Health & Safety

Keeping Children Safe, Every Day

The practices behind your peace of mind

Portrait of three children during painting class
Our Commitment

Nothing Matters More

Before a child can learn, play, or make a friend, they have to feel safe, and so do you. Safety at our schools isn't a checklist pulled out for inspections. It's the quiet routine underneath every day, from the front door to the final pickup.

SECURE BY DESIGN

Safe From the Front Door

Entry to every school runs through keypad-access doors, and every child is signed in and signed out by their family, every single day. Release is simple and strict: only the people you've authorized and verified for pick up, every time. It's a routine that takes seconds and removes all doubt.

How We Keep Days Safe

orange cloud

Healthy Habits

A clear illness policy, shared in our family handbook, spells out when children should stay home and when we’ll call you, so there’s never guesswork on a hard morning. Everyday hygiene and handwashing routines are built into the day, and when something’s going around, you’ll know, and you’ll know what we’re doing about it.

Sun

Vetted, Trained Teachers

Every employee clears a background check before their first day, no exceptions. Every teacher also completes state training requirements each year, plus ongoing professional development through ProSolutions. The people closest to your child are screened, prepared, and still learning themselves. Safety starts with who’s in the room.

green leaf

The Right Ratios

We follow the child-to-teacher ratios required by each state, and the younger the children, the more teachers in the room. That’s what makes truly attentive care possible: more eyes during play, more hands at mealtime, more laps at story time. It’s something you’ll notice the moment you walk into a classroom.

flower

Ready for the Unexpected

Every school maintains an emergency preparedness plan, and every team member knows their role before it’s ever needed. From severe weather to a little one with a scraped knee, our teachers are prepared to respond calmly and keep children safe. Being ready is simply part of how we run every day.

Our Teachers

A Safe Day from Start to Finish

Safety here isn’t one moment, it’s the whole day. It starts when the keypad clicks and your child is welcomed by a teacher who knows exactly who’s arriving. It continues through supervised play, healthy routines, and classrooms staffed to state ratios. And it ends the way it began: your child released only to you or the people you’ve chosen, with a real update on their day. None of it is dramatic. All of it is deliberate.

There’s a quieter side to safety, too. Children who know what comes next feel secure, so steady routines and familiar faces do as much protective work as any locked door. When your child feels safe enough to try new things, take small risks in play, and trust the adults around them, that’s safety doing its real job: making room to grow.

