The Goddard School

So rude! Still no contact from anyone at this school regarding ANYTHING we had issues on yet they can find the time to comment on a Unilocal review! My review is a VERY accurate one especially since my family was there for almost a FULL YEAR.

I LOVE The Goddard School! As a first time mom, I did all of my research. I checked the state’s website for violations, reviewed inspection reports and made appointments to visit the ones that were at the top of my list. When I walked in, I automatically felt like I could trust the staff. Everyone was so nice and it was really important to me to have very little turnover. All of my friends told me that would be impossible in this industry, but Goddard takes care of their staff. I absolutely loved the teachers in my son’s classroom. I was a little sad when he moved up to the next room, but the teachers in the next classroom are just as great.
While not everything is perfect in life and everyone make’s mistakes, Goddard is up front about everything. They don’t try to hide anything and are honest with the parents. Goddard is definitely out of our price range, but the financial struggle is worth it to have someone we can trust take care of our precious son.

Loved everything about Goddard when my daughter attended last year from the professionalism of the staff to the excellence in the curriculum. I couldn’t have provided my daughter with a better education for kindergarten. Definitely worth every penny you pay to have them attend there.

My kids (3 years old and 6 years old) have been going to The Goddard School in Cedar Park for a couple of months, and we love it! We have done the preschool, the summer camps, and the after school care at Goddard. All of them have been wonderful. The teachers really care about the kids, give them tons of one on one attention, and the activities are endless. We have tried several other day cares and after school programs, and this one has not only been really easy to adjust to. but the kids are always happy (and have been since day 1)!!
In addition, the staff always knows who we are, and they are SUPER quick to answer any questions I might have. They send me pictures and videos of my kids once in a while, and ALWAYS know what’s going on with my kiddos. They know all of us by name too, even though my two kids are in different buildings. The owners are incredibly active and involved in the school, making it that much better. I’m very happy with The Goddard School. you’d be selling yourself (and your kids) short if you didn’t check it out.

I called today to get information and for some reason the owner is the only one that gap can give you information and he was in a meeting. I was told I would get a phone call back and a email as soon as he got out the meeting but I got nothing. I will not be taking my daughter there.

We enrolled our daughter at Stepping Stone and a few months after enrollment, we had an issue with a bite our daughter received and them not filing an incident report (BIG bite that broke the skin and left teeth marks on our daughter’s back). So, we insisted on finding another school. We looked at this Goddard location and the other one in Round Rock but felt this location would suit our daughter’s needs better. Butch (the owner) really made a good impression on us and continues to do so over a year later.
Our daughter has been there for 2 years now and been in several classes while there and we have enjoyed the teachers, the child to teacher interaction, and just the overall experience. I would recommend this Goddard location to any of my friends and family.

I was very very disappointed in our 12 day stay here. My son had been in another center since he was 18 months and when my husband and I were finally able to afford Goddard we were not happy with our sons care. They prided themselves on teachers with degrees in all areas and education and individual learning. Our son was 4, he had a hard time adjusting (which they knew might happen). After a few days of «having some fits» we starting being called to come get him early. We worked hard with the teachers, had a conference with the director and we were made to feel like they were on our side and wanted to help our son. Had a meeting on a Thursday morning. Then by that Monday, we were called to get him and informed that, «This just doesn’t seem like a good fit for your family.» It was devastating. We paid less money to another center who could handle him and was booted out of the «fancy, expensive, upscale, center after 12 days! So, with that said, just because your pay a ton, doesn’t make your child special or that they will try any harder to work with you… We are now at another center and although our son has had a few issues, they aren’t giving up and throwing us out. Such a disappointment!

This school holds a special place in my heart. I really feel like we have found the best preschool out there and I feel confident each day I drop her off that she is safe and truly learning important skills. Our daughter has been attending since she was 2 years old, and we plan to keep her here until she begins public kindergarten. When we first decided to enroll our daughter in a preschool, I toured several schools in our area, and this one really stood out. The owners, a husband and wife team, are very friendly and professional, are almost always at the school, and seem extremely involved with the day to day operations. This seems to be different than the majority of other preschools out there that are owned by a corporation. All the teachers my daughter has had have been great. The building itself is very nice, modern, clean, bright, and well maintained. It also has a very nice security system. Currently an additional building is being added on to the campus, so there will be even more classrooms along with other amenities like a gym with a basketball court soon. I think they have a great educational curriculum, because I have been pleasantly surprised several times by the things my daughter has said at home, things I hadn’t mentioned to her so I know she’s learned them from the school. I really just can’t say enough great things about this school. If you’re looking for a place to enroll your child be sure to give them a visit.

