We love Golden Pond. We toured the usual suspects in the area and came away really impressed with Golden Pond staff and pre-k curriculum. The teacher/student ratio was a good fit us and the classes had a more intimate feel as opposed to a body factory. Our kids are all coming from a background where they have been watched by family, so this would be their first experience in a more structured environment. What we were looking for most was patience in the staff as we knew it would be a rough transition. When we toured we paid special attention to how staff interacted with the kids and we couldn’t have been happier. They assured me that once he got the routine down he would be fine and love coming to school. It was a rough start and I was skeptical, but sure enough, a month or so in, he was happy to go and even a few days a week he asks to stay longer when we come for pick up. He comes home singing, talking about things he’s learned. Unprompted, we see him grab paper and practice writing his name, numbers, and address – even very simple math with his fingers. That’s a testament to his teachers. Special kudos Mrs. Shah, Mrs. Eng, Mrs. Price, Mrs. Horton, and Mrs. Kareem as they are his teachers and the ones we interact with the most, but no kidding, every single person we see during drop off and pick up is great. We’re excited for our oldest to finish pre-k and enroll in the kindergarten program and his two younger siblings to enroll next year. We wouldn’t expect an online review to be family’s deciding factor, but it’s a start for at least engaging with admissions and taking tour. Golden Pond should be on your list.