Print the value of index0
Lakeside Academy Lisa and David Oliver Hand and foot disease Mission Viejo California
This is BY FAR not the Christian atmosphere the owner Lisa would like for you to think it is. I have a Master's Degree in education and teaching experience under my belt. I will be the first to admit that working with children can be a CHALLENGE! I respect each and every person that does it. I will also be the first to admit that my children aren't perfect, they are children! That being said my sons attended Lakeside for 10 months. It started out ok, but slowly went downhill. When I had a meeting with Lisa, the owner, and the "teachers" it was IMMEDIATELY clear why my son was having a hard time. Here are just a FEW highlights:
1). I was emailed one day to pick my son up because the school could not engage him or get him to "behave." Upon picking my son up Anne Marie said we needed to have a meeting- which I absolutely wanted to have ASAP. The meeting took 2 weeks to schedule and it had to fit Lisa's schedule which meant she picked the time and date and WE had to work around it. Only Lisa's schedule matters apparently! We had to miss half a day of work to accommodate Lisa. In the meantime I was told if they had further problems I would be expected to pick my son up. How they think that is ok when I am PAYING for my son to attend and wanted to meet with Lisa immediately is beyond me. Naturally they don't refund you any money for days missed. Lisa is ALL ABOUT MONEY!
2) When the meeting began Lisa said they had been having "ongoing" issues with my son which was NEWS to me! Yes in the new class he was having issues, but in his previous class he had very few. Seems that had been forgotten and my son had been labeled a "problem." How Christian of her!
3) She then proceeded to say if they didn't see an improvement my child would no longer be "allowed" in their facility. PARDON ME? How Christian like to kick a 4 year old out of your establishment that I PAY you for my child to attend! I have had many challenging students in my class and guess what you have to WORK to find a solution!!! Lisa made it clear they had 1 go to method to try and if that didn't work then he was gone. To say I was DISGUSTED is an understatement.
4) Lisa mentioned that circle time is a real issue and that my son couldn't sit for 15 minutes. Guess what? Most children can't sit for that length of time and it is developmentally not appropriate for their age. She didn't want to hear it!
5) Lisa made many assumptions about our home, my son, his attire, among many other things that were completely out of the subject matter at hand and were also dead wrong. Judging is VERY Christian like.
6) After the meeting we put Lisa's "behavior plan" in place but I KNEW at this point my sons deserved a better environment and that she had already decided to kick my son out. She was just setting it up.
I wanted to pull my sons immediately but knew it would be best to transition them after the holidays as the start of a new year would be a more understandable transition for them. Lisa KNEW I wasn't falling for her lies and finger pointing. Instead of owning up to the flaws in her facility, she wanted to blame my son.
Once I mentioned to Anne Marie- who is also a liar- that I was looking for a new school for the boys that actually knew how to teach children things escalated quickly as I am sure she reported this back to Lisa and Lisa took offense to the fact that someone who KNOWS education and children was onto her. The same day I mentioned this to Anne Marie I got an email that evening stating my sons were no longer allowed at the school and that we would be given a week to get out. Mind you this was right before Thanksgiving, and their Christmas performance that the entire family was set to attend and that the boys knew all about. Again how Christian of you to kick 4 year olds out of your school because you are underqualified! I feel sorry for any parent or child that enters this ill equipped establishment. Lisa- the Christian- is all about making money the easiest way possible. If your child is not a robot she doesn't know what to do! Furthermore, she can't even tell you to your face that your child is being kicked out of preschool. She has Anne Marie send an email. Nothing about this school is professional or Christian!
Although I wanted to transition my boys at a time that would be best for them. Lisa went ahead and made the call. Leaving me to explain to the boys why they don't get to do their Christmas performance or see their friends. The funny thing is my son that was a challenge actually said he LOVED school all the time. My son that is not the challenge HATED going to Lakeside. I am so happy to be done with this AWFUL establishment and I would really encourage anyone considering this school to think LONG AND HARD! What goes on inside these walls in not what is advertised!
