TRETTIN EARLY LEARNING CENTER

I witnessed an interaction during drop-off that made me uncomfortable, and I chose to withdraw my child from the program the following day. While the program has many strengths, this experience raised concerns for our family. My child started in the youngest classroom and seemed happy there. We had a positive experience with those teachers. However, on our first day transitioning to the next classroom, I witnessed a teacher speaking loudly and in an aggressive tone to a child. Other staff members were nearby. I believe they didn't notice I was there before this happened as we were just walking in for drop off. We typically dropped off early in the morning. After I shared what we observed, the Director responded promptly and let me know that a reminder had been given to staff about treating children with kindness. I appreciated the communication, though I’m not aware of any additional follow-up. We disenrolled our son the next morning. Becky was professional and helpful throughout that process, which I appreciated. This was also an opportunity to reflect on the program environment more generally. At times, we noticed children having difficulty during drop-off and not always receiving immediate comfort. We understand that transitions can be challenging, but we were looking for a setting with consistent, hands-on support during those moments. For me, It was difficult to watch toddlers crying with no response from teachers. Ultimately, this experience affected our level of comfort. We did not enroll in another program after Trettin. The program offers a solid structure and a convenient location, particularly for UW families. For us, we would have felt more comfortable with greater accountability and consistency in staff response and support for children during challenging moments.

Highly recommend! My 18 month old daughter loves this daycare. This is our second daycare, and having that comparison has been so helpful to see how great this center is. They often have more teachers than required by the legal ratio limits, so kids get lots of individual attention. My daughter is much happier here than her old school- we have been at Trettin for several months now. The teachers give good feedback on my daughter’s behavior and development and I can tell she gets TLC care as needed here. Very happy we switched to this school!

So far a really great experience at this center. I even inquired about the really poor review on here and was met with a really respectful and honest (as possible) response from the leadership. My son’s teachers are really great and even the other teachers I meet on the playground and in passing are friendly and welcoming. Many of the families are not welcoming…very Seattle freeze. Many but not all. Some have been really lovely.

We sent two kids here from ages 1 - 5 years and have had a wonderful experience. Great teachers, many of whom have been at the school for 10 even 20 years! The current Pre-K room has an especially awesome team. :) Strong Executive Director too. Our kids love the big outdoor playground. Also nice that it is located in a church (although the preschool is non-religious) as classes can access the church's big open gym for weekly dance time and super rainy/cold days - plus the church helps the school financially so this is a long-standing, stable program. Plenty of diverse activites and field trips too. We are so grateful to Trettin!

My daughter has been attending Trettin for over a year, and she loves it. This is her second daycare, and I've been super impressed with how they are able to manage the classroom. The teachers are kind and connected to the kids, and they also integrate classroom learning. When I pick her up, she is often reading with a teacher, and most recently, she has come home teaching us new words she learned in Spanish. The outdoor playground is also really big for a daycare, so there is enough there to entertain a child at 12 months up to pre-k. I also appreciate the family engagement. There are events throughout the year (potluck, fundraiser, etc.), which gives us a chance to meet other families and connect with the teachers in an informal setting. Thank you, Trettin!