Great New Beginnings Review

The owner and staff are amazing. They take care of the kids like they are their own.

I was really surprised to see this review from Christine Labaze. As management, we always have an open door policy. This review is VERY surprising as Mr. Labaze indicated he was very happy with the program and there was a personal issue that required them to disenroll. This review is not a fair reflection of the staff that works very hard in this classroom to care for the children. We are actively participating in Delaware Stars which is a voluntary program. As management, we are very proud of this program. This review was shared with our staff. If our program is so bad, why is the child still in attendance? If I felt this way about a program, it would be my child's last day. I would encourage any family that is reading this review to please know that our door is ALWAYS open and a surprise posting of this nature is not necessary. Linda Dougherty-Clark, Owner

After reading the response to my review let me clarify. The mother of this child we are speaking of asked to supplement the child s food as she saw fit, for her daughters dietary needs; A child with food sensitivity to be specific. After months of trying to work with this daycare to find foods that the child would be able to eat, it seemed like every week we were facing a new battle over her food. Some days this child would not be allowed to eat anything at all, even the food the mother provided. So, tell me again how to tried to work with the parent to make the child s experience better? Depriving the child of food cause she s different? Or posting the child s personal medical information to gain leverage to aid your daycare ?

Great New Beginnings is a well established program. I give it 5 stars because that's what it deserves, this coming from a tough credit. My child has attended this program from 6 months old until she was ready for Kindergarten. The price is good for a 5 star facility and all that is provided. They open early and stay open late. They offer live camera viewing for your convenience and breakfast lunch and snack. The activities are great and the education that is taught is a step towards school unlike other facilities that just let your child play for hours of the day.
If you're looking for the very best daycare in town then Great New Beginnings should be your new home away from home!

GNB has been a wonderful daycare to us. We started in 2011 and we came back in 2017. There was no second guessing choosing GNB our second time around. Our family has created lasting relationships with teachers/staff that have been there throughout the years. There is always an open line of communication with what is going on daily and cameras that you can view for peace of mind. Would highly recommend GNB.

very professional , clean and the teachers are amazing. the staff is very attentive. they really do a great job. i know the owner and she is wonderful. 10 out of 10!

My family and I love this center! Our daughter has attended for 6 years. The GNB family is amazing! They have always worked with us, kept us informed, listened to our concerns, etc. Teachers and assistants are all capable, seem to love the kids, are kind to parents, etc. We recommend to everyone we know!

A staff member actually tried to accuse me, a parent, of being a bully for asking for an incident report to be written accurately. Never had I been rude in fact I was always kind and appreciative of the teachers. You shouldn t make up a lie of being bullied just because you were caught having done something wrong. When I found out my daughter hit her head and this was not in the report I was alarmed. All I asked is that the reports be accurate. Linda tried to play lawyer for the young daycare worker, but it was a very poor bullying session that took place instead. Needless to say I would never allow my child to attend such a daycare where the owner has no empathy. She feels the need to get on here and defend every review because she is guilty. I should have known from the first time I stepped foot in that establishment. She was never a nice woman extremely arrogant. I have a new baby now and still I would never consider this daycare simply because of the owner. She has such a smug attitude and the feeling she left me with is just disgust. Everyone who gave this daycare 1-star is being honest and it s all because of the poor leadership. You re only as good as your weakest link and Linda is that link.

I love the staff and they love my son. I've had a great relationship with everyone at the daycare for over five years now. Every little, bump, scratch or boo boo is always documented. My son is now in elementary school and no longer goes to Great New Beginnings for child care but we came back for summer camp and he LOVES it. So many activities... Everyday there is something new.

Thank you ladies for always loving my Son and being there to bounce ideas off of. You guys Rock!

