Surreybrook Preschool & Child Dev Center

The Surreybrook School has been an absolute gift to our family. Between our 6 year old daughter and 3 year old son, we have experienced just about every classroom—from the infant room to Pre-K, as well as the Summer Explorer’s Camp (for which our daughter wanted to return this summer after graduating last year)—and I can confidently say that Surreybrook is a truly special place that cultivates a culture of kindness, respect, and joy for learning as well as child-led exploration. Surreybrook offers a warm, nurturing, and thoughtfully designed environment and educational program that effectively supports the growth and well-being of the whole-child in developmentally-appropriate and emotionally-responsive ways. The center, which is comprised of notably dedicated, caring and capable staff members who genuinely enjoy what they do, offers a consistently safe, nurturing, and engaging environment, providing parents with the ultimate luxury of complete peace of mind, knowing that their children are happy and well cared for in every way. I was admittedly very anxious to have my daughter start at Surreybrook when she was 2 years old, after having had a negative experience at a previous daycare center coupled with the exacerbated fears that came along with being first-time parents during the pandemic. However, from my first conversation with Cheryl, Surreybrook’s amazing Director, I felt immediately at ease and confident. Cheryl is as compassionate and invested as she is knowledgeable and dependable. She offers consistent, clear, and proactive communication, and is very receptive and responsive to all questions and concerns. It is evident that she and her team go above and beyond to make all students and families feel welcome, valued, and supported in meaningful ways. Both of my kids have not only loved every teacher they’ve had at Surreybrook, including Ms. Cheryl, but have also felt seen and loved by them. A standout feature of Surreybrook is its Nature’s Classroom— a magical woodland wonderland that inspires creativity, curiosity, and a love of and appreciation for the natural world. It's the perfect complement to Surreybrook’s standards-based curriculum, encouraging hands-on, project and play-based learning while fostering a sense of wonder about the world around them. As a parent and School Counselor, I really appreciate how Surreybrook’s approach blends a strong academic foundation with social-emotional learning, fostering empathy, self-regulation, self-awareness, collaboration and effective communication skills from an early age– valuable skills for life-long success and happiness. I believe that the foundation that my daughter received at Surreybrook helped prepare her well for Kindergarten- personally, academically, and socially. Thanks in large part to the skilled teachers at Surreybrook who took the time to help students “talk it out” and repair whenever conflict arose or feelings got hurt, my daughter transitioned into Kindergarten with the language, skills and confidence necessary to be able to effectively express her emotions & needs, as well as navigate peer conflicts/disagreements independently (most of the time!). The best decision we’ve made as parents so far was choosing Surreybrook. We’re endlessly grateful for our kids’ experiences here and for the support, reassurance, and peace-of-mind that we have received from being part of the Surreybrook community. I would recommend Surreybrook wholeheartedly to any family.

Both my children have attended Surreybrook and have had wonderful experiences! Ms. Cheryl and her staff consistently go above and beyond for our children. My youngest child has developmental delays and special needs. Cheryl took it upon herself to provide additional resources to assist with his speech and further support him in the classroom. I have seen tremendous growth in both my children due to the amazing support they received at Surreybrook. I always feel that my children are safe, supported and loved in this environment. Any issues with behavior or concerns about the children has always been communicated. My son had some behavioral issues and struggled with throwing things for a period of time. His teachers and Ms. Cheryl were extremely patient with him and worked with him to correct this behavior. They have supported us in so many ways over the years, from assisting with potty training, to helping a stubborn child get into or out of his car-seat during pick-up and drop off. We are so lucky to be part of the Surreybrook community. Ms. Cheryl, the teachers, the curriculum and facility are absolutely top notch. It does take a village to raise a child, and we are so glad that Surreybrook is part of ours.

