Smart Start Academy

Our daughter loves Smart Start! The teachers are so caring and professional, and obviously love spending time with the kids. They had so many fun activities, including finger painting, music performances, fun Mother's Day and Father's Day parties, and theme dress up days. We love that they take the kids outside to get some fresh air. Also the updates on the app/website are really great to help us keep in touch during the day. Thanks to the Smart Start teachers for taking great care of our baby!

When we started looking for a daycare last year for our then 1 year old son in downtown Jersey City, were were extremely lucky, that SSA was just opening a brand new location on Newark Ave. Six months later and we all could not be happier. The downtown SSA director Ms. Linda has always been most responsive and accommodating and the teachers in the toddler classroom are a gem, they made our son feeling comfortable from the very start and the transition was very easy. Our son loves his school, his teachers and his friends. He has blossomed into an independent, caring and social toddler. The school looks great, the classrooms are spotless, very well equipped, they serve 3 healthy balanced and varied organic meals a day, including dinner. They are open late with no additional extra charges which is a blessing for full time working parents. They offer much more than any other daycare in the area for a very comparable price. I highly recommend them. The only pet peeve I had was the number of days they are closed per year, because very few parents have off on every holiday and have to use vacation days or other arrangements instead.

You guys are awesome so far. You love my little gigi and it shows everyday I see you with her. She's easy to love but it's still great to know she's in good hands all day.

As a first time mom and transitioning from full time nanny care to part time school for my 16 month old son, the overall process of researching schools, scheduling visits etc made me weary. Some schools had immaculate interiors/appearances but the curriculum didn't seem worthwhile in comparison to the cost. Others had okay curriculum's but the staff didn't seem as warm, nurturing and welcoming as I would hope a childcare facility staff would be. Although the space is limited in size, the staff are big in heart at Smart Start. I am in love with the technology platform to keep parents in touch with their little ones. I love the monthly curriculum focus and various activities Ellis has an opportunity to partake in with his classmates. In such a short period of time I even notice a sense of social and emotional maturity as he continues to develop his communication skills.

Our daughter has been at SSA for about seven months. With several options in the area, we've been very happy with our decision. Since we first dropped her off, the staff has been professional, caring and generally concerned for her well-being. We appreciate their enthusiasm and the energy they put towards making the environment festive and fun. The Daily Connect App is a great bonus -- the pictures often make our day. We would like a little more consistency with the entries, as we're always tracking how much/often she eats and sleeps.