Kids Academy with unbiased opinions
MANAGEMENT Are they accommodating?:Yes, they really are accommodating and very much concerned with the student, the family and the needs of both
. They are very much considerate and you'll find out more of their hospitality when you stay there. Although, they have one flaw in accommodation, they need improvement on entertaining their guests or parents that go there for inquiry because they really get that awkward, stunned silence moments when they orient walk-ins and they reflect a beginner's vibe. Do they have consultants?: The management has many consultants if you count their board of directors too but they have two main consultants. One a master and very well experienced in education, and the other in business education. QUALIFICATION OF FACULTY AND STAFF: My daughter's teachers are graduates from Ateneo, I'm just not sure about the other teachers, although they do have high standards in accepting applicants/employees. They have the qualifications uploaded in their web site, come check it out. Experience years (from when was this school established):They now 4 years and counting. Though they are pretty much a newbie in the education industry, they pretty much got an edge from their facilities and techniques of teaching. Plus, the owners have been experienced with kids for quite a long number of years before they have put up their own school. SCHOOL FACILITIES How big is the school: It has 1 big playground at their front yard, 8 big rooms including the waiting area and a toilet. 2 of those rooms are huge, one is a gym that they also turn into a party place when its someone's birthday, the other huge room is the waiting area where the mini library and the info area is also located. 4 of those classrooms are regular sized rooms, fit for 15 -20 students and 2 of those class rooms are small tutorial and viewing rooms. Rating of the facility and pictures: I give it 8 out of 10. They do maintenance every year which is a really big thumbs up for me, plus they clean up every day after classes.The place even looks very much like a mini school, very professional but still gave the home-like ambiance, which is appropriate with their method of teaching. The toilet dividers need to be maintained tho, it seems like its wiggling all over. That's my kid with Webby, her school mate.They are in the hallway of the school. Red door is the gym, pink is the viewing room, yellow is the toddler's classroom
green is the vertical's class room, orange is the tutorial class room and blue is the nursery's class room. the next to the
nursery's is the teacher's lounge. straight ahead is the toilet! List of areas (play. Dining, nap, classroom etc): They have a play area, classrooms, mini library, and a gym. Materials of kids in school (daily basis): Included in the tuition fee. Materials of kids in presentations (paid or additional payment or parent provides own materials): They don't include it in the tuition fee; you have to provide your own. They used to offer costumes/materials to the students and all they have to do is pay the school to make it hassle free for the parents but they minded those who are saving up and needs to cost cut, thinking that they might be able to get lower prices of the materials outside so they just let the parents provide their own kid their own material. Day care available?: Nope but they do allow the kid to stay there until the fetcher is around, just inform them that you will be late. Facilities that cater the sped needs and impaired needs? : Yes, In fact, they currently have a blind child enrolled there and have also been dealing with kids with disorders for years. They do let the kid be around the regular kids but when they get violent, they separate the kid to avoid accidents. SCHOOL SURROUNDINGS School's social environment: Very recommendable low profile kids, although when you first come in, you will get an impression that the families there are high profile when in fact, the kids there are regular and are encouraged by the school/teachers not to be bragging brats. Location:Katipunan White planes. click map to see map only Travel time from Katipunan: Ten minutes from Xavier Ville phase 2, Quezon City. Although there are times that heavy traffic comes along and I get pissed with the fact that traffic comes heavy in the street in front the school and not because the school enforces traffic but its because of some other reasons I don't know. Parking: Very front parking lot that can accommodate approximately 10 cars. It would sound pretty small but hey, it's only a pre-school, not a big university! The kids there are just dropped by/fetched for 5-10 mins. If not, most of them are in carpool service. Security, how many and how?: They have 2 security guards and one driver/assistant that I can say are very accommodating and very helpful in my driving and in assisting the kid or even carrying bags. They also have very high full time locked fences that are only opened for fetchers. Those who come in are noted by one guard and only those familiar faces will be allowed to fetch and be released from school grounds. They keep a photo record of those fetchers with a signed waiver from each parent. FACULTY How many nannies available for help to the teacher: They allot 2 aids per classroom, that they allow only to be maxed out by 15 students. ratio of kid and teacher : They keep a ratio of 2 to 3 students per teacher and if there are too many students, they have nanny aids. How many students per classroom and all in all (maximum): 15- 20 students maximum acceptance per classroom, per time slot. TEACHING METHOD Type of teaching method (progressive or traditional or others): They use a very uncommon method called eclectic progressive. It means kids learn through playing, they might not consciously know that they are learning because they are playing. Probably when you ask your kid what they did that day, they would probably tell you that they only played but when you ask them something academic, let's say a mathematical question like "what's 2+2?" then later on they would find out that they know the answer. That's how I understood it but I still don't get the difference between eclectic progressive with progressive. I still think it's just a type of progressive. Anyway, the important factor here is that they use a loving approach, and discipline the kids through tame and peaceful actions. Kids learn academic and good social behavior through the teachers that employ the same attributes. (Note to self: will study the different types of method used by schools and post it here) Do they have a tracker for the kid's development: Yes, they do have a check list for the development of the child, a step by step level of progression, which they believe should have accomplished in the age your child is. PTC (how often and how is it conducted) AND reports: They have 3 PTC's. The first one is an orientation to the parent. The second is before the semester break which is a report of your child's progression and the last one is at the end of the year, which is also followed by