The Goddard School of Lakeville, Lakeville | Fees, Rankings, Address, Admission, Vacancies, Reviews & More

In 2021, my husband and I were excited to close the chapter of needing day care in our lives as our three children were old enough not to need it. Then in 2022 we were blessed with our “bonus” baby. With a degree of reluctance, we opted to enroll her in the same daycare our three oldest children attended. This decision came with a touch of hesitation, considering the significant changes that have taken place at the small, intimate center we once knew and adored. That center did not seem to know the direction it wanted to take and there was some toxicity with one of the owners. (Never once was I concerned about the care she received in the rooms by the staff.) During the year she was there, the boundaries with one of the owners felt chaotic and unpredictable. When a staple teacher left due to the management we also knew it was time to cut ties with a center we had been at over 10 years and began looking for a new daycare for our daughter to attend.

We were fortunate that Goddard-Lakeville had availability for our daughter to attend. The very first thing we noticed was the level of safety/security at the center. There is no entering the building unless you are welcomed in by a staff member. I have seen grandparents needing to show their ID’s prior to being allowed in the building. In today’s day, the level of security is incredibly comforting.

The second most prominent feature is the teachers’ level of involvement. Right from the tour, we observed how the teachers were fully engaged with the children, not lingering on the sidelines with their phones or engaged in conversations amongst themselves.

Thirdly, the communication is outstanding. There’s no ambiguity regarding the center’s operations – it’s clear, concise, and consistent. The policies are fair- they do not change based on the most recent parent’s complaint.

The extent of our daughter’s learning journey is astounding. We’re immensely thankful for the age-appropriate curriculum. As advocates of education and evidence-based approaches, Goddard truly stands out as exceptional!

Finally, the teachers are fantastic! They genuinely invest in the well-being of the children under their guidance. They understand my daughter as a unique individual and cater to her specific needs.

Based on our experience with two prominent daycares in the Lakeville area, I wholeheartedly endorse Goddard-Lakeville. The owners cultivate a community that balances professionalism and healthy boundaries while providing a nurturing environment for children to flourish. The teachers are top notch! Any family that decides to invest in the care at Goddard-Lakeville, will not be disappointed! There is a reason they are rated the #1 preschool in Lakeville.

I had such a bad experience at Goddard School Lakeville daycare center. They don’t care about parents’ feelings and feedback at all. During the tour we were told they have an App that will send pictures and activities. We sent our daughter to the center for 2 half days. None of the pictures were sent to us at the end of the day. I asked the school if that’s normal. The owner lady told me they only take pictures as proof of learning, since my daughter is in transition period so no good picture was worth taking. And that’s their protocol. But that was not we were told during the tour. I said even though she didn’t do anything I still want to see how she was doing especially when she just got started. I have no other sources to see. That’s part why you have the App and picture feature. And it doesn’t take much time to take a picture or 2. This should not be even an ask. But she firmly said NO. They will not change their way. I know pictures don’t mean everything but I’m very disappointed by her attitude and neglect to parents’ feedback.
Also initially our plan was to pick her up at noon for a while to get her used to the environment with ease then have her stay full day. We still pay the full day rate. However, the first day of school we were also told by the school owner lady that we can NOT pick up our kid when we want. We gotta wait after 3pm. If we choose to do half day, we gotta stick with it for at least 6 months and can’t switch to full day. This is also their way to do things. We were NOT told about this rule during the tour. During the tour another lady just said full day is strongly suggested to help transition quicker. We understand the logic but we also didn’t expect to be forced. In the end we agreed to send her full day on day 4.
But this morning the conversation about pictures happened. I’m very disappointed with how NOT accommodating they are. They refused to take pictures for my kid just because she just started and is not transitioning well to have good quality pictures. You could’ve simply said yeah we could take a couple for you if you are concerned. You sent me NONE of pictures during the first 2 days. I knew we didn’t stay there very long. But a few hours is not enough time for 1-2 pictures? Even though I requested it again during our conversation, the owner still just rejected it on my face. They don’t care about parents’ feelings and feedback at all.

Couple things- 1. We could not have been happier with moving to Goddard. My biggest regret is that we didn’t do it sooner. Our child has absolutely flourished and grown so much in just the 6 months she has been there. I have no doubt she will do amazing in Kindergarten. And 2. Thank you to the leadership team and all her teachers. You run a wonderful school- it really is top notch. I have seen how all the kids are learning and doing so well in each of the rooms and they look happy….but the biggest telltale sign for us- is your teachers appear to equally be happy and seem appreciated. We have absolutely enjoyed our time at Goddard. We are sad to see it end….but also excited for both of our kids to be in elementary school together.