Double Decker Day School

NoLongerExists

The subject of this entry no longer exists in Davis or is a former version of something that came afterwards.All information here is for historical reference only.

CLOSED AS OF JUNE 2015

Double Decker Day School was a Licensed Child Care operated in a home that closed at the end of June 2015. Within a nature focused setting, they use a combination of child-led and music focus , creating a program enhanced with a curriculum that explores the environment, interacts with nature, creates a love for music and encourages creative expression. Features Include: - Warm and loving environment - Healthy meals and snacks (involved in the Resource and Referral USDA food program) - Licensed and Certified for newborn and up (CPR, First Aid, Preventative Care) - Fun age appropriate activities - Outdoor play including garden activities (learning to plant seeds, water plants and pick produce) - Great references and part of the Davis community - Affordable rates - Close to UCD campus (easy access to bike paths) - Easy access to highway 80

We are currently full and only adding students to our waitlist. Tours are by appointment only and will resume when a space becomes available. Please contact [email protected] for any additional information. Thank you for your interested in DDDS!!!

***Previously Kidaroo Playcare at 1412 Morris way, Double Decker Day School transitioned into a Large Family Child Care and added a Preschool program. The new license number is 573616898. Please email [email protected] with any questions. Thank You

2011-08-10 12:41:55   It is impossible to get in contact with this school! I have called the number, emailed, and filled out the request form online countless times- no response. It really is too bad too, because by the looks of the description on the website, it looked like a very promising endeavor. They are loosing business. —AnonymousDavisResident

• See follow-up to my previous comment below :) —AnonymousDavisResident

2011-08-14 21:01:02   Hi AnonymousDavisResident, We are very sorry you have had problems getting in touch with us. There was a problem with mail going into the bulk/spam folder and are currently catching up now. Our school has had a lot of great feedback and we are thrilled with the support! Right now we are already full for the Fall 2011 preschool program. We do have a waitlist and would love you to come for a tour in September if you are still interested. You can reach me directly at [email protected] and will receive a prompt reply. We hope to hear from you and again, sorry for any difficulties getting into contact with us! -Cassie —cmfarinsky

2011-09-30 14:10:41   Do not attend this "school" Yes, I called, emailed several times to set up an appointment. Never returned my call/email. SO I headed to the address listed. Nothing compared to website. No landscape and the infants were playing in mud and painting each other's faces. All the kids, under two, and only the one lady and her weird male friend watching babies eat paint. She was nice, but it seemed unsanitary. The kids can run naked, her daughter wasn't wearing underwear. The children's clothes were DRENCHED in mud...as in you would have to throw those clothes away. She gave me a tour. The infant room was like 7'X6' stuffed with over loaded book shelves, playpens...I hope she doesn't put them in there alone. The back yard..not landscaped, just wet, soaking mud...which she says they get to play in everyday. This is really concerning. She is licensed for 12, I am assuming, but there was no aide there. Her website is misleading, it makes you think that there is some form of routine and music and songs and art, but really it is kids eat paint, rolling in the mud and nudity completely welcome. Not my idea of a DAY SCHOOL. I gave her my number because she wasn't sure if she had an opening, but she didn't return my phone call. I think I'll be calling licencing services b/c this wasn't right. I worked in a child care home for ten years and there were so many things wrong...she said it would all be fixed by Monday, but these children shouldn't have been there. The house was in shambles. —SummerStewart

2011-10-01 12:33:42   I had previously checked out the Kidaroo Playcare and was impressed and excited at the friendly family atmosphere, the attention that was given to each child, the focus on teachable moments and independent exploration to help children establish their own since of curiousity and interests. The kids were happy, healthy and having a great time. I was very impressed with the owners knowledge about early childhood development. She was competent and caring. I observed happy children learning about music, art and nature. I also saw healthy nurtitious meals being served in a family style to the children. The kids got to play the way kids play; in the dirt, in the garden,in the world. It was refreshing to see someone who cared more about the childs well being as a curious observent human, than about whether they had a little dirt on their feet. I would recommend Double Decker Day School. —amandacocking

2011-10-01 22:42:07   Our 2 and 1/2 year old son has attended Double Decker (formerly known as Kidaroo Playcare) since he was a baby. Sure it's a little funky, but that's what we love about it. There are chickens, bunnies, a cat and a dog. Kids get to garden and play with water and dirt (which yes, creates mud), and yes, sometimes be naked. Since when is a naked 2 year old scandalous? Really?

The school is in a major transition right now, as Cassie moved to a new location. She stayed open through the chaos because we rely on her. I am really excited about the changes. —florafloja

2011-10-02 10:26:39   This has been a great environment for our son to explore learning, music, and develop social skills. Sometimes he comes home a little dirty, yes, but he always comes home with new words, new songs, and with a greater understanding of life. Being a kid is not about being sterile, it's about discovery. I heartily recommend this school. —JeremySpringer

2011-10-03 09:45:20   My almost 2 year old son attends this school. We, and most importantly he, love Cassie and what the dayschool stands for. My son is encouraged to explore and be creative with loving, but not harsh boundaries. The focus of the school is not to shame him into feeling bad about making a mess, or playing in mud, but in learning about nature. Cassie stresses creativity and using real moments in real children's lives to teach empathy for others, impulse control, and responsibility. My son has grown so much from his experiences there and loves to go see his friends in the morning. Sometimes it may look a bit unconventional, but I am confident when I drop him off that he will have a great time, be well cared for, and have healthy nutritious meals. He may come home with some mud (but nothing that a washing machine had failed to fix) but also with a huge smile.

