On July 26, 2010 I enrolled my son at Pillars Christian Learning Center for before/afterschool services. I was told at that time they provided this service to my son's school (Galm Elem). I advised them at that time on the registration paperwork he would begin services on 08/24/2010 and that his father would take him and pick him up to school on the first day, 08/23/2010, and after that they would pick him up. I received a phone call at the end of the first day of school (08/23/10) at 4pm by his father, advising me that his teacher was told by Pillars that they would not be "taking him or picking him up from school and that they need to make other arrangements." I immediately called Pillars, asking why this was since they already cashed my check for the 65.00 registration and that I was on my way to pay the 2 week tuition when I got off of work. I was then told, "Dawn did not call you?" I told her that I was never contacted and now I do not have anyone to take or pick up my child from school the next day. She then advised me she would be happy to refund my 65.00. I told her I was upset because not only did I hear this from my son's teacher, I was never contacted at any of the numbers listed on the registration paperwork and now at the end of the day before I needed them, I have to scramble to find someone else. I told her to have my money ready for me to pick up. When I got there, I told her I was highly upset and did not understand the unprofessionalism that happened. She then tried to tell me someone named Jessica remembered calling me and leaving me a message. I told her, I never received any message at any of the numbers they have and if I hadn't called or heard from my son's teacher, I would have never known they were no longer going to take him to school. I asked to speak to a supervisor, which she never offered to get me. She then offered to take my son to school for the next day, but that they can't pick him up. I advised her again that I am a teacher as well and am unable to drop my son off and make it to work before I need to be there and that is why I chose them way back in July. She then said, "I thought you said his school had an afterschool program?" I told her yes they do but I need BOTH before/after care, and sinc it was now 430pm, the office at his school is closed so I would not be able to enroll him for him to begin right away tomorrow. There have also been other times I have contacted this center for other reasons and no one has ever bothered to return my emails or phone messages. She then said, "Dawn remembers you from the email you had sent her," which I then complained, "Why has no one ever returned that email or call for that?" She could not answer why and just kept apologizing for my frustration and inconvenience. I feel the way that I was treated was bad business, especially for someone who truly needed the services they promised. I had made arrangements a month prior to school starting, and if they had truly contacted me as they claimed they did, wouldn't the staff find it strange that I never called back to get my 65.00 registration fee since they weren't offering before/afterschool care any longer? To me it seems they were ready to keep my money and not try too hard to make sure I was aware of the situation. If I was truly contacted ahead of time, this would not be an issue, which I expressed to her and that I would not be stressed out and having to go through this. Now I am without a provider for my son, and being a teacher, I will have to call in late on the second day of the school year because I have no one to take my son to school and I need to find another provider right away. This was and is a huge inconvenience on so many levels and I truly feel they do not care one way or another that I was put in that position.
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