All three of our daughters have had the joy of attending this daycare, and I can say without hesitation that it’s a truly special place. As a parent, I’ve always felt immense peace of mind knowing my children are cared for by a team that is not only nurturing and attentive, but genuinely invested in each child’s growth. The teachers bring so much heart and intention to their work—warm, skilled, and deeply dedicated. Our girls formed such strong, trusting relationships with their caregivers and classroom teachers, and we’ve been continually impressed by the consistency, creativity, and care shown each day. We also had the privilege of experiencing the center’s pre-K programs, which are top notch and beautifully prepare children for the transition to kindergarten both socially and academically. The director is an incredible leader—supportive, dedicated and deeply experienced. Her thoughtful guidance and open communication set the tone for the warm, collaborative culture that defines this center. As a speech-language pathologist, I’ve been especially impressed by the way this center supports early communication and language development. The teachers model rich language throughout the day, and embed meaningful opportunities for interaction across routines and play. It’s clear that the team understands the importance of early language and communication milestones—and they implement best practices in a way that feels natural. This isn’t just childcare—it’s a thoughtfully designed foundation for lifelong learning, and I feel incredibly grateful that our children’s earliest experiences were in such capable and loving hands.

I cannot say enough good things about this school. Both of my sons went there for years before elementary school. One of my sons was in a special education program in the public school and had some challenging behavior. While working through this which was particularly difficult for my son, myself, and my family, the COVID-19 pandemic started. This was an unprecedented time for our dual-healthcare family. Knowing that My husband and I both ran various parts of local hospitals and could not work from home the director, Cheryl contacted me to see if we needed flexibility for child care on Saturdays and weekends in case we got pulled into staff nursing. We did not need this in the end, but just knowing that they were willing to flip things upside down to accommodate us was AMAZING. In addition to this, I had no way to assist my son through his virtual special education, preschool classes, which were during daytime hours. Cheryl personally worked with him through all of the classes in her office on the computer throughout the whole time that they were virtual, as she knew, this was a hardship for both my husband and myself. She did not have to do any of that, and likely didn’t have the time to do it, but that is just the kind of person she is. She has truly become part of our family and cares for my sons as if they were her own. Additionally, I have used 2 other childcare programs throughout my children’s pre-elementary years. Surreybrook has a program and teachers that are far superior to any other I have used. The teachers teach-my children came home teaching me all sorts of things. As for any (very very few) teachers I have picked up on that were not the strongest, it is clear that there is a clear leadership structure and accountability although, parents are never aware of those type of procedures going on. There is a clear expectation and standard-which as a leader myself, I appreciate. Teachers with longevity at Surreybrook are dedicated, engaged, and truly care for the children. These are the majority of the team-and my children still speak of their teachers- Ms Megan, Ms Jenna, Ms Rina, Ms Saige, of course Ms Amanda and Ms Cheryl and many more! Fantastic! You will not regret your child attending Surreybrook school. My sons both were sad to go, but have memories, friends they’ve known since they were very small, and a strong start for school. My husband and I have the comfort that the Surreybrook family is a part of ours. Thank you Surreybrook!

I write this wishing I could provide 5 stars. If my son was neurotypical, he would’ve greatly enjoyed the beautiful facilities, outdoor instruction, and seemingly friendly staff. However, my son has some behavioral issues, which were disclosed upon our registration (both written and verbal), with assurances the center would be an environment to support his needs. He attended for 4 days. At the end of the 4th day, the director (Cheryl K), e-mailed us letting us know they were kicking our son out of their program (not even a phone call!) Putting aside the lack of inclusion and patience for him to become acclimated with this new (very unique) learning environment, the fact the director wouldn’t even give us the courtesy of a conversation is one of the most unprofessional interactions we’ve had as parents in the last 7 years. I stopped by the next day to pick up belongings, where a staff member was waiting at the door and ran out with a bag to ensure that no conversation could be had. Parents of typical kids would find this to be a fantastic environment. Unfortunately, those of us whose children have diverse needs aren’t afforded the same opportunity. Instead, we get unceremoniously dismissed after 4 days, before our son even had a chance to get to know their teachers, who all seemed great.