My son Reid went to CLP since he was 18 months old, which I believe is the youngest to be admitted…read moreto the school. Being so young and a sensitive kid in nature, we definitely are a bit nervous about his experience at school. We toured several schools around the area before deciding CLP, since it immediately feels right to Reid and us. It feels a more homy environment with very close interactions between principle, teachers and kids. Ms. Rai and Ms. Anna are so caring and compassionate about their works. Compared to a bigger facility, I feel Ms.Rai and Ms. Anna knows Reid's character and support his very personal emotional needs. And I want to address one of the comments down below about Mr.Rai as administrator does not provide enough interaction with parents about children's daily activities. That is so NOT the experience for us. Actually quite opposite. Yes, CLP does not have a online reporting system like many other daycares. However, every time I need to talk to either with teacher or administrator about how Reid is doing, with regarding to eating, napping, emotions, activities, I wan responded and explained immediately. I was invited to watch how he is actually doing in the daycare. We also had difficult times that we need to do adjustments for Reid's schedule, and Ms. Rai was always very patient and accommodating to our requests. So, I love the experience there and will send my second child to this daycare.

Our son has been attending CLP since December 2019 and so far we are very happy with the care he…read morereceived. His teacher Ms. Anna and Ms. Rai pay close attention to his needs and he seems to be thriving. He loves his school and he got used to the environment pretty quickly. Every morning he has a big smile going in. The school also organizes several events for parents to inform them about the Montessori environment such as dad's night and mom's night.

Midwest Montessori school has great teachers and so loving atmosphere. Learning experience is based…read morein every activity. A very family oriented place. Children love the school, so do parents. A great school community! Everyone is is always welcome! I do love the school, its teachers, parents and kids, amazing!

We have had our three daughters go through Midwest Montessori. Two of them have graduated through…read morekindergarten, and the third one will be in Kindergarten next year. We are the type of parents who will evaluate and compare all options before making a decision. We visited many other preschools, Montessori or not, public or not, in the Evanston/Wilmette area, and Midwest Montessori stood out. First, the teachers are exceptional. They are patient, encouraging and extremely knowledgeable. MMDS is a demonstration school, so the teachers are actually "master teachers" who are also role models for new teachers. The whole school is completely immersed in the Montessori philosophy, in the original sense: what Maria Montessori taught and wrote, not the edulcorated version that has been simplified or perverted to fit new pedagogical fads, that you may find at other Montessori schools. It is thus individualized to each child, at the same time making sure that the child is eager to learn new things. The kids learn courtesy, dispute resolution, and many useful practical skills. However, they also learn academic topics very efficiently, thanks to wonderful Montessori materials for Math as well as reading, writing, geography and science. When you enter the classroom, it is quiet and orderly. The students are busy, each on their own project, and they always put back their work in place after they finish it. Second, the school is small, with just two classrooms, both of which feel spacious and light with large windows. They only do pre-K to Kindergarten, so the little children do not feel overwhelmed by older ones, and they are the center of attention. Children are in mixed age groups, so the oldest ones mentor the younger ones, thereby creating role models for the youngest at the same time as it builds self-confidence for the Kindergartners. It is a diverse community, with children speaking Russian, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Hindi, and of all ethnicity. Because of its proximity to Northwestern University, it also tends to attract academically gifted children, who thrive in this self-paced environment.

My son has been enrolled here since he turned 1 and it has been a wonderful 8 months. The teachers…read morein the infant and young toddler rooms are such wonderful caregivers. We feel so comfortable here and my little one literally runs into his teacher's arms every morning. Very grateful to have found Northbrook Montessori.

NBMS is a very warm and nurturing environment. I have had kids in both the infant and primary…read morerooms. The communication between the teachers and parents is outstanding - they give personalized care, send frequent updates, and I always feel that I can reach out with any questions I have and the teachers would address them quickly. In particular, my son needed some medical assistance in the infant room and all the teachers were very responsive, taking special care with him and following instructions that I gave them, while keeping me in the loop. The primary room is also great, the class is diverse and the kids are always busy with many activities. This school is fantastic if you are looking for more of a home day care feel, all of the teachers are friendly and wonderful with the kids.

