I liked all the little projects that got sent home with the kids and the facility was always nice…read moreand clean when we went inside. However the owner seemed touchy and inconsistent at times- neither me or my husband felt she was being genuine during our conversations at drop off or pick up. The rest of the staff was friendly enough although there seemed to be a high turnover rate. If you're looking for a more consistent preschool with higher quality care for a better value I would consider looking elsewhere first.

Great team of experienced teachers who are always helping…read moreeach other out by supporting and observing the individual development of the children in their care to reachtheirgoals/ milestones. The Lead Teacher offers STEM activities daily to create an inviting environment for all ages to explore as well as building their learning foundation. They reach educational skills through play, structure, and routine. The teachers work in a smaller groups occasionally to help children transitioning from each center offered smoothly.

Ive been here for 3 years and ive suffered with the dresscode, food, and the way the teachers teachread more

My family has had a wonderful experience at Roots N Shoots! The thought, knowledge and dedication…read moreLynn has for this school is immediately apparent when walking in the door. Everything is very well thought out and executed from the beautiful physical space she has set up inside and outside her home, the art projects the kids do, the monthly learning themes (ocean, farm, weather, etc), the guest teachers she brings in (art, yoga, etc) and the field trips they go on. One of my favorite things about Roots N Shoots is the emphasis on outdoor play and connecting with our regional natural world. The hours are also great (9-3) - really allows me to get things done and for my son to be fully immersed in the day. Plus we have met really fantastic families through Roots N Shoots. Some of our closet friends in Maine! We couldn't be happier with our son's experience.

Choosing a first school experience for your first child is a tall order. We were looking for a…read moresmall group setting with an outdoor/play focus in a comfortable, caring, nurturing, environment - something I wasn't even sure existed until we found Lynn Rutter and Roots n Shoots. We couldn't have been more pleased from the minute we walked in the door, and from our first experience with Lynn. Clearly dedicated to the early childhood experience of play and exploration as the path to authentic learning, Lynn's connection to children and her ability to create a beautiful, welcoming, engaging environment for them is beyond compare. Playing and learning in the woods, backyards and gardens; exploring the neighborhood; creating art; doing yoga; putting on performances - the kids at Roots n Shoots have the luckiest, most appropriate preschool experience I can imagine. Not only our child, but we ourselves, have made lifelong friends in the other Roots n Shoots families. I'm so happy that this is our daughter's (and hopefully, in a couple years, our son's) first experience with how wonderful school can be.

The owner is a bully, if she thinks she "knows" your family and does not like someone she singles…read moreout the child. Singled out our child about a developmental milestone she thought we were behind in and threatened to call CPS. I was called to pick up our child because she was throwing up and basically lethargic, it was heat stroke! They do not keep the kids cool it was hot out and the kids should have been in air conditioning, we were told to keep our child home for the next day, which of course we wanted that too but there were other kids displaying symptom's they just took zero responsibility and thats dangerous. One time I pulled in to the driveway and a teacher was out there looking for one of the kids! The parking lot is very busy! We are so much happier now, our child is thriving, we were stuck there due to legalities and covid, it was difficult to find a spot in a new place but we are free from it all now! Theres a reason there are no cameras in there, the staff is not happy there either, one teacher was super but Im sure shes gone by now. There is alot of highschool like gossip there but its grown up women, we were also lied to. I do not recommend this place at all but especially if you are involved in Child Custody, divorce, or ANY situation because this woman owner WILL make it her business to get involved and to use the situation as leverage, as I stated she is a bully.

From the owner: Little Footsteps Child Care Center provides a healthy learning environment. We allow children to…read moredevelop at their own pace. Little Footsteps provides various learning experiences that enhance individual growth. All employees are trained in child development, CPR, and first aid. All curricula are age-appropriate and developed with the children's interests in mind. Childcare is provided for infants to pre-school-age children. We will exceed your childcare expectations.

My now husband and I recently took a 5 session dance lesson at Ballroom Dance Portland and I can't…read moresay enough good things! We wanted to take some lessons before our September 8th wedding to feel a bit more comfortable. Our instructor was Merissa Newton and she was AWESOME!! My husband is a burly lumberjack and wasn't exactly pumped about our new hobby, but she was so easy to work with. She made us feel totally comfortable, started with the basics and taught us as much as we were comfortable with in the time we had. She didn't push us to perform at a certain level and reminded us that this was about having fun! The three of us laughed as much as we danced! We sent Merissa our wedding song ahead of our first lesson. She picked out a style of dance that she thought would go well to the beat and that's what we learned for 5 weeks. Once we got the basic steps down, she had actually choreographed some additional moves for us and by the end, we couldn't wait for the wedding, specifically the big dip at the end! Although we forgot a few steps on the big day, it didn't matter. We were so comfortable and knew the general moves and how to recover seamlessly. As we performed our dance, the entire room started to sing along as we moved through our dance! (Also, we nailed the dip.) This was absolutely one of the most memorable parts of our wedding and I would highly recommend this to anyone considering it... no matter your skill or comfort level! Thank you Merissa and Polina! You seriously rock.

I've known Polina in the dance world for over twelve years. My parents started taking dance lessons…read morewith her when we first moved to Maine and as I grew older I started taking private lessons with her. She has exceptional technique and the patience of God for sticking with us two-left-feet type dancers. I was turned off after encounters with the other male instructor she previously shared a studio with and would only take lessons with Polina. Now that she has been able to move studios I am looking forward to getting back in my dancing shoes!

Feels like high school all over again. Most professors don't have PHD but talk down at you. None of…read moremy classmates can find an internship and school doesn't care. We're at a disadvantage compared to other colleges in ME (which give a far better education and are way cheaper than UNE).

Overpriced for subpar education. Professors call students stupid and administration doesn't listen…read moreto us. Don't make the same mistake I did, there are much better colleges in New England.

I have taken a ton of oil painting classes here. Before I started, I could not even paint a stick…read morefigure. After taking Susan's classes, I was amazed at how much I learned and how fun the classes were. I kept at it. I don't have natural talent. She is a wonderful teacher. Here's a painting I did in one of her classes. Thanks, Susan, for your supportive encouragement, kindness, and patience when I was so frustrated. Also, thanks for never making me paint a seagull!

Every time I visit Portland, I could no more miss popping into Roux & Cyr than missing going to the…read morePortland Art Museum. I would so much love to buy everything in this gallery! I'm a professional nature landscape photographer, however, and I don't have enough work in my home for my own work. So although I haven't yet invested in any artwork from Roux & Cyr, I've never felt the owner, Susan, has ever rushed me or ignored me. She's very attentive -- and a great artist in her own right. I couldn't think of someone to better represent the art community than she. My only regret there is never taking an art class from Susan. She told she once had a student who drove up from Boston -- but that would have been a four hour-plus RT drive for me. Now that I live outside of Richmond, Virginia, I don't feel the guilt I once had for not enrolling in a current art class.

Our daughter has attended NAMS for the past 2 years and she is having a wonderful and enriching…read moreexperience. The teachers inspire creativity through art and play while laying the ground work education she needs in preparation for elementary school. Our daughter is also learning how to form close friendships and recognize and express her emotions and this is invaluable. She is always happy and smiling when we pick her up and this makes being working parents much easier.

From the owner: We specialize in quality child care for infants through preschool children utilizing Montessori…read moreearly childhood educational practices. We are open year round and have years of experience.