Acorn to Oak is such a special place. My daughter attended Acorn to Oak from age 1 through 4, and I…read morecan honestly say that I would send her back in a heartbeat. She was immediately comfortable with the teachers, especially Shareé, despite being a hard baby. The teachers were so patient and gentle with her, and that was the case in all four classes she was in. The teachers are absolute angels. The curriculum has structure, like a weekly theme to learn about a different topic, like bugs, or plants, or the seasons. But the kids are able to learn through play. We loved that each class went outside, rain or shine, in appropriate attire. So much of the day is spent outside so kids can play and explore. It was so fun to hear my kid come home talking about finding worms and pill bugs, or about how she learned about practical skills l telling time. The Acorn to Oak community that the staff and teachers have built is so wonderful. There are fun opportunities to hang out with other families at events on and off campus. We built close friendships with many families, and we have memories that we will treasure for years to come. I cannot recommend Acorn to Oak more.

We absolutely LOVE Acorn to Oak. Our daughter (4.5) and son (8 months) both attend, and after…read morenearly four years--across both campuses and multiple classrooms--we can confidently say it's been an incredible experience for our family. As two working parents, it was so important for us to find a place that is safe, reliable, and truly nurturing. At A2O, we have complete trust in the teachers and administration. They are caring, communicative, and genuinely invested in each child. But what makes this place so special is how much FUN the kids have while they learn. They're painting, singing, dancing, playing outside, splashing around on water days, and yes--even playing in the rain. It's joyful, hands-on, and exactly what early childhood should be. Our kids come home happy, engaged, and excited to go back. The community is also incredible--warm, supportive, and full of families who really care. That sense of connection makes a huge difference. We recommend Acorn to Oak wholeheartedly and have referred many friends and family members--everyone has had the same amazing experience. We truly can't imagine sending our kids anywhere else.

This is a great school and a real community. It gets back to the heart of teaching and not just…read moretesting, and truly allows kids to be kids while reaching them where they are. Before switching my daughter from a college prep to AM WINN I scheduled a visit, did my research on the curriculum, and checked with some coworkers who grew up in a Waldorf education and found that there were so many beneficial aspects. The curriculum is based on what's appropriate for the age and fully submerges them in a subject. The kids learn actual life skills (think in the sense that most middle/high schools lost home economics, cooking, gardening, sewing, cursive, etc - these kids are learning it from K-8). All of the kids play an instrument each year. They transition through various handwork - finger knitting, knitting, crocheting, sewing, etc. And after meeting several kids in the neighborhood I noticed they have such amazing temperaments and spirits and are so welcoming and joyful. I am truly glad that we found AM Winn as my daughter is blossoming in the Waldorf community and education approach. At first glance I believed Waldorf was something only "white, hippie people put their kids in" as I read some reviews on Waldorf education, but I was so wrong for going along with that belief, even if only for a moment. Consider that as adults we all learn differently and receive information differently - so why do we expect our kids to learn one way in school? AM Winn and the Waldorf approach reaches kids by incorporating every learning style. It's a holistic approach with a concern for the mind body and spirit of the child. They will not only learn about a culture/era, but they will build shelters, take a field trip to an exhibit, sing about it, write about it, draw it out, etc. Math is taught in a way for the kids to think through it in various methods, not just regurgitate information. It's age appropriate not where the district says they should be for their funding purposes. And I love that the school is VERY culturally diverse. Had I gone based on some of the school rating websites or testing sites I might have steered from the school, But I toured the school and fell in love. Some of the reports show that it's not diverse, the kids are far behind in subject matter, and it received some negative reviews - that I will say from my experience here that info is false. My daughter is multiracial, and she has a diverse group of friends that don't see color, she is just as knowledgeable in subjects as my step kids who attend another public school, thinks on a deeper level than they do, has developed a strong sense of empathy and justice for others, and we love it here. I've watched my daughter recover from some of the damage that her previous school did to her She previously attended a college prep school that I won't name but literally broke her spirit, and I've known many people who reported the same thing. The kids were expected to "slant" and sit perfectly still while others finished their work, she would get in trouble for READING in class or drawing because she wasn't slanting, and wasn't actually taught to work through a math problem only to memorize answers for timed lessons. There wasn't much play involved with only a tiny jungle gym in the parking lot - she didn't even have the coordination to do the monkey bars. Math was drilled in and time tested, without the proper attention for those that didn't understand. I had to make a change because my daughter who once loved school cried every evening and had anxiety with math. The college prep/common core was not actually taught in a way to solve the problem but merely to memorize and test well for funding. After making the change to AM Winn it was a drastic change in her. It took a moment for her to adjust but she loved it. She gets to be creative. She gets to be free. And most importantly she gets to be a kid- something that many children are missing out on in today's society as we push them to grow up quickly and test well. My daughter has become quite the artist, loves playing the guitar and singing, she's a great story teller and writer, an avid reader and reads 3 grades above her level. I say all of that to say this - just as everyone has their own taste in food, so too our children will have their own taste in learning. As a parent you have to allow them to satisfy that taste and not just force the norm on them. AM Winn might not be the best school for everyone, but for many of these kids a traditional public school that drills in information but doesn't address the heart of the child isn't the best for them. AM Winn reaches for their heart when material is presented and these kids WANT to learn because of it. So if you've made it through reading all of this it's because you're interested in the school and wanted a real opinion on it. I would say your next step is to visit and see if it's right for you and your child.