This review is NOT based on the education received at MAMG or any of the teachers. It is solely…read morebased on the experience of inquiring about the school and interacting w/ the site director. I called MAMG to schedule a tour and gather information. The lady I spoke with was so dry and seemed uninterested. Regardless, I scheduled a tour as maybe she was having a bad day and I realize that not everyone can be cheery all the time. :) The tour went well, and I made sure it was scheduled w/ another person. She was friendly and kind. I asked this lady for a packet or folder of information and she was surprised that the first lady I spoke with never emailed it to me. She took down my email address and said she would request that lady to send it to me. Guess what? I never received it! I just think that is horrible practice. I have enrolled my daughter elsewhere. But, I thought the business owner/manager should know about the incompetence of the person I dealt with. I am happy to speak further about it...as I don't want to call out this individual on a public platform.

My son spent 4 great years here, from the infant room, to toddler room, to primary. Our son was…read morewell cared for in all of them and we believe he developed well there, both socially and academically. Their communication is great, the Bright Wheel app they use is fantastic, and they are very accommodating in all the best ways, while continuing to do what's best for the kids. I've also been impressed with their willingness to help when we've needed assistance with our son's transition to kindergarten, even after our son was no longer enrolled there. Would recommend to anyone that they can trust them with their child's education, safety and wellbeing.

After moving from Logan Square and going to Montessori Academy of Chicago (which was beyond…read morewonderful) I was scared that nothing would match the level of care and learning that my 2 daughters received when we moved to Glencoe but thankfully we found Guidepost Montessori at Deerbrook. Christine and Abbey run this school like all of the children are their own. They are warm, inviting, caring and thoughtful. My daughter is 4 and in the pre-school program and the activities she participates in are endless - art class, karate, woodworking, cooking etc. The teachers are top notch and really put a lot of effort into each and every day. My other daughter is in the nursery program and the teachers in that classroom are unmatched. The teachers go above and beyond for the babies as well as the parents in sending home adorable crafts and activities that your child will do during the day. My daughter is always clean (which is a hard feat to accomplish for a 1 year old) and I truly feel like I'm dropping her off with someone in my family every morning. The teachers put up pictures daily on the internal website so you really feel as if you have a good grasp on what your child/children are doing everyday and as a working mom, that means so much to me. There is a wonderful outside playground that the kids love to play on and pickups/dropoffs are seamless and easy without rigid rules that don't work for working parents. The school itself is new and clean which was a huge plus for me. I compared a bunch of different schools in the area prior to our move and I know I made the right decision for my girls.

There is a lot of drama at this school between teachers and other staff members. Unfortunately,…read morethis has contributed to fairly substantial teacher turnover, which is not good for the kids. Many parents have ended up pulling their children out of the school. I've lost count of how many school presidents have come and gone. The school has also cut back on meals and snacks to save money. Not too long ago, the school was open on most holidays. Now, almost every holiday is a day off, which means parents have to make arrangements to watch their children. The current president, Sonia, does not seem to be very familiar with the school's policies and practices. Half the time, she doesn't seem to know what she is talking about, which can be very frustrating for parents. Based on the school's track record, however, there will probably be another president sooner rather than later. On the positive side, there are a few teachers and teacher assistants who are truly some of the best people I have ever met. They put their heart and soul into caring for each child, and I honestly believe that is one of the main reasons some families continue to stay at the school.

They are simply great! My 28 mo baby loves to go there and play with her friends. She eats well,…read moreplays, dances, and takes naps like she does at home. She talks about her teacher at home and loves them. I am at peace when she is there.

My perspective from touring the facility: small playground in the back, inside is dark, not a lot…read moreof natural light, furniture is old, everything smells like old, 2yo kids have a separate area in what looks like the "lobby" of the building until they transition to the main area. Meals are prepared in the kitchen of the building, it was the end of the day so dishes were piled up in the sink, cleanliness wasn't top notch. Owner didn't speak English very well so she didn't give me a lot of information. Price is better than other daycares. I can't speak of the way day to day goes but overall it didn't give me a very good impression.

I love working here. I love working with the children and the teachers. Honestly, it's the best…read moreschool to work at. It is the best job that I have ever had. I love how excited the children are when I am there and how they are smiling and happy that I am there. I love being a role model for the children. They make me the happiest girl ever! They make me so happy! I am so lucky and thankful to work at the best place ever and I have the best bosses ever! The executive director and the site director are the nicest, sweetest, kindest ladies ever! The best executive director and the site manager ever! The children know how to make anyone happy!

My children attend this school and I couldn't be happier. The administration has been easy to work…read morewith and the teachers are superb. All the head teachers have been here for well over 10 years +, and are so loving to the children and at the same time gently pushes the children towards academic excellence. My kids are very happy at this school and are learning so much. I can't believe how well my 4.5 year old is reading already. I would highly recommend this school.