We loved this place when we first started. However after only 8 months, my son has had quite a number of teachers come and go. Really frustrating. His last teacher was so great and so interactive with the kids and now it’s just… a let down. The owners are very friendly, and the office staff are very nice too, but it’s just not worth the cost to us. We spend all of our money (literally) for him to go here and are just not happy about it at this point.

My child was here for only a few months about three years ago. My experience was awful and I hope that they have improved.
Advice: Please tour all the schools you can and go with your gut … but never be afraid to change shcools if things start to go downhill. Kids will adjust faster than you think to a new school.
Good luck!

I wish I would have found Goddard when we first moved here! We’ve had some issues with my 4 year old son and his potty training which was a big problem with his previous preschool and they «uninvited» him. Shocked and upset, I wasn’t sure where to turn when I picked up the phone and started calling other pre-​schools. I called Goddard and explained the situation to the owners. They were more than willing to help and I could not have been more gracious. That was only 2 months ago and already my son has gone 3 weeks without an accident. His teachers Brooke and Amy are so amazing and in working with them, he has made huge improvements. I also love that I am able to pack him a lunch — having that control over his diet has been a tremendous help as well. I just cannot say enough wonderful things about this school, they have been such a blessing to our family!

My child has been attending Goddard for over eight months. I could not be happier! The moment we hit the front door we are greeted with warm welcomes, friendly waves and smiles, and an extensive security system. I love that visitors must have a standing appointment, are escorted through the school, and have to sign in/​present ID before being buzzed into the building. With all the craziness in the world, it puts my mind at ease that they are doing their best to keep my little one safe.
The teachers are amazing. They take time to talk to you, updating you on all the little milestones your little one reached, and the big ones too. Every day is packed with activities! Before my child was two they were able to count to 10, knew their colors, knew 20+ animals and the sounds they made, and could sing a garbled version of ABC and twinkle twinkle.
I am over the moon with this school. I recommend them to all my friends and family, and look forward to sending our next one here!

My son has been attending the Goddard School in Cedar Park for a little over a year and has had 1 classroom change during this time. We could not be more happy with the teachers, staff, and owners. Everyone seems to genuinely care about the children and the classes are structured but fun and my son LOVES it. He is learning so much everyday and quite often surprises me with what he has learned and retained. They all work together to keep the parents very informed and involved. It is a very clean and organized school and a bonus that it is THE ONLY private preschool in Texas fully accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and National Accreditation Commission. They are definitely doing things right.

My 3 yr old daughter has been going here for a year now, and we are honestly very pleased with Goddard. We had her in another, larger chain before that and there is really no comparison. My daughter thrives here, seems very happy and both the teachers and admin. staff are always very pleasant. I love that every time I watch her in the class, through the window, with no one watching me, I can see that there is never any unsupervised chaos, but thoughtful, structured activities and happy kids. So glad we gave Goddard a try!

I am writing my review based on my meeting with Butch and quality of care, I believe, them to offer. I decided not to enroll my child solely based on geographic location from my home.
Full time $ 210/​wk: Secure entry with code and fingerprint, enrichment programs, 4 year college educated teachers. 2x per year assessments, parent/​teacher conference.
Cons: Hours are 7am-​6pm or pay extra $ 30 per month for 6:30a-6:30p
They do not provide lunch but have a catering company that will bring your child lunch for $ 3.25 per day. You can also mix/​match caterer/​home made lunch.
12:1 ratio with a teacher’s aide assigned at 13^th child. (so they say)
Very simple outside playground, no big attraction. Safety does seem to be a priority at this facility. Both Butch and his wife work on site and have 2 children attending the school. Seems like a bit of a conflict of interest to me but… make your own decision.

I looked into the Goddard school for my 2 year old son, who has sensory processing disorder, after being told by his previous school that they could not meet his needs. Despite choosing to go with a specialized preschool, I was very impressed with the Goddard schools’ staff and facility. The staff went above and beyond to make my son and I feel comfortable and allowed him to visit multiple times to determine their ability to manage him in their program. The staff were honest about the difficulties my son presented and their abilities to help hm. They ultimately decided that they could accept him into their program and I felt like they were thoughtful and conscientous in their decision making. In any other situation, I would have felt extremely comfortable having my child in this program and appreciated their consideration.

