Action Day Primary Plus – Allen

My child has been in their preschool program. While it’s not entirely inhospitable, I have had several issues with the school that include:
1. Lack of teacher/​parent interaction. My child has attended the school for 9 months now and I still don’t know her teachers’ names. They have never introduced themselves to me and when I pick up my child they rarely say hello.
2. The summer camp program has a «rotating» group of teachers, so there is no consistency for the children on a day-​to-​day basis. My child didn’t know any of the teachers names. At one point my daughter told me she was stripped naked and humiliated (not a potty incident). When I asked the 3 summer teachers in her class they said they had no idea. Ultimately, they agreed it did happen.
3. There was supposed to be an activity in which every child was supposed to bring in an item to participate. Apparently, earlier in the day two children misbehaved so the teachers punished the entire class for the misbehaving children instead of just disciplining the ones who misbehaved by canceling the entire activity.
4. I picked up my daughter and watched her play nicely (she didn’t know I was there) when the child she was playing with started bullying her. I looked for the two teachers in the class and neither were paying attention — one had her back turned and looked like she was making herself a snack and the other had her face buried in paperwork.
5. The office staff sits around and gossips; none seem to really do any work.
6. I take real issue with the Director, Mandy, who made a grave accusation about me. So serious that I refuse to write about it on here.
We had our other child at Action Day in Willow Glen and liked that location much better.

Unfortunately my review won’t be as stellar as the other ones on here. My son started the early walkers class here in mid-​October. Since he is an early walker, we understand that there will be bumps and bruises that he will get as a result of his lack of balance. Unfortunately there were two instances which occurred that were unacceptable, which I will explain below.
When the instructors see that he fell and got a bump or bruise as a result, they fill out an ‘oops’ report. There was one ‘oops’ report that we received that had no information on it whatsoever-​all it stated was that he got a bruise on his cheek. That lack of communication (even though it was on paper) was appalling and I was surprised to receive a report like that. The bruise on his cheek was actually quite large and I knew that he MUST have cried as a result of getting it. For the teachers to say that they had no idea how it happened was unacceptable-​I pay them to watch my child and a bruise like that that cannot be explained? It didn’t make sense to me.
The worst incident happened when I brought my son home one night though. While changing him, I found a large bruise on his upper arm that circled from his tricep to his bicep. It was VERY CLEAR that a teacher grabbed him incredibly hard-​my husband and I tried to find another explanation for the bruise but was at a loss. I felt sick to my stomach as I looked at my precious baby and desperately wished that he could tell me who did this to him.
I was furious and emailed the director of the school. She responded the next day and we set up a meeting to discuss the above matters for that afternoon. We talked and she apologized for everything, but what was done was done, and my son suffered his unexplained bruises. I feel horrible that I brought him here and left him in a room with teachers that I didn’t trust.
I feel like it is so so hard to trust people that you have never been around to watch your baby. And to find out that my trust was broken was heartbreaking. We decided that taking our little baby to another daycare was the best option for our family. I urge all of you looking for a daycare for your little ones to throw caution at this location-​the lack of communication that the teachers have and the constant unexplained bruises were enough to make our family switch.

My daughter has been at Action Day Allen School since she was 6 months old. I love how attentive the teachers are. Ms. Gretchen, Ms. Nikki, and Ms. Nicole from Room 1 are amazing! They are so engaged with their infants, they know their schedule in and out, and always are so nurturing. I have seen many teachers who are disengaged with their students. That is not the case with ADDP. They always have time to talk to you. They are so dedicated to their kids. I have received much helpful advice from them. Has a 1^st time mom it is all a learning process for me and they are so kind to always give me helpful advice. On a daily basis I provide the times when my daughter needs to drink milk, eat solids, and take naps and they have always done what I have ask (with some exception when she is fussy) but they always let me know. Rebecca is really good at keeping parents inform, she sends out a Infant Center Weekly Update email that provides information on what the infants are doing in class, upcoming events, and reminders. When deciding a daycare I was looking for a place near my home or on my way to work. But when I took a tour of this school I knew my daughter would love the teachers here so I don’t mind driving out of my way to go to a daycare where I felt she was in good hands. She loves it there! I am very grateful for a place where the staff is caring, and you can just see that they love their jobs.

