Nature Walk Montessori is great nature school, fostering independence, critical thinking and…read morerespect for nature. They have 10 acres of land with nature trails and mature trees for children to climb and enjoy. I really love the staff and the families!

Both of our children attend Da Vinci Waldorf School. One is in the grades and the other is in…read moreKindergarten. I cannot say enough good things about the well rounded education my kids are receiving at Da Vinci. Waldorf has instilled such creativity and a deep love of learning in both of my children. They are not just learning facts and numbers. They are learning how to learn and how to think and do and create as well. My favorite example is when my older child started reading. He recently found a series of books he is just devouring. But, on top of his voracious reading, he is also applying the hands on skills he is learning at Waldorf by drawing his own images for the series and he is even now writing and binding his own stories. I am the owner of a technology company. When I see my son and daughter learn a skill, then make the connection to roll up their sleeves and create something on their own, I get a big smile on my face and it shows me that they know how to apply the things they are learning. I know my kids (like all kids) have an innate passion and curiosity for learning and the Da Vinci Waldorf School is the perfect place to help it grow.

Two of my kids went there for many years and there are some nice things about the school. The…read moreembracing of imagination and use of hands to create is unique and not found in many schools. But the people running the school (in many cases, is your kid's teacher) left a lot to be desired. It was like no one is in charge. Communication was unclear, rules were unclear and always changing. We left because we did not have confidence in the school to be the primary education source for our kids as it seemed that no one was qualified.

If you live in Waukegan, you should really have your kid tested to come here. I woudn't be the same…read moreperson I am today without my experiences here. The teachers wer patient and caring, and I really learned so much, and was challenged. I'm so glad I came here.

I have been at the school since kindergarten. I think it was a wonderful school with full of great…read morepeople there to encourage kids to learn. I would love to go back to Andrew Cooke magnet, it's a wonderful school!

This is one of the most remarkable schools that I have encountered. They emphasize movement, diet,…read moreand social skills as much as the basics that all of the other schools are based on, and the results are remarkable. I give this school and its administration very high marks!

As someone who use to go to this school, people would always smoke in the stalls and bullying was…read morereally common, literally got bullied here too but yeah honestly please don't put your child in this school unless you want them to have popcorn lungs when they get older ..

General Details I am currently attending this school in…read more2024. The teachers are passionate about your education and the majority of the counselors are trustworthy. The school however does have a bit of a workload, ESPECIALLY for Honors/AP classes. The school food is much better than middle school or elementary school but definitely still has its faults. As long as you aren't absent for anything crucial, pay attention, and ASK FOR HELP when you need it, you will understand your courses. AP Human Geography is an especially tough course because of its workload and the fact that your tests and FRQs are definitely challenging. But there isn't anything to seriously stress over. Student Life 90% of the students are chilled and just want to go about their life, so you won't have to worry about fights or conflicts unless they're clearly being instigated. Vending machines have quality food and sometimes you can even get two products when only paying for one. Navigation around the school also isn't bad at all, the elevators are handicap-only access but you have 5 minute passing periods and stairwells all not too far from each other. I will be honest though that there is an issue with students and vaping, but it is not widespread and it will not be forced on you. The #1 goal of the staff at Lakes is to make YOU feel like you belong and can be on the path to the career you want. There are after school events and clubs for everyone's tastes. There are also emails sent out every Monday for your missing assignments to you and your parents and emails of your grades on every Thursday to the same people. There are also plenty of original staff members still here or staff you'll see mentioned in other reviews, such as Mr. Rowells and Mr. Blevins. These teachers are absolutely top tier. If you're looking into anything that has to do with theater/theatre, this school has one of the most advanced set building thinga ma jiggers out of high schools in the state, plus the teacher ( Mr. Esquivel ) is a great person that is especially easy to get along with. Lengthy review, but its everything you need to know.

this schools food is garbage and portions are small. and home work is too much. if you go here it…read moreis way too hard. freshman year is easy sophomore is hardened. and jr year is on veteran mode.

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.

So thankful to have found St. John. All of the teachers care so much about the kids. The…read morecurriculum is impressive, but the way it is taught really instills a love of learning.

I had two daughters who attended St John from kindergarten thru 8th grade. While my primary…read moreobjective was to provide a solid, Christian education I found the smaller classes and individual attention prepared my daughters extremely well for higher education. My younger daughter is now a HS junior and is near the top of her class. My older daughter has completed college and is now a working professional. Besides being well equipped to continue their education both girls are deeply rooted in their faith and have a true understanding of the value of service. I am thankful for the instruction and guidance they received at St John during their years there. I would strongly recommend this school to any like-minded parents looking for quality Christian education.

Ehh! I'm not always lovin it. Nice helpful teachers but assistant principal. Mr Hibler isn't nice…read moreand yells at kids. Who likes that? Not me! Otherwise this school is great and my children enjoy going here!

My three children have attended Riverwood Elementary School (Zoe, 8 Kayla, 11 Michael, 5. ) I love…read morethis school! This Principal, Mrs. Robinson, is a very nice lady and will take ANY questions you may have about ANYTHING!!! Assistant Principal, Mr Hibler, is just O.K. He yells at children, which is why I gave the school three stars. I would say the classrooms are decent size, but could be bigger, especially when you have a bigger class. I'm not sure the yelling at children helps stop the child from doing bad things, but it may seem rude to parents, and may scare the children. I love the teachers my children have had. The children's teachers are: Kayla: K Miss Tessler, 1 Ms Fricke, 2 Miss Micklinghoff, 3 Mrs Hauck, 4 Ms Hare (Kolowaski) 5, Ms Sterbenz (now) Zoe: K Miss M, 1 Ms Erber, 2 Miss DeBlok, 3 Miss Hauck (now) Michael: K Miss M (now) So overall the teachers I have crossed paths with are nice and helpful. Would recommend except for the assistant principal!

My child caught hand foot and mouth disease here twice in 6 weeks. All they did was put a little…read morenot up in the window to inform people. No staff members informed anyone. They have a system that is capable of informing all the parents which they chose not to use. Apparently they are only required by law to put a note up the note was so small i never noticed it 7-8 times dropping my child off. the note had been up for more than a week. Their summer program just ended last week as well so I would be willing to bet there will be many more cases. Would give zero stars if I could.

I love it! My baby has been going here since he was 7 months old and he loves it too. The girls are…read morevery caring with everyone and you can tell they truly love the kids. My son gets very excited every time we get there, and I won't change that for anything in the world.