This letter is intended to express our great satisfaction with Akers Academy. Our daughter, Olivia, is 4 and half months and has been going to Akers for almost 2 months now. We have had a wonderful experience so far. The staff is always friendly and they genuinely care about the children under their care. Penny and Ilse are wonderful and take such good care of the babies. The environment is very warm and welcoming. Our daughter has been thriving since she started here. It seems as if she is doing something new every day and is always happy when we pick her up. There are a variety of toys to play with, which has helped with her motor skills. She also gets a good amount of tummy time, which is evident by her increasing ability to push up and hold her head up. Overall, we are very pleased with the selection we have made. We visited many pre-schools before making our decision and we have had zero doubts or regrets. I have always recommended Akers Academy to other parents and would do so to anyone else who is interested.

My child has been with Ms. Elsje since August of 2009. It is now February 2010. I am absolutely amazed at how far our children have progressed in such a short period of time. Ms. Elsje is one of the nicest, most caring people you will ever meet. Teaching is definitely her calling. The teaching environment is structured and firm, while at the same time remains positive and rewarding to the children. She ensures creative and fun ways to discipline the children. She will often turn it around and give an incentive to the children for good behavior. The kids also have show and tell so they can learn and share with each other. Toys are not allowed which helps the children concentrate on their lessons. The communication from Ms. Elsje is exceptional. She completes several assessments throughout the year to inform parents as to how your child is progressing or may need improvement in specific areas. She also gets to know each child on an individual basis. Ms. Elsje sends a weekly report home letting parents know what the class focus is and what areas of curriculum were explored. She also informs parents of upcoming plays and parties to be held at the school. She is the most amazing teacher I have ever known and the classroom climate is first rate! If your child is fortunate to attend Ms. Elsje’s class, then I believe you will agree there is no better Kindergarten prep class. You can truly see the pay-off of the effort and time Ms. Elsje puts into each and every child.

It is an honor to write a letter for Ms. Elsje. Our son, Vivek, has been at Akers Academy for 3 years and enjoyed every one of them. His pre-k year in Ms. Elsje class has been a phenomenal experience for him. He is happy and excited to go to school each and every day, and can not stop talking about his teachers, Ms. Elsje and Ms. Harini every night. It is vividly apparent at how much his teachers care about their students and love working with him daily. We are extremely please with the curriculum content and have continuously see throughout the year the time and energy both teachers put into planning and engaging the students in the classroom. They are always happy, energetic, and wanting to learn! In the span of a year my son has learned many sight words, is learning to read, has explored number concepts, can count to 100, read, recognize and write his name, letters numbers, and words. By the many art and writing projects that come home I have seen how engaged he is in the classroom and his love of learning has flourished greatly. As an elementary school teacher myself, I can see without doubt that my son will have a ‘leg up’ of his kindergarten peers thanks greatly to the efforts of Ms. Elsje. We will always cherish this time that our son and family had with Ms. Elsje. The students in the class know that her job is “to love them” and they thrive in every way!

Choosing a school is an emotional task for any concerned parent. Who will be a great role model and nurture to our children when we are not around? May I try to put your mind to ease and recommend Akers Academy as your school of choice? My son attends the pre-k 4 program taught by Ms. Elsje and he loves it. She is a blessing to the children as well as the parents. Her patience, love, and style of teaching are more then what you could ever desire for your preschooler. Her passion for teacher is evident in so many ways, but mostly by her calm and smiling disposition. There is no doubt in mind, she loves each individually and plays to their talents. My 4 year old son can read and is learning things that I never would have imagined. I personally would have loved having Ms. Elsje as my teacher. She will be the teacher long adored by your little ones. On a lighter note, my son also enjoys the school food too! We were shocked because he was a picky eater and now so many doors have been opened in that area as well.

