I'm so disappointed to write this review, but I feel like it is my only option as Prairie School…read morehas not communicated with me in over five weeks. After touring the school, we applied to the pre-k program for early consideration (2/10/25). While communication prior to the tour and the application was quick and helpful, we started to run into problems after our application and fee were collected. To keep this as brief as possible, we reached out regarding timing of the decision on applications three times (both by email and phone call) to finally be responded to nearly five weeks past the first email. Once we received notification that we were placed on a waitlist and "...should a space in the class become available, the enrollment committee will ensure that your application receives thorough consideration..." we had a couple clarifying questions regarding the waitlist and the review process (as it is worded, it sounds as though our application was not even reviewed). We have not heard back from the school in five weeks. We have tried multiple email addresses, including the enrollment coordinator we had been communicating with, in addition to calling the school. Unfortunately, my experience with Prairie School is this: To apply, a family must dedicate time to attend a tour, complete a lengthy application, and pay a $150 non-fundable fee to ultimately not even have your application reviewed (which leads me to wonder what the fee is for, if not payment for the time/resources it takes to review a family's application). Additionally, the school does not respond to questions regarding the application process once your payment is made. As I'm writing this it sounds so wild! I would not recommend looking into this school.

We have been with Prairie for almost five years and I have never heard my kids say they didn't want…read moreto go to school. They enjoy their classmates and teachers, as do we. It has been such a lovely environment for our children to enter into learning and socialization. They get to think for themselves, explore the outside world, think about their place in our environment and be creative in so many different ways. We love Prairie!

I reached out to Tara, The Written Word, Co-founder, based in Wheaton, IL. by phone regarding my…read more6-yr-old son. Allow me to share a little nugget of information: I'm a business owner 15-years, newspaper and and media industry, and member of several executive boards. I share this to emphasize two points: I make it a practice to be balanced and objective. When doing business, I pick up the phone and call prospects as a courtesy not only out of appreciation their time and consideration, but to better understand the clients/partners needs. Now with that said, let's get down to the good part. The following are the communications between Tara and myself (sent from her iPhone) : TARA: "Hello Nicole, Thank you for contacting me. Are you interested in receiving help for your son?" ME: Hi Tara. Yes, I am seeking assistance for my son, Joseph, 6.5 yrs in the 1st grade, Joseph recently transferred from a private outdoor school, (located) in Wheaton.... The transition (to his new school) has been challenging. Joseph is extremely intelligent, altho he's a left brain thinker. His brain filters and processes information from left to right. He performs exceedingly well in math, in some aspects, but struggles with math concepts presented in traditional school. He's an unbelievable narrative and conceptual thinker. Although he struggles, which is an understatement, with numbers transposition, letter transposition, phonics and short-term memory. His long term memory goes back to the womb. What's the best time to talk or meet? -- Still no phone call -- TARA: Hello Nicole, I'm sorry to hear your son has had a rough transition. It sounds like he has a lot of strengths. Unfortunately, I am not accepting new students. I am full before and after school. ME: I'm not seeking before or after school assistance. I'm seeking during school (hours). Joseph will be homeschooled next year. -- Still no phone call -- TARA: Nicole, Are you available to meet during the day? If so, what day and time would work for you? I'll stop the email banter right about here, for now. I set an appointment with Tara. I rescheduled our initial appointment more than 72 hours in advanced due to a work conflict. Prior to our appointment, I suggested we facilitate the meeting over Facetime or Skype. I mean why drive 30 minutes to meet someone who cannot pick up the phone and call a prospective client. In reply to this request, sent from her IPHONE, she stated: TARA On Monday, December 3, 2018, 11:12:14 AM CST, Tara Chapman tara.chapman@thewrittenwordtww.com wrote: Hello Nicole, "We can talk over the phone. Neither one of those options (Facetime or Skype) work for me. Thanks, Tara Sent from my iPhone" ME: "BTW Facetime is standard with iPhone, but if you prefer to talk minus video that's fine, too." Now seeing that Tara's preference of communication is email, and a bit impersonal for me given the subject is a child, I was bewildered that she didn't jump on the Facetime/Skype-wagon. I said to myself, "young kids today just don't understand the value of interpersonal communication and its importance in business". However, when I looked up Tara's picture online before writing this review I see that she's old enough to know. In Tara's last communication, which I received less than 24 hours before our "meeting" TARA: "Hello Nicole, I heard back this evening from a family I met with last week. They decided to hire me, so I will be enrolling this new student. Unfortunately, I will not have any additional availability during the day next year. Best of luck to you as you interview other tutors. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to me." Perhaps Tara knew innately she would be out performed by other tutor candidates who show more sincerity and professionalism. She certainly did not discern from the credentials in my email that newspaper folks write and interview with our noses - or least she doesn't care.

