The one star rating is from their inspection in Jan/Feb of this year according to the site, but if you read the problems/infractions--they are pretty serious. This rating was just released yesterday, and is not to be reevaluated in the immediate future I don't believe. How often do they evaluate--once a year, and then if they need to investigate a regport? I am not 100% sure. I did receive the letter about price increases effective Sept 1. It did state that the increase was due in part to the impending 4 star rating. When is this rating supposed to happen? I spoke with a teacher there this morning who believes the center "is a strong 3" but I don't know. I am just at my wit's end...I know there is no perfect daycare, but there has to be one that is perfect for us, ya know?
No they wont go back for another 3 yrs I believe for the stars. After they open they get 1 Star and then they have either a year or 6 months cant remember to be able to acheive more stars.
Well, that would've been the 6 month mark...I am amazed at how far back its gone since it opened last August...
we received a letter before the state coming in and grading the center that after the grading was done and they were listed as a 4 or 5 star center the weekly fees would be increased. i was not really happy with this but if they earn a 4/5 star rating then i think i could justify the added expense. but now that they are only a 1 star i have not received a letter saying that the fees would go down. along with the teachers not giving my daughter her medicine at the correct time, teacher turnover, lack of any sort of education, the fact that i am paying as much as i am for nothing more than a glorified babysitter i will be finding another place for my daughter to go to....quickly. can anyone just have a decent daycare for kids? i mean damn, i am paying over 7000$ per year for what?
I just wanted to comment on a daycare that everyone seems to have concerns about. ( Open Arms) First let me start off by saying that you should not take advice from someone who use to work there.(GOT FIRED). Because naturally they are not going to have anything nice to say about it. And if everyone knew the reason for her termination they would be very thankful that she was no longer employed there. I have worked at quite a few child care facilities and open arms is by far one of the better ones. The turnover rate has only gotten better. And it takes time to find quality teachers. In order to get the appropiate caregivers with education and loving skills that it takes to work in a CDC you have to go through the bad to get to the good. This is the over all goal in the center as it should be in any. However sometimes the people on the outside don't understand the ins and out of what it takes. Signed: A mother and a teacher
Sometimes the reason someone is fired are valid, sometimes they aren't. Without even taking into consideration the opinions of the former employee who has commented on this thread, the issues within this center cannot go unnoticed. Falsifying documents, and completely disregarding the need for other documents is unexcusable. As far as the turnover getting better: yes, but there is still a huge lack of adequately trained staff. Which is worse: staff who is unqualified with falsified documents on file, or a lack of enough staff to cover the needs? Whats worse is the fact that this center seems to be suffering from both. I have to agree with "ws"--a lot of money is being paid already, with an increase set for September, for the service that is not as great as promised.
I am by no means saying that the center is perfect. However, you are being fausley informed when it comes to rules and regulations! The stars and sanitation come regulary and keep a close eye on things. If i'm not mistaken Open Arms currently has three demerits when it comes to sanitation which by the way is wonderful. I myself have worked at two centers in the past 10 years and I know for a fact that you usually receive at least 6. They do check back every six months and I assure you if things were not up to standards they would not be up and running. As fas as the one star issue all centers are open with a temp. licence. State should be comining anytime now to look at things and allow them to move on. The center will then have to go through a thing called iters and ecers to up the star rating. Then I assure anyone who has concerns the center does have the qualifications and qualified staff to become atleast a four star od if not a five star. Any parent that has concerns should just give it time to work out the kinks. It takes any center time and energy to to become what it wants to be. To all parents that are not sure of rules and regs. please always feel free to either to go to the division or research online. Atleast that way you will get the correct info rather than info. that is not true or partially known by other parents.
I have to agree with "ws"...I have given time, and plenty of "benefits of doubts" and don't wish to continue waiting on somehting that doesn't seem to be happening. I have researched online, and have called with my questions to the state. Unfortunately, the answers from them didn't alleviate my fears and concerns. As for the sanitation score: yes it is great. Yes, I know that all centers are opened under a temporary license, however Open Arms temp license has long since expired. As for coming back in 6 months to re-evaluate the stars: that is great too, but that is not quick enough. I know it takes time to properly staff and to be at the highest of levels. But, the center shouldn't promoting itself as a 4 or 5 star center when it isn't there. So "Buddy": just how long should we wait for the center to work out its kinks? It's been almost a year, and throughout this time, the center has gone in the wrong direction, so how much longer before it is where it should be?
Absolutely no excuse for a child to be allowed at that center that does not have the appropriate paperwork in his/her file, such as records of the physical exam/shot. These are not things that "need to be worked out" by any daycare. Sounds like "Buddy" has a connection to this daycare. The law states that NO CHILD IS TO BE ALLOWED ATTENDENCE to a childcare facility without the appropriate paperwork. This cannot be and should not be overlooked in any facility, the health of all of the other children is at stake.
have to agree there, he/she chimes in on a thread like this one ( meaning its seriousness ) with only 2 posts?
Anybody know how often Open Arms deposits its checks? I gave them a check for my daughter 3 weeks ago to cover the remainder of July and they still haven't put it in the bank! This kind of thing annoys me. I may have to start paying them in cash. What a pain!
i have noticed that also, i would write a check and it would not hit my account for weeks. but i dont have to worry about open arms anymore
LOL...to funny where was this thread when i needed it. We had several issues and finally left. Most of which i must admit happened the last 4 months or so i was at the daycare, it was hard to leave b/c its very nice and modern, but the management was severly clueless and most but not all the teachers were lacking. a.) i had checks that cleared 3-4 weeks late (in fact we left after graduation, that was our last day, my check for the cap and gown cleared august 1st) b.) the 1st director was nice and upfront, wendy hid and ducked questions. c.) it took me until march to finally get my tax receipt and when i got it it was off by nearly 1600, i had to go back and show every check i had sent in to them. d.) i was a outside sales guy and picked my child up early alot during the week. I cant count the number of times i walked in in the middle of arguement, both between staff members vs staff members, and wendy vs staff members. e.) one young lady was "fired" as most parents know, but she was fired in the room with the kids and even fired infront of her own kid. I know this b/c i was coming to pick mine up and was standing outside the door when it happened. I dont care what she did you dont do that in front of kids. f.) Act like your interested call for info oh we are a 5 star center....not g). evidently the teacher all gathers in the 4yr old room and talked during nap time, the word by word accounts and questions i was asked by my girl left me in a state of shock. h.) some teachers were ok, mrs jessica, the pastors wife and the 1st lady, most of the rest were worthless. They switched teachers so much it was ridiculous. i) My girl would come home in tears b/c mrs emily yelled at them all day, so i purposefully went and picked my child up early and stood outside the door and listened ...after complain and bringing mrs wendy down to hear emily scream at the kids i was told well shes pregnant and she will be leaving soon. j) emily came back.... last straw.... buuuu buyyyyyyyyyy
If I have another child I plan on using their center!! I love JPLC but kids r kids will save me a few dollars and since I work on the clayton side of garner it will be a little closer for me! I have heard great things about them too!
This whole discussion should tell some people something!! What is wrong with this center. A center is only as good as the person running it. Even thought people express there feelings nothing will be done. It is a sad situtation. Honestly one day everything will come to light and people will see the truth.
thank you guys for all the information. my daughter was scheduled to attend Open Arms Preschool in the Fall and I can only assume the daycare issues carry over to the preschool as well. My daughter WILL NOT be attending. Thankfully, I enrolled her in several preschools at the same time since I was new to the area. She's currently enrolled at Horne and Christ Community. Does anyone know anything about these 2 programs? My daughter will be in the 3 year old class. Thanks!
