preschool teacher

school teacher

teacher's aide

preschool director

preschool manager

Celebree School

A Typical Day at Work
A typical day at Celebree School of Bowie is incredibly demanding and stressful. As a director, I was responsible for overseeing the entire school, often without any support from upper management. My day usually started at 6:30 AM and didn’t end until 6:30 PM. Due to severe understaffing, I spent most of my day in classrooms, trying to cover for absent teachers or handle compliance issues, leaving little to no time for administrative work. This often meant staying late or working on weekends to keep up with the workload.

What I Learned
What I learned most from my time at Celebree is how crucial it is to have a supportive and responsive leadership team in any educational setting. Unfortunately, this was something sorely lacking at Celebree. I also learned the importance of advocating for myself and my staff, even when it felt like my concerns were falling on deaf ears. The experience taught me resilience, but at a significant cost to my mental and physical health.

Management
The management at Celebree School of Bowie is incredibly poor. The district directors are dismissive and unsupportive, often telling staff to “suck it up” rather than offering constructive solutions. I was left untrained and unsupported for months, and when issues arose—like being short-staffed or classrooms being out of ratio—the blame was shifted onto me rather than addressing the root causes. Additionally, I was often micromanaged in unproductive ways, such as having teachers contacted to verify my attendance rather than being asked directly.

Workplace Culture
The workplace culture at Celebree is toxic and demoralizing. The lack of support from upper management creates an environment where employees feel undervalued and overworked. Teachers are expected to manage classrooms without sufficient resources, often having to pay out of their own pockets for basic supplies. This culture of neglect and exploitation leads to high turnover rates and drives passionate educators out of the profession.

The Hardest Part of the Job
The hardest part of the job was dealing with the overwhelming lack of support while trying to maintain a safe and nurturing environment for the children. The financial strain of having to use my own money to fund staff training and the emotional toll of watching great teachers leave the profession were also incredibly difficult. Managing a school without adequate resources or support while being held accountable for issues beyond my control made this job unbearable.

The Most Enjoyable Part of the Job
The most enjoyable part of the job was the relationships I built with the children, parents, and teachers. Despite the challenges, seeing the positive impact I had on the children and receiving appreciation from parents were the few bright spots in an otherwise bleak situation. I truly loved my school community and worked hard to make a difference, even though the system I was working within was deeply flawed.

Let me start off by saying the good things. I’ve met a lot of great people in this company. I love the children and the bonds I have built with this children. I enjoy seeing them grow and thrive. The parents are lovely and have taught me a lot. I love my directors and all of my coworkers. I enjoy coming to work when we have proper staffing. It wasn’t always inconsistent.


There 
is good and bad to this company. There does seem to be a lot of potential. The number one problem is this Company is too worried about money. More concerned with the ratios and moving children to meet those ratios. Children are moved from class to class. This causes stress to the children , parents and caregivers. Teachers have no time for planning and are expected to be two weeks ahead in lesson planning. Expectations are constantly being changed so you can never be ahead on your classroom. Infant classrooms seem to get less attention because we have less children than under our care. The issue with that is infant classrooms get no time to do anything since we’re constantly interacting with the babies. We don’t have a sleep time like most classrooms. It’s hard to find good quality staffing so it makes it hard to be productive with inconsistent staff. 

I hear so many staff complain about feeling underpaid, undervalued and stretched thin. We are expected to take pride in our classes and be ahead of our rooms with short staffing. People come and go because they are being pulled from room to room without any sort of consistency. There are parents pulling children from the centers who have been there for years. 

I see directors who are on the point of a mental breakdown and it’s devastating to watch. I’ve seen several directors step down in position. They feel like they are disposable and it seems corporate feels the same. I see the tears and strength in these directors and their bosses don’t seem to be properly training them. The directors come down harder on the staff because it seems they are getting in trouble for the centers. There should be someone from corporate more often helping them. 

If corporate would put more thought into the mental load of the staffing and compensate the employees they have now  there wouldn’t be so much turnover. It seems like the new people get ahead and make more money because they are so desperate for help. What about those who have stayed loyal ? Are we all disposable ?


