Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
The Goddard School of Hershey in Hummelstown
Categories
Location on the map
Hummelstown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, US
Accessibility
Phone: +1 717-566-2273
Site: https://www.goddardschool.com/sc...
Site: https://www.goddardschool.com/sc...
Opening hours
- Monday:7AM–5:30PM
- Tuesday:7AM–5:30PM
- Wednesday:7AM–5:30PM
- Thursday:7AM–5:30PM
- Friday:7AM–5:30PM
- Saturday:Closed
- Sunday:Closed
Comments (21)
Goddard and their highly educated and caring staff are not just any ordinary school and they are the furthest thing from daycare or D.C. They are our family. They are the first humans that we trusted our baby girls life with outside of immediate family. Day two she was running to her friends and already forgetting to give kisses and hugs goodbye to me and her Daddy. She learned the importance of friendship, respect, kindness, and compassion. We are a military family and had to move out of state and we chose a home very close to a Goddard school in that state. We are raising a strong, loving, talented, and independent little girl that is ready to take on the world and we could not have done that without our Goddard schools. She is not yet in Kindergarten and she is already reading, knows three languages, can add and subtract, and even started dance and soccer classes all while she is at school. She gets to participate in fundraising, sports, parties, themed days, and has learned to support local business, first responders, and military and so much more. My husband and I can relax and tackle our own days challenges at our jobs knowing that she is and has been thriving and safe at the Goddard School.
The Goddard School Hershey is a fantastic school. They make you feel as if you are part of their own family. The teachers are very caring towards the children and the education program is excellent as well. I would recommend The Goddard School Hershey to all my friends with young children!!
We have been so impressed with the professionalism of the staff and the quality of the programming at Goddard. Ive been truly shocked at the tremendous level of planning and preparation that occurs every day. As part of my elementary education degree, I observed 100+ hours in preschools. Goddard, by far, surpasses any preschool Ive seen in terms of staff quality, preparation, planning, and implementation.
They interviewed me at the beginning of November twice, making me feel as though I got the position by telling me to begin “updating my clearances” and to “keep in contact “. I emailed Gina, the Director a week before Thanksgiving, keeping her in the loop about my physical and clearances, that she told me to “update” she emailed me back saying the staff had “personal issues” going on and would be in contact with me by “mid week”. After that, I contacted them about my physical paper work and clearances were completed and they never tried to contact me back.,If you’re not going to hire someone that’s fine, but please at least have the decency to call them or send them an email telling them you chose someone else.
I love so much about this school! The main selling points were the excellent, creative curriculum and the beautiful, clean facilities. The teachers and staff are all wonderful — they show how much they care about and enjoy working with kids every day. I also appreciate that the school communicates so well with parents and builds a strong community with activities, such as book club, that bring in parents to connect with each other and engage with teachers on a regular basis.
Both of my boys have been enrolled in the preschool program at this school. The teachers here go above and beyond to ensure your child succeeds. This is not just a job for them. They are caring, enthusiastic, and invested in not only the students but also their families. We are blessed to be a part of this school.
My child went to this school briefly and a family member of mine also worked there. The way they treat their teachers leaves a lot to be desired. Parents of students were also told that tuition was being raised to pay for a raise for the teachers. Tuition was raised but the teachers got nothing for it. And this type of thing wasnt an isolated incident either unfortunately. Despite this, though, the teachers are wonderful with the kids at least! I cant say enough good things about the teachers! So all in all, judged solely on the teachers, Id give this school 5 stars. When you consider how the owners run the thing too...you get the rating i gave it.
You will not find a better place for childcare! It is an extension of our family and we feel blessed to have our children spend each day with such caring, loving teachers in an environment that allows them to grow and learn with other kids. They go above and beyond every day to ensure our children get the best care, learn something new and have fun!
