and even increase their numbers...they might have to re-evaluate how they value their teachers. There is a reason Chelsea does not have a wait list (unlike other POA locations)...and management needs to look at why that is.

We have had our child at the Chelsea POA for just over a year and while there were big changes and some chaos around the time the old director resigned under the new directors watch things have vastly improved. If you are looking for a safe, loving school with some of the best staff: child ratios in the city, small intimate classes where your kids are fed healthy meals (real veggies, fruits, whole grains. not processed institutional junk) and their minds stimulated by dance, music, reading, art and basic concepts...this is the place for you.

Things seem to be getting better at the Chelsea branch of POA, although we just found out that one of our favorite teachers is leaving (several threatened to leave but stayed after they were offered more reasonable salaries). Our one-year-old has been there for a few months, and has thoroughly enjoyed it. I like the fact that their days are structured, like a school, and the teachers provide us with daily reports and plenty of individual attention. The spacious gym offers a much needed place to run around on days when the weather doesn't permit outings. I couldn't tell you if this is a good place for older kids, but for our toddler, it has proven very successful.

I have been a parent of the Lex avenue location for quite sometime. Just recently a new director has taken over (however the new director has worked at the school since its opening) and I have to say that she is just amazing! She responds to my concerns immediatley and takes the time to greet me no matter how busy she can become. The teachers are an absolute joy! They are highly nuturing and treat my child with such great respect. I know parents from other POA's and I have to say that the other POA's do not compare to the Lex Ave location.

I have been a parent since Chelsea's opening. The program has seen some major changes but I am very happy with the recent progression the school has taken. Overall, I am extemely pleased with the program. My son comes home happy everyday and is learning so much, and that is most important. All of his teachers up until this point have been exceptional.

my 2 year old plus daughter attends PSA Chelsea. Her teacher, a native of England, is wonderful. She interacts with the kids and shows affection. She gives me a report at the end of each day to tell me how my daughter is doing. The school has undergone some changes as of late. A new director is in place as of about a month ago, which is when my daughter started. The first week seemed a bit frantic, which is to be expected. Afterall, stepping in to a new job requires a bit of catch-up work left behind by the previous person. She's had to get to know teachers, kids, and parents quickly. That said,she seems to have caught up with everything in just a few weeks and is doing a fine job at the school. She is very responsive to my queries and seems to have a good relationship with the staff. I'm a satisfied parent. My daughter is happy at the school and that is what counts.The tuition is reasonable.

My child is at the Chelsea location of Preschool of America. It is poorly run. The parents are unhappy. Emails to the director are not responded to. The place lacks a sense of community. There is no stability at the school. I would not have enrolled my child there had I known what the school is really like.

The tuition at the school is high and the program is not worth the price tag. We have been at the school since shortly after it opened.It was great for about a year. Frequent staff changes have been a problem. The owner has been unavailable and unresponsive to parents' concerns.(Until today after the majority of the teachers and families threatened to leave - many are leaving) They know they can fill spots so they don't try to fulfill reasonable requests or sensitively address concerns. The teachers are wonderful, but don't seem to be staying long-term. The Director is leaving on Friday and there is an interim Director (who has never even said "hello" to me). The Chelsea school gave up its Director for a few months over the summer as well. Which was not good for our school. It seems as though the owner likes to put out fires rather than prevent them.

My son has been in the infant class for the past 6 months. We absolutely love the school. The teachers that run his class our very attentive to my son's needs. We have also been impressed with the other teachers we have met. My experience has shown that the school is well run and responsive to any questions and/or concerns that we may have. We originally planned to have our son attend PSA temporarily until we found a nanny but now I wouldnt think of taking him out of the school.

We're at the Tudor City location. The facilities are so nice and clean. The neighborhood is incredibly quiet, safe, and serene -- very aesthetically pleasing. After a few months, we have really warmed up to the teachers and other parents. Quite a nice little community!

My daughter was there for about a year and we loved it, however, the director just left, the owner is forcing all of the teachers (who are WONDERFUL) to resign by demoting them to pay them less $ and all of the parents are leaving to go to Tudor Time. I would not send my child here now based on these changes.

The West End Avenue location is poorly run but it's improving. My kids are happy, which is the most important thing, but I know many parents are frustrated with the lack of organization. It's great to take a baby and a toddler/preschooler to the same place, though different classes.

Have to agree that the Chelsea location could be run more smoothly. Teachers seem to interact very well with the children, though.

I had to put my infant in 3 out of the 4 locations while I waited to get into the Lexington Avenue Center ... Lexington was by far the best run center with the most loving and caring teachers. I highly recommend the Lexington Avenue center (Tudor City and Chelsea were a bit less organized - although at the time Tudor City was being remodeled).

The Tudor City location of Preschool of America simply cannot get its act together. The owner either has no foresight, or simply does not care.