Welcome back to our preschoolers

My son was in many preschool classes with Lesley when he was 3 years old.  Lesley would always make him feel welcome into the programs by greeting him with a big smile each day.  She was very organized, lesson plans were always very creative and fun crafts were planned for her programs and she always had a positive attitude which showed how much she loved being there each day.  Lesley puts her heart into the planning of all her programs and when teaching you can tell she is absolutely loved by all the kids in her programs.  My son absolutely adored Lesley and always looked forward to attending programs with her.

I had the pleasure of having Lesley teach both my children in the Jump into Kindergarten program. My children were both very shy to be left and Lesley didn’t skip a beat to make them feel welcomed. Lesley always made sure each child was heard and had a chance to speak. She is warm, caring, fun and enthusiastic. Lesley always made a point to tell you something that your child did during class, she is truly involved!

In addition to how well she works with children, the feedback Lesley provided to parents was unmatched. Not a single class went by without Lesley having something meaningful to say to each and every parent about their child’s experience that day. Communication with Lesley was comfortable, clear, and extremely beneficial. 

Every day that I picked up my child from Lesley’s class, I left feeling like my daughter had grown, and like her teacher had both encouraged that growth and, more importantly, celebrated that growth right along with me. 

Any child and parent would be lucky to have Lesley as their educator. She is brilliant with children, is fiercely creative, and has a heart of gold. 

Our older child started in the preschool class at Children’s Garden and is about to graduate from Kindergarten. What an incredibly rich experience it has been. Every teacher has nurtured his curiosity and built his confidence through a fun and rigorous academic curriculum. The admin team lead by Pauline consistently goes above and beyond to enrich the student experience. The commonality amongst the families who are committed to a positive and comprehensive learning environment has provided the seeds for great young friendships.

The small class sizes are the perfect transition into a formal classroom environment, ensuring that each child feels safe as they take their first steps towards independence. The class size also guarantees that each child will receive personalized attention in these critical foundational early years. Whether it’s the level of French proficiency that our child has gleaned from the afternoon immersion program, the regular incorporation of the most current educational tools and approaches, or the unbearably cute plays/concerts that the students put on, I continue to be pleasantly surprised and impressed.

We are so happy that we will still be at CGNS for a few more years as our younger child transitions to the 3-Morning toddler class. It is truly a special place and it is a privilege to have our children walk through these doors every morning.

I found out about CGNS from an ad in a community newspaper. After visiting the school and meeting with some of the staff I decided to enroll my daughter in the 3 afternoon a week Senior Kindergarten program. I had a “gut feeling” it would be a positive environment for her. Now that she has attended the school I know that I made the right decision. I am impressed by all of the staff members and the diversity of the program. In only 3 afternoons a week my daughter is exposed to the S.K curriculum, French, Sportball, Drama, and Music. It has been a wonderful complement to her morning public school. All staff members are very friendly and caring. I feel that I made the right decision in choosing CGNS and would highly recommend this school to others.

We are thrilled with the confidence and skills our daughter has gained from the Children’s Garden Kindergarten Enrichment program. The small class size has been a great advantage to her development, both socially and academically. Her teacher has been wonderful in adapting the curriculum to her specific needs and, most importantly, she is happy there and looks forward to each day that she is at Children’s Garden Nursery School.

Children’s Garden Nursery School is a delightful place to send your pre-schooler. It is well-organized with fantastic facilities and friendly teachers who really help the children learn the skills they will need to enter kindergarten. The teachers help the children learn how to socialize, how to be independent and how to play in a group setting. My son loved the music and French classes, the Hallowe’en party, Christmas concert and visit to Riverdale Farm, and the many fun events the school organized. His mother loved the birthday poster the teachers made, and the songs he came home singing!

Our daughter has thrived at Children’s Garden Nursery School.  It is a caring, supportive and stimulating environment that allows children to develop at their own pace.  Each and every individual involved in the school is a committed educator who takes the time to meet the needs of each child by actively engaging them individually and collectively in a wide variety of activities.  Perhaps the best indication of the success of this school is just how much our daughter loves to learn and the excitement you can see and hear in her when she talks about “her school”! We have nothing but praise for Children’s Garden.

Before starting at Children’s Garden, we shopped around several preschools in the area, interviewed them, did site visits and even sat in on a class.  All of them seem to offer pretty much the same thing in terms of curriculum, but there seemed to be a common element missing amongst all of them that left us feeling unsettled….until a friend recommended Children’s Garden Nursery School. After talking with Pauline and touring the space, we hadn’t even made it out of the parking lot before turning to each other and saying “This is the one.”  We did not know at the time how right we were.

Children’s Garden is a truly special place.  Having been part of the school for four years now, I think there are a few things that set it apart from any other preschool.  First, the incredible sense of community and belonging.  The staff have created an incredibly caring, nurturing environment for not just the kids but for the families too.  Your child isn’t the only one who belongs to Children’s Garden – you do too.  Second, they have an incredible way of bringing out the best in each child and helping them to truly shine as individuals.  It is amazing to watch all of the children grow in confidence and self-esteem as each of their unique talents are brought to the forefront.  Third, the exceptionally strong relationship between the Parent Committee and the Administration and teachers.  Everyone works together to provide the best opportunities and make continual improvements for the benefit of our kids.  The Administration and the teachers go far above and beyond in all things big and small for the kids through special events, class outings, holidays, performances.  It is truly more than we ever expected.  I asked my son if there was anything he didn’t like about Children’s Garden.  He thought about it for a moment and said, “Only that I can’t go to school there forever.”

Children’s garden has transformed our son James from being frustrated with school to loving school and accomplishing things like reading, writing and confidence in a short 6 months. He is always excited to go and loves his teachers.