I would not recommend entrusting your precious little one to the Hummelstown, PA facility. They are crooks and take pride in scamming people out of their money and calling it a registration fee. My husband and I went into their Hummelstown PA franchise in March. We were given a tour and informed of the many advantages to sending our 3 year old daughter to their school. After careful consideration, we spoke with the in-house owners about our specific needs. We were looking for part time care, four days out of the week consisting of Tuesday-Friday. The owners were very pleasant in letting us know that they did not have anything avaliable right away because this particular classroom had reached capacity. However, theyd expected to have something avaliable by the end of Summer, early Fall, but we were informed that wed be contacted if they had anything sooner. My husband and i reluctantly agreed and submitted their required $150 registration fee and filled out the needed paperwork in order to place her on the waitlist. In April, I called in to see if anything had changed. Surly it hadnt. I proceeded to call once or twice a month to check for changes. Meanwhile, we had to find alternative childcare. We are now in Mid July. Today I received a phone call from one of the Goddard Hummelstown, Pa employees who notified us that they had a four day opening coming up but it was for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. I reminded them that this would not work with our schedules as we were in need of Tuesday-Friday care. Since its been about 4-5 months with no upcoming openings for summer or Fall at this point and our daughter will soon be enrolled in kindergarten I asked if it would be possible to refund the $150 registration fee. The young lady we spoke too was unable to provide an answer so I was placed on a brief hold to speak with one of the owners. Cindy (one of the owners) was very rude, unprofessional, dismissive, did not listen to reason, and laughed when I asked if we were able to negotiate a refund. Cindy made it clear that the $150 registration fee was NON-REFUNDABLE under any circumstance and that they would normally charge an additional upfront 2 weeks worth of childcare cost whether or not they have a position avaliable. I let Cindy know that this was not good buisness dismissing a potential consumer and that I would be writing a review on my experiences. Cindy stated thats fine, I was so overwhelmed with misunderstanding and heartbreak as to how someone could be so pretentious. I would just like to inform my readers that before you submit any money or agree to any contract please make sure that you are covered. My husband and I are now out of $150 that could have been put to better use. Please reconsider before taking your little one to this facility. I would not trust leaving my little one in their care. If I were treated this way, Id hate to see how they are treating children that are in their care. This post was written by Lisa E. But posted using husbands acct.
We love the staff and the curriculum. We feel very safe having our child there.
Poor management and lack of communication between staff and parents. Not recommended...
Total reviews rating 4.1
21 Reviews for The Goddard School of Hershey 2023:
Review №1
2022-04-28We sent our daughter to Goddard for a full year after moving to the Hershey area and we were very happy with the care and education she got while enrolled. We felt very comfortable that she was always safe and in good hands with qualified teachers. I can only imagine how much harder covid made it for everyone to navigate the day to day of running the daycare, but they stayed very communicative and consistence throughout all the disruptions. My wife and I loved the daily photo “memories” and the end of day summary report as well was appreciated. Overall, we’d recommend Goddard to anyone in the area looking for childcare.
Review №2
2022-04-07Despite being completely transparent with the director and owners of the franchise about my daughters medical diagnoses, the director did not treat us very well. We were made to feel like we didnt belong because of my daughters disability. Out of the six months we attended the school, we received one positive note about our child. I can say that her most recent teachers were phenomenal--very caring. However, that treatment was overshadowed by the way we were made to feel walking in and out of the center.
Review №3
2018-04-26My experience with the Goddard School has been nothing but positive! The staff have done an amazing job assisting in his academic and social growth. My son loves going to school each day and knows he is surrounded by teachers and administrators that care for him. It is an extremely nurturing environment, which is key in an early childhood center. I would highly recommend this school/daycare to any individual who is looking for a place for their child or children to attend!
Review №4
2016-09-15Our family has been with the Goddard School - Hershey since they opened in 2011 and we absolutely love this school! The owners, administrators and teachers are all fantastic! The care, enthusiasm, commitment to providing excellent child care, and passion for educating and inspiring the young minds entrusted in their care is why we love this school so much and highly recommend it. This is an especially warm and caring environment where parents can leave their children, knowing they are completely safe, secure, and happy.
Review №5
2016-02-05We feel very safe to leave our son in hands of the teachers. The security systems in place make us feel stress free that strangers will not be able to enter the premises. The fenced play area is awesome.The teachers and administration are very caring, friendly and affectionate to our son. The classrooms are clean and there is a good vibration and energy as you enter the school. As a matter of fact all teachers that we meet daily are smiling and positive!!Our son has been going there for past 3 weeks and we see a huge difference. The curriculum is excellent. Overall Excellent experience.
Review №6
2015-12-14If you want the best educational experience for your young child or preschooler, then consider The Goddard School! More than simply a daycare, each day involves structured learning experiences as well as outdoor physical play. I also love how they incorporate technology. The rooms are equipped with computers so that preschoolers can learn valuable skills. The teachers have ipads, take pictures of your children, and email them to you throughout the day! Its great because like most moms, I really miss my children and this gives me a chance to see what they are doing during their day. At the end of the day, they also email you a summary of what your child ate for lunch, if they took a nap, potty times, etc.My two children have been going to The Goddard School for a year and half now and we have been very impressed. The teachers and administrative staff are all very friendly, organized, and competent. I have seen how much my two children have advanced in their language and social skills since they started there. I would highly recommend Goddard to anyone.
