Reviews of The Brookside School (Kindergarten)

Cynthia New

Without hesitation I would highly recommend Brookside School. Miss Lynn and Mr. John do an incredible job in running this very successful and highly touted school/ daycare and summer camp. My daughter who is now 9, started at Brookside at 20 months of age and continued full time until the end of Kindergarten. She still looks forward to attending summer camp every year there as well where we love seeing Miss Karen at the front desk who is extremely compassionate and helpful. The facility is very clean and organized and the staff is caring and experienced. There are a multitude of activities for the children especially in the summer as they have three pools, gaga pit, horseback riding, bounce houses etc. They even provide lunch! They have even gone the extra mile to accommodate my changing workday hours and my daughter's special needs which has been a blessing. My daughter has made tons of friends along the way and we actually miss the staff when she transitions back to her school in the fall. Also as a great value, I would highly recommend Brookside School. You will not be disappointed. Cynthia New, Wall, NJ

Jennifer Robertson

My daughter just started at Brookside this year and my only regret is that I didn't send her there sooner. This school is amazing. I really do express gratitude on a daily basis for Brookside. The staff is warm, accepting, nurturing but professional, kind, enthusiastic and inclusive. The student population follows suit. Education had been top notch and very seemlessly differentiated to each individual student. It really is a very family like atmosphere. I do believe Brookside produces well educated and kind children. My daughter is happy and thriving! What more can you ask for?

David Haegan

My children have been coming here for years and they absolutely love it. I have not had any complaints.

Lauren Fletcher

Horrific! I can not warn you strongly enough about not sending your child to this school. Given, our experience was with the camp, my daughter was still "supervised" by one of there unlicensed "teachers". I regret that this took place during the birth of my second child, so I was a little distracted and was not right on top of the situation. My husband's reservations started when he would drop her off in the morning and she would cry and say that she did not want to be there. Now, she'd been going to daycare since she was 18 months gleefully, so this was out of character. But again, I took it with a grain of salt. I figured she was having trouble because of the birth of her baby sister and just wanted to stay with mommy and daddy. She had told us on occasion that she didn't have snack that day (she went from 7:30am-11:30). I brought it up to the director and was told that sometimes they "ran out of time". I really started paying attention when they took my 3 year old on a field trip to a public park and she fell off of a bench. When I questioned what had happened I was told, "No one saw it happen, she came to find us and tell us." AT A PUBLIC PARK! SHE CAME TO FIND YOU AND TELL YOU!? The finally straw was the second injury that occurred in the classroom and as the story goes, from my daughter: she was carrying a chair and tripped over a boy's legs that was laying under one of the tables. Sounds chaotic to me. This time they actually called me and I came and got her and brought her to the doctor. The doctor mentioned a plastic surgeon for the cut on her chin and I immediately called the director, who up until this point did not even offer to cover any expenses from the injury. I informed her at that point that my daughter would not be returning and she remained unapologetic and her apathy was apparent. I write this because I deeply regret letting this go on as long as she was there (two maybe three weeks) and if I can save just one parent the guilt associated with sending their child here I feel this will be worth my time.

Meredith Gubler

My daughter (7yo) spent a couple of weeks here with her cousins in Aug 2018. She had a great time and especially enjoyed signing up for extra horseback riding lessons. She LOVED her horseback riding teacher... who was excellent with the kids and animals. We also enjoyed and appreciated lunch being provided, the option for after care, variety of activities, and staff experience level. Thank you for making us feel welcome!

Sarah Yonkowski

We are so happy with our decision to send our son to Brookside. He started there at 3 months and is now 3 and a half. We absolutely love all of the teachers and staff here, we could not ask for a better match for our son. Every teacher we have worked with is so engaged with the students and they love each child like their own. One thing that stuck out the most is the amount of time the kids spend outside and playing - every day they are interacting with the animals, going on trips, and just being kids - which is exactly what they need. A wonderful school with a family atmosphere - we love it!

Derek Otis

The teachers aren't content with just the way things are. They go out of their way to help my son. They do a good job for him and it shows in how he performs academically.

Courtney Davis

The teachers at The Brookside School are awesome. They teach the kids so much and make it easy to learn. Plus, they are always available and helpful to me. It's an amazing school.

Lisa Hardmeyer

I am continually impressed with how much my kids are learning. There are so many different activities available for the kids too which really helps them grow in a number of ways.

Greg Remington

They are great. They have many special events, class trips and after school sports that make it a fun and unique school environment.

