Launching Pad the-Trw Child Care Center

We parents of kids in the Launching Pad (LP) just had a meeting with the leadership of Northrop Grumman (NG) and Bright Horizons (BH), who runs LP. LP just raised its rates 10%, cut its operating hours, increased the amount of kids per teacher and made other really alarming changes.
The meeting last tonight was so disappointing. Corey Moore was the NG rep and his lack of caring and concern was absolutely outrageous. His reply to any concern was, «Its been noted.» It seemed he didn’t care, he didn’t want to be there and I felt really insulted by his lack of caring. Several times throughout the meeting we caught the leadership in false statements or contradictory statements and they literally looked at each other, shrugged and passed the microphone for someone else on the panel to answer the question.
This has really eroded my confidence and trust in BH and NG; I’m exhausted, disgusted and disappointed. Very poor showing by BH and NG, they presented themselves as uncaring and untrustworthy. It’s disturbing to have my son in a childcare center like this.

I love the launching pad child care center. My daughter started going part time there at 5 months and is thriving there. Her teachers Ms Jocelyn, miss Michelle, miss Natalie and miss Helen are great. They know my daughters eating and sleepy cues, and my daughter loves going to school there! She’s so attached to her primary teacher and screams happily when she sees her! That makes me and my husband feel so comfortable. They have a open door policy for parents, so you can drop in anytime to visit. When I’ve dropped in to visit, my daughter is always smiling, happy and playing with the other kids.
When she comes home from school, she’s better behaved, more patient with us and is more social. She loves playing with the other kids there, and we feel she’s hit her developmental milestones quicker than when she’s at home with me on my days off. They helped her learn how to sit up, roll over, crawl and eat finger foods. It’s been a blessing bc the teachers there know what are typical developmental milestones for babies in their first year, whereas I don’t, as a first time mom.
Pros:
–work with parents on babies development, schedule
–good process and policy about breast milk labeling and food labeling for your specific baby
–open long hours and you can drop off and pick up whenever you want
–provide cafeteria food for kids on table food
–teachers are professional and very calm, well trained
–on site to my work so it’s convenient
–open door policy for parents
–there are separate play grounds for different age kids
–each kid gets their own dedicated crib
–do laundry on site and provide bedding, sleep sacks, bibs for your kid, so if baby dirties their bib, they’ll provide a new one
–allows time sharing, my baby goes 3 days a week and i pay ³⁄₅ the monthly tuition
–well written hand book for policies and procedures, so you know there is accountability and standard protocols
Cons:
–it’s a day care with babies, so there are illnesses. Just like any group child care setting

This place is a mess – please read this if you are seriously considering sending your baby here! My baby started at the Launching Pad in September (4 months old). Day 1 there he was bit on the nose by another baby that was crawling and obviously had teeth! It broke the skin and still to this day has a little mark on his nose. There were 4 adults in the room when this happened so I question how closely these kids are being supervised.
2 weeks ago I went in to pick up my son who was being sent home sick. 75% of the babies in his room had been out with very serious illnesses (RSV, Roseola, pneumonia). I stopped in to talk to the director about the cleaning procedures because I NEVER see anyone cleaning there and the place appears kind of dirty. The director called me the next day to say they were so offended that they were kicking my son out effective immediately! I begged and pleaded but she wouldnt reconsider. The next week I got NG’s rep involved with the regional manager over Launching Pad. The regional manager and the Launching Pad director came back and admitted I was wrongfully kicked out but at that point there was no way I could send my baby back there even if they would take him. The director there is a big problem from what I hear and I heard I am not the only one who has been treated so poorly. I was so inconvenienced and had to take the rest of the week off of work to find new day care. I can’t believe the director is still there!

Kathy is amazing!