Challenger School - Traverse Mountain

The preschool program is phenomenal! Challenger makes learning fun and it's amazing to see and hear what kids are capable of. We loved kindergarten and the curriculum for 1st grade too! It would have been nice if the boys wore the oxford shirts less, they're so difficult to keep clean.

My son is currently enrolled in their preschool program and everything happened as a blessing in disguise and I am so glad it all happened this way. First, my son was going to a different preschool but due to change of schedules we had to find a full day preschool so we checked into Challenger. Mainly because putting him in a dayCare after his 3 hour preschool from his other school is never an option for us. I'd rather him go to an actual school where he can learn instead of a daycare. When doing our research some people made comments that a Challenger is very 'militant' and it's not fun and very strict, etc. We came here for a tour and it was fine. We decided to enrol him and a few days of being in school-WOW! Now that preschool is almost to an end my son feels sad. My son has changed big time. He's more confident now, extremely independent and most specially when I prepare his lunch he does NOT want me to put chocolates in his lunch box. He will tell me it's not healthy. 😄 Challenger really "challenges" the kids. They enhance the kid's skills, push them to be better and help them to be extremely smarter. I cannot even explain how much I love this school. My son will come home and talk about different dinosaurs, different kids of clouds etc. their curriculum is superv advance for a preschool and I love it! My son is super desciplined and it is something I love with Challenger. --- Challenger does not want you to bring treats and gifts during birthdays and Halloween or other occasions and they don't solicit which I admire. This goes to show that they are here to help kids and educate them. That's it. They are not here to collect anything that is not related to the kids' education. You do not need to be fancy and buy unecessary treats or gifts. --- EVERYONE knows my son and I mean everyone from msLisa and all the staff at the front desk to the director and all substitute teachers. They make the kids feel at ease that's for sure. They are very welcoming which helps kids to be excited to be here. --- they CARE period. I just had a baby and my son's teachers knew when I had it so the next day my son went to school they handed him their present for our baby. Now tell me, how will you not love this school? --- my son adores his teachers msAmy, msMiranda and msMelia. When we gave them a little something for Christmas you won't believe this, a teacher wrote my son a thank you card! Some teachers/schools they are not appreciative of that and it's like receiving a present for Christmas is just part of the game but not in Challenger. They really teach values to kids and even apply those values and be role models. I can go on and on but this school is amazing. My son can read and spell at the age of 4. Learning has become so easy for him ever since he started going to Challenger. We also talked about the possibility of going out of state or leaving the school if we enrolled him for kindergarten since they get the early enrollment discount. MsLisa explained to us that the refund will apply but outside the discount price which is understandable. What I am saying here is they are good at explaining details and fees and all that. This place is amazing and I've been recommending Challenger to my officemates who bring their kids to daycare because the price is comparable but you get more out of your money. The investment on your kids education and how they develop, Challenger is the place for that.

We've loved our experience with the Challenger here in Traverse Mountain. I actually never thought I'd be sending my kids to a private school. When our first was preschool age, we sent here there out of convenience. We became quickly impressed and have loved everything about her experience and education there. She'll be starting 5th grade this month, so this will be her 8th year at Challenger. (2 years preschool & K-5). My second oldest has had the same experience up until last year when he was in second grade. The year wasn't perfect, as he had 3 different teachers throughout the year. We were concerned about whether he would have the same experience this coming year, and are very pleased with the new 3rd grade teacher he'll get. This will be his 5th year at Challenger. Our 3rd will be starting his second year of preschool. He is SO smart. He's on the younger end of the class but last year was reading with the best of them. We love challenger. Wow, it's expensive. If we sent our kids to public school, we could literally afford a second house. We obviously feel it's worth it.

Challenger does a great job academically, but we learned the hard way that they have no policy on bullying. In 2016, when a third grade girl was pinned to the fence by four boys and slugged in the stomach (the boys admitted the episode was unprovoked), the school informed the boys' parents and that was to be that. When her parents pressed the matter, the principal said that there is no stated policy on bullying, though he belatedly suspended the actual "hitter" for a single day.

I was invited here on Veteran's Day to speak in an assembly and I was blown away. These kids are intelligent. Their three-year-olds can read. Their sixth graders test at a college level. A kid in middle school was telling me how he built his own Ham radio. My kids will be attending this school.