Amanda Brockwell

We had a very negative experience here with my toddler son. My son can definitely be a handful at times and I recognize that he presented challenges to the teachers and staff. Yet, the way they handled this with me and my son was horrific. I was told in the middle of the main hallway that they were asking my toddler to leave the school. I started crying and was mortified. There was an office open and available where she could have taken me aside, but didn't. I literally feel like I was publicly shamed by the director Lynn, who I believe enjoyed delivering this news to me in such a public way. I do not think that their staff is adequately trained. They had two grandmas with back problems for a class of almost all boys. His behavior immediately improved once we switched to a Goddard School, which I highly recommend. Teachers at Goddard are highly trained and it is run like a business where you are treated with respect. I really gave a lot of thought on if I should leave a negative review...this happened months ago and since that time I have heard other horror stories from people in my community about this school and I ultimately decided I should share my experience. That being said, I recognize that there some teachers that genuinely care about the kids and the facility is great with the animals, pool, busing and activities. It may be a good match for some kids, but it certainly did not work out for us.

Genevieve VanWinkle

Our girls have attended Brookside since 2011 for both daycare and camp and they love it. They even frequently ask to go even on the days they aren't scheduled to. Lynn and John are easy to work with and the entire staff proves daily how much they care about our kids.

Angela Tamayo

This camp is amazing!!! The director Lynn was the first person I had contact with when she came to my job for dinner with her husband, she's amazing. I had sent my kids to camp zehendar( more money for less time) and Lynn didn't approach me, I was her waitress and we were chatting and Brookside came up. The next day I was there with my kids to register them and for them to look around, they loved Lynn and they fell in love with the camp. My daughter started this week and has been so happy (she even asked about next year) my son goes next week for the first time. My daughter went there with a terrible sunburn from being at another camp and they helped me to help her with her sunburn. And we're great when I called to check on her, there was no hesitation to let me know how she was!!! Don't make a mistake- Choose Brookside!!!

Stephanie Mcdonald

Our girls have attended Brookside for 5 years now...going on 6! They LOVE it and even ask to go on days that they aren't even scheduled to go.

Alison Edison

My son has a learning disability, and I know it can make his school days kind of crazy. Thank goodness for the teachers at Brookside. They work with him so that he is able to keep up with the class and reach his potential.

Olivia Grayson

The Brookside School is one of the best schools around. The staff treats you like family and I have such great memories of all they have done for our family over the years.

Jane Nielson

I've had two boys attend The Brookside School. It's been a positive experience for all three of us. They enjoy going to school and I like that they are getting a good education at a good institution.

Millie Simpson

The Brookside School is worth every single penny. Our kids absolutely love it here, and it is amazing to see how much they have grown. The staff here is fantastic, and there is no doubt that I would recommend them!

Kristen Hanson

My son is 9 and he attends the summer camp three days a week. He has attended other more expensive camps through the years and has not liked them nearly as much as Brookside. He enjoys going there each day and has had a wonderful summer experience. As long as he is happy, then I am happy! He swims, plays basketball, goes on trips, plays with the animals and has some breaks inside with computer games and video games. He has made some nice friends and has had an enjoyable summer.

Crystal Horsfall

This school provides great experiences for the children that are unique. The staff is very good at seeking out new activities that will help them learn, and give memories as they do. Brookside is one-of-a-kind in its effort to do this and its ability to make it happen.

Hallie Mertz

My son needs a lot of special attention and I feel that his teacher at The Brookside School really takes the time to work with him. Her work is paying off. I've been really happy with the school.

Chris Buono

Brookside was the best thing that happened to both my brothers and I. Going through Brookside as a twelve month student and camper ten years completely formed me to be the person that I am. Now as an eighth grader it is my last year of camp and I am trying to keep ever moment in my head as being a part of the whole Brookside community is like being a part of a second family. During both school and camp the Counselors and Teachers all care about the safety and well-being of the campers. The best part of being a camper at the Brookside School camp is that every single day of the summer you can experience something new and exciting. Not once have my parents had any doubt that my brothers and I were in good hands when dropping us off and leaving us there from 830 to 6 daily. The past two years were the most boring summers ever for only the fact that my parents decided to let us stay at home and have a summer that they used to have. To say we missed Brookside was an understatement. We didn't know what to do with ourselves as we went on a third year of sitting at home and not feeling the love that attending Brookside brought. I wish Brookside allowed people to attend their camp through high school because of how fun and exciting that it is. Whoever says that they don't care about campers and students is lying, ONLY REAL CAMPERS CAN TELL READERS AND POTENTIAL CAMPERS HOW IT EFECTS US BECAUSE WE WITNESS IT FIRST HAND AND MOST IF NOT ALL LOVE IT.

