Stepping Stone School - Shoal Creek/Domain

Stepping Stone has been great for our baby! We are super super happy with it and would recommend it to anybody. We had a really bad experience with the previous daycare she was attending…we would find her looking out the window, playing with empty Cherrio boxes, she cried as soon as we entered the school’s parking lot, and according to the teachers she would continue to cry for the rest of the day. As soon as we got home she’d lay on the floor looking tired, sleepy, she didn't want to play and she was just so anxious she would wake up at least 5 times during the night. \r The first day she went to Stepping Stone and came back home she was the same happy, playful, and joyful baby she had always been! As soon as she gets home she wants to run around, dance, and she’s constantly “singing” and clapping. She’s already using the sign for more, and she is sleeping all night long! The teachers there made such a difference! They welcomed her with a smile, they were waiting for her because they knew it would be her first day, they called her “sweet girl” and smiled a lot!!! Plus, Jessica, who is the director, was kind enough to send us a picture of our little one smiling while she was eating! That was very thoughtful of her! So far she’s happy, relaxed, and waves her teacher good bye with a huge smile on her face when she’s ready to go home. Stepping Stone has just been wonderful for us! \r more

I have utilized the services of Stepping Stone #9 many times over the years. My son's infancy in 1994, my son's toddler years, my son's summer camp needs, and now my daughter's afterschool care. I've worked in infant/toddler care. What I've witnessed at Stepping Stone is highly encouraging. Infants receive individual attention. Toddlers have independence-building play. The teachers and staff genuinely care about any concerns my daughter brings to them. Afterschoolers have supervised homework time with staff available for questions. This is a major bonus for parents who, like me, have to work two jobs. I highly recommend this center for your child care needs at any level of development. more

I love this school . We have 2 children, Boy 5 and girl 10. My Daughter went on to Elementary and is such a good student, its amazing, all attributed to the Stepping School #9. My son still attends, he has one more year to go before he goes to Public school. He loves his teachers and does not want to go home at the end of the day , he can t wait to return the next day. MS. Nita and MS Maria, we owe you a great deal for teaching our chlidren the skills they needed to get to the next level in their young lives. My daughter is a leader and i am sure you taught her that. My son is also a character, I am sure that you brought out that extrovert in him. I am sure he will go along way with the basic skills you taught him. Thanks so much . RR more

We love stepping stones daycare 9!! Everyday I leave my son with MaryAlice I know he is in good hands. When I tell Peyton, ""your at school with MaryAlice"" he always smiles.I guess he loves it as much as we do. MaryAlice makes me feel so comfortable to where i dont have to worry when im at work which is awesome. Jessica and the rest of the staff are so wonderful. Always smiling!!!! Thanks stepping stones and all the AWESOME girls who take care of our little man more

Parents, if you care about your children please send them somewhere else! Like you, I did my internet research! I felt comforted seeing the 4 and 5 star ratings of Stepping Stones #9 BUT I have to tell you, they must pool their reviews with the other schools. My son was in the Ducklings infant room and it was sheer chaos...dirty, dirty, dirty, chaos! On his first day he went almost 8 hours on 3 oz of milk (he is over 13lbs!). Every time I picked him up he had a dirty diaper! I never saw the women in there wash their hands between feedings or clean the toys, or anything else (other than the changing table which should be a given!). I had to go a grab someone to tell them I had put my son down in his crib. And I guarantee I could have walked out of there with someone else's baby NO PROBLEM! more

It is not surprising that Stepping Stone IX continues to have a revolving door for Directors and Assistant Directors. We joined Stepping Stone IX eight years ago when my youngest son was a few months old. It was highly recommended to us by friends because of the good care Miss Cindy Cerda provided to the babies in the baby room. She was so good with our children and she still continues to be the best teacher in the baby room. At that time in 2001 we were very lucky to have a Director that stayed for almost the entire time my oldest child was attending this location which was up to preschool. Afterwards it became a revolving door for Directors and every time there was a Director that seemed that they will stay they either left or got transferred to another location. I believe that in the past 5 years we have not had a Director that had stayed more than a year. Sometimes it feels that this is the training center and once Directors are trained they get moved to other locations. In the summer of 2008 we finally thought there was hope when Carrie came in as a Director and Ms. Belia was the Assistant Director. You could see the changes that were happening in the school. The teachers were happy. The rooms were staffed and there were always supplies available. We thought this was good. It was not even a year in May 2009 when the Director got transferred to a new location and a new Director came in. It was also very sad to know that after 13 years of Ms. Belia?s dedication to this school she got transferred to handle the supplies for Stepping Stone schools at the Parmer lane location and filling in as Assistant Director where needed. This is a big loss for Stepping Stone lX. She knew the families and always went an extra mile to assist us in every way that she could. She truly cared that we were happy with the service that we were given. It doesn?t seem the same anymore without her. The warm welcome is not there anymore. You can tell she is missed by the children and the teachers. I just wanted to thank Ms. Belia for her dedication to the children of Stepping Stone lX for so many years and we truly will miss her. Pros: Affordable, caring teachers Cons: Administrative staff gets moved to other locations more