I am extremely honored to know Ms. Elsje and feel blessed that my daughter Melissa experienced such a wonderful Pre-K last year. Melissa came to Akers from another preschool she attended for 2 years. I noticed that she lacked confidence in class and would cower when the teacher called upon her. This was very unlike our outgoing and cheerful little girl we lived with at home. In addition, Melissa was behind in areas we thought was essential for entering kindergarten. With this said we decided to make a change for Melissa and thankfully found Akers Academy and Ms. Elsje! I’ll never forget the first day I met Elsje. We were sitting at the table in her classroom. I was explaining my concerns about Melissa and Elsje very calmly and reassuring looked into my eyes and told me with 100% certainly that Melissa would be reading simple books by the end of the school year! I have to admit I was skeptical as I felt Melissa was too far behind other children. Tears filled my eyes as I first witnessed Elsje’s beautiful way of expressing her love for her students by believing in them and wanting to see each and every one of them succeed. While all of this was happening, students from previous years were running, not walking, into Elsje’s classroom with open arms to greet her. I remember vividly the excitement in their eyes as they ran to her to savor one more of her special hugs. And I thought to myself…I have finally found the right place for my little girl. What better proof than the love of a child to show how Elsje has touched the lives of so many in such a positive way. And so it was, from the very first day of school, our little girl Melissa, became part of Elsje’s family. Though Elsje’s love, Melissa learned to trust, and with that trust came an excitement and love for learning. And with that, came a confident little girl who was proud of her abilities and who no longer cowered when called upon by the teacher. She yearned to come back to class each day and very often would have loved to be there on weekends too!! Elsje’s main philosophy regarding learning in to MAKE IT FUN sp that the children don’t even realize they’re learning. And it sure does work! Elsje brings magical personality to objects in her room such as “Mr. Stick”, her pointer, and “Mr. Mix-Up” and “Lindsey”, her hand puppets…just to name a few. I have had the opportunity to see them in action and the children light up and have so much fun. It is true when Elsje say they don’t realize they are learning. Because of Elsje’s fine teaching techniques and love for her students, Melissa entered Kindergarten as a confident, conscientious and focused student who was reading and performing above others in the class! One lasting impression I have of Elsje stays with me even until now. It was the last day of Pre-K just before summer break. Elsje was explaining to the students what they could expect when they entered kindergarten. The children were sitting around wide-eyed and Elsje finished by asking the students “What is my job? The class responded cheerfully, “To love us!” then Elsje asked the most important question, 'And what is your job?'. The students shouted, 'To love one another!!!' Elsje’s love and compassion shown towards each and every student has made her a most memorable teacher. One that I am very proud and blessed to know! She is truly magical!

Our family has had a wonderful experience having two of our three children attend the Akers Pre-K class with Mrs. Elsje. Our oldest child (Tristan) is now in 1st grade and has been in the Horizon’s program at school since Kindergarten. He loves to come back and visit whenever he can so that he can tell Mrs. Elsje how he has been doing in school and how much he misses her. Our daughter (Alex) has been attending Mrs. Elsje’s class since this year (following in her big brother’s footsteps). She has learned so much since August. It is wonderful to see her mind growing and blossoming. With both of our children, we know that the groundwork Mrs. Elsje has laid has and will continue to play a big role in how they continue to approach learning and school. Good teachers are worth their weight in gold and Mrs. Elsje is one of the best. She truly cares for and about each of the children and wants to give each of them the tools they need to succeed. I would highly recommend the Akers Pre-K classes to anyone looking for a learning environment for their child that is not only academically sound, but is also a environment rich in love. You truly get the best of both worlds with all of the Pre-K teachers.