This center has a strong focus on academics and learning in a fun and creative environment that allows children to blossom without them knowing that they are following a curriculum.
In the before and after program there is daily individual focus on homework.. Kids are allowed to explore and play and have a plethora of opportunities to learn on their own without instruction due to the scholastic environment that they are exposed to. My youngest child is a toddler and I love tuning in to see him playing with different toys and enjoy that there is a mixture of arts, crafts, reading, and problem solving that he is involved in daily. The ratios are wonderful. Sometimes I notice that there are extra teachers in a room as opposed to not enough which happens in a lot of facilities. It is apparent that the administration of this facility plans for staff absences. The communication with administration and classroom teachers is amazing! I have received phone calls, emails, and notes to keep me informed. The staff are consistently friendly and really keep their personal lives out of the workplace. No one is ever disgruntled or has a negative demeanor. Even when students are crying or it seems to get hectic. They are trained and know how to handle it. The environment has really helped me to provide my children with structure during a difficult time in our personal lives. Honestly, this center has given me piece of mind and set me at ease to know that my children are in good hands. As a mother, that feeling allows me to go to work and provide for my family without any hesitation because it is easy to find a safe environment for your children; but finding a center that your kids are happy about, where they hate to leave and look forward to attending, that is a rare thing indeed. Thank you Great New Beginnings for being AWESOME, AMAZING, and providing SUPERB FAMILY service! From the costume characters that come in for free every month to the breakfast for $1 a day per child...They are simply amazing and have very inexpensive field trips that are fun and exciting for the kids. I would ask them only to please just keep up all of the good work! I feel so blessed that a coworker referred me to their center. I wouldn't dare call it a daycare because that is almost an insult since this center is truly a learning school that has private school level learning and very involved and educated staff members and teachers.

My son went here for a very long time. He had a lot of behavior issues but the staff has always been very patient and kind. They worked with me to help him thrive. They worked really hard on academics with the kids and did several fun trips throughout the year for the older kids.

I have worked here since 2002, both of my children have grown up at GNB. My son now 13 still talks about some of the teachers here. My daughter witch is 9 still loves coming here for the summer. If you want your child/children to be loved and taken care of this is the place. From the infant classrooms to the Pre-School classrooms you child/children will grow and learn so much. The infant classrooms will help you feel at ease when dropping you little one off for the day. The teacher are amazing and treats each baby as their own. For the toddler teachers they work together to make sure your child/children are right on track with their development from walking,talking and all in between. They will keep you informed on everything going on with your child/children. I cant say enough good things about the Pre-School program, the teachers are super amazing I as a parent had nothing I mean nothing to worry about. Your child/children will be more than ready for kindergarten. Also GNB is 5 stars And NAEYC Accredited. So please call for a tour to check us out.

Our daughter has been at Great New Beginnings since she was 8 weeks old and will be going off to Kindergarten next fall. The administration has always been very helpful and does a great job of communicating any changes, upcoming special dates/events, and keeping us in the loop as to our daughter's development. We have been happy with all of our teachers and can appreciate all they do to keep the kids safe, engaged, and learning every day. I would recommend Great New Beginnings to anyone and would encourage you to visit to see for yourself.

Great school my sister has learned so much this is a great school for children I recommend it!

Both my Boys have now been at GNB for 5yrs now. The boys absolutely love it there. As a parent they have my utmost trust we couldn't have asked for better community to intrust our kids too.

I just recently enrolled my son here and I find it to be a wonderful decision! I am a first time mom, so with that there is an understanding that I stress and worry about my child constantly. I was scared to find a daycare because I didn't feel anyone would be able to handle me. From the moment I called the daycare, I felt at ease and welcomed. The director Kristen was kind, understanding and helpful. She was patient with me and answered all my many, crazy questions. They let me call and come in numerous times before my son began to help ease my anxiety. His teachers are truly amazing! They are also patient with me and allow me to be anxious! My son is happy to see them and I can tell that they give all the children attention and help them feel at home. They try to keep the child's day as close to as what the parents do and keep them on their schedule which really was a big seller for me. I love that the daycare is active and always has something going on for the children. The cameras are such a big part in my choosing this daycare. I don't need them to check on the teachers, I enjoy being able to see my son having fun and playing with the other children. I plan to keep my son here for a very long time, and any other future children we have! Great New Beginnings is a wonderful place that I would definitely recommend to parents!

Both of my children attended from ages 2-5. I can truly say that the teachers here do a phenomenal job with preparing the kids for Kindergarten. Both of my children were ahead of the curve when they started Kindergarten. If you are looking for a place for your child to learn and grow educationally and socially this is the place.

Great new beginnings has been amazing for my daughter and I, she has been attending for about 2 years and we have never had a bad experience, I trust all her teachers and staff immensely. Any incident, whether a fall or a sickness, I have always been contacted immediately. I would recommend this day care to everyone! My favorite part is the live news feed, I can get on my phone any time of the day and see what my daughter is doing and watch her! I absolutely great new beginnings.

I can not say enough about GNB! My son started with them back in 2011. He s may no longer need them full time but there is no where else I d rather send him for summer camp! Thank you for loving and caring for my son throughout the years!