We are so lucky to be a part of the Action Day Primary Plus Family! Our daughter started here when she was about 3.5 months, so of course I was very skeptical of leaving her. Action Day already feels like our second home, it is such a warm, clean, and welcoming place. Our daughter has the biggest smile on her face when we drop her off.
Ms. Becca, the Infant Director is such a pleasure to work with, making the transition so smooth and pleasurable. Action Day is very organized, clean, and they always have a fun event of some sort going on for the kids.
The teachers in the infant room have been so great, warm, cuddly, and have such great attention to detail with the babies. They provide detailed summary’s of my daughters day that include her feeding times and how much she ate, nap times, and fun activities she did during the day. Action Day has been great working with our schedule as well, they are very flexible and will go out of their way to make it work!
Thank you Action Day, we do not know what we would do with out you!
Ariana &
The Solis Fam

ADPP is one of the best Pre-​K schools in South San Jose. I had the choice of going to Clement Preschool, my alma mater, off Branham, however I chose Action Day based on the reviews, family recommendations, the amount of regular activities.
We started our child in January, we reserved a space several months ahead of time. If you are thinking about enrolling your little one at Action Day then you should definitely call ahead of time. Class sizes are an important thing for Action Day.
Like a Unilocal restaurant rating your paying $$$, but you’re getting $$$$.
Lots of activities, a balance of a Montessori education with the structure and discipline and focus little ones need from guidance.
We love Action Day Allen.

We couldn’t be happier with Allen Action Day. I have had my 4 ½ year old there since he was 5 months old, and my 6 month old has been there since he was 14 weeks, both full time. The care that they both receive is amazing and I have no worry at all leaving them there. The teachers in the infant room and wonderful and every day provide a thorough update of my son’s day. They always have time to talk and discuss, which makes it feel like a joint effort, instead of just dropping my child off and never knowing what’s happening. My oldest is now in JrK and is learning so much, academically and socially. He is more than ready for Kindergarten. When looking for a day care, we wanted a place with a curriculum and a place that the kids would thrive, and Allen has exceeded our expectations. Being an educator myself, this one the most important factor for us, along with having the sense of community and parent involvement. The administration could not be more efficient and they are willing to go above and beyond to solve any issue. My favorite thing about Allen is the fact they every single staff member knows each child and family member and goes out of their way to say hi, have a conversation, and really make everyone feel like a part of the school. My kids absolutely love it, and so do we!

I am a substitute childcare teacher and have been subbing for the toddler center throughout the summer while some of the regular teachers took their vacation. I was VERY impressed with how seamlessly the teachers work together to run such a high quality program. There are 3 teachers in each toddler room and believe me, they are a very dedicated, hard-​working, talented, and nurturing bunch! Lots of love, smiles, and fun. We had several new children start throughout the summer with a lot of separation anxiety but the teachers all made the transition as smooth as possible. Children that started out crying when dropped off were giggly and happy, playing with the teachers half an hour later. A lot of fun activities such as water play, dot painting, play-​doh, circle games such as Ring-​Around-​The-​Rosy, music, and felt board stories. Health, safety, and cleanliness is given utmost importance too. Of course, there were a few minor mishaps such as falls, bumps, and scrapes as toddlers are very active but they were taken care of promptly with an ice pack, TLC, and a call to let the parents know (even with the smallest scrape). The teachers also work hard to clean the classroom while the children are napping. The toddler playground is large and spacious with lots of ride-​toys and two large sandboxes. A big hats off to Rosa, Zohra, Heather, Fathia, Nicole, Darlene, Becca, and of course, Mandy! I would highly recommend their toddler program based on the time I spent there.

This review is specifically for the first infant room, Room 1 =) If you’re searching for quality care for your baby, look no further!
Our son has been attending since he was 6 months old. It was *unbelievably* hard to return to work after an extended maternity leave. I’m in the field of Early Childhood Education myself and did a TON of research. After visiting this location, we compared every other in-​home and center-​based daycare we visited to Allen. We decided to go with our gut feeling and we’re sure glad we did!
My son, who is now almost 9 months old, has a big smile on his face every morning when my husband drops him off at «school.» My husband does most of the pick-​ups and drop-​offs, but we both love Ms. Lorraine and Ms. Gretchen. They are so friendly, warm and genuine.
Room 1 is an infant’s paradise! There are many developmentally-​appropriate toys and activities. On top of that, my son has enjoyed everything from finger-​painting to a buggy ride. Their detailed daily communication logs (bottles, naps, diapers, etc.) are much appreciated. It is so nice to feel part of your baby’s day even when you’re away.
As a mother, I know all too well how hard it is to leave your baby and return to work. If you choose Allen, you can breathe easier knowing your child is in patient and loving hands.

We’ve sent both of our children to this Action Day and have always been pleased with the results. Both of our children have been going since they were six months old and their early childhood socialization and education has paid dividends as they’ve gotten older. I would highly recommend Mandy and her staff.

