The School Boards > Homeroom - West > Los Angeles > Preschools > Preschools - General (LA) > All LA Metro We had a very bad experience with the staff at Piper preschool
View Full Version : All LA Metro We had a very bad experience with the staff at Piper preschool
westsidemom90049
As existing Cassidy parents (where the lead staff at Piperrecently came from), we initially truly liked the administration, but feel that later on once the director Crystal decided to leave (many months before she actuallyleft), their true colors showed through, and we did not like what we saw.
We do not believe the staff at Piper Preschool had the best interests of our family at heart and a number of others we have spoken to agree.
We feel very strongly the need to share our experience with parents as we don't want what happened to us to happen to them.
If you feel Piper is the right school for you, then by all means go there. But if it were us, we would want to walk into the situation with our eyes open.
In a nutshell, it appears that the part owners Crystal and Jesse got into some kind of financial dispute with the majority owners. Then they announced their departure only 2 days before school closed for the summer with a terse, out of the blue email that explained very little. And shocked most of us as they had always acted like they were the owners of the school.
Their actions since that email as sad as it is to say, seem aimed at creating a lot of upset and confusion for the families and remaining staff. And their claim of "We've seen how friends become family" really does not sit well with us. They did not treat our family nor a myriad of other families that way.
You will find at Cassidy a school a number of parents andteachers who feel betrayed and abandoned by the selfish actions of Crystal and Jesse and many whom would never go to Piper. We are one of those families.
Weare curious as to whether the staff at Piper have disclosed to prospective parents that
· They are in the midst of a lawsuit surrounding the Piper space
· That in their own prospectus they allocated $300,000 towards said lawsuit
· They secretly built Piper while being partowners (and employed by) of Cassidy (i.e. we don't like what thatsays about their integrity and values)
This is information we would want to know beforemaking a decision on which preschool to choose.
If you are looking at Piper, we suggest you consider the following:
· seek out Cassidy parents and ask them about what happened and how they feel about it
· Read the 100+ page lawsuit which is publicrecord called Michael A Liberty, Brittany S Abbass, Brentwood Investments, LLCvs Crystal Biltz, Jesse Bilts, Biltz Properties LLC….
· Think about what it says about Crystal and Jesse that while they were employed at Cassidy, and part owners of Cassidy, they spent months secretly building Piper
· Instead of devoting their full energy to looking after our kids, they were building Piper
· Ask yourself: Can my tuition money disappear ifit gets embroiled into said lawsuit?
· It has recently come out that Crystal had an"inner circle" parents she favored whom she accepted valuable gifts from, invitedto her house for alcohol fueled parties, gave the coveted morning spots to, andpromised coveted elementary school placements to -are those the actions you valuein a preschool director?
· What's to stop Crystal and Jesse from takingoff again if they get in a disagreement with their current financial backers?
In what way do you think then they will run Piper?
We are so glad we found this thread as we have been really wanting to share our experience with other parents.
We are really upset with Crystal who is the director of Piper Preschool which just opened in Santa Monica.
Crystal came from Cassidy where she was the director and where our kids attend.
My family has two main issues: the favoritism that occurred (which came to light after she left), and that she was secretly building a totally separate school, Piper, while still employed at Cassidy.
I am writing this review because for people unfamiliar with the situation of Crystal leaving Cassidy, I cannot suggest enough that you talk to Cassidy families to find out more information.
Crystal built a great school in Cassidy, and we were thrilled to be accepted to that school. But Crystal didn't RUN a great school.
What we didn't know, and later found out, was that since early 2013, Crystal was building Piper. She didn't leave Cassidy until the Summer of 2013. And since she left, it was very clear that she had intended to leave many months beforehand.
Since she left, people started talking. And a lot of them, like us, don't like what they found out - mainly about the favoritism shown to a smallish group of families.
It is impossible to adequately explain in a posting, but for the most part, if you talk to the families who have been at Cassidy longer, you are more likely to find those from that smallish group.
If you talk newer families like mine, they overall have a very negative opinion of Crystal.
We don't want other people to get blindsided like we were. I know it sounds dramatic, but this situation really was very dramatic and it was a really stressful summer as families scrambled to put the pieces together of what had happened and what was going to happen.
A preschool is a community of ALL the classes and families, not just some. And when you're paid to run a preschool, you run THAT school. Not build another competing school at the same time.