The directors (bosses) are very unsupportive and they do not care how you feel about any situation you’re in. You can have a complete break down and they will tell you to get over it. They will have you work very long hours with very short breaks all week but at the end of the week when you would get overtime for all the hard work they give you a 5 hour long break so they don’t have to pay you the overtime. They also don’t help you advance your career unless it’s going to benefit them. (Like with scheduling you in different rooms because you’re qualified) They say they will help you advance your career but it’s like pulling teeth to actually get them to do it because if they have enough teachers then why would they want to help you get qualified? Co workers for the most part are nice but if you ever have an altercation with someone you will be told to figure it out yourself or call HR who does absolutely nothing about it. It’s basically their way or the highway. Don’t even think about giving them an idea about how something could work better or easier if you did it this way or that way because that just leads to even more problems for you. They will basically “punish” you for it. If you have a problem with your hours like you’re working too many long days they will cut your hours to you working barely any. And then when you come to them and ask why they basically look at you like you’re stupid and say “that’s what you said you wanted right? Less hours?” And asking for more hours? Don’t even think about it they’re either not going to listen or like I said before, work you till you mentally can’t handle it. It’s really sad that a company based upon helping not only kids but their own workers grow and learn has such AWFUL people running their centers. The only good part about this job was being able to spend time with kids and watch them learn and grow up. But it gets to a point where it’s really not worth it anymore. 

The employees at cooperate who were involved with CTI did a great job. I have worked for many centers and I have never had a training like that before and while I do have over 10 years experience, I found it helpful to learn the "standards" and expectations of a new company. I also think it is extremely helpful to assistants and newbies to childcare, since it is awful to work with someone who doesnt understand expectations and requirements. Thank God the center directors didnt "train" me or this would have been a disaster. The center itself has a HIGH turnover rate and this includes directors/assistants. Both directors were not as strict on certain protocals such as, uniforms, conscious discipline, bulletin board deadlines, etc. It was super frustrating to hear from 1 boss it was okay, and the next day the other says its not. The parents were also very rude and vicious towards the teachers and the directors NEVER had the teachers back or even ask for our side of the story. They are quick to throw you under the bus to save themselves the confrontation. There were alsl definitely "favorites" played among the teachers by the directors. Some could get away with alot more than others, for example being outside all day, being 15 minutes late from break everyday, constantly leaving early, cell phone use, and uniforms. There was also a HUGE lack of communication when it came to transition time for kids to move up and when you were getting a new kid....sometimes it was a new surprise. There needs to be RULES for ALL TEACHERS that are the same, ALL PARENTS (not only ones who cause a scene), and ALL CHILDREN.

I stated at Celebree LOVING it. It was like a honeymoon phase until I realized what actually goes on behind closed doors.

In my opinion, the company itself values money over everything else—including its employees and the children. It is sad and incredibly disheartening. There have been situations that are downright not ok, all for the sake of money. You also get NO feedback about your work performance, clearly showing they do not care about the growth of their employees. Employees feel extremely under-valued. You are overworked, underpaid, and feel pressure to work when sick because of how short-staffed the center is (at least mine, and I know others are struggling as well). It is a very stressful environment to work in with such high expectations that feel impossible to meet and like you aren’t given the support or resources to meet them. I truly love the kids because that is what keeps me there but other than that, the organization is a trainwreck. I’m not trying to be rude, really trying to help someone who may be thinking about working there. I’ve only been here for a few months and have already seen so many things that go against my core values and am strongly considering leaving. Furthermore, there is a CLEAR hierarchy within the company that is disgusting. Aides are treated poorly while teachers and then directors are on the top. It honestly feels like a toxic work environment at times. Also, a lot of the time you feel like your only value to the company is being a “body” in a classroom, only good for keeping ratios. 

There is so much that can be said about this center. The children and the families are fantastic . The management and favoritism for staff members and staff children is completely out of hand. Children and staff getting away with absolutely anything just because staff here are “like family” . You are absolutely 100% under paid for the amount of work you do in your description but the amount of extra work that they don’t tell you about in the beginning. You are every single day waiting or calling to go to the bathroom because you can’t leave because of ration purposes, but the center continues to accept children as if they have the staff to teach and supervise them. If you call out they get upset because you can’t come in and then try to either talk you into coming in because they don’t have any other staff to have come in . or bribe you with lunch to come in .. but when management or the “favorites” need to call out or leave they are right out the door no issues or questions asked. The building is not ran as a school it is ran as a daycare, if that. Parents pay way to much money for what they do at this center. The children  play all day. They take one picture of them maybe doing and activity, then post it for parents and move on. They will play , eat lunch , take a nap and play again. I would be absolutely infuriated if my own children came to this center and I were to be paying the amount of money they spend. Overall , the Company itself is great. The management of this center and staff at this center have a lot to work on if they think they will be keeping the staff they do have now. 

