First English Lutheran Child Development Center at 3001 Whitis Avenue, Austin

Reviews

• Christa Coulston

  Apr 01, 2018
  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
  A quality school, the kind where you can make it through the day without worrying about your little one(s), is not as easy find. And if you manage to find one, it seems impossible to get in. After two seriously disappointing attempts, in which my small child was injured both times (including coming home with over a hundred fire ant bites, with absolutely no word from anyone at the school), I found this place. A non-profit, with a goal not to make money off people, but to enrich and nourish children. I wish I would have found FELCDC sooner, for soo many reasons. Everything the previous schools were lacking, this place has covered. I know accidents and injuries happen. And I know if they happen at First English, it will be appropriately handled, and then promptly communicated. The communication at this school is phenomenal. They release a weekly school lesson, so you know what your child is working on. This is in addition to a daily bulletin informing parents what the class did each day, and which child napped. If you have a younger child, they also keep track of what your kids eat, soiled diapers ect...
  
  They have extra-curricular programs (my daughter loved the tumbling and gymnastics classes!), are flexible with payment (can split into two payments), a huge shaded playground with so many different things to stimulate their minds and wear their little bodies out, a low student to teacher ratio with at least two teachers per class, a play-based curriculum that allows children to develop holistically through hands-on exploration and creativity, down to earth wonderful people (I made it a regular occurrence to go into the cafeteria and say good morning to their charismatic chef, Jennifer!)
  
  They have low turnover for the industry (I haven't met a person yet I didn't think was qualified, or didn't have a shining personality), they allow your child to come in prior to their official start date to get used to the place, and they serve healthy scratch-made food made by a professional chef-every day!! My daughter thrived here. She loved the staff, her classmates, and just being there. At the previous schools, my daughter cried every morning during drop off. Here: she cried for me for 2 days during drop-off. And I love how the staff handled it. They comforted her, and soothed her, which was certainly not what occurred at the previous places (she was literally taken forcefully out of my arms at the first school she attended). She genuinely loves this place as much as I do. In fact, we still stop in just to say hello to everyone. They have classes for kids from 18 months to 5 years old. I wouldn't consider putting my child in pre-k elsewhere. By the time you pay for the tuition (unless your income qualifies you for free tuition), all the meals (that come included at FELCDC), childcare on the days the AISD is closed (think the entire Thanksgiving week!), and any after-school care you have to obtain (if you need childcare after 3:00), public pre-k isn't even a cost effective choice. Not to mention all the other things your child won't be getting (the more individualized attention, less restrictive environment, delicious healthy food, familiar faces, and endless opportunities for self-expression and creativity). I really am a huge fan of this place. It's made what it is by the beautiful hearts running the place.

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