In my opinion, when Crystal decided it was time to leave Cassidy and build Piper, she should have left. For a person who talks so much about Integrity, in my opinion she certainly didn't show a lot of it in the manner in which she started Piper.
redstapler
ALL of the people I knew who sent their children to Cassidy went because they wanted to get their children into Brentwood, or a school like Brentwood. The above behavior is how those "independent" and elitist schools operate - with secret admissions processes, favoritism and allegiances. You get what you pay for, and the more you pay, the more likely you are to run into these situations. Maybe try sending your children to public schools, and then you won't have to worry about attending "right" preschool and pleasing the "right" people.
"When you know better, you do better." - Maya Angelou
lbsunshine
I have to say that our own experience with Cassidy under Crystal and Jesse fostered nothing but love and trust for them and their vision. So of COURSE we followed them to Piper, and we are so glad we did...
WE are not a wealthy family, we are not famous, not cool in any Hollywood way - we are ordinary folks who love our children to the point of doting. And we WERE made to feel like friends and we WERE freely able to feel like family - and that means ALL of us. Mom, and dad, and the 2 boys.... THERE IS NO BETTER SCHOOL AROUND!!!!! Piper is magic - when our youngest arrives any day, he spends his first minutes just looking around and smiling. They LOVE their teachers, they LOVE their friends - and they have been allowed to LOVE LEARNING - and isn't that what it's all about?
We'd heard the rumors, but never from anyone who actually spoke to Jesse and Crystal about "the situation". We don't judge based on half the story - and we are lucky that we don't.
Because Crystal and Jesse have created a new wonderland at Piper. There are areas for numerous activities, space for magical play and practical teaching and - well, for just so many wonderful, wonderful things. THEY HAVE A STREAM!
But - besides the absolutely beautiful surroundings (by the way, Piper is housed in an official historical building!) - Crystal brings a wealth of post-preschool wisdom to Piper - she certainly has helped us find our way through applications and letters of recommendation and - well, look. We believe that Piper, and Crystal and Jesse and their wonderful teachers have already expanded the world horizon and all available opportunities for our children. THESE ARE WONDERFUL PEOPLE, AND THIS IS A WONDERFUL PLACE.
And they have redefined preschool for all of us...
ComeBackKid
Never in a million years did I ever expect that my family would be paying $18,000 to send a child to preschool, but we are and we couldn't be happier as we have found the Piper staff to be extraordinary. Every story has 2 sides to it. We researched every possible alternative for our son on the West Side and chose Piper. We are confident that we are doing what's best for our child and that says it all.
MonM1
My daughter attended Piper preschool for about five weeks. I regret sending her to Piper more than anything I have done as a parent to this day.
We started having trouble getting her to school everyday. I emailed the teachers and discussed with the teacher at school the problem that she was having with another classmate ( getting bullied). I could not ignore my child when she told me she did not feel safe going school ( things like "I am scared"). My 3 yr old who was ones outgoing and loved going to preschool no longer wanted to go to "that preschool". She is now suddenly withdrawn, fearful*and clingy and has nightmares. After I decided to pull her out and ask for my 2,500.00 Deposit back from Chrystal, she refused. She would rather argue about money and her supposed lack of negligence. Moreover, out of the 3 people taking care of my child only one had a college degree. She argued with me extensively, how one was one credit away from a minor and the other one one credit away from a masters. The other teacher was now just "enrolled in school."The fact is that only one person that took care of my kid had bachelor degree --today --right now while I am writing this review. In addition, she blamed me because the Dad was the one who talked to the teachers in person about the bulling and not me. Finally,the school will hit you up from day one with their weird party books and fundraising ( "can you serve wine so that we can make more money at a kid party" ) which is what she cares about most money. Not those children she is paid to protect and take care of. If you have a child at Piper right now ask yourself. Are they having behavior problems? Do they like to go to school? Could it be the school is just no good.
In response to pipers response of the quote "when you know better, you do better" —————
"the truth will set you free" your school would be better served using this quote.
I want to thank Cassidy parents for letting prospective parents be warned about the kind of people you really are at piper. The school never even told me my kid was getting bullied, actually they like to cover up what goes on. I was not even told what really happened to my kid by any of the people at your school. It was my kid and her behavior of fear that told me everything. From Chrystal to the teachers none of you are really honest, but I see from this forum that you guys are just dishonest money hungry people. If you are a parent at piper or a prospective parent looking to send your kid to the preschool. Read my review. No one is out to get this People. We are all just concerned parents. Believe the bad reviews they are all true. Read the article on line by Los Angeles Magazine. Follow your gut.