Ranked #1 overall across all 11 quality dimensions among every licensed childcare center in South Lebanon. This is the highest recognition we award in the city.
Best for Safety
Earned the highest safety score in South Lebanon. Our safety dimension weighs inspection history, deficiency records, and parent-reported safety culture across reviews.
Best Teachers
Earned the highest teacher quality score in South Lebanon. This dimension weighs staff tenure, qualifications, warmth reported in parent reviews, and consistency of care across classrooms.
Best Curriculum
Earned the highest curriculum score in South Lebanon. This dimension evaluates structured learning, developmental programming, and how well daily activities prepare children for each stage.
Most Compassionate
Earned the highest compassion score in South Lebanon. This dimension captures how families describe staff empathy, how concerns are handled, and the emotional environment of the center.
Best Infant Care
Earned the highest infant care score in South Lebanon. This dimension focuses on caregiver ratios, responsiveness, feeding and sleep routines, and parent feedback specific to infant rooms.
Full Ranking Detail
childcare
The Goddard School at 59 Vista Ridge Drive in South Lebanon, OH is a franchised center serving infants through school-age children, accredited under COGNIA standards and holding Ohio's Step Up To Quality Gold rating—the state's highest quality designation. Parents consistently rate it 5.0/5 stars on Google, specifically praising staff investment and developmental quality. The center uses the Wonder of Learning curriculum with personalized lesson plans, supplemented by a rich activity menu including STEAM, the arts, languages, and fitness programs, along with before-school transportation and summer camp options. Operating 7:00am–6:00pm weekdays with security features including key code entry, gate alarms, and outdoor cameras, the center maintains capacity for ages 6 weeks to 6 years and offers flexible lunch accommodations and chartered kindergarten programs. As a national franchise operation, quality ultimately depends on its particular owner and director, though this location's record and accreditation suggest strong performance.
Safety8.0
Curriculum8.0
Art / Music5.0
Infant care5.0
Kindergarten readiness6.0
Teacher quality9.0
Compassion9.0
Management8.0
Culture9.0
Extracurriculars6.0
Programs & curriculum
Curriculum & approach: Goddard School "Wonder of Learning" approach emphasizing whole-child development with personalized lesson plans that encourage natural curiosity through playful exploration.
Programs & activities: American Sign Language, chess, dance, engineering, handwriting, music appreciation, yoga and mindfulness, STEAM cart/computer lab, sports and fitness, world cultures, and literacy programs. Before and after school care with before-school transportation, plus summer camp programming.
What sets it apart: COGNIA accredited (2022-2026); Ohio Step Up To Quality GOLD rating; chartered kindergarten; Circle of Excellence awards. Hours Monday-Friday 7:00am-6:00pm; ages 6 weeks to 6 years; security features include key code entry, gate alarm, outdoor cameras and supervised lobby entry; flexible lunch and catering available.
Recognition of Excellence — Website Badge
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#1 in South Lebanon
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: The Goddard School -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/ohio/major-cities/south-lebanon/the-goddard-school/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/rank-1-city.jpg" alt="#1 in South Lebanon - The Goddard School - South Lebanon, OH" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">#1 in South Lebanon</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Ranked #1 overall across all 11 quality dimensions among every licensed childcare center in South Lebanon. This is the highest recognition we award in the city.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best for Safety
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: The Goddard School -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/ohio/major-cities/south-lebanon/the-goddard-school/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-safety.jpg" alt="Best for Safety - The Goddard School - South Lebanon, OH" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best for Safety</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest safety score in South Lebanon. Our safety dimension weighs inspection history, deficiency records, and parent-reported safety culture across reviews.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Teachers
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: The Goddard School -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/ohio/major-cities/south-lebanon/the-goddard-school/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-teacherq.jpg" alt="Best Teachers - The Goddard School - South Lebanon, OH" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Teachers</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest teacher quality score in South Lebanon. This dimension weighs staff tenure, qualifications, warmth reported in parent reviews, and consistency of care across classrooms.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Curriculum
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: The Goddard School -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/ohio/major-cities/south-lebanon/the-goddard-school/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-curriculum.jpg" alt="Best Curriculum - The Goddard School - South Lebanon, OH" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Curriculum</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest curriculum score in South Lebanon. This dimension evaluates structured learning, developmental programming, and how well daily activities prepare children for each stage.</span>
</span>
</a>
Most Compassionate
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: The Goddard School -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/ohio/major-cities/south-lebanon/the-goddard-school/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-compassion.jpg" alt="Most Compassionate - The Goddard School - South Lebanon, OH" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Most Compassionate</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest compassion score in South Lebanon. This dimension captures how families describe staff empathy, how concerns are handled, and the emotional environment of the center.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Infant Care
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: The Goddard School -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/ohio/major-cities/south-lebanon/the-goddard-school/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-infant.jpg" alt="Best Infant Care - The Goddard School - South Lebanon, OH" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Infant Care</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest infant care score in South Lebanon. This dimension focuses on caregiver ratios, responsiveness, feeding and sleep routines, and parent feedback specific to infant rooms.</span>
</span>
</a>
This recognition is awarded independently by Creative Minds Montessori based on publicly available parent reviews and public records. Centers do not pay for or request these rankings. Scores reflect editorial synthesis of verified parent experience — not center marketing materials. Rankings are updated periodically as new reviews are analyzed.
