Absolutely one of the best places to bring your family. The staff and owner truly care about you and your children!

I loved this place! My mother enrolled me in Small Stride back in the 80s. I am now 38 and I still remember my time there. Great memories! Ms Harrison was my teacher and Mrs Beck was very nice. Ms Harrison treated me like her own and I always felt safe and taken care of. If I lived in Chicago my children would definitely be there at Small Stride. Belinda Marsaw Lowery read more

Small Stride Academy - This was little me at Small Stride - Elementary Schools Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's a blessing is to know that your children will receive the best care and education at such a young age. I was a student at small stride academy and now I am blessed with the opportunity to serve there and it is truly a blessing. Small Stride is not just a regular daycare facility, but it is a place where your child can be molded into the intellectual innovators that they are born to be. I love this place and I hope that you will too! read more

My girls have been going to small strides for 2 yrs now. They have developed so much since they have been there. The staff is down to earth and knowledgeable. Ms. Harrison made us feel so comfortable with leaving our girls at Small Strides Academy. My only negative feedback i have about the schools is the lack of technology as in payment options and computers for the kids. Stop in and check them out.. read more

This review is long overdue. I am a graduate of Small Stride Academy and my oldest daughter has also graduated from there and attends their after school program. My baby girl is currently enrolled in their day care program and I couldn't be happier. Ms. Allen has been in the business for decades and with that comes a great knowledge of how to care for and love on these babies. She has created a gem with Small Stride Academy and I have referred many of my friends to her as well. The teachers are so loving, friendly and nurturing. Ms. Harrison has a way with children that will have you asking her for tips. LOL She is able to work with children with various personalities and that speaks volumes to her gentle spirit and loving heart. I was a nervous wreck when my baby girl started school and Ms. Harrison and Ms. Kalena were there to calm me and my husband's fears. The Co-Director Ms. Kalena is so sweet and such a joy to talk to. She never got irritated with me calling multiple times a day to check on my baby and even encouraged me to do so to see how she was adjusting. By the third day my baby was jumping out of my arms to go to school and when she did that I knew once again that I had made the best choice for my baby by sending her to Small Stride. Another plus is they are open during convenient hours for us working parents! I highly recommend you check them out, they are such a blessing to my family! read more

I went to Small astride as a kid, as well as my brothers and first cousins. Now my 2 year old daughter is attending this school and she LOVES it. They really treat your child as if they're their own. read more

I called 11/19/2015 an employee answered the phone. Here's our EXACT conversation: Her "Small Stride, can I help you" Me "Hi there! may I speak with the owner?" her "Can I help you?" me "yes.,... may I speak to the owner?" her "They're busy so can I HELP you or not?" me "When would it be ok,.... her " OK THANKS BYE" she hung up on me, I wanted to enroll my child, but wanted to speak with the owner to get an idea of who id be dealing with and who my child would be around. Instead I had to deal with a RUDE, and ignorant employee who doesn't know how to act professional. Terrible. Sorry I wouldn't want my child picking up her disgusting attitude. I'm literally making a yelp just to review this as well. To the owners, if you read this... I sincerely hope you can talk to this individual as she is a representation of your business.... and not a good one. read more

I can't speak highly enough about the genuine hearts of the teachers and staff here. I was in a bind looking for child care and Small Stride had open spots, thankfully. I actually was able to get through when I first called the daycare and spoke to Ms. Kalena who was very kind. When we went to look at the daycare they showed us around, we met the teachers and they let my daughter play and gave her a snack. My gut instinct about the daycare was good. Any problems I have had I mentioned to my daughter's teacher and they are responsive to correct it or keep an out for me. My daughter has been there for about 6 months now and loves it. She looks forward to seeing her teachers and friends. The staff is so loving and nurturing and I love that she is being influenced by them. read more

My granddaughter has been enrolled at Small Stride Academy for (4) years. I can't say enough great things about this school. This school was highly recommended by my neighbor. The teachers are very caring and nurturing. The educational component is the icing on the cake! My only desire is that the outdoor playground was much larger for the children. read more