Tara Chapman's teaching credentials, years of teaching experience and dedication to her students,…read moremake her an amazing teacher. Tara co-founded The Written Word Center for Dyslexia and Learning in Wheaton Illinois. Like Tara, the Center is warm and welcoming for all of the students she teaches, and offers an entire room full of resources for parents to learn more about dyslexia. I know Tara both personally and professionally and I am inspired by her daily commitment to helping children reach their highest potential. Speaking as a parent of a child with dyslexia and as a teacher, I feel very grateful to know Tara and to have The Written Word Center for Dyslexia and Learning in our community.

I went to grade school here the longest. I went to five overall. I attended 2nd through 7th grades…read morehere so pretty much "the" school of my youth. They took good care of my family and the other two families that had parental deaths when I attended here. The teachers were great here I learned a lot. I was scoring in the high 90th percentile sin everything on every test I took after I left here. I owe them big time for that. They challenged me. I was in town the day the church burned...I saw it all smoky and crispy. Sad, sad, sad. I had my first communion here too. My mother, two classmate's parents and my great-grandmother's funerals were here. I was an alter girl too when I was a kid. I used to run around the church after school. This is the place that put the fear of G-d in me and keeps me agnostic rather then atheist as I go through that whole "I'm an adult - know what" thing. The spiritual education I got here kept me on a fairly straight path most of my life... The new church is AMAZING, huge and endless. They tore down the rectory and the convent and now have what I think is the largest and most beautiful community faith centers I have ever seen.

We absolutely love this school. Our kids have been here for Catholic school from 3-year-old…read morepreschool (they go up through 8th grade, with two classes for each grade). We are so grateful to the incredible teachers, staff, families, and children here. They are simply the best. 5 stars without hesitation!!!

I hate this school so much. I don't want to go here next year but my parents already spent way to…read moremuch money