The day school has been in major transition and at the moment and most of the children there are from Kidaroo (her former daycare at a different site), whom she agreed to take care of during the transition because we need her. Her new day school room, which is now fully operational, is beautiful. —RyanRunquist

2011-10-03 13:50:15   i love Cassie and all she does. my daughter attends the day school on a "drop-in" basis when there is room and when we need xtra care. we consider Cassie and Leila part of our family and completely support them. im proud of cassie on her journey, and as a mom/small business owner myself, i completely understand how challenging it is to get things up and running smoothly. her new location is fabulous and getting better all the time. so excited to see that "music together" is now a big part of things. my daughter has always loved "music together." all the best to double decker day school! —erindunning

2011-10-03 13:51:24   btw, it's good for kids to get dirty and play in mud! :) —erindunning

2011-10-04 13:03:45   I am a grandmother to one of Double Decker's drop in students & it breaks my heart to read such hostile, negative comments. I note they were written during a time of transition for this school but it's also important to remember how hot it was during late September. I am not so old that I don't remember needing quality child care in this town which often has a perception that our families don't need home away from home all day care. What Cassie offers is exactly that: an in home, get your clothes & body dirty in fun outdoor play in a safe, licensed, loving & learning environment. I for one am glad that my granddaughter can get dirty & have great fun at Double Decker & come home for quiet time with us! It's fantastic. —SusyArriaga

• To be fair to the school, there's only one negative review and many positive ones (two if you count the person who was having trouble getting in touch with them, which isn't really negative, as they are trying to get in). ⁓ʝ⍵

2011-10-28 16:22:20   To follow up with my comment of 2011-08-10 12:41:55, I was able to get in contact with the school and we're in! Woo-hoo! Turns out that they were in the middle of a HUGE transition into a new location. I couldn't even begin to imagine all that is involved with moving a childcare facility let alone a childcare facility AND preschool! We've been attending Double Decker for about a month and a half now and could not be happier. My 13 month old LOVES it and adores the people of Double Decker! In fact, we just got back from an awesome field trip with the school in which the children were able to interact with baby animals and pick out pumpkins -lots of fun and talk about a great experience for growing minds!

I was there the week I believe SummerStewart (2011-09-30) made their muddy/painty visit and yes, it was muddy (they had just moved in and were in the process of landscaping- which could not take place when tiny children were there, obviously) and children's art&craft paint (mind you it wasn't as if they were playing with latex VOC-emitting or lead paint!) was flying, but boy oh boy if you could see it now! My husband and I are so extremely impressed and could not feel more at ease knowing that our one and only son is in the safe care of such wonderful people! The infant room is far larger than 7x6 (but I can see how initially it was perceived as a little cluttered as they had all the toys temporarily stored in there), and now that the preschool building is constructed, setup and in use, there isn't any clutter. There is a dedicated arts & crafts room, an infant room, a preschool building, and the backyard is a safe, landscaped atmosphere for the children to run about. Like anything, moving is not an overnight event...especially when you are trying to make it perfect as Ms. Farinsky is. So, in response to the negative comment, prospective parents do not be alarmed, it is certainly not an unlawful, mud-flinging nudist colony; it's pretty incredible and I am so lucky that my son is now a part of it! —AnonymousDavisResident

2013-07-21 11:12:28   Double Decker is a wonderful pre-school and my husband and are delighted we found it. As parents of a child who has very happily attended for almost a year I'd like fellow interested parents to be aware that a few of these reviews are over well two years old and do not adequately reflect DD's current stellar facilities or great lead instructor Miss Amanda, in any capacity. Please come visit and see for yourselves. This is a wonderful throwback to the days when children could learn, play, get hands on experience with nature, water and explore their artistic sides without being boxed in. Despite the fact there is room for joyous creativity, children are kept on a solid schedule and using words and speech and good behavior is always empathized. As lovely as DCNS and Peregrine School are we found them too inflexible and costly for our pre-school child who loves to run and explore. Our feelings as parents is that K through 12 will come with plenty of daily order and regimented routines so in these pre-school years creativity, watching the chickens, Sadie the kindly Lab, Hippity the rabbit (who is in a delightful outdoor enclosure designed by UCD landscape student along with the chickens) seems the best route for our little one's imagination and wide eyes. The director Cassie is friendly, helpful, creates a nice sense of community within her school and is always willing to answer any of your questions. We are so thankful for DD! —MaryCarroll

2014-09-08 12:47:46   My twin boys attended Double Decker Dayschool from 12 months to just shy of 4 years old. I consider it a blessing that I was able to enroll my children in such a nurturing environment. There is a wonderful emphasis on nature and outdoor play. Children are able to learn through hands-on experience, my boys loved feeding the chickens and talking about how "chickens make eggs and we eat eggs." Cassie, the Owner/Director, is flexible, committed to providing the children with an abundance of opportunities to learn/play and ensures that staff are educated and committed to a like philosophy. I am forever grateful of the encouragement through potty-training, the patience at drop-offs (during separation anxiety phases) and the unique, fun experiences Double Decker provided for B&C. —EricaB

2015-06-09 02:20:44   Ms. Farinsky has informed us parents with children currently enrolled that she will be shuttering the dayschool permanently at the end of June, 2015 due to her pursuit of other career interests. My wife and I have had our son (currently age three) enrolled since September, 2013 and have had nothing but a positive experience. The curriculum, the educators/care workers, and environment have been nothing short of fantastic and we are deeply saddened that we will have to seek alternate care. While we do understand and respect Ms. Farinsky's decision we only wish us parents had been given a little more notice than 3 weeks and would have hoped for some alternate day school referrals be made available to us as the closure seems rather abrupt. —sweitzel