EARLY LITERACY ACADEMY AT FAIRMOUNT

ELA was one of the best experiences we have had. Our daughter was at a different school in the neighborhood and they really destroyed her confidence. ELA staff took the extra care and time and now our little girl just shines. She is the confident, sweet, smart girl who has had immeasurable growth. I credit her teachers (Miss Jade, Mr Fred) and the rest of the staff at ELA for making her feel loved and encouraging her to her full potential. You would be lucky to have your child at this establishment.

Most of these reviews are due to a well-intended but uninformed rallying of good reviews for the school from a local parent facebook group. However, there are many discrepancies surrounding the values and finances of this institution so I feel compelled to share my experience. Tuition was misquoted when we enrolled, but this didn't seem like a big deal. We were treated well until we fell upon hard times. While struggling through a financially abusive separation, the owner (Latoya Monroe) tried to have me pay in cash without a receipt. She then pocketed my tuition for an entire week while refusing to let my daughter into school (to receive the services paid for) because I respectfully questioned credibility of the transactions (not getting a receipt when I asked for one). When I communicated our plan to peacefully protest outside until our money was returned, she preemptively called the police, which I found ironic given the BLM posters proudly displayed outside their school. It's ok to kick a student out if they can't afford tuition. It's not ok to take advantage of a family already going through a hard time. Feel free to email me for screenshots of these correspondences, because I DO believe in receipts and accountability. I do think the staff were mostly good, it was just a "high stress" environment (not sure how else to put it) and my daughter was upset at least once daily. I recommend CORA, where she's much happier and there's so much more credibility and accountability. Best of luck out there, this childcare crisis is rough!

Our son has spent most of his life at ELA Fairmount, starting in the infant room in 2020 at around 9 months old (ELA served essential workers and was able to remain open for much of the pandemic with safety precautions in place and reduced attendance). In the more than 3 years since, he has thrived as he's moved from the infant and toddler rooms up to Pre-K on the 2nd floor. The manager, Ms. Chastity, is one of our son's favorite people and ours too. She's shown care and compassion and poise as they've navigated the challenges of the post-pandemic childcare world. His teachers have all been uniformly wonderful. As a more structured curriculum has been introduced in the Pre-K classrooms, we've noticed his expanding vocabulary and knowledge, but more importantly it's clear the teachers do a great job helping with social and behavioral issues like sharing and mediating conflicts between the kids. On a more logistical level, there are very few daycares in the city that provide food for the kids, and ELA offers, breakfast, lunch, and snacks. This means I've never had to pack my kid a meal in his life, which is a time- and money-saver while also teaching the kids communal eating. Our son will start kindergarten in a little less than a year and while I'm thrilled to be reaching this milestone, I am already dreading the goodbyes we will have to say to our ELA family. I wouldn't trade our experience for anything and can't imagine him having gone anywhere else.

My daughter has been attending ELA since she was 3mo the old. The staff have been amazing. They are experienced and know what the kiddos need. They have allowed her to grow and thrive. Added bonus they potty trained her! They have been come a part of our extended family.

Moved my daughter here from another local center and I am so happy with our choice- she has been thriving here and loves her teachers and the friends she has made. Our son also attends now and it is such a great sign that they are both so happy at drop off every day. The director is extremely responsive and always communicates proactively, which I appreciate. Grateful to be part of the ELA family!