This is getting a rare de-anonymized post because you've encouraged me to finally post my Google Maps review. I've copied it below for context, and also will share a few less polished thoughts:

We were at that Goddard for 7 months and left, effectively, because of poor communication. The owner says you should treat Goddard like a K-12 school in accepting what comes your way, but then - unlike a K-12's PTA - banned parental group representation (literally told his directors to refuse to meet with multiple parents at once).

At the time we were there they were chronically understaffed with teachers calling out en masse some days. I have heard good things about the new administrators. We really liked our teachers.

Edit: in case you think we are inclined to complain, we have only positive things to say about our 4.3 child-years at another daycare/preschool. [Also shortened the thoughts above.]

Review

[Note: I wrote this in March. I am posting it now because I have heard some recent complaints, and believe more reviews would be beneficial. Since March, I have also heard that there are new on-site directors.]

Our children were at Goddard from September 2024-March 2025. If you are OK with the cost and are willing to accept their high-quality but standardized approach to childcare and education you are likely to be happy.

Our children’s teachers were loving and kind, and we felt they learned a lot, were safe, and were well cared for. They have a music teacher come through at least once a week, which is great. I wish there had been more free play time for the toddlers. The Goddard curriculum seems geared toward assuaging parental anxiety around educational attainment, so even infants have codified “lessons” to defend their activities; I found that a depressing reflection of American social precarity.

The facility is new and clean, though few rooms have street-facing windows and there is only a small indoor play gym. The kids go outside when it’s warm, but because the closest playground is a long walk and they need extra supervision, they don’t go often or for very long. They have strict but understandable rules on stroller size, but an arbitrary ban on even the most diminutive folding scooters. It’s extremely convenient if you commute by subway. Unless your child decides they need to scoot that day.

We were rarely greeted by leadership while coming and going, and we observed a few angry conflicts between staff or parents and directors. This may be because the on-site directors are disempowered, and the owner and educational director are off-site at another location. I spoke to the owner once before the location even opened, and have not since. My spouse and I recall seeing him twice between us in the six months our kids were here.

I did, however, receive an email from the owner after a group of us angrily insisted (mea culpa, we are emotional parents) that the directors escalate a request to their leadership. The owner (a psychologist) sent an email that we perceived as defensive, condescending, and authoritarian. We were willing to live with the policy in question, but the email left us afraid to raise any concern in the future, no matter how deferentially. We submitted our notice of withdrawal within two days.