Growing Tree

We are so grateful to have our infant son in Growing Tree ! Childcare waitlists can be daunting for two parent working households and we were anxious about the process. Thankfully we got into GT and ramped up our son’s hours over a few months so he could be full time. He loves his teacher. When he first started, he was going through a bottle refusal phase. She helped me navigate a different nipple flow (actually the opposite of what my lactation counselor was suggesting) and he started taking the bottle after about a month or so! Now he is so excited to scoot across the floor to his favorite toys when we drop him off. It’s hard to leave a baby all day with someone else, but really glad that he is where he is and is happy and thriving at Growing Tree !

Worst experience I have ever had in a children's center. I would never put my children in this center and I would never recommend this center for any child. Apparently according to the parents it is difficult for this center to keep steady qualified teachers in the toddler room.. I observed a staff member that has been working at this center for approx 3 years leave bowel movement and urine residue on the toddlers after she changes their diapers, she yells at all the new hires and children and wont follow regulations rules nor take any redirection when she is not complying to regulation. After bringing this to the attention of the director the director states, "she wants this employee to feel as if she can have a career that this center", the employee stated herself that, "She hates teaching" programs and she stated "she dropped out of college because she hated teaching. The director wont pay new employees on time and when addressed directly about it she uses deceit and as a result the pay continues to be delayed. The parents of the children at this center are worried that the director would not be able to retain the new hired teachers that started and as it turns out the director was not able to retain the qualified teachers due to this tenured 3 year employee whom is an aid for 3 years and then teh director moved her into a toddler teaching role . The parents all expressed how the director is unable to keep qualified teachers in the center and repeatedly the new hired teachers leave and the parents are asking the new hired teachers if they plan on staying. The new hired teachers do not stay because of the low standards of the employee that has been at the center for appox 3 years as an aid and because the director is not paying the new hires on time. This center director is taking skills and labor from teachers for weeks and not paying them on time. : however this center has retained the employee whom leaves bowel movement and urine residue on the children when she changes diapers. This center is not a nice place for developing children. Due to the conflict of interest this director has with her approx 3 year employee who does not even meet the basic skills sets for working in child care) and the low level of experience this 3 year tenure employee has with toddler children and teaching in general as well as her personal and professional attitude towards teaching in general. This 3 years old tenured employee feeds the toddlers from food that fell on the floor and became dirty. She yells at the qualified teachers has emotional outbursts and sits around doing very little to nothing but commanding orders at qualified and experienced teachers. Not a nurturing center . There are plenty of other centers where you would get a much better center experience.

We absolutely can not thank Growing Tree enough for taking such great care of our boys. The education piece is amazing! The fact that the kids get to play outside every day no matter what is amazing! And the genuine love and care and attention they give our kids: Priceless. We could not appreciate the GT team more or say thank you enough.

My daughter has been going here for almost 2yrs and the staff is excellent they really care for the children. They are clean and do a lot of educational things for the kids as well as fun activities to keep them entertained and on a great schedule. I highly recommend this daycare. One of the best in Bend!

As a student, I was allowed to observe over a two week span at Growing Tree. I was impressed by the cleanliness, organization, and mostly by the staff who express honest care and love for the children. This is more than a daycare and is an actual early childhood education center.