This school is despicable for so many reasons. The last time I had to go inside (I limit it as much…read moreas I can) I was so terribly harassed by the principle (Grabel) and my son's speech therapist (Sarah Barrett) that I thought I'd have to call in a squat team to get me out of there. That morning, I had three things going on all at once: my husband was throwing up every 30mins, the plumbing we share with our townhouse neighbor was backed up, I needed to search our yard for my car keys before the lawn mowers arrived. I had 15 minutes to do everything bc if my keys were in the yard and the mower went over them, I'd have been looking at $500 to replace them (counting the towing fee); if I didn't take care of the plumbing, my neighbor would call our landlord who'd no doubt find a way to stick us with the bill, and the sick hubby. Well as it happens, my husband had an appt with the speech therapist that morning but obviously was unable to make it. District 112 has harassed me so badly in the past that I won't speak to any of them in person, ie an email is just fine! Well it started with Barrett and how I told her that I couldn't stay so she's like "hang on a second." Next thing you know, she's pulled Grabel in to the office. What those two did was inch me closer and closer to the meeting room, no matter how many times I told them that I had several pressing matters and couldn't stay, not even for 5 minutes! I mean, everything going on at home at the moment was costly or could've been costly if I didn't hurry back home and remedy the situations. Well they weren't having it! Finally, it dawned on me how sneaky their "attack" was, like a couple of sly foxes, literally doing everything in their power to get me in to the meeting room before I realized it. Finally, I'd had enough! I was treated like an imbecile who doesn't know how to prioritize my life and, by all means, the appointment was with my husband in the first place (not me) and I HAD TO GET HOME TO FIND MY KEYS BEFORE LAWN SERVICE SHOWED UP, to help my husband when he's hunched over in the bathroom, and TO KEEP THR PLUMBING ISSUE FROM AFFECTING MY NEIGHBORS BATHROOM SINK. To make matters worse, later that evening I received one phone call from Indian Trail around 7pm but I didn't realize that I'd missed that phone call until "someone" associated with Indian Trail called me again at 11pm. SOMEONE FROM INDIAN TRAIL CALLING MY HOME TWICE ON THE VERY SAME DAY OF A CONFRONTATION WITH ONE OF THEM RINGING MY PHONE NEAR MIDNIGHT. It was another horrible experience that seems to be the District 112 MO. That was months ago; fast forward to today and, once again, I feel so alienated from my son when he's there. It's a beautiful sunny warm day so I was walking the dog and wanted to stop by to catch a glance of him at play time. Just to watch for a minute, how he interacts with his friends, to make sure he's playing with someone. I'm on the other side of the metal fence, cell in one hand/dog leash in the other, when one of the playground assistants tells me they don't feel comfortable with me being there. I'm not here to argue the right or wrong of her issue or mine; just saying that it never lets up with this school. We found out last night that my 25 year old will be moving back to Nashville so I'm a little down in the dumps and thought it would brighten my day to see my other son play and have fun for a few while I'm walking the dog. Silly me to think for one second that anything having to do with Indian Trail would be easy & heartwarming

I love this school! I do not like how it is getting so much hate. Love the teachers, and the…read moreexcellent staff. With Lincoln it just got better

Our family had five children attend Forest Bluff School over the course of seven years…read more Unfortunately, our experience there was not a positive one and caused our children a lot of unnecessary hardship. The school presents itself as a place where every child can thrive. In reality, Forest Bluff School only caters to children who are typical learners, very compliant, and medium to low energy. Forest Bluff does not hesitate to kick kids out of the school if they don't fit the mold. For our children who learned differently, especially one of our sons with a learning disability, the school not only failed to meet his needs but actively dismissed them. The head of school would often state, "We don't do dyslexia." When we advocated for accommodations to support our son, we were treated poorly. The administration threatened to kick all our children out of the school if we continued to speak about the issues/advocate for our son. Rather than working with families, the school requires parents to trust blindly. Twice a year, students bring work home. Other than that, there is no communication on how your child is doing academically. They do not perform any formal reading assessments or monitoring. As a Montessori school, we expected an environment that valued individual differences, freedom to explore, and curiosity. Instead, their approach was rigid and limiting. The children were rarely given free playtime outside and often never went outside at all. The school claimed they didn't want to "interrupt" their concentration by going outside. Forest Bluff School values strict routines over allowing children to move their bodies. They claim they get exercise inside the classroom because they move around and carry different work. My children (especially my 3 boys) did not have their physical needs met and felt so relieved when we switched to a more progressive Montessori school that allows kids free time outside. Leaving the school was the best choice for our children's well-being, mental health, and academic success. Forest Bluff may work well for certain children, but if your child is high-energy, learns differently, or needs a more flexible and supportive environment, I would strongly caution you to look elsewhere. Forest Bluff School caused my children a lot of anxiety, stress, and academic deficits that needed to be addressed after we left. I whole heartedly regret sending them there at all. My suggestion for all parents considering Forest Bluff School is to take a tour, ask a lot of questions, look closely at the students, access whether you see joy in their learning, and then listen to your gut. I wish I had.