Review №7
2016-02-08We couldnt be more pleased with the care our child is provided. The family environment is comforting for a full time working parent, and I feel as though her education and development is their priority every day. They make a huge effort to include parents in the daily accomplishments their children via multiple email updates with pictures throughout the day, which makes me feel Im not missing out on quite so much while at work. The school encourages and nurtures cultural diversity both in the student/family population and within the curriculum.The facility itself is clean/organized and the faculty are always friendly and know every single student by name! Many of the teachers have been there since opening in 2012 when my child started there as a baby, and to me that speaks volumes about the dedication the teachers have to the children and that they are treated well themselves by the employer. Happy teachers mean happy kids in my opinion!Not only have they retained an incredible staff, there are many families that have also been a part of this school since day 1, some with multiple children as their families have grown, again speaking volumes about the family environment and quality education that is provided.Additionally, they follow strict guidelines regarding food safety, allergy awareness and hygiene-believe me I have received many emails regarding slip ups if I dont properly label my childs food items etc, again reassuring me that my child and the other children in her classroom/school are their priority.
Review №8
2015-11-11My wife and I began sending our son to The Goddard School when he was 4 months old. Clearly it was difficult to send him to school at such a young age, but my wife had to return to work and we didnt have the luxury of having family nearby. From the very beginning, the management at The Goddard School was welcoming and friendly. They immediately earned our trust. It didnt hurt that we had many friends whose children also attend TGS and love it. He is currently transitioning from the Infant/Baby room to the Year-Old room, and is doing great! What we particularly love is TGSs focus on development. We receive daily emails with how much our son ate/drank, his diapering activity, a few snapshots of his day, and then a detailed list of activities along with their developmental focus. The teachers are beyond wonderful and we truly feel that they care for our son like family. The school is excellent at communicating with parents and often schedule family-oriented events and even occasional date nights with after-hour babysitting. I cant imagine sending our son anywhere else and would recommend it to anyone looking for a welcoming, family-run, supportive school with the childs well-being as their top priority.
Review №9
2013-08-26The Goddard School of Hershey, PA, is an amazing center for young children! We were one of the first families to transfer to the brand new facility when they opened in the fall of 2011, and never second-guessed our decision. From the start, leadership at The Goddard School made certain that they were on top of the curriculum being developed, and the faculty and how they were interacting with the children and families.The environment for our son (an only child, age 4 when he started) was welcoming, warm, and balanced (academic, social, manners, extra programs - i.e., book club; Jump Bunch; Soccer Shots). His teachers kept us in the loop on his progress, as well as advised of when he was having issues with following rules and listening, encouraging consistent direction/feedback at both home and school.The Goddard School quickly became an extension of our family. As our son moves on to elementary school, we will miss our Goddard family, but have already been encouraged to come back for events and special occasions.We would highly recommend The Goddard School of Hershey to any family looking for an enriching educational and creative program for their children. They make friends, learn structure, and are encouraged to express themselves - what more could a family ask for when searching for a care provider for their young children.
Review №10
2014-12-18The Goddard School of Hershey, PA is a wonderful school for your children. I cannot recommend it enough. The leadership there is fantastic. They are very focused on creating the best environment possible for their children. They really take the time to get to know all the families and really make you feel like you are part of their family. It never ceases to amaze me that they remember every child’s name, let alone so much about them and their families.The teachers are so warm and loving towards the children and truly care about them. One morning my 2 year old son was being stubborn (shocking, I know) and didn’t want to get moving, get dressed, etc. When I said, “do you want to go see Miss Danielle [his teacher]?” he responded with, “okay!!” and immediately let me get him dressed and ready. That speaks volumes to me as a mother about the care he is receiving.I also love how the teachers keep you updated with their lessons and my son’s progress. I love getting the daily report (via my phone!) that tells me all of the activities they did that day. Another thing I love is that they send you a couple pictures of your child throughout the day. For me, it makes being away from my son during those hours a little easier when I get to see he is having fun. It makes me feel more connected to his day, even though I’m at work.Previously, we had our son in a daycare that was basically next to my work. We now go out of our way every day to take him to The Goddard School of Hershey, and I have never once regretted making that switch. I will gladly make that drive and give up that time for the peace of mind it gives me. The Goddard School of Hershey is leaps and bounds better than his previous school, and I had no idea how inadequate the other school was until we became a part of the Goddard family.If you are looking for a preschool for your child, you will not regret choosing The Goddard School of Hershey! I simply cannot say enough about them.