The craziest thing happened the other day... My 2 year old…read moredumped out her container of bows (this is a daily occurrence). I waited for her to move on and create yet another mess in my house (sigh), but she said "I need to clean this up." And then she actually started cleaning up after herself. She must have noticed that my jaw hit the floor because she said "Miss Jacqueline taught me how to clean up at camp." And that's when I decided every penny I've spent for camp @ GJK this summer was well worth it! After we had a contract on a house in Glencoe I started exploring pre-schools in the area. I checked out GJK, The Park District ,Am Shalom and even asked around about the Glencoe Montessori school (opening in September). I don't think you can go wrong w/ any of those options, but after touring GJK with the Director, Debra, I felt most at home here. I also really liked that the majority of the kids who go to this school are from the Glencoe area (rather than the entire North Shore) since that's who my kids will be going to school with later on. While we don't start pre-school until the fall, we've been in camp all summer and I'm 100% confident I've made the right choice. My daughter LOVES camp and I don't blame her. I'd love to spend 2 hours playing, doing art projects, etc as well. When I drop her off I know she's well taken care of and at times between the head counselor, assistant counselor, CITS etc looks like there's more "big people" than 2-year-olds. I've heard several parents who send their kids to other camps comment that their kid seems happy, but they're unsure of what really goes on there. When Miss Jacqueline isn't teaching the kids to clean up (among other things) she does a fantastic job of keeping the parents in the loop and often sends personal emails with pictures/updates. Like most 2 year olds mine has a few issues with sharing and listening. We've still got some room for improvement (then again I could learn to share/listen better myself at 32), but I"ve noticed a huge difference just seeing her interact with other kids during playdates over the past few weeks. The structure and social interaction @ GJK has been really wonderful for her...and me! :) I've also gotten to know many of the parents and it's such a warm, friendly community! Between both my kids we've got several years at GJK ahead of us and I'm looking forward to it!

I was raised in traditional schools and had no prior experience with the Montessori approach, so I…read morewasn't sure what to expect when we first joined Chiaravalle Montessori. But after four years at the school, I can confidently say that I am amazed by how effective this method is and how well it supports my child's individual growth. Our child is now in kindergarten, and one of the things that continues to impress me is the sophistication of the curriculum. Every day, he brings home work that I would have been doing in second or third grade--adding and subtracting fractions, solving word problems, and even working with four-digit multiplication. The school's approach really allows children to progress (and f accelerate) at their own pace. It's incredible to see how engaged and excited he is about learning. Even more importantly, he is thrilled to go to school each morning. Knowing that he wakes up eager to learn and be part of his classroom community speaks volumes about the environment Chiaravalle has created. Another standout aspect of Chiaravalle is the extraordinary educators. Over the past four years, our child has had three different classroom teachers, and every single one has been a true education professional, deeply dedicated to their students. They don't just teach; they observe, adapt, and create a learning experience that meets each child where they are. Their ability to recognize strengths and nurture individual potential is remarkable. Beyond academics, Chiaravalle is an incredibly close-knit and welcoming community. The relationships our child has built--with peers, teachers, and other families--are meaningful. It's a place where children are treated with dignity, encouraged to explore, and supported in becoming confident, engaged learners. We truly believe that Chiaravalle is giving our child the best foundation--not just academically but socially and emotionally as well. We feel incredibly grateful to be part of this school.

My son transferred to Chiaravalle during the fifth grade because his learning style wasn't…read morewell-suited for public school. His math scores were lagging and didn't improve despite trying things like teacher conferences and outside tutoring. After visiting Chiaravalle, my son was immediately attracted to the welcoming community and the modern Montessori learning approach, where students are allowed, encouraged, and trained to take responsibility for their own learning and community. He still doesn't love math (Chiaravalle can't perform miracles!) but he's back on track with what he needs to know and has much more confidence about his math aptitude. He's also learning tons of other great stuff--not just academics but also leadership skills (and the resilience needed to be a good leader) as well as executive functioning skills like how to keep up with his assignments and plan his own work schedule. He's in seventh grade now and in middle school they are doing such a great job getting him ready for ETHS. He's a social, outgoing person and we were not sure how he would do with the smaller class sizes. This turned out to be no problem, especially because students of different grades work together. He's friends with students who are a year older and a year younger than he is, in a way that I think would not be the case in public school. Overall, Sending him to Chiaravalle significantly and positively changed the trajectory of his education and development.