Why Our Families Trust Us

Marilyn Guzman
Barnyard Academy - Lewisburg
"I chose this school because my nieces and nephews went to it before and they liked it. I have had my son enrolled here since 5 months old. It’s great school but it could use some improvement with updating the building especially the air conditioning. I love the pro care app I like that I can get notified about my child’s well being. I have really noticed the improvement it makes with my child being independent and learning life skills/ motor skills and being more outgoing. The teacher that my son has had so far been good. I love his teacher speak Spanish to him since we do speak Spanish only to him. Makes him feel comfortable. His toddler A class teachers are amazing and I’m grateful they are patient with him especially with his behavior he’s having. Thank you!"
Amanda Brown
Barnyard Academy - Lewisburg
"I chose Barnyard Academy because I wanted an environment that would truly support my daughter’s educational growth and development, and they exceeded my expectations. The teachers were incredibly hands-on, caring, and dedicated to preparing her for kindergarten—not only academically, but with the confidence she needed to succeed. She has now been in kindergarten for six weeks and is absolutely loving it and excelling in every area. I truly credit so much of that strong foundation to the hard work and dedication of the teachers and staff at Barnyard Academy. They go above and beyond for every child, and I am incredibly grateful for the wonderful experience my daughter had there." A very special thank you to Mrs. Jada and Chelsey! ❤️ They are incredibly caring, patient, and loving with my daughter, and you can truly see how much they care about the children. My little one feels comfortable and happy with them, which means everything to us. We are so grateful to have found Lakestone Academy and truly appreciate all the love and attention they give our daughter. I would highly recommend them to any parent looking for a caring and trustworthy daycare! ❤️"
Kaiden G
Barnyard Academy - Shelbyville
"We chose this school because it was recommend by many and our close friends and family who have now schools age children. When enrolling, the process was extremely expensive despite the other childcare rates in the community. We were told we would get a deposit back and we never received one even after putting in a 2 week notice out our child’s termination. Our child started at 6months and stayed until she was 18months. She was sent home 1-2 per week every week for numerous reasons. She was even sent home one day at 9:35, when we arrived home, she did not have a fever that they said she did. I let the school know and they still would not let her return the next school day. The teachers were rude and inconsistent. We never had the same teacher. My child never had a stable routine which was crucial for early childhood development. When dropping off my child a teacher, Lindsey Lanier, told another teacher that they were short staffed so they would have to figure out which children needed to go home. She was unaware that I overheard her and my child was one of the 3 children sent home that day for “vommiting.” When trying to go to upper management about situations, they always defended their staff stating they would never do things like or act the way they did. My child came home with more bite marks, strath marks, and bruises than she has ever gotten while playing with others at her new daycare. All in all, I highly DO NOT recommend barnyard to any parent who truly cares about the well being of their children. It was the worst experience we have ever had."
Sova Yos
Barnyard Academy - Murfreesboro
"When we moved here and started our daycare hunt for our infant, we visited a few daycares before finding Barnyard Academy. The warm, welcoming energy and genuine care from the staff was the first thing I noticed when we walked into the building. When I asked about the weekly expense, I originally thought to myself, ""Okay, that's pretty equivalent to the other daycares."" Towards the end of the tour, I brought up the tuition amount again and she corrected me when I stated the incorrect amount---I heard 50 when she had really said 15. That pleasant correction surprised me and really did pushed our decision to enroll our son into Barnyard. Our son is now almost 2 years old and he has learned a lot. The curriculum-based classrooms was one of the essential boxes for us in a daycare facility. We're currently potty-training him and Barnyard is assisting in making sure he is learning about the potty there as well. The staff has watched our son grow from an infant to him taking his first steps to him using sign language there and at home. He used to cling onto us and/or cry whenever we dropped him off and would rush to us as soon as he saw us at pick up time. Now, overtime, he doesn't cry or cling to us as much--still happens every now and then--but most times, he's in a good mood. There have been times when we would go pick him up and he doesn't want to leave! They often have little fun events, too! Their fall festival is coming up and it's always a good time for the kids!"
Korey Nolan
Barnyard Academy - Murfreesboro
"As a single mom, finding a daycare where I genuinely feel safe and confident leaving my children is incredibly important to me. I have had the most amazing experience with Barnyard Academy – Murfreesboro! Their Director, Sydney, is incredible. As a mom of four herself, she runs a very organized, clean, and well-managed daycare, and her communication is truly top-notch. You can tell how much she cares about the children, families, and staff. I feel completely safe leaving my children in their care every day. My kids absolutely ADORE their friends and teachers, and they are always excited to go to school in the morning—which means everything to me as a mom. I highly recommend Barnyard Academy in Murfreesboro, and especially want to recognize Sydney for the amazing job she does leading the center. Thank you, Barnyard, for providing my children and me with such an incredible experience! ❤️" Our son is now almost 2 years old and he has learned a lot. The curriculum-based classrooms was one of the essential boxes for us in a daycare facility. We're currently potty-training him and Barnyard is assisting in making sure he is learning about the potty there as well. The staff has watched our son grow from an infant to him taking his first steps to him using sign language there and at home. He used to cling onto us and/or cry whenever we dropped him off and would rush to us as soon as he saw us at pick up time. Now, overtime, he doesn't cry or cling to us as much--still happens every now and then--but most times, he's in a good mood. There have been times when we would go pick him up and he doesn't want to leave! They often have little fun events, too! Their fall festival is coming up and it's always a good time for the kids!"

How to Choose a School

Choosing care is a big decision. Here's how families usually find their fit.

Identify What Matters Most

Start with your family's needs: location, hours, ages, and the feel you want when you walk in the door. Knowing your priorities makes every other step easier.

Learn about the School

Explore programs, meet the director, and ask your questions, from daily routines to how teachers communicate. Good schools love the questions; they mean you care.

Come See It for Yourself

Nothing beats a visit. Schedule a tour, watch the classrooms in action, and trust what you see and feel. That gut feeling at drop-off matters.

Common Questions

Everything You Need to Know

How do you control who enters the building?

Every school has keypad-access entry, and families sign their child in and out daily. Visitors don't move through our schools unaccompanied, and children are only released to the adults you've authorized.

We follow a clear illness policy, shared with every family in our handbook, that covers when children should stay home and when we'll call you. It protects your child, their classmates, and their teachers, and it means no surprises.

Only the people you've authorized, ever. You control that list, and your school verifies through ID checks before any child is released. If plans change mid-day, a quick call to your school is all it takes to arrange an authorized alternate, and no one outside your list will ever be allowed access to your child.

Our illness policy, shared with every family in the handbook, lays out exactly when children should stay home and when they can return, so you're never guessing on a rough morning. It exists to protect your child, their classmates, and their teachers, and your school will walk you through it before your first day. If your child starts feeling unwell during their day here, you will be promptly contacted.

Take the First Step Today

One step closer to an exceptional education for your child, every day.

Find Your Local School

Four schools across metro Atlanta, and one near you