Maggie G

My children started at the Brookside school in September of 2018. I have been waiting to post a review until I got enough exposure to the school to provide an accurate assessment. After 7 months attending, I can say this school is one of the best schools in the area. I am so impressed with everything I have seen. Just to be aware, I currently have 3 children who attend Brookside; Pre-K, 2 year old and Infant: Faculty - The faculty is absolutely the most amazing part of Brookside. The teacher's are all very invested in the children as well as keeping parent's updated on the children's progress. I am so impressed every week by the work and topics being covered with my children at such a young age. My 4 year old has blossomed since starting at Brookside and I believe his teacher is a big reason why he will be so prepared for kindergarten come September Administration - Again, I can't say enough positive things about the owner/administrative staff. They do a great job of keeping parent' informed of everything going on, all while doing it with a smile and a very personal touch. Work/Activities - Specifically for the Pre-K class, my son is enjoying a variety activities each day. I believe the school does a great job balancing fun all while incorporating lessons and skills. Since my son started at Brookside he has learned to write almost all of his letters (both upper and lower case), recognize these letters out of sequence, write his name, use safety scissors, and use a glue stick . This is on top of all the lessons that are additionally incorporated each week. Additionally, the class holds show and tell every week which has fostered a level of confidence in him I had not seen before. My son also attends music and gym class almost every day of the week. Holidays - They celebrate every holiday at this school and I love it so much. Every holiday is celebrated with songs, parties, learning of songs, and just decorations galore (especially Christmas). Inclusive Environment - I am a big advocate of inclusion. It is something I work with my children on all the time. The environment at Brookside is one of absolute inclusion. It means a great deal to me that this is a such a big piece of the culture here. Price - Not that price should be the main factor when deciding on a place for your children, but the tuition for child care is very reasonable and much in line what I have paid at other places. But with everything Brookside provides, it is a much bigger bang for your buck. I really can not say enough positive things about Brookside school. The only thing I regret is that my oldest didn't start at Brookside from the time he was an infant.

Joshua Havard

Our daughter has been going to both the school and summer camp for 2 years, and she loves it. I've had no issues with the staff, John, Karen, and Lynn are great and very helpful. There are so many things they do with the kids and they make it fun for all ages. Send your kids here, and you won't regret it!

Jack Knolls

Its definitely worth sending your children here. Brookside School keeps children busy and involved while making it an exciting place. My kids actually wake up excited to go school.

Marla Johnson

They provide small class sizes so you get more out of the experience and the teachers are excellent.

Jessica D

Both of our girls went through Brookside up to Pre-K and loved it. As did we. Sad to have moved on. Camp program is excellent too and look forward to returning in the summer!

Michael Canarick

Both of our children went from infancy through kindergarten. They had a great experience there and made friends that they still keep in touch with years later. They were extremely prepared for school by the time the entered elementary school. I would highly recommend Brookside.

Sidney Penn

I recommend The Brookside School to everyone. Whenever I hear someone in need of a school I tell them that this is the best place for your children. I know it can be hard for some families to make the switch to a private school, but it is absolutely worth it.

Gerald Sanders

My kids love The Brookside School. We had some bad experiences at their last school, so to see my son coming home happy after being in class all day is great. I know they are having a positive experience there, and that makes it worth it to me.

Lori Armuth

The school is great but I don't like the way Lynn talks to the workers not nice at all

Te Simoes

Unreal, This summer camp is a joke. Yes the animals are great! Which is much more than i can say about the inappropriate actions of the staff and how they handle various situations which are less than acceptable for your loved ones. Save your money and some heartache this is not the place for your children!

Danielle Miles

Started out in daycare with both our children at 14 weeks old and never looked back! great place and great experiences.... they still can't wait for camp to start in the summer, riding horses, feeding the animals and seeing all their friends!

sami kennelly

Brookside is a great school and summer camp! I went there as an infant until 6th grade. Great learning environment and caring staff. Animals on the property are a bonus; all well taken care of. With horse back riding lessons and Fernando (the llama) children learn how to love and respect animals. Overall, amazing place to send your kiddos!