Amazing staff and teachers all around. The environment is perfect for all ages and kids that really want to get the most out of their day care center. Affordable on top of it!

Oh and also, The best thing is the workers and management : experienced and courteous and truly caring. Wonderful experience all around. 5 stars for sure

I do not have anything but great things to say about GNB. As a previous Director in a daycare center, you do not always see the owners on site. The owner of GNB takes pride in her schools and it truly shows how much she cares about her families, students and staff. I have been a part of the GNB team for a couple of months, as a source of support for the classroom teachers. Not only are the teachers at GNB well trained, they are passionate about Early Childhood Education and go above and beyond to support the students in their classroom. I am honored to be a part of such an amazing facility for Early Childhood Education!

We have been a part of the GNB family for almost 2 years. We had an awful experience at a completely different center and due to the level of neglect and unprofessionalism we pulled our sons (now 4 and 1) out after only 1 week of attendance. At GNB (Bear), we have never felt anxious about leaving our boys under their care. From the moment you walk in, you are immediately greeted by the administrators and each teacher is very welcoming and pleasant as you walk down the halls. There is constant communication and any concerns you may have are always addressed promptly. They perform routine developmental screenings, and offer regular parent teacher conferences. Policy and safety are two things that the owners practice and display regularly. Our children run into the building each morning and we love it!

The center has been nothing but amazing the whole 9 years I have been there! Lin and Kristin are both wonderful people to have as your bosses. It wasn t just a place I called work but In fact a place I called family and my second home. Hands down best center!

As mothers, one of the hardest things we have to do is trust someone else to care for our children. They are our everything and making a decision to which care provider is so far from easy. When we enrolled at gnb 7 years ago (with my first child), I was scared! Would these strangers know her cues, how to hold her, show her the guidance and love only a mother can? The answer.... yes. It took a couple of weeks for me to trust, but the strangers that I once knew became family. The owner, Lin, became not just someone I met at the window every morning... but someone who knew how I felt and loved my child as she was her own.
I know lately with all the media surrounding some facilities and the care that was NOT unfortunately provided to other children... it has been down right frightening!! But please, rest assure, at great new Beginnings, your child will be cared for, loved and nurtured, just as you would your own child!
In the times that I ever did have questions, my concern were taken seriously and immediately!
And when I picked my children up after a long day of work, they were genuinely HAPPY and didn t want to leave!
So, from one once nervous and anxious mom to another mom and/or dad, gnb will provide safety, care and love to your children just the way it should be... the way you would do it!!
I will always be grateful for all the care and love everyone at gnb provided to my girls! We love you!
Love,
Your forever FAMILY!

The owner and staff are amazing. The facility is very clean and the children get to do alot of fun activities. The children are always happy and learning alot.

My lil boy has been going to GNB almost since birth.. and every single path, my Wife and I might face:
Diapers, lateness, issues with child behavior, A-typical bumps, bruises, turnover, schedules.. or whatever minute issue it may be.. GNB has been a solid place where I know my lil boy is LEARNING, developing and growing.

This.. is not a place where you just "drop off" / park the children whenever and you come back whenever.. wondering what in the world happened. Its not a parking lot for children where "people" just watch them as they play on their phones for 7+hrs a day eating cheetos.

Its a structured educational system that can not be measured by comparable cost. I wholly respect the Operation, the Owner / Operator / Lin and all of those in the front desk. Its quite easy to always find a cheaper.. "daycare". Im not parking my child in a lot, as they wait for me to come back.. whenever for X cost.

When my Wife and I first looked at Child Care Facilities, I was the one (NOT HER) who ruled out / cruely tore apart various operations based on so many blatent weaknesses:
From being located in Strip Centers
Young "Teachers" who barely have a minted driver's license are alllowed to drive a much larger vehicle, to ferry various other children around to and from a Facility.
Teacher involvement and attitude towards each child
Some "Facilities" Cost X some cost Y but for?
Cleanliness isnt always godliness (but "too clean" = antiseptic). Its a place for a child to grow.. it shouldnt be anti-septic.
The Security and Awareness of Child Classroom schedules... shows the children come first.

GNB, is a solid child first, accredited Operation.. that can not be found elsewhere. It hits EVERY single point.. SPOT ON.