My daughter has been attending Allen since she was 18 months old. When we first looked for daycare, we searched everywhere! Home day cares, other day care franchises, and action day. At every site both my husband and I kept comparing all of them to Action Day. We finally decided that there was a common denominator and we took the plunge although it was above our budget. I am so happy we did that, although they are pricey I do believe you get what you pay for. Constant supervision, teachers that get benefits, breaks and lunches. This all leads to happier content workers. I do believe that some are warmer then others but having said that I would never have left my children there if I felt they were not being cared for.
At one point we left because of finances and I got a recommendation for a home day care that was A lot less expensive, so we took it! And then I wished we hadn’t there was a «boyfriend» around that was never there when I enrolled and I felt very uneasy leaving my adorable daughter. As a counselor I am aware that there are sexual predators every where! So I moved her back to action day after a month of worried work days.
My daughter is now in the afterschool program and enjoys it, at times I do think there are too many kids in there and wish it was cleaner. Although any issue I have had and brought up to the office, Mandy has always been able to take care of it.
My son was at this location from 3 months to 2 yrs 6 months. He always had adorable friends that all the parents and kids knew his name. Having said that I do believe all the parents are VERY open and friendly. He is now at the phelan location because of my work transition and commute and loves that school just as much!
I have always liked the front office and the teachers that my k ids have had. I have made some friendships with the teachers that are the «warmer» ones and am thankful to them for taking care of my children.

Our son has been attending Action on Allen since Dec ’08 (at 5 mos old). The staff is incredibly genuine and each and every ADPP team member looks out for every single student and parent — they treat every kid as if they are their own.
The learning curriculum is top of the line and will set your kid ahead!
I have and will continue to recommend Action Day (Allen campus!) to friends and family.

We have been taking my daughter here since she was 3 months old (she’s now 3) and we loved it so much, we had no hesitation taking our son here when he was 3 months old (now 1 year old). The teachers are great, some better than others, but that’s true anywhere you go. But one thing is true, they are all extremely caring! My daughter is very shy but she runs to her classroom and on the way, says hello to any teachers we see on the way!
They make an effort to incorporate sensory learning and art even in the infant center. They have lesson plans posted in the office which helps me to talk to my daughter about what she’s learning in school and reinforce it at home. My daughter just had family week at school and we sent in pictures so that she could share them with her classmates and talk about her family.
My daughter also participates in their dance program and loves it. I am so appreciative that its an option because it’s one less place I have to try and take her on the weekends since I work full time.
Choosing a day care for your children is a difficult and nerve wracking decision and I’m so glad we chose this school!

When reading reviews, please take into consideration the date of the review, as things do change.
My son attended this school in the Junior Kindergarten program from August 2012 — June 2013 and he is enrolled in «Camp Tiki» at this school for the summer 2013. Ms. Maria, Ms. Kim, Ms. Christina, Ms. Pam are all wonderful teachers. There are LOTS of activities of activities for the kids, both at the school as well as field trips. Your child’s mailbox will be filled with papers they’ve colored, glued, painted, and created. Pages they wrote, math they completed, and so on. There is a homework packet given out on Fridays that is to be completed at home and brought back the following week. There is a monthly newsletter and weekly lesson plan that is emailed to you as well as posted in the classroom and at the office. Field trips have included a visit to the pumpkin patch, 2 plays, Happy Hollow, and Pizza My Heart to make their own pizzas.
The school is very diligent about observing their student to teacher ratio and child safety. I have personnaly observed them counting children, crossing off names from lists, adding names, etc. in order to track head count and maintain the ratios they represent in their literature. There are big windows in every classroom and you can see what all of the teachers and students are doing all of the time. You are welcome to stop by any time of the day to observe your child.
This is a great school. Because of the many fieldtrips, holiday partyies, pot-​lucks, and activities, there are extra obligations to watch out for, such as bringing in money for the fieldtrips, dress your kid in a particular color shirt on a day or two, signing up for and bringing in treats for a party. I agree it can be a bit of a hassel to try and remember all of these things, but since I don’t have older elementary school aged children I don’t know if this is just something we parents need to get used to for the rest of the time kids are in school or not. Overall, this is a great day care and school facility.

My sister loves this school! Teachers are caring and attentive to students needs. They have monthly themes and weekly curriculum. I’m not sure why some reviews state they do not…

Our daughter has been here for about 3 months now and she absolutely loves it. In the past, we’ve had bad luck with many private daycare. So, to finally find one that she feels safe and has a lot of fun at, makes a world of a difference.
When we first checked out Action Day @ Allen, we were cautious and asking lots of questions because of some of the low Unilocal ratings and negative reviews. However, after speaking to administration and giving it a try, we were pretty amazed at how great this facility and school is. I guess every circumstance is different. All in all, we are glad that we gave this school a shot.

My child has attended this school for the past 2 years (Jr K and Kindergarten) with great results. Every teacher knows my child by name along with my wifes and mine. The teachers have been great with coming up with a plan that will work for each child needs.
The one complaint I do have is they are always asking us parents to bring stuff for parties (once a month) and supplies. I would rather pay a little extra per month and have that provided, my wife has told me that some parents enjoy shopping and spending their time picking up string cheese for the Valentines party, not my cup of tea.
I have read the other complaints for this school and have seen none of the problems people have listed. As usual with Unilocal you have to realize that some people just are never satisfied and never will be. Working at a place like this would be very taxing, imagine having six 3 year olds to deal with for 8 hours a day, ouch!

