Torrey Pines KinderCare

Over the past five years, we have had two children in the KinderCare Torrey Pines Center. When selecting a daycare provider for our children, we were very aware that we weren't just choosing a place where our children would be safe, but that we were choosing people who would help us nurture and shape our children into the people they are going to become. Our oldest son is now in a very academically challenging kindergarten at a local charter school and having a very positive and successful year. We know this is in part because of the social and academic preparation he received at KinderCare. Our two year old is thriving under the care of the amazing staff. It is abundantly clear, just from walking through the school, that the children are the priority. We feel confident in the foundation our children are receiving at KinderCare, and highly recommend this KinderCare center to anyone and everyone we talk to about childcare. Thank you!

My wife and I enrolled our grandson in KinderCare September 2011. This was the second child care facility he attended. The first facility was adequate and safe, but I felt they had own agenda and the best interest of my grandson was secondary. After his first semester, we did what we should have done originally, we visited and spent time at six child care facilities. I have been an educator for the last 35 years teaching grades 1-8 as well as a principal in charge of a very large middle school. I feel very qualified to evaluate educational facilities. Having guardianship of my grandson, I was very concerned with not only academic preparation, but the all-important social development, since his interaction with peers is almost nonexistent at home. The minute I set foot in KinderCare, my gut gave me a "good" feeling. I had one more facility to visit and immediately came back and reserved a spot for him at KinderCare.
Our grandson, a reserved and somewhat shy four-and-a-half year old, was instantly made to feel comfortable. He honestly came home the first day telling us he wanted "to go back tomorrow." That was the first indication that the right decision was made. After three weeks, he was talking about the kids he was playing with and the things they were doing in class. KinderCare seemed to ignite the "spark" of excitement for school. My grandson started Kindergarten in the public school in September and he has already mastered the standards for Kindergarten for the entire year. The success our grandson is experiencing in Kindergarten already (after only a few weeks) is due, in very large part, to KinderCare's director Ms. Carol. As with any educational facility it is only as effective as its educational leader. Ms. Carol makes it her duty to keep current with state and national standards. She is diligent in making sure her program mirrors the rigorous demands as expected from the Department of Education. She goes about placing the most qualified available teachers on her faculty. Her involvement in the classroom does NOT stop there. She is a very hands-on director. It is great to see her "get her hands dirty" along with the teachers and students. Everyone at KinderCare welcomes and encourages parents to be involved. Ms. Carol and her staff communicate what is being done in the classroom so parents can be on the same page and provide the best reinforcement for their students.
About three months after starting KinderCare, there was a family miscommunication and our grandson was not picked up for an hour after his usual time. Ms. Carol called and was truly more upset that something may have happened to us rather than being late to pick up our grandson. As our grandson began his second semester, Ms. Carol talked with us about having him start a Phonics program. Through their observations and assessments, and our input, it was determined to have our grandson start about the mid-semester. Our grandson flourished. The proof is already being demonstrated these first two weeks of Kindergarten. Again, this illustrates the "best interests of the child" are KinderCare's top priority.
It was difficult to leave KinderCare. We were made to feel and treated as family. Although saddened to leave, we embark on new educational frontiers confident our grandson has the very best foundation established. I'm sure there are other child care facilities available that could provide as good a level of care as KinderCare, but I am convinced no other facility could top the level of a care provided by Carol Dominguez and her facility.