I had really high hopes for this company. The main draw for me was the benefits as they offer healthcare and childcare. I also love conscious discipline and the creative curriculum. However, any excitement I had was quickly squashed as my requests for materials and resources to effectively implement the curriculum were denied and I was told to make do with limited supplies. The classrooms are filled to the max before any more teachers are hired. Only the bare minimum teachers are ever hired to be in ratio. Kids and staff are constantly shuffled around rooms to stay in ratio, disrupting everyone's day and education. Kids are often left in classrooms that are not age appropriate. There is not enough staff to cover time off. Staff are required regularly to stay late, come in early, and come in on promised days off. Very little support is offered to address behavior issues and developmental delays. Teachers are left alone in the classroom all day with little time to plan or prepare lessons. Seriously, this school packs as many kids into the classrooms as licensing allows, despite the numbers being overwhelming to teachers and students, especially when multiple students are high-need.  They definitely care about quantity at the expense of quality. It really hurts my teacher heart to know I'm not doing my best teaching because of the school's culture and management. Most days I feel like I'm just surviving the day with the kids and any educational activities we get to are extra. Being this under resourced and unsupported has really taken all the joy out of teaching for me.

The typical workday is long, and the pay seems pretty low for the role. Unless you are buddies with the people at the top, you will not grow. This company has limited growth. Roles are not consistent; leadership at the corporate level is nasty and often has deeply offensive tones and narratives. I have witnessed the lady in HR and district directors saying, "just fire her...you dont like her; let her go" Although they have the right to terminate, just hearing that rubbed me wrong and showed me they do not appreciate their people. There is no diversity in corporate roles, and I could not see myself working long-term for a company that lacks diversity in their corporate roles. The kids are amazing, the parents are usually nice within reason, but this corporation is all about the money.  No respect for cultural norms of the families or employees. Consistency is not a priority, and it disrupts the flow of work. My center had a TON of turnover, and each time, the parents, staff, and kids always had an awful time.  People often quit simply because the company does not appreciate or care about you. If it doesn't make them money, they do not care. Many of us were students and asked for very minor accommodations (modify the schedule by 5 min, or modify schedules for finals, and we gave notice) and I was told by our district director that "it's not her problem." A combo of all of the above led me to voluntarily leave. 

I really enjoyed working at Celebree until August 2024. I wasn’t properly trained for diapering and toileting policies. If I had been trained properly I would’ve still been employed. HR needs to address several key issues for staff failing to comply with the diapering and toileting policy, such as; Ensure that all staff are familiar with the diapering and toileting policy, including its importance, procedures, and expectations. Organize additional training sessions to reinforce proper procedures and practices related to diapering and toileting.
Conduct observations to assess compliance with the policy and provide constructive feedback to staff on areas needing improvement. Hold private meetings with staff members who are not following the policy to discuss specific instances, understand their challenges, and clarify expectations. Maintain accurate records of any incidents of non-compliance, including dates, details, and actions taken. Implement corrective measures as needed, which may include further training, a performance improvement plan, or disciplinary action if non-compliance continues (in other words if another similar incident occurred in the same category.) Provide resources or support to help staff better understand and implement the policy effectively. Encourage a culture of accountability and compliance, emphasizing the importance of following health and safety protocols for the well-being of children. HR can help ensure that the diapering and toileting policy is upheld, promoting a safe and hygienic environment for children.

I strongly advise against working at this establishment due to the overwhelming stress and challenges it presents. Upon hiring, employees undergo a week-long CTI training that portrays the center as an educational institution rather than a daycare. However, once in the classroom, it quickly becomes evident that this portrayal is misleading.

The environment is poorly managed, with minimal structure or discipline, particularly concerning staff members’ children, who are often allowed to behave inappropriately without consequences. Instances of children hitting teachers and throwing objects—sometimes causing physical marks—are disregarded by management.

Furthermore, the administration does not prioritize staff well-being. They foster a culture of dishonesty and division among employees, creating a toxic work environment. The facility also fails to consistently adhere to state standards. While operations appear well-organized during corporate and licensing visits, this is merely for show; as soon as the inspections end, the facility falls into disarray.

In addition to these concerns, the center is unsanitary. Cleaning practices are inadequate, with tables and shelves receiving only quick wipe-downs rather than proper sanitation. The overall lack of cleanliness contributes to an unhealthy environment for both staff and children.

For those seeking a professional, supportive, and well-maintained workplace, this would not be a suitable choice.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Preschool teacher 245 salaries reported	$20.03 per hour
School teacher 152 salaries reported	$19.54 per hour
Teacher's aide 127 salaries reported	$16.21 per hour
Preschool director 48 salaries reported	$66,396 per year
Preschool manager 33 salaries reported	$53,182 per year

Working at Celebree School: Company Overview and Reviews

Celebree School

Celebree School Ratings

Popular jobs at Celebree School

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected