Description: Lighthouse Day School is a new business that has been established through a vision for a more wholesome place where children can learn and grow. Our environment has been designed to help optimize the well being of children. We strive to exclude plastic materials and enhanced our program with earth tone colors that promote a sense of calm and well being. We are here for the children and wish to help develop a love of learning, and to prepare them for entry into the school system. The Seaman Congregational Church has graciously agreed to become involved by providing a learning environment filled with light and sunshine. With more than 20 years of experience in the Early Childhood field, we are ready to make a difference in your child's life. The owner's European heritage has had a strong influence on the program and is somewhat comparable to a montessori environment.
Where possible, ChildcareCenter provides inspection reports as a service to families. This information is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed. We encourage families to contact the daycare provider directly with any questions or concerns, as the provider may have already addressed some or all issues. Reports can also be verified with your local daycare licensing office.
| Date of Survey | Survey Number | Survey Reason | Findings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-09-20 | 17-006105 | Annual Survey | View Findings |
| 2017-09-20 | 17-006105 | Annual Survey | View Findings |
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My son recently graduated from LDS and he is now more than ready for Kindergarten. Ms. Suzanne and the staff work extremely hard to prepare the children and do an amazing job. When looking at schools for our son we chose LDS after meeting with Ms. Suzanne because of their hands on learning and the faith-based nature of the program. They did many programs at the church and they were just adorable! My son left everyday telling us about how much fun he had in school and everything he had learned. You could truly tell the love Ms. Suzanne and the rest of the staff have for all of the children that attend and I would say that LDS is one of the best preschools in all of Topeka...if not THE best! I highly recommend Lighthouse Day School and know for a fact that you will not regret your decision!!
Lighthouse Day School is a wonderful preschool, and an amazing asset to families, children, the north Topeka community, and the Seaman school district!
My daughter attended Lighthouse Day School, graduated, and will be entering Kindergarten. I am so pleased with how much she grew (socially, emotionally, and academically) while attending Lighthouse, that I have every confidence that she is ready, and totally prepared for Kindergarten!
When my daughter entered LDS, she had a lot of growth that needed to take place before she was ready to attend public school. I entered into my preschool search fully aware of that, and after meeting Ms. Susanne, touring the school, observing class time, and learning of her training and philosophies, I was 100% confident that Lighthouse was the best place for her!
From that day forward, my confidence in my decision that my daughter was in the most capable and loving hands never waivered! My daughter's growth and happiness every day, spoke for itself! She wanted to go to school on the weekends! She loves Ms. Susanne, and all of her friends at Lighthouse, and she made the leaps and bounds she needed to make to take on Kindergarten! What was once a shy, timid, and sometimes withdrawn little girl is now a confident, talkative friend to many! What was once a girl who really had trouble recalling information just learned or practiced is now a little girl who loves to spout out what she knows, and has a love and excitement for learning. No one else could have facilitated the kind of growth I observed in my daughter over the year.
I am, and will always remain, thankful to Ms. Susanne and Lighthouse Day School! I would recommend Lighthouse to any parent looking for the best preschool in town!
I cannot express adequately in words how much Ms. Suzanne and Lighthouse Day School have done for my son. He is, having gradutated LDS last month, entirely prepared for kindergarten, regardless of the fact that he displays symptoms of ADD/ADHD (first mentioned by Ms. Suzanne), and is in the process of being tested. I would have gladly paid double the tution, knowing that my son was genuinely cared for, and well-taught.
My son, who is bright but previously unfocused, has learned essential social skills, basic learning tools (not just memorization, but learning skills), and creative models that I know will carry him through his educational years.
There simply is no better preschool for faith-centered families than Lighthouse Day School. From the multicultural backgroud, to the hands-on learning, to the mutual respect taught for peers and teachers alike, I (again) cannot recommend LDS highly enough. Ms. Suzanne is a Godsend, and we will remain grateful to her.
We are so very blessed to have found Lighthouse Day School. As a former preschool educator, I can easily spot the difference between a teacher who wants to be there and a teacher who is burnt out and is just going through the motions. Miss Susanne pours her heart into the school and it shows.
