Frequently Asked Questions

Our doors are always open to parents, and throughout the year parents will have the opportunity to join us for special events such as birthday/holiday celebrations and community/charity events.

In addition, our schools will communicate with families via email and by phone when necessary. Our Facebook page is a great form of communication and allows parents to constantly see the fun-filled days that their child is participating in!

Yes, parents are always welcome in the school! Please reach out to your School Director to arrange all school visits and observations.

All schools are fully licensed and inspected on a regular basis to ensure they are in compliance with regulations and ratio. The ratios vary by classroom but follow all state and local licensing guidelines. Contact your local school to inquire about classroom specific ratios.

Parents are encouraged to drop in and visit, eat lunch with or simply say hi to their child while at the school. And, we offer different opportunities for parent involvement throughout the year.

Not all schools have cameras in their classrooms, but for those that do they are monitored throughout the day. Contact your local school to inquire about their camera set up.  

Upon enrollment, each family will be provided a code to enter the building. Children must be escorted into the school and we will assume responsibility for the child after the parent has signed in and released the child to a staff member. 

What if my child gets sick while at school?  

For their own health, and to reduce the spread of communicable illness, children will be sent home if they have any of the following symptoms:  

• A temperature of 100.0 F
• Have vomited more than once in a day  
• Have diarrhea (more than one incident)  
• Severe coughing – getting red or blue in the face or makes a high-pitched, croupy or whooping sound after coughing  
• Difficult or rapid breathing (especially in infants under 6 months)  
• Yellowish skin or eyes  
• Exhibiting symptoms of pinkeye  
• Unusual spots or rashes  
• Sore throat or trouble swallowing  
• Infected skin patch(es)  
• Unusually dark, tea-colored urine  
• Grey or white stool  
• Headache or stiff neck  
• Severe itching of the body or scalp (maybe a symptom of lice or scabies)  

If your child has other symptoms that do not require them to be isolated, or if they simply “do not feel well,” parents will be called to keep them informed.  

The parent may decide to take the child home but will not be required to do so.  

• Individual access codes at the front door
• Cameras in our classrooms in some schools
• First-Aid and CPR certified teachers and staff members
• Routine fire drills and secured safety plans

Yes, we have several locations that offer a faith-based and/or Christian education. These locations use the Ascend with Faith Curriculum to supplement the Ascend Curriculum.

Please visit the Faith Based Programs section on our website for a listing of the locations that offer faith-based and/or Christian education.

While our curriculum focuses on Math, Reading and Literacy, we also put a great deal of attention into teaching our children:

• Social Skills, Kindness and Empathy through our Kind Child Culture
• Science & Sensory through safe, sensory and hands-on experiences
• Physical Fitness through exciting games, sports and other gross motor activities
• Creative Expression through self-expression, creativity and innovation
• Cultural Understanding through thoughtful interactions with teachers that dispel stereotypes and help children to appreciate differences and value diversity.

Our proprietary curriculum and dedicated teachers work hand-in-hand to create unique and powerful learning experiences for each child in our care. These experiences start in our Infant and Toddler classrooms and progress all the way through Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten. Important skills are taught at every age level and fine-tuned just before kindergarten in Kindergarten Club.

Children don’t learn at the same pace or in the same way. The Ascend Curriculum offers a balance of structure & flexibility and enables our teachers to individualize instruction to accommodate the interests and learning styles of each student. Even our youngest students benefit from Ascend.

Most of our schools use our proprietary curriculum, the Ascend Curriculum. Some locations use The Creative  Curriculum, Frogstreet, and/or High Scope. We also have schools that use the Montessori method, Spanish Language Immersion, and Reggio Emilia.  Contact your local school to inquire about their specific curriculum.

Community life is also an important component of this educational approach. Children in our Montessori schools begin to take responsibility for their own environment, as they become contributing members of the Montessori social group.

Multi-age grouping promotes an atmosphere where children can help and learn from each other. Here, the child makes individual choices based on capabilities, exercises self-discipline and discovers ways to solve progressively complex problems.

• Please visit the Montessori Programs section of our website for a listing of the locations that offer Montessori education.  

Yes, children go outside twice daily, and sometimes more weather permitting. Our playground is equipped with safe and age-appropriate equipment for the children to enjoy with their friends. Some of our schools also offer outdoor learning environments where children tend to their own garden.

From full-time care to flexible options, we make it simple to find what schedule works best for your family. Visit our Flexible Care page to learn more about the options available for your family.

Absolutely, I think you will find that speaking with one of our current families will help ease your mind and give you first-hand feedback about our school, curriculum and culture! Please discuss this with your local School Director who will be able to provide you more information on who will be calling you!

We also send a survey to all families in their 4th week of attendance to ensure we’re providing the level of care, service and education expected by our families.

We have a companywide NPS score of 69 which is comparable to companies like PayPal and Apple. Any NPS score above 50 is very difficult to achieve and is typically associated with the most respected companies in the world. This is a very good indication that our families are happy with the education and care that we are providing.