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Rebecca D
Rancho Santa Margarita,California,
United States
Compelled to Respond
#2Consumer Comment
Wed, November 22, 2017
As a parent of two Lakeside children for well over a year, I was googling the venue's address for Lakeside's upcoming holiday performance when this ripoff report showed up in my search results. I couldn't help but read the lengthy report and after doing so, I felt compelled to clear Lakeside's reputation. I sympathize with the complainant's childcare issues and understand that finding the right care for ones child is definitely a process that doesn't always work out the way we wish for it to. I've had a very different experience with the owner and Anne Marie of Lakeside Academy and don't have any evidence or experience to support the complainant's accusation that either of them are dishonest people. To the contrary, they have been incredibly honest and forthcoming with me and my husband.
There is behavioral policy in the school's enrollment package that indicates that when a child is having behavioral issues, they will meet with the parents, try to resolve the issue, and if the situation doesn't improve, the child will be asked to leave. I remember reviewing this policy well because I was surprised that behavior could ever escalate to that point and I was concerned my son could one day be kicked out, as he's a textbook brute. Having read the complainant's report, it sounds as if protocol was followed. Assuming the complainant's credentials are legit and she has an educator background, I'm not sure why she's so surprised that the owner is busy and the behavioral sit-down must occur at a date that worked for the owner. Specifically when the complainant complained that she had to take time off of work to meet with her son's school...it sounds like a pretty straight forward obligation that comes with being a parent. It's not as if the owner rescheduled with and flaked on her three times, so why is she so upset? Silly. Every person has their own schedule and finding time to fit things in is always a challenge, welcome to life as an adult. I also found it strange that the complainant complained that her child was removed from school prior to the holiday performance and how heartbreaking and sad that was for the kid.
My rebuttal for that is that it's odd that her child even knew about the performance considering the complaint is dated October 30th and parents weren't even made aware of the play until November, and the kids didn't start practicing until mid-November. I'd like to add that it's odd that the complainant feels entitled to a certain level of treatment to the extent she expects the school to stop operating as a business in order to prove how "Christian" it is. When my kid misses school, I don't receive any tuition reimbursement. I am aware that Lakeside has a policy stating that they will discount weekly tuition by 50% after the second week of missed school, but to expect a business to refund or credit tuition when school is missed due to behavioral issues is unfair to the business owner. No one wants a child to miss out on school, or having to discharge a child or remove them from a classroom, it's always a last resort. I don't think this is merely a difference of opinion. Why should a school waive tuition for behavioral issues? The costs involved in running the school are predetermined and each child represents a portion of those costs, if a child has to be removed from the classroom, those costs still exist. That child is taking up a reserved spot and until that reservation is terminated, the costs are still there and they need to be paid. No one wants to kick a kid out of school, look at the headache it causes everyone. You think anyone wants to deal with a disgruntled former parent on the internet, shouting liar on ripoffreport.com? No, it's easier to work things out. So the school should prove it's just as Christian as you by eating the costs of running because a child had behavioral issues and had to be kicked out? It makes no sense.
Your kid was warned, nothing changed, and unfortunately the parent has to pick up the tab for their kid's issues. Again, sounds like the downside of life as a parent. Sometimes things cant always be worked out. Some children are more difficult than others and I hope this parent finds the tools she needs to help her son, who clearly does have a behavioral issue. My son at lakeside has had his share of problems. He's kicked a kid before, he took off a kid's glasses and tossed them on the floor- these things happen. They're kids.
So I understand her frustration but want to relay that my experience at Lakeside is very different. Much like in this complainant's complaint, Lakeside spoke to me as the incidents happened and I worked with them and my son to make sure behavioral changes were made. The only difference is my situation worked out instead of my son acting out. For this reason and all of those specified above, I felt compelled to come to Lakeside's defense. Thank you.