The Stepping Stone School on Shoal Creek has been wonderful! It is well organized and I feel very safe to have my child attend this school. Every time I enter the school I am greeted with smiles and the sounds of children's laughter. It is very reassuring to know that my child is having fun while I am away. The teachers and directors are very attentive to the children which put my worries to ease! more

My husband and I have recently enrolled our 7 month daughter in Stepping Stone School. It was my frst time to leave my daughter and I was extremely nervous. The teachers and administrators have gone out of their way to make this transition an easy one. They have met with my husband and I many times, we visited on several occasions, we were always greeted with smiles. We were welcomed into the classrooms and invited to stay. Other families were also kind and had good things to say about their teachers. The first day we left our baby we recieved a phone call from the administraton and our teacher letting us know how she was doing. We also were sent pictures of her first week in her new class. The teachers are constantly singing, talking to the other infants, and smiling! I occasionally pop over to see my daughter during the work day - and the classroom is always cheerful and calm. I am confident she is in good hands - and so pleased with our descion to have her here. Pros: Attention to detail, loving teachers, Family environment more

Both my sons have attended Stepping Stone for their whole little lives. We've been very happy at the Shoal Creek location, and I have no doubt that will continue. I adore my kids' teachers, and am amazed at the things they are learning. Can your child count in Japanese? Mine almost does! :) Great service, loving teachers, happy mom and kids! Pros: great price for great service more

I myself attended Stepping Stones as a child after school and sometimes during the summer and always had great experiences. My nieces now attend the school off of Shoal Creek and love it just as much. I recently attended their graduation and really enjoyed the ceremony. 2 Thumbs up for Stepping Stones. Pros: great instructors, plenty of activities more

My nieces attend Stepping stones on Shoal Creek and absolutely love it there. I attended the graduation they had there and was so impressed. All of the children were happy and enjoying themselves and the teachers all knew the children by name and were playing with them. During the graduation, the director made a speech and it was great to see how much she cared for all of the children and the school. It was a really special ceremony. Pros: Great teachers, loving, nurturing environment, kids love it more

I occasionally pick up my grandchildren from Stepping Stones School on Shoal Creek. Each time I am greeted with a smile and greeting. They help me find the correct room and lead the way. The children are always involved in an activity and happy. I hear about their field trips, snacks and friends on the way home. more

I'd have to describe these schools as largely average. I believe in giving due credit, and there ARE fabulous teachers here who provide excellent care and whose charges truly love the time they spend at school! BUT, they have just as many problems as any other childcare out there; high turnover, inattentive teachers, teachers who are harsh/rude/ignore children (and sometimes parents, as well), minimal curriculum implementation (posted lesson plans are often completely ignored by the teachers), little tolerance for children who cry a lot, general neutrality (and even dislike) toward the children of ""pain-in-the-behind"" parents, just to name a few! This is partially due to the universal childcare catch-22 of not being able to attract (or retain) the best qualified candidates, but they also have their priorities all backward, sideways, and inside out. If you are lucky enough to have a truly open & mutually trusting relationship with your child's teacher (although, of course, they don't want teachers to tell parents the real deal, they're supposed to put up a good front for the parents), you will know how seldom teachers' needs are met (or even listened to) - these ladies are the epitome of ""overworked and underpaid"". The best teachers usually bail out ASAP for better jobs - and not just better paying, they want jobs where they are valued as employees. The schools are severly lacking in integrity, as well; if there is a problem, they DO try to resolve it, however, they do not want to lose your business, so even if what you or your child wants or needs is totally and completely impractical and puts stress on the other children and teachers, they will not set any limits for the good of the class or the school as a whole. I'm willing to admit that the things said by the other reviewers on this website are true indeed; I'm sure that these families' wonderful experiences are accurate, but BTW, just FYI, reviews 3-5 were written by Stepping Stone School employees. Pros: convenient locations, reasonable prices, nurturance, education, loving teachers Cons: the ""nurturance, education, loving teachers"" part is kinda hit-or-miss more

My wife and I (as well as my children) love Stepping Stone School, not only for its educational aspect, but for fostering creativity and compassion. My son and daughter both go to Stepping Stone on Shoal Creek and love going to school everyday (how many parents can say that?!?). Their teachers have a genuine interest in them and often ask us how they can help further any goals we might have for them (potty, reading, dancing, etc.). Pros: Quality teachers, activities, service more

My son attends this school and loves it! Even though he's an infant he enjoys interacting with all the other children and his teachers. He enjoys watching the children swim outside of his classroom and knew just how to ""swim"" when he went for the first time. I am confident he is safe and well loved while he is away from me and I think it's the best value for the money spent that one can dream of in this day and age. more

Searching for infant and pre-k child care at the same time is a very hard thing to do for any working mother. After several visits to other child care centers, the warmth and hospitality of Stepping Stone stood out among all others. What really locked me in was the how this program is run. Everyone there displays such great care and knowledge with my children every day. My infant LOVES her teachers and they are amazing at explaining all of the developmental leaps and bounds she takes every day, and my pre-k son is always showing and explaining all the games they play in his class...I don't think he even realizes that they are all learning games that are teaching him to read and write! He is more prepared for Kindergarten than I ever could have hoped. They really are a mother's dream come true! Pros: Loving, knowledgable teachers, accredited program, curriculum, service, low tuition more

Pros: Two thumps up, Child preferred more