It is Oct. 16, 2012 and today was the absolute worst of several bad experiences with the assistant director at Small Stride Academy. This morning when dropping my son off at school, Ms. Harris one of the teachers asked me if my son was going on the field trip tomorrow. I told her I didn't know because I wasn't sure if I wanted to go and I usually go with him, but Ms. Harris is so pleasant, I had a change of heart and walked into the directors office to pay the tuition and purchase a ticket for the field trip. The assistant director, Melissa was sitting at a desk with her back turned and appeared to have earphones in her ears. I said hello and she did not respond. I then knocked on the door which was open, and I asked her if she was on the phone. She snapped and said "No! I'm not on the phone" and walked to another desk. I then told her I needed to pay my son's tuition. I gave her the money and as she was writing the receipt I noticed she only had my name on it so I asked if she could add my husband's name to the receipt. She snapped again and said, " I only wrote your name because I write the name of the person who is actually giving me the money". I realized I left my purse at home so I asked if I could still buy a ticket for the field trip. She said, "Yes and that it would be $15." I let her know I would bring the money when I picked my son up from school and she said, "That's fine." When I arrived to pick my son up I stopped by the office and walked up to the door which was again wide open. Mrs. Allen the Director, Melissa the assistant director and Ms. Harris the teacher were all sitting talking. I waited for someone to acknowledge me, but no one did. It appeared that Mrs. Allen was discussing the organization of her books and trying to get an accounting for all of the schools money. I stepped out in the hall to give them time and wrote a check for the field trip. I came back to the open door and told Mrs. Allen I would like to purchase a ticket for the field trip. She told me all of the tickets were gone. I told her I just spoke with Melissa this morning and told her I would be back with the money today when I picked my son up. Melissa then yells, "It's on a first come first serve basis you should have got your ticket earlier." I said she could have told me that they had a limited amount. Melissa then yells "I didn't expect 25 people to come in and buy tickets today, but they did and you can't wait til the last minute." I said I understood that but she could have told me they had a limited amount earlier. Mrs. Allen and Ms. Harris watch and do nothing. Melissa then tells me she's "I done talking to you about this." I'm floored. I say okay, Mrs. Allen smiles and says "Thank You!" I then go to my sons classroom to get him and I tell his teacher's assistant, I have had it with Melissa's attitude as today was not the first time I've dealt with her being rude since I enrolled my son a year ago. The teacher's assistant then informed me that several parents have complained to her about Melissa and subsequently taken their children out of Small Stride Academy. I suggested they get her business etiquette training. After getting to my car I call Mrs. Allen on her cell phone and tell her I was very disappointed in what just took place. She said she wanted to talk to me about it and asked if she could call me back; I agreed. She called me back and apologized for Melissa and said the entire staff is working with her on "that", but that Melissa really is a kind, sweet person. She said she appreciated me, my husband and my son and that she has another ticket for tomorrow's field trip. By this time I'm five miles away. She asked me if I could come back to buy the ticket. I told her I appreciated her calling, but I was too far away and I could get the ticket in the morning before they leave for the trip. A little background: My husband and I have three children; 20, 11 and 3. All have attended Small Stride Academy and we have spent over $15,000 sending them there. Melissa has been working there for a little over a year and every time I see her, I say hello first. Sometimes she speaks, sometimes she doesn't. I am not sure what is wrong with her, but she clearly doesn't realize she has a job because there are people like me paying her boss to employ her. I pass 30 day-cares before getting to Small Stride Academy. If Melissa speaks to me that way in front of her boss and I'm an adult I wonder how Mrs. Allen allows her staff to treat children when parents aren't around. Other than Melissa's lack of customer service skills and Mrs. Allen watching it in action and doing nothing to stop her employee from being rude to a loyal, paying parent/customer, Small Strides seems to have a decent curriculum and good teachers and teacher's assistants. read more

I should have put a post up weeks ago however it doesn't matter how long it took just know this comment had to be here for your eyes to see first off let me say that the staff as far as the teachers have been awesome this post is no reflection on them at all they treated me and my child with love as soon as we walk in the building every day I was always comfortable with them so yayyy teachers. My issue lies with the director of the school ms Margaret Allen I feel that as a black own business you have be careful how yu choose to run it or what energy you choose to put out there also you are the face of your business so if yu do not know how to talk to people mayb you shouldn't be handling the office aspects of the business it just puts a bad taste in people's mouths all together I had a issue with the fact that there was no policy paper work that stated I had to pay 25$ extra weekly for day care action I asked her for this paper work on several occasions and nothing was presented I simply told her time and time I will not pay for anything extra without that. Finally months later we had a sit down she presents me with the paper bt you can tell it had just been typed up fresh colored ink and it didn't even match the rest of the policy she originally sent me home with and so I called it out here she goes getting loud and raising her voice as I kept a calm composure this was the 2nd time that she has behaved in such manner that I or anyone for that matter would not tolerate so after we conversed on the issue without resolution she simply told me that I could take my child and leave I felt that did not have to be said at all if you cared you would have tried to handle the situation differently from the beginning the money wasn't the problem the proof of paper work was not there not only that but there is no website for the school so that yu could read it over so I simply took my son 3 yrs old out of the school and now we are trying our best to get him in some where read more

My kids attended small stride for a few years before we relocated, and all the teachers there are great!!! I highly recommend this school to anyone. read more

This school is completely unorganized. The Director never has a clue as to what is going on. They can't keep up with payments that were made and it seems like every month they are going up on tuition. They offer field trips that they never take. Some of the teachers are very and unprofessional and there is no consistency. It appears that all the children do is watch movies all day. I also was not please with how they notify the parents when there is a disease being spread around the school. It's been a couple incidents where the children have been effected by pink eye and hand/foot/mouth disease. The school I don't believe is properly sterilized. For example, a child had pink eye and the child was still there with an infected eye and no one notified the parents to be aware what was going on so we can make sure our children is protected. This school isn't what it use to be. I'm sorry I wouldn't recommend this school at all. read more

top notch bussiness my son has excelled beyond belief. has been excepted for the cps gifted program. thank you small strides academy teachers and staff. mrs allen, your love and insight is diplayed throughout the staff. read more