their graduation. What's amazing about their PTC system is that, they give you letters to take home, which is not just the checklist of progression but also a personal touch of stories and things to note about your kid's personality. Literally, it's a letter and I absolutely love it! Do they personally interact with the parents to gain trust/to report/accommodate the needs of the family?: Yes, in the first PTC,which is the orientation. They also personally know the parents to keep track of the things they want their kid to achieve. Fact is, PTC's are just for formality sake because what I have noticed with Kid's academy's teachers is the enthusiasm of their teachers and the dedication and love they give to their students. They love their students so much that they do interact with those parents available to fetch their kids and they do reports and tell stories to the parents every after class, as often as they can. These regular interactions keep the teachers updated of how the kids are at home and how they can adjust their goals with a follow through in school. Do they involve the parent in the evaluation of kids?: Yes because of what was said above but voluntary involvements through teacher-parental concerns are most likely approached when the parents complain. They also do approach the parent, even in small details of complexities or changes of the kid. Socialization (community day evaluation): Fridays were meant for socialization and they call it community day. They mix all their students in that day and let them interact no matter what level they are. Mostly, this day is allotted for those who had their birthday on that week and they celebrate with kids academy style party! SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND ACTIVITIES Schedule time(TIME AVAILABILITY OF CLASSES): They have both morning and afternoon class. For toddlers, they have 9-11 am and 11:30-1pm. For Nursery and Vertical class they have 9-12:30 and 11:30-3pm. Schedule of activities (daily activities inside the class): (to follow photos) Children's presentations: They have this during special occasions like Christmas or UN day or all saints day etc. They keep it at a minimum since they are also considering the finances of the parents. They keep practices during gym time and they also allot a whole week of daily practices in the venue of their ceremony. The ceremonies are held at a function room in St. Francis Shangri-la condominium and are usually pot-luck. Extracurricular activities available: They have tutorial classes available, cooking classes, kinder music and other arts and crafts/dance classes available but you just have to check because it varies on the availability of the season. I heard they even have mommy and baby yoga classes this year. Up to what level do they offer (preschool, grade-school, hs etc): Has 3 levels, toddler class, nursery, and vertical class. Their age levels are too early for me, maybe they should add another level? Difference of each level: Toddlers intro to school, focusing on behavior, identity and learning to understand academics with a bit of ABC's through play and arts/crafts. Also they have incorporated "baby can read" in their curriculum where kids would get familiarized to reading. Nursery would relate to the Toddler's class and a continuation through association of ABC's Kinder with a tad bit advanced reading.I'm not sure of the other levels yet, my kid's in toddler still and I have two more years to find out what the difference is. PARENT'S FEEDBACK Testimonials of parents: If there's one thing I have noticed in Kids academy, it's the fact that most of the students that are enrolling there were transferees from another near-by school. Most of them were not satisfied with their past schools and some of them weren't able to reach the prices of the other schools. When I was actually new in the school and wasn't committing my daughter yet, I asked the parents I encountered there why they enrolled their kid in that school despite the fact that there are other schools around. One parent said that she had a sister in law who's a master in psych and education and recommended that school as the best one around.The other one said that the location is perfect and the other one said that she transferred her kid there because they had a bad experience with the other school's disciplining method, while Kids academy satisfied their hearts secured through their loving method. There is only one negative feedback among all those I have talked to and it's the fact that their tuition fee is really high. Although I may say that their fee is in the regular rates, comparing to those other schools I have encountered but it's not on the low scheme either. Biased treatment: no biases or what so ever Religion wise treatmentno biases: They don't have biases for religions and since this is the case, they don't do ritual prayers or any form of religion based cultural actions meaning praying is not introduced, so you have to do it yourself at home Cultural biased opinions: nope Security/crimeincidents: No kidnappings or crimes so far. SCHOOL RULES AND REGULATIONS Available snacks and food (free?): unfortunately, no for valid reasons such as avoiding allergic reactions. They do promote and encourage their kids to healthy eating and drinking water so they don't allow juice (not unless there's a party) and chips/sweets are not allowed. They also promote good sanitation through cleaning of hands every now and then. Sick kid policy: They only allow toddlers to join an MWF class to avoid low resistance of those little kids and they call the parents and send the kid home when the kid already posses symptoms of any illness. School bus or carpool available?: They have carpool Student uniform: Yes, and it seems very stylish (lacoste-type collared shirts) yet appropriate, very comfortable and very simple. It costs around 300-350 pesos per uniform. Teacher uniform: Yes, appropriate as well. OTHERS Affiliations to other companies: No Perks/other special programs included (mock interviews, camping etc. what's so special?): Random workshops are introduced to the children, which depends on the availability and the relation to the lesson. They also have field trips to necessary places that are related to the lesson such as field trip to the train and zoo, watching theatre plays etc. Discounts (alumni associations etc): Yes if you are an alumni of Ateneo Sped needs catered?: Yes but they do inform you the behavior of your child and if the kid really needs special care already. They also admit that they are not sped specialists so they would rather recommend you to great sped facilities that can help you or test your kid. Can you leave your kid to school?: Yes as long as you inform the teachers if you will be late in fetching your daughter/son. Impaired needs catered?: Yes PASSING RATE to big schools: Claimed to have 100% passing rate TUTION FEE: PHP69,000-80,000. Depends on your child's level. WEBSITE: www.kidsacademy.com.ph
Kids Academy with unbiased opinions
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