As part of my Montessori training, I have observed in Forest Bluff classrooms extensively at almost…read moreevery age level and have been deeply impressed by the consistent authenticity and care, both of the students and the environment. It is increasingly common to find hybrid Montessori programs that include random popular pedagogical trends or succumb to external pressures, but not Forest Bluff. Forest Bluff is a special place, thanks to the dedicated staff who love what they do and exude respect for both their students and one another. Indeed, much of what seems to make Forest Bluff so special is the diligent pursuit of its noble, explicit mission. Within the Montessori community, both AMS & AMI, Forest Bluff remains an increasingly rare example of quality, authentic Montessori. It is the kind of school I wish I could have attended myself and to which I wish I could have sent my daughters.

A school for children by which all other schools should be measured…read more Their communication is stellar; overwhelming in a good way, in fact. My wife and I are seriously impressed with just how well the Head of School, Joy Hurd, and all of the school staff come together to operate this gem, in a seemingly effortless manner. A special thanks to: Alex Sheridan - Director of Enrollment, Marketing, and Financial Aid for making our family feel so welcome, Sara Walsh - Director of Early Childhood and Assistant Head of Lower School, also for making us feel right at home, and Sue Burmeister - 1st Step Teacher who keeps my little girl's imagination engaged every day she's in attendance, while keeping her first-time experiences varied. The environment is quiet, peaceful even. Think of LFCDS as an ivy-league university campus, not a traditional school. Cleanliness and organization aside, this school epitomizes our lifestyle choice as a family. My first born is currently enrolled in the 1st Step + Bridge program, and we look forward to registering her little sister here as well, as soon as she's of age. Thank you LFCDS for all that you do for our family!

I spent the first year at the school being amazed and a little unnerved at its excellence and how…read morenice and supportive everyone is. I simply couldn't believe a school like this existed. We came from the public school system and will never go back. Several teachers have over 30 years of experience and all the staff are highly skilled. The school has a strong reputation, plenty of resources and good parent engagement. My children get a kick out of wearing their fancy uniforms every so often. I am always amazed when my young children whip out their homework and do it on their own without me reminding them. I am impressed by how well behaved and respectful the students are in general. A great plus for me is that they let kids be kids in the younger classrooms ( pre-k to 4th grade ) and do not contaminate this special time with idealistic, controversial concepts adults have dreamt up. If you want your child to have a childhood, grow to be a resilient, driven and self motivated individual then send your kids here. The money is worth it!

Fantastic school, look them up in the rankings, this is the top elementary school in Northbrook. 3…read morekids pass through these halls. And they have a great IEP staff as well. My first child has ADHD and cognitive issues and they went all aboard to help. The principle Mr. T is a father with a child who had special needs and he is very understanding.

We moved to East Lake from a different Catholic school and I had no idea what a difference it would…read moremake in my kids. They were quickly becoming more confident, happier and their academics took off in a way that I had never imagined was possible. When I ask myself, what is the difference? The answer is the community and staff. The staff actually love our kids and love their jobs, they all know my kids by name and are extremely in tune with their needs. Everyone from the top down makes you feel like you are family. The principal has been with the school for 20 years and the way that she leads the staff is so impressive. It is just a very special place. My kids often thank me for switching them to East Lake. When I ask why - their answers say it all. I feel that our children are surrounded with love when they walk in the doors. This school is a hidden gem.

My grandchildren have excelled being at East Lake Academy…read more The teachers are amazing and are focused on them as individuals. They are so happy and truly enjoy the academic experience.

The Children's Center of Lakeside Congregation is an amazing pre-school. There are many options…read morefor pre-schools in the north shore. As a new parent, it is overwhelming finding the perfect fit for you and your family. My family and I feel very fortunate to have discovered such a wonderful and nurturing school for our kids. When we moved to Highland Park, we had plans to go to a different pre-school in the community. A few people recommended the mom-and-tot program at Lakeside. I called, and after speaking to Paula (the director), I knew that we had to sign up. After a few months of the mom-and-tot class, we decided to continue with camp, and on to the two's (two year olds) transition program. Our love for Lakeside continued to grow as we got to know the teachers, Paula, and the congregation as a whole. It is a wonderful place. The pre-school is very nurturing but also provides a quality education. Lakeside also offers excellent enrichment programs, which is a huge benefit not only to the students but also the parents! The program is set up for your child to succeed. The mom-and-tot program and the transition program make it easy and comfortable for kids not only to adapt well into the pre-school program, but have a healthy separation from their parents. Thank you Lakeside for being such a wonderful, amazing, and special place. I would recommend this pre-school to anybody in the north shore, especially if you live in Highland Park, Deerfield, Glencoe, and Northbrook.

Small, Quiet church adjacent to its school. Open layout, nice seating. Everyone was very friendly…read more Lots of parking and easy access.

My daughter attended pre-school the past 2 years & the organization is phenomenal. The school…read moreoffers a variety of programs and the teachers are exceptional. We've had an excellent experience here and am so thankful to the entire organization.

Unfortunately, our experience at Countryside wasn't great. We learned very quickly that our 18…read moremonth old child (at the time) was constantly being restrained and the only child being restrained- which goes against the montessori philosophy. After 2.5 months, we immediately removed him of this institution, despite paying that hefty tuition.

Both of my children, who are now grown men, attended this incredible institution. They are absolute…read moregentlemen, intelligent with tremendous common sense, and extremely successful. I attribute much of what they have become to the foundation education they received at Countryside. It breaks my heart to read some of these negative reviews because that's just not what this institution is at all. People need to realize the damage that can be done to a person or institution with just their words.