My son has been with this daycare since he was 3 months old , & i have had nothing but the best care for him the teachers know & love him , they are so welcoming , the center is clean & safe & i appreciate each and every single one of the teachers as wells as administrator's there

I was 3 mins late they wouldn't let my child come inside...he was crying infront of the owner and she looked at him like "oh well" ...yes I was late but you shouldnt deprive a child from learning because mommy or daddy was stuck in unknown traffic...found a better daycare anyway...cheaper and better ratings...thanks for hurting my child..charge me more money don't deny my child...

My son has been going here for over a year! Before we found great new beginnings I had previously pulled him out of two schools due to cleanliness, staff issues and so on. GNB has been amazing, it is so clean all of the programs and things the school offers for the kids gives so much variety and activities for my son. He has learned so much since joining and I truly love how the majority of the teachers have been with the school for years. Lin the owner and Kristin are always at the front and have been absolutely amazing. For example one day I was on the verge of a breakdown as my son was having tantrums like crazy and did not sleep, Lin the owner came out front helped me get my son into the class let me leave and called me to tell me he settled down within ten minutes. Nothing I asked of them but something they took the action and did with seeing how bad of a morning it was. These guys are truly amazing and they don t make you feel like a number or a paycheck, you can see they truly love the kids and love what they do. I had one issue in a classroom, addressed it with Kristin and Lin, this was resolved within an hour or two and the front desk had informed me each step of the day of what they were doing the rectify the issue. I am so pleased with GNB and absolutely love them, best choice I made to bring my son here:) p.s my son actually asks to go to school most days, whereas at prior schools he never wanted to go in!

My nephew went to GNB and we loved it! The staff was always super friendly and supportive if we ever had any questions. Their summer camp is awesome and really made sure the kids weren t just in a classroom all day. They did countless trips to the UD swimming pool, Jungle Jim s, water days, and other activities all summer long. Highly recommend GNB for any program!!

GNB has been an excellent daycare choice for our son since he was 3 months old. They have logical and reasonable policies, communicate well with parents, are extremely responsive, and take great care of my son

I worked at the center in bear. Everyone is friendly and the teachers are trained above and beyond. The teachers are always engaged in play and learning with the children and I must say the food is delicious. The ladies in the office are very friendly and are always thinking in the best interest for your child. I used the training I learned here to find the best fit for childcare for my son. If great new beginnings was closer to my home or work he would've went there. Cant say enough good things about this center!

My daughter has gone here since she was 8 weeks old. I have to say every parent has their own scares with daycares especially with incidents in the news. I know I am very overprotective of my daughter but I can t say I ve had any worries here at GNB. Ms. Olivia and Ms. Michele were her first teachers and they were nothing below excellence. Sometimes I even forgot to check the cameras while I had breaks at work to spy on her. She is now in Room 2 and I can definitely see a difference in her development in comparison to other babies her age I ve met. Any questions or concerns I ve had have been answered. The women in the office are friendly even when I forget to bring my sensor key in every. single. day. and they have to let me in themselves. I honestly wouldn t even consider her going to another daycare.

Arrived at this school today after my child was out for a week due to holiday vacation with the family ( I paid for the whole week and she wasn t there a day ) I told them I would pay the tuition for the week on Thursday since they were closing early on Tuesday , and Wednesday closed for the day. They turned my child away at the door. The owner stated due to everyone being late this week (50% of the school) they where not admitting kids who didn t pay. With no notice no warning. This is not even in their handbook as a policy. Owner said this was the decision that she made to deal with late payments to decline little kids at the door. Her own policy states that policy can not be changed without proper notice. Breech of contract and lawsuit. This is unheard of. I filed a complaint with the department of child licenses and will no longer be bring my child there. I drove 40 mins to drop her off 40 mins to pick her up and 40 mins to go back home daily. I am outraged at the level of professionalism in which this was handled. In addition the nap time is 12-3. I was looking at other schools for this reason already. My child was having a very hard time sleeping at night and I couldn t get her in bed until 12 am. The cameras are a joke. Only viewable if you have a certain windows program. Can t view from phone unless you have Windows phone. So kind of pointless.

As an experienced special education teacher I have found the staff very welcoming and consistent in their treatment of the children who attend. My grandson enjoys the activities that are provided for his age (18 months) and especially enjoys the activities scheduled for the whole center ( Super Heros, Scooby Doo and the day the mounted horse patrol came by). It can be frustrating if a child is sick and needs to go home but the concern is for the health of all the children (as it is in public school). The cameras are really fun to watch and can alleviate any concerns a parent might have. Although we have to pay a little more for this program it is a 4 star school in the Delaware stars rating system so the quality of services is worth the price. Lastly, we have always found the staff to be helpful, flexible and very friendly.