When it came time to find a preschool for my little girl, like most parents I got down and dirty doing my research into area schools. I ended up sending her to a Montessori school, only to pull her out a few months later because it just wasn’t a good fit for her.
Our second try was the Goddard School, and it was the absolute right choice. She was having fun at school again, enjoying herself, and learning! Her teacher, Ms. Amber, is amazing. For example, I picked my girl up one day and on the ride home I heard her singing to herself, as she often does. I turned her radio kid’s show down a little so I could hear her better and just about crashed the car in shock. She was singing the months of the year. And when we got home, she showed me the dance that went with it.
It was the Macarena. How fun is that?
From the owners to the receptionists, the staff there know my kiddo, they know me, and they are always helpful and interested in how we’re doing. Whenever I go to pick her up, I see a classroom of happy kids, but it’s never out of control or crazy. She’s had the same lead teacher since she started this past summer, and the student-​teacher ratios are great. The school also has plenty of festivals, special visitors to the classes and extra-​curricular programs to keep things fresh.
I really can’t say enough good about this school. If you’re looking for a great preschool, schedule a tour and check it out for yourself!

I toured the Goddard school in Cedar Park yesterday. Very impressive down to the small details, with such safety features as no-​smash finger guards on all auto doors, and tarp-​covered outdoor playgrounds with a rubber safety surface that is impact dampening, durable, and can’t be eaten. :-) Large windows throughout the facility allow both parents and administrators to monitor all classes, and provide a noticeable and natural feeling of openness and ambient light throughout the halls and classrooms.
The facilities and technology are top notch. Check-​in requires a code and a fingerprint swipe. Students can take advantage of an interactive whiteboard tool so state-​of-​the-​art that most high school seniors that graduating this year have not seen its like. (I used to sell education technology to public schools.)
I’ve got four kids whom my wife and I homeschool. I would not hesitate to entrust them the Goddard school. Their FLEX learning system reflect’s Piaget’s «learning through play» philosophy, and in the Goddard School all kids follow a daily (but teacher influenced — not canned) curriculum with individualized instruction and daily status (!) reports provided to parents.
Owner Butch Aggen has a long background in education and education administration, as well as in technology, and seems to be a genuinely caring and capable operator of the school. Highly recommended.

Today’s visit confirmed an exceptional preschool in our own backyard! Teachers are well organized and understand the importance of working as a team when teaching young children! Multiple layers of skills are being taught simultaneously and behaviors are dealt with proactively. Outside professionals feel welcome as the school successfully sets the tone for collaboration. Parents, pay attention to the effective teaming of the school staff. Let it be your mirror. Awesome learning environment!

(this is a modified review, written with a misunderstanding corrected.)
We had my son here for a little while before he went into public school. They were really nice and treated our son pretty well, in fact they were the first daycare to really make him feel welcomed. We had been to The Children’s Courtyard, and they didn’t even say hi to him when we went in. At Goddard, we actually had the owners say hello to us every day, and the teachers took great effort to make us and him feel welcome.
They also have very tight security, thumb print scanner with a pass code … the fingerprint scanner is sensitive so if you have dry hands you should rub the finger over your hairline, or behind your ears to pick up a little moisture. They also make anyone who isn’t the parents (they WILL know your child and who he belongs to) sign for him, this included my mother-​in-​law when we asked her to pick him up for us, and we introduced her that morning … this is a safety thing, and I really appreciated it.
What we didn’t particularly care for was the fact that they have high turnover of teachers. The other irritating thing was that whenever we would drop our son off we would get the surprise … your teacher isn’t here … whats more is that it was rarely the same teacher that we would drop him off with … this caused us some angst while dropping off my little man.
Anyway, I don’t regret using them, they are the best of the business that we have found, it is irritating that there is a shortage of really good daycare out there, and after Children’s Courtyard ignoring us, and my friend’s children picking up ringworm from La Petite, I wouldn’t go anywhere else.
I heard from one of the teachers (I bump into a few of them with surprising frequency) that turnover is getting better, and I learned that they are working to teacher retention … another one of the teachers has her child in public preschool with my son instead of at the Goddard school and that made me a little suspicious, until I found out that the teachers have to pay to have their children there as well … and she takes her son to Goddard after Pre-​K at the public school.