15 years ago we chose Montessori Education for our children. It was an investment we were…read morepassionate about. WMS offered the perfect conditions to nurture and "grow" our children. I wrote an essay years ago, Locally Grown, about our experience of the treasured early elementary years. Fast forward and our oldest is graduating High School and youngest is a freshman. As a family, we are compelled to share our honest and sincere feedback of this experience from a retrospective perspective. These thoughts have been communicated with the head of school directly however, we feel called to share publicly as to offer insight to those families considering the AP. Our children's recommendation is: "Stay through 6th and skip the AP". The Adolescent Program at WMS presents a conflicting experience for several students and families, highlighting significant concerns and areas for improvement. While the school claims to provide a holistic approach to education, it falls short in crucial areas, leaving some students unprepared for the challenges of high school. The AP  has strayed far from the original Montessori philosophy, which emphasized neutrality, respect for individuality, and a focus on grounded, thoughtful education. The current approach has deviated from those principles, favoring an agenda-driven model that seems to place the needs of its teachers above those of the students. The most striking issue is the lack of preparation in foundational subjects, especially math and writing. My oldest states she was at a disadvantage due to the insufficiency in these core areas, leading to regret and frustration as struggled to catch up in her freshman year. She expressed she was profoundly underprepared for the rigor of her high school, acknowledging the gap could have been much wider had we not chosen to leave the AP before the completion of the 9th year. The social environment at WMS also presents challenges. We observed evident favoritism towards certain students, creating an atmosphere of exclusion and uneven attention. Additionally, teachers engage in questionable behaviors, including texting students and discussing other students in a negative light both in front of students and sometimes parents. A total lack of integrity. The teacher-student dynamic often feels less like a mentorship and more like a friendship-seeking relationship which undermines the authority and maturity required in an educational setting. For example, encouraging students to experiment with nail polish, twerking, and other frivolities rather than teaching math and writing. Some teachers seem more interested in fulfilling their own emotional needs through vulnerable adolescents than providing the guidance, wisdom, and leadership that students require. The program's attempt at inclusivity and open-mindedness is overshadowed by a lack of neutrality. Teachers actively promote personal social beliefs, leaving little room for objective discussion or diverse perspectives. The curriculum, too,  leans heavily into certain ideologies, and teachings, creating an atmosphere of comparison, while neglecting broader educational goals. As parents, we were told by staff "The adolescent brain is broken " and they will struggle with decision making and managing emotions. Indeed, the adolescent brain's developmental limitations are not adequately considered in decision-making. The emphasis on identity exploration, and identity-dependent worthiness, adds to the confusion and emotional turmoil during a period when students should be focusing on personal growth and academic development.  Our observation has been that the adolescent program has strayed from"following the child" to "following the cause".  A distinct contrast to the original Montessori philosophy, which emphasized neutrality, respect for individuality, and a focus on grounded, thoughtful education. The current approach appears to favor an agenda-driven model that often places the needs of the school and its teachers above those of the students. In conclusion, while the WMS Adolescent  Program may appeal to some families for its progressive approach, it is our determination it falls short in preparing students for future academic success and personal development. A return to the original Montessori mission--focusing on respect, objective learning, and appropriate developmental guidance--could better serve the needs of these adolescents during one of the most critical stages of their growth. Investing in a Montessori education was a good parenting decision but pulling them from the Adolescent Program was our greatest decision.

Our son has been at WMS since January 2023, and we couldn't be happier with the quality of…read moreeducation he is receiving. He attended preschool and Kindergarten (primary ages), and Montessori learning has been wonderful for his development. Thank you particularly to Mrs. Berdick for her help in bringing our boy out of his shell even more and helping him excel academically but also in his independence. We plan to have him enrolled through 9th grade, and we can't wait to be long-term members of this great community.

1. Refuses to accommodate/assist a homebound child with Drivers Education since 2024 to date…read more Grievance forms were denied by Superintendent. Would like to know if others with IEP's &/or on homebound &/or disabled are able to obtain assistance & accommodations from this school district or if this student/family are being singled out. Student qualified for Driver's Ed in 2024 relating to credits. 2. Refused to provide a live teacher for online class curriculum through Edgenuity when inquired about only to change the online class curriculum to Subject.com the following year which has NO ability for a live online teacher. 3. These are some instances but not all inclusive. The drivers educations accommodation assistance aspect is contributing negatively to child's online class performance. 4. These aspects appear to violate the Mission & Vision of Community Unit School District 200: "Mission In CUSD 200, our mission is to inspire, educate, challenge, and support all students to reach their highest level of learning and personal development." "Vision We are an exemplary, student-focused school district that is highly regarded for the competence and character of our students and the excellence of our people, programs and learning environment." 5. Executive Director for Special Education has not been assistive in any accommodations either even with ISBE providing family with information for them. 6. "The district follows state and federal requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), ensuring each eligible student receives an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that outlines supplemental services, accommodations, modifications, and supports" This appears NOT to be occurring when child has been on homebound for years which in itself, constitutes a disability. 7. Student was getting "A" grades basically before enrolling in Community Unit School District 200. Since enrolled, grades have diminished to a Sophomore level due to Driver's Ed. 8. Nothing is meant to be accusatory, false, misconstrued, misinformation, misleading, et. al.

This district is fantastic. They truly care about the kids and parents's concerns. They challenge…read morethe kids while keeping them encouraged about learning.

I thought airplane food was bad until I dined in the so called "fine" Edison Cafeteria. Now I would…read moretake airplane food any day over the Edison cheese pizza, or anything else in that thing they dare call a cafeteria. I would not recommend unless you would love to have a life threatening case of salmonella.