My daughter loves this school. Students are treated with care. The staff is truly invested in the learning that takes place there. She learns through play and has learned so much! The love of learning is something that is so often lacking in our children today. Miss Susanne makes learning fun.
Lighthouse Day School encourages family involvement. Family nights, suppers, birthdays, parties, programs... I love that families are valued and that my input as a mother is valued.
I only have two regrets about the school. The first is that it doesn't extend to the upper grades. I wish my daughter could have more years there! If only it were an elementary school, too! The second regret is that her older did not attend. I wish he had had the same wonderful experience in his old preschool that my daughter is having at Lighthouse Day School.
As former parents of the most unique and one of a kind Pre-schools in the area, we truly believe that Lighthouse Day School is the best kept secret in Topeka KS. The owner/director, Ms. Susanne is a top-notch Early Childhood Educator!! Her enthusiasm and dedication to ensure a high quality learning environment which promotes an atmosphere conducive to learning is by far the best Pre-school program we have seen.
Ms. Susanne's curriculum encourages the children to explore their creativity, self-help, motor, language, problem solving and social emotional skills, which she encompasses in fun,age- appropriate and hands on activities, fostering independence, self-esteem and self confidence. Ms. Susanne contructs a solid foundation on which her students build their learning abilities. Academically, Ms. Susanne ensures her students are Kindergarten ready and eager to expand their horizons.
Lighthouse Day School also offers unique features, which no other Preschool has. Lunch Bunch is a favorite with both students and parents. It gives students the opportunity to practice table manners, pleasant conversations, as well as other important social skills.
One of our favorite things Ms. Susanne offers is teaching the children to speak German. This opens up a whole new world to students, by learning about one of the many cultures represented in their home town.
In closing we would like to say, that we wish were of pre-school age again so we could attend Lighthouse Day School! Thank you Ms. Susanne for giving our child the opportunity to shine and to awaken his eagerness for knowledge!!!!
You Rock!!!!
Lighthouse Day School is AWESOME!!!!
We moved to Topeka two years ago and we were very blessed to have found Lighthouse Day School. Susanne and the staff are very well trained! They go above and beyond any parents expectations!!!
My daughter loves Miss Susanne and the other staff memebers, they treat the kiddos as if they're their own!!
We had no issues with Lighthouse Day School or the staff. We felt welcomed all the time! The hours were wonderful and didn't change at all for us! As for myself, being a working mother, Susanne didn't degrade me for working at all!!
My daughter was taught very well here and is very ready for Kindergarten! Thank you Miss Susanne!
This is by far the BEST Preschool in Topeka!!!
These hateful comments are a natural reaction when you exercise your right to expel a parent who is difficult from your school. Our track record speaks for itself and we wish you and your child the best of luck for the future. We are certain that every program experiences parents like you.
Our experience at Lighthouse Day School was, unfortunately, not a positive one. From the outside, this appears to be a program that utilizes a lot of creativity and has a strong curriculum. There is no doubt that my child learned a great deal while attending.
However, the school is run very unprofessionally. In our experience, the director, Susanne, discussed the personal business of families, students, and even school personnel with parents and other students. We found it very inappropriate when our child came home with information about another student's financial situation.
Susanne is also very critical of parents, especially working parents. She advertises full-day preschool, but her actual expectation of what that would entail is very stilited. When one parent would drop off at 7:30 AM and pick up at 5:30 PM (I assume this person worked 8-5), Susanne insinuated that these hours bordered on neglect.
Even though we signed a contract at the beginning of the school year, Susanne changed her hours, days in or out of school, and even attempted to change the tuition rate several times throughout the year.
Susanne's interactions with the children at times were odd at best, and emotionally abusive at worst. She used a lot of sarcasm (very inappropriate practice for this age group) and guilt to get the children to do what she wanted. She also seemed very unhappy with her job much of the time and complained about the students or how many hours she worked in front of them.
There were a couple of instances when children would go home and repeat something Susanne had said, which caused parents concern. When the parents would call to discuss the issue, Susanne would deny the situation, and then rebuke the student later for talking with their parents about it. This is extremely detrimental to children this age, most of whom have been taught to share information with their parents when something is not going right.
I write this as a parent who has no ill will toward the school or personnel there, but who wants to make sure other parents are aware of the issues at Lighthouse Day School.