Shepherd Park Children's Academy

Our daughter attended SPCA for summer camp between PreK3 and PreK4 and she had a blast! The team took the kiddos on so many field trips (like three per week, weather dependent). Field trips were a mix of arts (puppet shows, a movie theater experience, etc.) and education (Smithsonian museums, etc.). The team also worked with the children on things that would be helpful for school like letter practice. The team (Mr. Rey, Ms. Ashley, Ms. Z, Mr. Elijah and beyond) were absolutely fantastic. The communication was wonderful and proactive from the teachers, but also the director, Ms. Kimberly. We love SPCA!

My daughter has attended this daycare since she was 2.5 and my K-aged son has done drop-ins and camp there. The teachers are warm and loving. My kids are always happy to see them. The center provides a healthy lunch which is wonderful for a 2 working parent household. They do a great job of getting the kids out and about to nearby playgrounds for plenty of exercise and sunshine. The owner is responsive and reasonable.

Our daughter started at SPCA a few months after it opened. From the beginning, we've been enthused by business owner/director Kimberly's passion and vision. The classrooms are beautiful and clean with thoughtfully chosen open-ended toys that support age-appropriate development. There are even half-size stalls for privacy during teacher-supported potty training and toileting! Between our two kids, SPCA is our third daycare. The enrichment activities are what make it stand out from the rest. We love the regular (several times a week) trips: nature walks, local playgrounds, the library. I don't mind that there's no outdoor space because the classrooms are spacious and I prefer the habit of visiting a variety of local playgrounds anyway. The location is great for this, and it's convenient at pickup/drop-off that there's a pediatric dentist and a Target next-door! The bilingual teachers started fairly recently, and I assume that other activities like music and yoga will be added in time (I wish they were already part of the curriculum, but I get that it takes time to build out programming). Kimberly fills in for the teachers as needed, but when I see her around the daycare center it's usually with a mop in her hand. I appreciate seeing that she's literally doing the dirty work and labor in her business. She's not sitting in an office somewhere disconnected, but knows the kids and their needs. We found SPCA to more stringently enforce doctor's notes and sick policies than our previous daycares. Shared germs are an unavoidable part of the daycare experience, but I've seen the staff scurry to deep clean after reported illness. The teachers have all been welcoming and caring and communicate about our daughter's day via the app. We love getting pictures of her day :) We're leaving SPCA after ten months, but only because we moved!! I suspect we'll really miss it.

Our son attended their summer camp for preschoolers and had a great time. They had lots of great activities and explored all kinds of cool places around the area on field trips at least a couple times each week. The teachers were nice and communication was easy. They were extremely accommodating of his individual needs and were keen to ensure my son had the best time possible. I would highly recommend SPCA and will likely be back next summer!

My son had an amazing year at SPCA and we are so happy they joined our community. We made plans with the staff regarding potty training and SPCA helped us accomplish our goals just in time!! I am so thankful for the experience my son was able to have because he was so well prepared for his new Big Boy School- learning, adventure, and overall staff care and excellent parent/teacher communication. Thank you SPCA!