I want to share with you how happy my son, Luke, has been this year in Mrs. Elsje’s and Mrs. Harini’s class, and how pleased I have been with the curriculum. Luke genuinely loves going to school every day. The activities these two ladies plan for the students are captivating and exciting, and he is learning so much without even knowing it. They have a magical way of making everything interesting to the students, and the result is happy, smart kids! Just tonight, Luke counted to 100 by tens for me. I remember that this was a skill my older son learned in Kindergarten, so I was amazed that Luke was already learning it. My older son attended the Georgia lottery funded Pre-K program, and while it was worthwhile, there is no way to compare it to this private Pre-K class. Mrs. Elsje and Mrs. Harini are dedicated to making the learning experience a great one, and they have the full support of the Akers Academy management. I have never doubted that Luke was in the right place, and I know that his transition to Kindergarten will be smooth.

I couldn’t let the school year start without thanking you for a great experience at your school. Luke started there in February 2008, so he was there only a short 18 months. There were wonderful months though. Ms Mya and Ms. Elsje are terrific teachers. Luke always looked forward to being at school, and he learned so much! Kindergarten will be a breeze for him! I also want you to know what a fine job Leena (Director) is doing. She is so friendly, respectful and competent. I always enjoy seeing her, and I trust her fully that she was ensuring Luke’s needs were met. You have a class act, and I will always recommend your pre-school to others. Thank you for providing excellent care for my Luke!

I wanted to thank you again for all that you’ve done for Cameron this year. As you know, we originally planned on having her in the GA Pre-K class but couldn’t be happier how things have worked out. After having our son in the GA Pre-K program we can see a dramatic difference in the depth and level of teaching. Cameron’s learned so much and truly loves coming to school each day (and seeing you). We feel very blessed to have you as her teacher and thank you again for all that you’ve done.

When my husband and I first visited Akers Academy, we heard nothing but good things about Mrs. Elsje and her Pre-K class. My husband attended the open house and was even more impressed. Our experience at Akers Academy has been great and Ms. Elsje is absolutely wonderful. Our son has learned so much in her class and you can truly see that Ms. Elsje genuinely cares about the kids in her class. The Academy has exceeded our expectations. I look forward to keeping my daughter at Akers and her moving up to Ms. Elsje’s Pre-K class.

My daughter, Ryan, has been going to Akers since she was 10 months old. She is now in Pre-k. I am told that she has been a student there the second longest. We have been with Akers since April 2004. I would recommend the school to anyone. They go above and beyond to ensure that the children are safe and happy. My daughter has made many friends, some who have been with her since she was a toddler/ she loves her teachers and every single one of her teachers has treated her like one of their own. When I first put her in daycare, Akers had a waiting list. So I had her at another facility. When I picked her up in the evening, she was usually in a corner while the “teacher” was busy cleaning up the room. This does not happen at Akers. Whenever I pick her up she is either happily engaged in an activity or in someone’s lap. She is always being attended to and the teachers don’t clean their room until another teacher comes to take the children. Our daughter’s current teachers are Ms. Elsje and Ms. Harini. At 4 and half my daughter knows sign language, is learning how to read, can write her name and count to 100. She is always bringing home art projects and writing assignments. She is familiar with countless stories and songs. This is an early education that I could not have given my child even if I were a stay at home mom. I truly believe that she will have a leg up on many of the children when she gets to kindergarten. Ms. Elsje and Ms. Harini spend a lot of one on one time with each and every child. In summary I am very happy with my experience with Akers and am sure that you will too.

What can I say about Ms. Elsje other then we adore her! My son, Gabriel, was in her 2004-2005 pre k class. His love of learning that she instilled into him has carried on through to his elementary school classes. When you ask who his favorite teacher has been he says with a sweet smile on his face “Ms. Elsje!”

Pre K (teacher) is a wonderful loving teacher! She is very dedicated and an expert in making learning fun. We talk every day and I know what is happening in my child’s life! Akers Academy is a great place for kids to start their learning process. Akers provides a very loving and secure environment.