This has helped my child immensely with physics. The tutor has a great demeanor. Patient,…read moreunderstanding, has instilled confidence, works with the existing curriculum and style of her teacher to make the process seamless, and makes sure the student has clear understanding of the work. Highly recommend.

Our senior daughter was struggling in math at Naperville North HS because her teacher was not…read moreteaching. She played on her computer while having the students sit in study groups watching YouTube videos. We had no choice but to look into tutoring. Club Z delivered! They're awesome! Our daughter loves her tutor Brian and says he's very easy and fun to work with. She's now getting a B in her class and it's all due to Brian and Club Z. She's a much happier person because of this. When my wife had her Zoom Parent/Teacher conference, her math teacher was so excited to tell her how much improvement our daughter had made. Then her face dropped when she was told it's because of tutoring. Love it!! I sincerely believe Club Z has much more to do with Naperville's reputation for great schools than District 203. Club Z delivered what NNHS wouldn't. Well worth it. I highly recommend Club Z!

***Please read the reviews under Compass Warrenville***…read more There's mention of physical abuse from another Asian parent! It's also mentioned on Google Reviews. The managers and staff failed to arrange a meeting with me and my husband to discuss their concerns about my son. They resorted to expelling him after finding out that Early Childhood in our district DID NOT find any concerns where therapy services were warranted. The Gardner School NEVER met with us once prior to the expulsion. The ONLY meeting I had was to expel my son. On top of that, one of the managers emailed another parent about my son carelessly. That same manager told me they can expel my son without taking the appropriate steps or following P.A. 100-0105 because they are a private school. That's not true! P.A. 100-0105 prohibits early care and education (ECE) providers including licensed institution and that includes The Gardner School. The Gardner School of Warrenville DID NOT take the appropriate steps, such as parent communication, documentation, implementing strategies in the classroom/changing their own approach. And then especially in an appropriate timeframe as well as working towards an appropriate transition. The District Manager and corporate privately agreed that the staff at The Gardner School of Warrenville "shouldn't have dropped the ball" with handling my son, made a mistake on how they handled the situation, but failed to apologize or fix the situation. I never received any documentation on my son. When people asked why my son was expelled, I tell them I DON'T KNOW and that's the truth because I never received a progress report or incident report. I didn't even get a dismissal letter. Initially, I wanted to handle this matter privately, but since the staff continued to ignore my request for a resolution by refunding my tuition for failing me and my son, they are worsening the situation by resorting to lying and covering up their mistakes. It takes a bigger person to admit their mistakes and a coward to hide and lie. I question the work ethics and morality of the staff at Warrenville. My son is biracial and is being blamed for the behaviors of two older white boys. Every afternoon, at pickup, his teachers would tell us, my son had a good day. When my husband observed my son "roughhousing" with two older white boys, his teacher said the two older white boys didn't start behaving wildly until my son attended the classroom. What kind of teacher blames a 4 year-old? There are persistent disparities in rates of exclusion related to race, ethnicity, gender, and disability status and this is sadly being practiced by The Gardner School which has been marketing themselves as a premier preschool that employs teachers with Bachelor's Degree specializing in Early Childhood or Child Development. I am not upset that my son was expelled. I am upset with how The Gardner School handled it and now they're trying to cover it up.

My grandchildren attend the Gardner School. I couldn't be more thrilled to see what they are…read morelearning and whenever I visit they are engaged in activities that they love. It is what all preschools and daycares should look like. I especially love receiving their daily pictures, activity subjects, books their being read. The teachers are all awesome.

Excellent school! Top notch teachers who are passionate about teaching. Many caring administrators…read moreand teachers here.

My fifth high school...Was here a year. More drugs here then in my Chicago high schools that is for…read moresure... It is in a good school system and boosts an interesting and diverse socio-economic pool. Rich Wheaton kids, middle income Wheaton kids, poor Wheaton kids, poor kids off the "bad" side of Carol Stream...A good place though if you know what your kid is up too...and trust me money and a nice house doesn't buy good behavior. Excellent sports program though and very good college prep overall.