ComplaintsforReggio & Co.

• Initial Complaint

  02/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have done a lot of research and tours as it relates to finding a daycare. I visited Reggio & Co. in early 2022 for one of their winter community programs after joining their email list. I decided to register my youngest child there for a summer program following initial conversations via phone and email with Theresa, their business manager. Theresa was great to work with. My son officially started after Independence day, on July 5, 2022. I was running late that morning because his brother had a dirty diaper. Unfortunately, I felt unprepared because I never got a welcome email or letter from the teacher, Ms. Bowen. I actually did not receive any email communication from Ms. Bowen even though Theresa sent TWO introduction emails on June 29 and July 1st. I still find it odd that Ms. Bowen did not respond to those emails. The first time I hear from Ms. Bown is via email at 5:40pm on July 5, 2022 (AFTER my child's first day, see July5Email). That is unprofessional. When I dropped off my son, there was no one at the door and no signage as to how to get in. It's a hot summer day and I have two children with me and bag of my son's stuff and no assistance. Ms. Bowen happen to walk by and saw me. I explained my frustrations, to which she apologized. Upon picking him up, my son was attended to by an older white woman who I did not meet nor was she mentioned to me beforehand. I arrived late and was later told that this particular employee helps out. It's unfair and unsafe to not inform parents of ALL staff/employees on-site. I would like a full refund because this was and has been the worst day care provider experience I have had. I never got a phone call from the owner, even though Theresa said she would call. Between Ms. Bowen and the owner, the communication and lack of resolution was underwhelming. Childcare providers should be more diligent especially when working with first-time daycare parents. Refund: $500 (*** *************** *** ***************)

  Business response

  03/13/2023

  The complaint above is in refund of tuition paid for the month of care given to this family. This family was enrolled for the month of June as well and after no call and no show, our director still deleted the invoice for month of June to them for a July start date. This is money for a seat that another child in this age could have been using at this time. By July, this family had their onboarding relationship as appropriate with Theresa ********. Stated above, this family was enrolled on our emailing list, had initial conversations with Theresa via phone and email, and had two welcome emails forwarded by the classroom teacher. This step is not promised to families; however, this homeroom teacher made multiple attempts to send emails to this family who was not going to be attending in June to be reimbursed for that cost. Along with all of the confirmed interactions of the Reggio office to this family (as confirmed in the email above) this family was also invited to attend a Supply Drop Off and Orientation for our Summer Session- as stated in our Enrollment Package on Page 10. In this package states that withdrawals need to be documented in writing to our administrative office at ******************** per our Withdrawal Policy in our Enrollment Package on Page 12. This family emailed the classroom teacher, with an email that they did in fact have, that they will not be returning on 7/12 because they were "at the park". Not only was this communication not to our administrative office, our program canceled future payments and returned all belongings. In order to be refunded for payments made for care given in July, she would have had to communicate a withdrawal on June 20th so our program can have enough time to give this spot to another child on our waiting list. 

  Another "white woman" escorted her son to the front of the building when she arrived more than a half hour late to pick him up from school. On Page 16 of her enrollment package, it states that he will be leaving through our half day program and to be picked up by 12:15. On Page 11, it states that 12:30PM dismissal is our latest pickup time for this age as the rest of the students will be heading to nap in the toddler classroom. "Another woman" stayed with this child and made attempts to call home because he stayed late and the rest of the class needed to head to nap, while our support staff stayed to supervise and locate his authorized pick-up personnel. All adults in attendance are FBI background checked, cleared to work in the state of MD, and are qualified to be left alone with all students as published on our website and state in our Enrollment Package on Page 5.

  Our preschool teacher worked very hard to both call and email this mother throughout the month of June, reaching out to administration to facilitate a response to confirm if the child was coming if at all. When she was told she did not have to pay for no attendance in June, she responded finally. All documentation of this family's email being included in 1. Classroom Introductory Emails 2. School-wide introductory emails and 3. Signed Preschool Agreements are uploaded, in addition to the correspondence with our office that she is confirming she had a positive experience with throughout her onboarding. Reggio & Co. will not be reimbursing this family for care, attention, and services given for the month of July. 

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