Pre K (teacher) is one of the best teachers I have met in the pre-school setting. Ms. (3year old teacher) terrific and a hard act to follow, but Ms Robyn is so caring and patient with her kids. You can truly see that she loves each one. I think you can tell how well a teacher cares for the children when your child calls you the teacher’s name! Some people may take offense to this but it tells me that Taylor is completely comfortable with Ms. Robyn. The activities go above and beyond anything I could expect. Not only are the activities challenging, bit the kids learn every step of the way with all the creative and fun things Ms Robyn’s plans. The children learn without knowing they are learning

The ultimate testament to the quality of a child care program is in the happiness of the child. Our 2 children feel very at home at Akers Academy. We have not had that happen with any program before. Infant and Pre K Parent, Alpharetta

Ms Elsje does an outstanding job with the children and relates to them very well, understands their needs and wants. I have been very impressed with the cleanliness of my child each day when I pick her up, as well as the classroom and the school as a whole. It is so nice not to have to worry about the care of my child, because with Ms Elsje and Ms Gina I am always assured that my child is cared for in the best way! My daughter has changed dramatically since attending Akers Academy compared to her previous experiences - she loves coming to school every day and we never have any tears!! Thank you!! Pre K Parent, North Fulton

The worksheets and projects Emily has brought home are great! She has lots of great ideas and creativity to help her children learn. It seems that they are always doing something fun (ie, making cookies or pictures out of noodles) yet they are still learning. Emily has also learned some new songs that she enjoys! 3 year old parent, Cumming

I don't worry at all when I leave, that's a great feeling! It's great care. Infant Parent, Alpharetta

It's the best care your child can receive. Two year old parent, So. Forsyth

Ms Mya is very loving and patient with the children and that is exactly what they need at that age. My child loves his class - he has a lot of fun and brings home a lot of work. Three year old parent, N. Fulton

Ms Elsje is a wonderful teacher - very good at motivating the children and making learning fun. My daughter is learning a lot of new things and most importantly, she is loving it and not getting frustrated at all. We communicate well at all levels. Pre K parent, Cumming

We feel our son is very loved and taken care of. It nice to know the front office and teachers know his name. Two year old parent, Alpharetta

We have been at Akers Academy for a short time. Chase is a much happier girl then at his previous pre-school.. She is happy to go to class as long as Ms Mya is there. She talks about her class, her fiends, and what she does at school. School is suppose to be fun and Chase does have fun coming to school. It makes a working Mom very happy and less stressed to know that she is at a wonderful place with caring and loving professionals who just love kids. I have less "guilty mom" syndrome then ever before. Thank you for all you do. Three year old parent, Cumming

Chase loves Ms Mya. She is excited to go to class and has wonderful stories at the end of the day. 3 year old parent, Cumming

My son likes to study in class. He is very interested in all the activities provided. That is what is most important. Three year old parent, Alpharetta

Akers Academy - homelike environment for you kids to grow and learn. Infant parent, Alpharetta

My child is always involved in some activity or someone is playing with her when I pick her up. The staff is not all about cleaning up and going home.That's important to me.

I am extremely impressed that Micah is learning so much so quickly. He does Yoga and knows over 6 signs in sign language - and he's only 14 months.

The staff is extremely friendly and focuses on the development and happiness of the children. My son even asks if he can go to school on Saturdays and is disappointed when I tell him it's closed!!!

Our experience at Akers Academy has been wonderful! The entire staff is very friendly and extremely helpful.

When my kids are at Akers Academy it is like having members of my family watch them. The Owners and staff are the nicest people. My family and I love them!! Especially my kids!

I am very comfortable having my daughter at Akers Academy. It is a very positive and safe environment and her teacher is wonderful.

My child’s Pre K teacher is a wonderful loving teacher! Very dedicated and an expert in making learning fun. We talk every day and I know what is happening in my child’s life! Akers Academy is a great place for kids to start their learning process. A very loving and secure environment.

We are excited that Gavin is learning to read in Pre K and Truman (2yr old) surprises us with new things every day.

We have had a positive experience at Akers Academy. We feel very welcome and “at-home” here. Everyone seems to know and care about Wilson – that is very comforting. We have referred several families that now attend.