Parent's Experience with First Step Day Care in Watertown, NY
I am writing to share a distressing series of events that took place at First Step Daycare, where I have repeatedly encountered negligence, unprofessional behavior, and mistreatment from the daycare staff. After exhausting all options with the daycare’s Board, I feel compelled to bring this to the public’s attention unless appropriate accountability and action are taken. Yesterday, at 4:30 PM, after picking up my son, I discovered that two of his belongings were missing, and for the second time, money I had provided for him was gone. When I brought this to the staff's attention, I was brushed off, gaslit, and insulted. A teacher named Kymera Phillipus loudly expressed in front of my son, "We don’t have time for an immature ass adult.” This confrontation was voice recorded. To make matters worse, two keepsake pictures and my son's first worksheet, which I had specifically asked to be preserved, were discarded without my knowledge. Despite reaching out to the daycare’s Board regarding previous issues, I have received no solutions or accountability. This ongoing situation has been both stressful and traumatizing for me and my son. My son’s last day of daycare was set for Friday, August 23rd. However, after the incident where I was gaslit and insulted for advocating for my child, Ms. Jackson terminated his enrollment effective August 22nd. This felt like a personal attack and a subtle punishment, depriving him of the opportunity to spend his last day with his friends before transitioning to his new daycare. It also affected my ability to work effectively the following day. On July 25th, Sasha Jackson, Executive Director of First Step Daycare, informed me that my son had two incident reports. We discussed these reports, and while she initially seemed concerned, she also mentioned other incidents that were not communicated to me at the time. Despite my efforts to stay informed, I was consistently reassured by the staff that my son was doing very well or that he was just a typical three-year-old. On July 26th, after dropping off my son, Sasha called and accused me of being accusatory toward her staff, despite my calm inquiry about the incident reports. This exchange made me feel that I wasn’t supposed to ask questions or understand what was happening with the incident reports. Such pushback from an Executive Director when inquiring about a child’s welfare is concerning. On July 29th, I met with Sasha to discuss the incidents further. I was shocked when she stated that she is not her "staff’s babysitter" and disclaimed any responsibility for her staff’s failure to report incidents. Additionally, I am concerned about the unprofessional attire of some staff members, which I do not want my son exposed to. When I expressed my concerns, Sasha responded with an unveiled threat, saying, "Not that my staff will mistreat your son but no one is going to want to watch your son or be around your son if you’re accusing us.” This response was both unprofessional and deeply troubling. This lack of accountability and care has severely impacted my trust in receiving honest feedback about my son's experiences at this daycare. While my son has successfully transitioned to a new daycare, I feel it is imperative to share my experience with First Step Daycare in Watertown, NY. My goal is to ensure that no one at this establishment believes that situations like mine can be easily dismissed.
By Adreeana M.