Description: The Old School at Fancy Gap exemplifies the belief that in the busy-ness of modern life, some things are lost. The simple routine of playing with friends, listening to stories, building castles, taking walks, splashing in a creek, even taking a rest, are all parts of an orchestra that plays an individual symphony for each child. Given a chance to slow down and take it all in, children can develop holistically while they achieve the necessary readiness skills that lay ahead in kindergarten, and in life. “Fancy Gap” is an homage to the elders from this part of Chatham County who knew this lovely property many years ago by that name.
Our kid went to Old School two wonderful years. It was a highlight of his childhood experience and a tremendous gift to our family. The staff was courteous and truly attended to our family's needs. I felt compelled to log in and create an account after reading the other review listed so you can know that people have different experiences. The parents of kids I know that attended during my kid's time (2019-2020), like us, could not say enough about the high quality of the experience for the kids, the great leadership of the instructors and the second-to-none culture the kids were given to be outside together and learn in affirming ways at their own pace.
The good: The property is awesome and the teaching staff are good with the kids. The bad: Cost: The premium rates are the highest in the area, 8:00 start is strictly enforced and the "full day" is over at 3:15 which makes it tough on working parents (granted, you can pay even more for after school). We were nickeled and dimed on top of it. The ugly: Director/Owner Jan is a huge challenge to overcome. We experienced an unstable "dictator" behavior style with her. It was actually bizarre at times. The financial piece of it was flat out strange - Jan shunned us when I had even some simple questions regarding her "policy." She kept minimum (and I truly mean minimum) records. My wife and I were treated with disrespect consistently, and was even told I was putting work ahead of my child because I couldn't attend an event at 3:00 on a weekday. Bottom line, Jan and Benny turned their back on my child and for that alone, I felt compelled to write a candid review. I truly hope other families do not have to go through the same struggles. It's hard enough parenting young children while having careers. Feel free to reach out to me if you'd like to have a healthy discussion about it - I have specific examples as well as email documentation to support any piece of this review.