I love this school for my son because of the staff. He has the two best teachers Ms Kim and Ms. Maria. They arevery involved with the kids. I have sat in the class with them and jus the way they talk to the kids is amazing. Also my son learns so much from them. They arent just there to get a pay check. My son has actually increased his intellegence since being in their classroom. The only down side to this school is tuition. It is high but I would say worth it. My son loves the staff an so do I.

My experience is from five years ago. I decided to document my experience on Unilocal just so that parents who may be considering this place ask the right questions to management before enrolling their kids.
I pulled my three year old out for several reasons —
1. Most preschool teachers did not seem motivated. They made no effort to help out a parent whose kid was screaming during drop off.
2. By the end of the day, the bathrooms were stinking
3. They let the kids play outside for long hours even on very hot days
4. They gave my son a hot dog for lunch even though we had explicitly mentioned that he was being raised vegetarian
5. My son hated being dropped off to preschool every morning.

I don’t bring my kids here full time, I use them as «backup care» when my usual daycare/​preschool shuts down. Like now, when they’re closed between summer session and the next school year. I’ve used Action Day a few times for these instances, and I’ve never really had a problem until yesterday.
My oldest son is 3 years and 4 months old. He’s potty trained, like very very rarely does he have an accident. But when my wife went to pick him up yesterday he was wet and he told her that he had an accident. She didn’t want to make a spectacle about it, or make him feel bad, so she changed him (more on this later) and went home. She asked him what happened, but didn’t press for more details.
This morning, I’m getting them ready to go back to Action Day for their final day of «backup care». So I want to remind him to go to the potty, here’s my conversation:
Me: Mommy told me that you had an accident yesterday, what happened?
Son: Yah, I peed my pants
Me: Oh, that’s not good. Remember you need to ask your teacher when you have to go to the potty right?
Son: I did!
Me: What… you asked your teacher? what happened?
Son: I asked my teacher, but she said no.
Me: What? she said no?
Son: Yah, I asked my teacher, but she said no because we were outside
So I call my wife to tell her what I was told. And she tells me that when she go there to pick him up yesterday, he was sitting on the carpet with other kids while the teacher was reading them a book.
SO. Not only did the teacher not bring my son to the bathroom when he asked to go. She didn’t even bother to change him when they actually got inside. And she made him sit in his own urine!
The worst part of this whole thing? When my son was telling me that the teacher did not allow him to go to the potty, he was so sad and ashamed like it was his fault! He actually thinks that it was his fault for peeing his pants!

A few things:
1. They do not post lesson plans nor do they have any transparecy on what has been done that day. no «themes» for the month or week like other preschools that I was aware of. Basically no teacher/​parent communication besides this tiny sheet of paper, that tells me how many times my child went potty or what she ate that day.
2. Teachers supervise, they don’t engage. In the class my daughter was in, they didn’t go out of their way to make the transition into the classroom easy. I was the one trying to engage her in some activity before I left. Once, a little boy with tears in his eyes even asked me to read to him while I was dropping off my daughter.
3. No art work, no evidence of any creative activities posted anywhere. Compared to other preschools I have since toured after leaving Allen, this is very odd.
On a personal level — I never had any of the teachers personally introduce themselves to me. I didn’t know their names. My daughter didn’t even know either. One morning I tried to tell the teacher that my daughter was complaining that a boy was hitting her. the teacher responded, «No I don’t think that is happening» I don’t care what you think, I am paying you to make sure my child is well taken care of… so make sure it’s not happening. Another teacher when I was picking up my daughter that same day (I’m assuming that the teachers swapped stories and they were annoyed with me possibly?) made some snide remark about how my daughter only started crying when I showed up. (You can guess that I gave our notice the next day).
The main reason I pulled my daughter was because she BEGGED me not to go. Something was not right and there wasn’t enough transparency for me to know what… when I would pick her up she would run faster than I’ve ever seen her run towards me and ask immediately to go home. She was starting to withdraw a bit and become moody… she took out a lot of anger on her baby brothers.
Honestly, I don’t think this school is a loving environment. Young children need love & affection to do really well in life. and I don’t need 12 units of childhood development course (apparently the minimum required) to feel confident in stating that. While touring other schools, we are finding just that… the difference in other preschools & Allen is amazing especially with parent/​teacher communication. Action Day in Mountain View had lessons plans posted & art work everywhere. I totally missed the boat when signing my daughter up at Allen, but this time around, I will ask the right questions and make the right choice that we don’t have a nightmare situation every morning when she asks where she is going while Mommy goes to work.