My daughter went here a while ago, I'm talking she's 11 now but I check in on occasion to see if this place has been reported or shut down. So previously when my daughter attended the vpk it was great (aside from a few little kids being kids things) the teachers were kindly and my child loved them but then when I picked her up after putting her full time I noticed there were a large number of children (older school age and vpk aged kids) all in one room with only 1 adult who was looking at their phone the whole time and the lights out. The older kids would be tucked away out of the adults view and the most of the younger kids would be sat in front of a TV on several occasions.. it has weighted heavily on my mind all this time how I could have been a better parent and I just wanted to share our previous experience.. hopefully it's not still like this after 5+ years but I questioned for a long time if my daughter had been safe while attending and how that adult would watch well over 20 kids. Part of me wishes I had recorded videos of what I would walk into but.. live and learn.. I'd give a 4 star for vpk but for the full time/after school care a 1 star and run away.

I worked here a few months, thought it would be different because it’s supposed to be a “Christian Setting” Erin Howard sugar coats everything that is brought to her attention. Tell you “yall are grown talk it out, handle stuff yourself.” Teachers yell and scream in the children’s faces all day, talk down to them and tell them how they won’t be anything in life. Children get snatched on, One teacher (Lacey Fonseca) snatched a student up so hard she lost her footing causing her to fall into the wall, blacking her eye, busting her nose and hitting the childs head on the wall as well. She has also popped that same child in the mouth like she is her mother. Hannah walks around on her phone and reading books all day, she doesn’t watch the kids at all but will scold them for wanting to stay outside with a teacher, she also doesn’t have her 45 Hours!! Things have been reported, complaints have been made and nothing has been done. They are unsanitary. My whole 6 months of employment my son got sick with RSV, Covid, Strep and Pneumonia twice. They have snakes, Rats, etc. The teachers complain all day, verbally express how they don’t like kids making the work environment Physically and Mentally draining. SAD ENVIRONMENT FOR KIDS! half of the LEAD TEACHERS aren’t CDA Certified, employees are only supposed to be employed for A YEAR without 45 Hours and she has let people stay up to 3 Years without them. Parents have even gone to Erin about teachers being physical with their kids and nothing has happened!!! and if you do your research you will learn that Erin was previously over HER OWN daycare which was shut down because she was embezzling money. She became the director at HGELC because her mother Joyce stepped down (retired) but she still comes to work as well and enters the check hours so everyone gets their required pay. Sad and disgusting

I want to start out by saying that I not only am a mom 4, but I am also a former kindergarten teacher so I feel I have a unique perspective. The preschool I had previously used was full, so I decided on Hickory Grove. I was a little hesitant of a school I wasn’t familiar with to send my youngest to for VPK, but all I can say is wow! The time, attention, communication, high standards, extra-curricular offerings, accommodations, data analyzing, social-emotional development, teacher quality…it’s all there. The teachers and assistants put their heart into their work and it shows. They are patient, attentive, and truly care about each child’s growth. I’ve see such amazing progress in my child’s confidence, communication skills, and love for learning. The director, Ms. Howard, is always in the classroom helping, observing, and consistently updates parents. I always feel informed about my child’s progress through regular updates, photos, their app, and open discussions with teachers - getting verbal communication every single day from your child’s teacher is top tier. The staff is friendly, professional, and dedicated to creating a positive experience for both kids and parents. I highly recommend Hickory Grove to any parent looking for a loving, educational, and engaging environment for their little one. My daughter will go to kindergarten prepared and ready and it’s all thanks to the dedication of Hickory Grove. Send your littles here!

I am so glad I found Hickory Grove Early Learning Center. My son started attending this daycare when he was just a few months old. We absolutely loved having him in the infant room with Ginger. He now attends the toddler room with Lacey and Tori. They take such good care of my little guy, update me frequently on his day and he is always excited to tell me about the "cool" things he played with or did for activities. Erin is extremely thoughtful and accommodating. I highly recommend this center to anyone!

Great center where children will be cared for and taught about Jesus.

This school is awful, your kids will not be treated kindly, they will not be nurtured or comforted. The teachers do nothing but yell all day long, gossip, sit on their phones and complain about the children. My child was treated terribly in her VPK class by Miss BECCA and Miss ASHLEA. I wouldn’t trust this place with a pet rock, let alone children. The school follow 0 DCF rules and allows lead teachers with NO proper certification. My DCF complaint has already been placed. DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE GOING HERE. Would give 0 stars if I could. Just to add, my daughter was picked up on multiple occasions crying by herself while her teachers sat at the desk on her phone. Can’t wait til this place gets shut down !!!!!

I went two times trying to look for a school for my son. The two times I went the staff was not helpful nor friendly. I honestly went there because I want to find a Christian preschool for my son but it was very disappointing üòû Not sure if the school is good or not but the first impression was bad for me.

This center had cameras. Now when you walk in several of the rooms have the windows covered over so no one can see in or out. That is alarming on so many levels one being that no one can see in or out for the children’s safety and the second being that it’s taking away from the children’s enrichment, and being able to see outside and see the trees and nature and everything else that they’re supposed to be experiencing in a learning setting. I have several other concerns, but I will leave here with this. made a call to DCF but apparently that’s not something they could take a complaint on. In my opinion, when there are several incidents or injuries or reports from a particular room or area this shouldn’t be the case.

We have taken 3 kids there and my wife was there as a child great wholesome daycare