The community at AM Winn is kind, welcoming, and open-minded. Every teacher is dedicated and…read morefantastic. This is the underdog of the area Waldorf schools - we are scrappy, diverse, and creative. We have been growing every year. I moved my children here from another Waldorf school, first feeling like it was a risk, but my children and I are so happy we made the move. The low reviews seem to be from people who don't understand what waldorf education is, and are upset their children aren't getting drilled and rigorously tested. Your children will get a good education here, not only academically, but socially and emotionally as well. And the work may sometimes be disguised in song or helping the earth. Raising kind humans takes all those things.

My son has been at this daycare for almost a year now, and we couldn't be happier with our…read moreexperience. Every teacher he's had has been absolutely amazing. You can truly tell they care about the children as individuals. Prior to this, he attended another daycare where it felt like the teachers didn't really know him or pay attention to his needs and as parents, we could feel that. The difference here is night and day. My son is happy, comfortable, and clearly feels safe, which means everything to us. The teachers are always communicative and collaborative, working with us on what's working (or not working) for our toddler. We genuinely feel like we're part of a team when it comes to his care and development. The front office staff also deserves a shout-out, they are consistently kind and understanding whenever we have questions or special requests for our son. I appreciate their attentiveness to us as parents. We're so grateful to have found this daycare and would absolutely recommend it to other families looking for a caring, supportive environment for their child.

Our son has been at Goddard since he was 6months old and now he is in the Pre-K class! We have been…read morevery happy with the quality of the facility (fairly new), admin staff and teachers. Every school will have critique coming from families, including from us. But, admin staff and teachers have always been open in having discussions on ways they can improve, how they can correct an issue, and how they can support our family and son's learning and social development. Open communication and a plan of action or improvement are wha we seek with any issues that we bring up, and the staff has always met these expectations. Our son has grown attached to his pre-school and pre-K teachers. So much so that he says goodbye to his old teachers everyday during pick ups. We look forward to enrolling our youngest son sometime in the future!

Great little preschool! Both teachers are awesome, sweet…read moreand knowledgeable, my son loves going to school. Only 2 classes: morning and afternoon, about 10 kids in the class. They enjoy a huge yard, and a big classroom. Kids don't sit down to trace letters and numbers (although they do learn those too), they learn to be in other kids's company, follow instructions, sit in circle time, play with others and participate in the classroom. Essential stuff at 3, 4 years old.