My daughter attended Great New Beginnings for two years, and now my son attends. We love the administration and the staff. My daughter learned so much during the time she was there, and my son has shown growth in the short time he has been at GNB. The communication has always been great, whether it is text, email, Tadpoles, or face to face. The staff takes the time to know the kids and genuinely cares. They provide a structured but nurturing learning environment , and always offer fun activities for the kids.

This school constantly had lice problem and pink eye. Kids boogers dripping, no one cleaning their nose. My sons little butt was constantly red. They would call me with the stupidest thing to pick up my son when I'm working. My son constantly came home with bruises and no one knew what happened to him.Teacher having favoritism. The people from the front desk are SUPER rude and they don't care that they are rude, and you wanna leave your kids with people who are disrespectful. Heck their breakfast and lunch suck. Every time I pick up my kids they were always hungry. Breakfast was always cereal, what happened to eggs or pancakes a REAL breakfast. Not only you have to pay for crappy breakfast, you also have to pay for crappy services. They are better daycare's. My advice don't leave your kids there.

Where and when did I ever give you a stellar review? Don't lie. And the staff was horrible they had favoritism with kids and were sometimes mean to toddlers. How do I know? Because I actually stood there and talk to them and saw how horrible they were with them poor toddlers. My daughter was even afraid with one of the teachers because of the horrible way she was with her. Check your video camera.

GNB has a great curriculum that prepared our kids for school. Their focus is child centered and they spend a lot of time with the kids to ensure they understand what they are being taught. The facility is always clean and staff is always available to help in any way.

Great New Beginnings has been my kids home away from home over the past 10 yrs. From infant care all the way to summer camp we have had an excellent experience. GNB provides a great curriculum for all ages. The owner and administrators are always available and present. Mrs. Carol s cooking is always a favorite of my boys. The camera viewing they offer is a great bonus! GNB is nothing short than amazing.

Overall not impressed at all with this place. I wish I could spend every day with my son but I can't and I would hope that the people I place him with would love and care for him. That does not happen here. One of the office staff ladies is a snob. And that's being nice. She talks down to people and has a better than you attitude. If a parent were to enroll their child here I strongly encourage getting the camera. My mother, husband and I have witnessed serve all things we wish we wouldn't have. One of the teachers is very mean. My husband witnessed her saying "get this kid away from me". They kids are constantly just roaming around the room the teachers just stand around and watch. They send home a schedule that they never seem to follow. My son got two discipline reports in one day for pushing and kicking...he's one. Babies will fight over toys they need to be taught not to. Sharing does not come natural and sending home a discipline report does not fix the problem. I am so glad we are taking my son out of this facility. Oh and one thing they don't mention is they are only a two star day care. Look it up!

My girls have been attending GNB for the last 3 years. They have an excellent before/after care and camp program. I couldn't be more happy with this center!

We love GNB! Both of my children have been attending since they were infants and have grown so close to their teachers and staff. I have pretty high standards when it comes to my children and I have toured just about every daycare center in the area. None even come close to GNB. My kids have learned so much and the teachers are awesome. I truly feel my kids are loved and well cared for by the staff. And as a working mom, we need that peace of mind and ability to TRUST that they are in good hands. I would highly recommend GNB!

Owner and Operator Linda Clark is amazing. Attended this school when I was a child and recommend it to everyone with children of younger ages! Staff is attentive, engaged, and overall best in the state!!!!

Wonderful place! My family utilized this facility for over six years for both my son (started when he was 2.5 years old) and then my daughter (started when she was almost 2 years old). We were brand new to the area and immediately felt at home at GNB. The facility is clean, secure, and organized. We had a positive experience with all our children's teachers, and the front staff is attentive ( the owner, Lin, is often present) and follows up in a timely manner with any inquiries. I loved the fact that two snacks plus lunch was included with tuition.

Most importantly, my kids LOVED being there and felt safe. My daughter even said she wish she could've "brought her preschool teachers with her to kindergarten." The staff really make this place - we have formed several life-long connections with staff and GNB families. I always recommend this place when friends are looking for new daycare facilities.

We had both of our children in GNB from infant stages through pre-k (and summer camp). We have built forever relationships with the staff there. They have been more than wonderful to us. Great place!!

Both our son and daughter attended Great New Beginnings. Lin runs a tight shop, the kids are well cared for and safe. If you have an issue your concern is both heard and addressed. This is a wonderful daycare facility.