Testimonials

Testimonials from some Discovery Alumni parents

“...We never attended any program other than parent participation and co-ops!! If anything I think traditional school has limited (Liam) in his thinking and creativity, versus Discovery which provided so many opportunities for him to explore. Kids learn through play, develop through play, and research backs play based preschool!... Liam just got into the Gifted program at school, has been about 2-4 years ahead in reading levels….He learned to read with no problem in Kinder!” - Kate Sandifer

From a family that moved out of town:

 “My daughter Kyra attended two years of school at discovery and would have attended all 4 years had the pandemic not changed our plans. Our kid never did return to ANY formal preschool due to Covid concerns and having a newborn. Now she is starting kindergarten this year in 2022. Our local Montessori school labeled our daughter as gifted/academically talented per her entrance exam. This was because I was able to utilize all the valuable lessons I learned by being present and available at the school. We were able to fill our shelter-in-place days with actives and lessons learned directly from Discovery.  I can only imagine how much more advanced she’d have been if she actually got to finish her time with the one and only wonderful teacher Erica and all the other hardworking families.” - The Hardin Family

“My daughter Athena attended two years of discovery, including the… “Friday Friends” kindergarten readiness program. Despite her autism diagnosis, Athena excelled with Discovery and with her peers. The life lessons imparted on her before she “graduated” for Kindergarten will be lifelong.” - The Hardin Family

“Luc’s 3 1/2 years at Discovery helped develop a love of learning and gave him the confidence he needed to be successful in kindergarten (& beyond). It is a nurturing and supportive environment which helped him through the transition of being home with mom to being at school full time. Although play-based, the kids do get structure from the various activities (science, art, cooking, storytelling, singing)...Each class is slightly different and is geared to the corresponding age. The Friday Friends class was the perfect last step to prepare the students to be more independent as they head to kindergarten. Luc felt prepared and had a great kindergarten experience. In addition, Discovery gave us the skills to be better parents and confidence to be advocates for Luc as he moves through school. Discovery is a wonderful community for both the student and family. We were grateful for our time there!” - Chrisy Tiel

“How thankful we are that our boys attended Discovery! They entered kindergarten with confidence, not only in peer relationships, but in communicating with adults as well. My oldest really struggled with learning to write his name…(yet) this was a skill he mastered before starting kindergarten. I appreciated the individual attention and support my kids received for their individual needs. This was exactly what my kids needed before they headed into elementary school.” - Alyssa Bonsall

“One story I remember from Kindergarten was a day Noelle came home very excited.  She had been her teacher's special helper that day because she was the only one in the class who knew how to do a safety pin.  The teacher had a short time to pin tags on 20 students and enlisted Noelle to help.  I'm sure she learned to do that at Discovery.  She also loves to tell people that her pre-school allowed kids to use knives, hammers and saws. 

For me, the best part of Discovery was that it taught me and Noelle to share space.  She became accustomed to having me around but not necessarily focused on her.  Kids do their jobs at Discovery while parents do their own jobs.  This really paid off during her pre-teen years.  While other kids were pushing their parents away, embarrassed to have them volunteer in class or go on a field trip, Noelle and I had learned to be individuals together.  She never minded having me around because she could trust me to behave.  I'm sure I learned that at Discovery! 

 Today, Noelle is a Senior at Northeastern University majoring in Biology and Math…She is a confident, independent woman, and we are still close.  So much of who she is started at Discovery.  "First do your work (art and cooking) and then you can go play."  It works in pre-school, grade school, middle school, high school and even in college.” - Kristin Huget

“Both (of my) kids had the BEST experience at Discovery! As a parent, I loved the comradery of a parent participation school. I made some friends for life and felt that we, as a family, were part of something truly special! The kids were well prepared for Kindergarten because they had excellent social skills and were ready to learn. They knew how to get along with others and be part of a team. Discovery prepares them socially and emotionally for the riggers of the education system. They will have 13 years of a "normal education" before they go off to college, but you can never regain the magical years ages 2-5 where they learn by exploring. It is the gift of finding the magic in everyday events, problem solving skills and social skills that will last them a lifetime.” - Joy Haas Kindergarten Teacher and proud Discovery Alumni

Here are just a few highlights of what parents are saying at Discovery

"Philosophy- learning through play. We also love the loving environment and sense of community it has brought us."

"It is a place where a kid can be a kid. They get to play and have a great time. There are a few structured things to do and then open play. Yippee!"

"It seemed like a place for kids to have fun and socialize before going to big kid school. This was when I first visited Discovery and I am still here at Discovery many years later. I was right."

"I love that there are preschools with a play-based philosophy! Plus, I get to be an integral part of my child’s education."

Friday Friends Testimonials

“Friday Friends was truly awesome for both of my girls. They loved having both Mrs. Edminster and Teacher Sally as their teachers during that last year, and I know they looked forward to Friday Friends as a very special and quite different time than the rest of the week. FF prepared them for the “centers” around which many kindergarten classrooms are organized; they were quite used to completing “jobs” and then rotating around which is what they experienced the following year in “the big school.” One thing they also really enjoyed was playing on the playground with no toys out. You might think that your child would bemoan the absence of all the toys on that day, but actually it provided a very different and valuable focus to their time. They still played on the playground, of course, but relied more on peer interaction and imaginative games, which was all very very helpful. From signing in their own names, to acting in their own plays, my daughters benefited greatly from the Friday Friends program. My husband and I are confident that it helped to prepare them well for the experience of kindergarten. Thanks Teacher Sally!” - Allegra Gibbons-Shapiro

“Friday Friends was my daughter’s favorite class at Discovery. She looked forward to it every week. It prepared BOTH of us for Kindergarten. As a parent, I feel totally comfortable working in groups and leading the kids in groups at her new elementary school. Oh yeah, and she is doing great as well!” - Jackie Kenyon

“Friday Friends is excellent preparation for Kindergarten. Active, curious and intelligent children benefit from a transition between play-based preschool and a structured formal school setting. Teacher Sally provides a friendly, challenging environment for young students to develop the skills they will need in a larger class and to discover the joys of the ‘homework packet.’ :-) My son was ahead of the majority of his classmates when it came time to start Kindergarten and continues to work confidently 2 years later. I highly recommend the small investment in Friday Friends to receive high rewards for your child’s education.”  - Kristine Grim