We commute to JMPNS from Land Park because it's the school that feels most aligned with my family's…read morevalues: As a co-op preschool, it feels like an extended family, not just a drop-off situation. I love that my daughter is cared for by all of the grown-ups who volunteer in the classroom, and that she has a relationship with each of them. I love that parent education classes are a part of the JMPNS tradition because it makes me feel like we're all figuring out parenting together rather than feeling competitive or isolated. I love that this school is a community project: The school really does reflect the values - of accessibility, equity, cooperation - that are important to the folks who choose to come here, and we're also always experimenting with how to do better. My family is in our second year, and we'll be here for another 2 with our second child!

We've had a wonderful experience with Ms Dilani and Diamente Montessori. Both our kids went here…read moredespite having to drive quite a bit out, and we wouldn't have had it any other way. We are fortunate that their early educational experiences were guided by the able hands of Ma Dilani. My daughter started at age 3 and recently transitioned to kindergarten. She was very well prepared for school, thanks to the amazing care and foundation she received from her teachers. Our son, who is two years younger, also started at Diamente when he was 2. The teachers have been incredibly caring, supportive, and attentive to both of our children. We're so grateful for Ms. Dilani and highly recommend Diamente Montessori!

My daughter attended school here until she started Kindergarten and I am so grateful that she did…read more The teachers here truly care about the well-being of the kids and they truly care about giving these kids a jump-start to education. My daughter would come home from this school wanting to practice the writing/counting/shapes/etc. that she learned at this school pretty much every day. The teachers are very kind but also firm, and it was so sweet to see my daughter give them goodbye hugs every day. This school is really a best kept secret and I would highly recommend this school to any parent looking for a pre-school/T-K school.

There is something to say about finding the right school…read more The right preschool. The one where you drop your kid off and they don't cry, they don't run after you and make you feel horrible for having a job. They have a clean face and a full belly when you show up for them. They have a clean diaper for the ride home. They have taken and sent multiple pics thru the day. They have a smile on their face when you pick them up, not running crying to you. They have low ratio supervision. The school that you (literally) have never heard a child crying, and i have been there all hours of the day. The school where the staff is dressed appropriately according to their position. Where there is always a genuine smile (or shoulder) for you. The one where actual projects, sand play, water play, art every day are done and the rooms are not destroyed. In February, that's just what we did. I won't mention the school for privacy reasons but anyone who knows they have changed schools knows i have been raving about them. All our younger kiddos go there currently. All I'm saying is, it makes a huge difference where your children feel comfortable enough to run off from you instead of after you. So thank you to all the educators who put in their days seemingly effortlessly to teach our children of all ages.You are making a difference

Words cannot express how glad we are to have found this preschool! The best way I can describe it -…read morethe entire place seems to be based on the Reithian values of "inform, educate, and entertain." Everyone is so lovely, from the teachers to the support staff. The communication to parents is excellent and I love their app. Putting our daughter in this school has been the best thing we've ever done!

Such a wonderful, magical, and safe place for our two kids to be. The attention and care that Miss…read moreSunny and her staff provide for them and all of the kids brings everyone involved the peace and confidence that any parent looks for when deciding on a first "time away from home" experience for their most precious little beings. As parents, we also really enjoy the family nights that bring everyone together. We are so happy with the decision we made in A Child's Garden!!

Miss Sunny is great. My step-son has been attending for the past two years and we couldn't be…read morehappier with the school. It is a magical place for the little ones. This is a Waldorf inspired school and the children do a lot of art and gardening projects. The seasonal and year-end events for families are very creative and a lot of fun. It is easy to see the children really love Miss Sunny.

This place is NOT a learning center for ALL kids, this place a learning center for kids who are…read morewell behaved and can follow instructions when given. However, if you're a mom, you know most toddlers are not like that. Classrooms are oversized with 24 toddlers per class, without a proper protocol to help the child de-escalate, self-regulate, and be reintroduced to the class. Although the teachers know the classrooms are oversized, all they say is talk to the owners. I would NOT recommend anyone to place their children here unless you have worked with your child to self-regulate, listen, and follow instructions.

I enjoyed working here. The kids were well behaved and the curriculum was easy to follow.read more