Northside really is an exceptional place. I was a part of the first class to complete four years in…read morethe high school, and I can say, without a doubt, that Northside had the kind of impact on me that I don't think I could have had elsewhere. The staff at this school is remarkable not only because of their depth of knowledge on various subject, but because of the fresh approach that they take to education and the compassion that they show their students. It was my experience that the teachers at Northside didn't punch out as soon as the bell rang (or the music played). As for the overall environment, this school has always been extremely progressive in it's approach to the arts and it's dedication to pursuing them. The open mics used to be something of legendary quality for Chicago high school students, and that tradition has been carried on by the annual arts festival the school presents. I found myself completely prepared for college, but more importantly, completely prepared to go after the things in life I wanted to explore personally and artistically. Northside always treated me more like a human than a statistic, which is rare in the CPS. If I ever made the mistake of procreating, I'd be sending my kid here.

Northside College Prep is an excellent and rather unusual high school. It's a Chicago public…read moreschool, with selective enrollment. Students must apply, have a great academic record, and score very well on an entrance exam in order to be accepted. All academic classes are taught at the honors or AP level, which provides the challenge needed by motivated students. My daughter is a freshman here, and so far I've been very impressed with the curriculum, faculty, and teaching methods. The schedule resembles that of a university: each academic class meets twice a week. Every Wednesday is dedicated to an alternative learning program called "Colloquium" which gives students an opportunity to sample a variety of subjects. The administration is well organized and supportive of the staff. In addition, there are very strong parent organizations that contribute to the life and health of the school community. If you know of an academically gifted grade school student, I would highly recommend that you consider NCP when evaluating high schools.

Great school, awesome curriculum , brilliant kids .... so happy to be a part of this school. Can't…read morewait to get more involved in the parent community

Worst open house I have been to. The principal spent 35+ minutes talking about HER, her…read moreaccomplishments, HER family, her goals, her role as a parent...after going on more than 30 min only talking about HER, a lot of parents began to leave. I have been to other selective enrollment open houses and the principals at every other school got down to business and discussed what we were all there to learn, what programs the school offers, even presented current students to give their point of view of what they enjoyed about the school... However, here, the principal was more interested in flashing her Christian Louboutin heels than talking about why Payton is better than the other SSE HS...

My son is graduating this year from St. Stan's. We just love the school, faculty, the programs they…read morehave, etc. it feels like being a big family.I love the fact that the students go to mass every Sunday. The o Lu thin I would love to see is more confession days for students. May be once a month. Thank you so much to the principal, teachers, and staff that work very hard for our students. Thank you Father Anthony for inspiring students and for all you do for them. Recommended 100%

i walked in this church and you can feel the toxic in there....They have security day and night…read more there's a black short man with glasses i was in there praying and the security bangs on the bench thinking i was sleeping i guess kind of threw me off and made me upset a bit not only that he threatened me as well i guess he got upset that i checked him umm idk that's not apropriate behavior for a security guard....definitely not church welcoming i hope you guys do shut down just like there school did.

My boys attend school at Oscar Mayer. We pulled them from a private school and have found Oscar…read moreMayer public school to be superior. It is its own community. The parents are VERY friendly and the teachers all want to be there. I have never seen such an organized staff and so many wonderful volunteers. They have THE BEST after school program called "club bull dog". The children are able to pick what activities they want to be in such as Karate, Yoga, Lego, dance, shutter bug-picture taking, cooking, basketball, mad scientists, chess, and the list goes on!!! Each quarter the activities switch And my boys get so excited. Growing up I remember my mom having to drive my brother and I all around town for activities after school and at Oscar mayer they have everything on site!

This school is not Montessori -- that gets oversold on the tour. They may have Montessori works in…read morethe classroom, but Montessori principles are not followed throughout. There is external praise in the classrooms. They use shame tactics to get kids to do what they want them to do, manipulating their emotions. Some classrooms put the names of students on the board when they do something they should not do. The teachers do not seem to be able to help students resolve conflict using Montessori principles. The PE class has spent the entire period watching TV. The after school program bribes kids to finish worksheet packets with candy. This is a traditional school, not a Montessori school.

I went to Whitney Young and it was fun. I learned a lot. Best teachers, by far Mrs…read more Brusek-Kaczmarek (English & Polish Club), Mr. Pasowicz (Psych), Mr. Jay Rehak (English & Writers Club), Mrs. K. Rehak (Chemistry-- not related to the English teacher), and finally Mr. Bruner (Art class & Art Club), who is no longer there, but who has changed my life forever. I think we all have a teacher that really touched us. Who knew that from freshman art, I'd be going to art school instead of journalism school like I first imagined for college. It was all because of Mr. Bruner. He got me my first job working for the city painting a mural, and I've been doing art ever since. So even though I am more in the fashion thing right now, hats are very artistic and sculptural. This is not your typical high school. Academics are very valued here. There are no cliches, at least there really weren't when I went there. I got along with everyone. I was really into art and writing, so I did that, and I had outlets for that through the after-school clubs. The minus was that the kids here were way too focused on learning and partying was sometimes out of the question with some people. Luckily, I had a group of friends from grade school that I let loose with. When you're doing Honors and AP classes, you need to balance that with a healthy dose of partying.

I attended this school from 6th to 12th grade. The majority of the time I experienced daily…read moreinappropriate remarks from some very ghetto kids from 2001 to 2007. The sexual vulgarity that came out of their mouths was so frequent I started walking from one class to another with headphones. Then I was told by security I was not allowed to wear headphones. At the time, we only had 2 security guards who regularly circulated. One was almost bed ridden due to physical ailments and had to roll around in an a special chair. The other was hearing impaired so he couldn't hear any of the sexual obscenities the boys were shouting. I would not recommend this school for that reason.

Language program is great to get exposure to a different language and cultures, however, my…read morechildren did not become proficient, despite studying the language five days a week for many years.

I've been a LaSalle parent for 6+ years and it has been a wonderful experience. My kids are…read moresupported and engaged academically. The teachers, counselor, and admin truly care about the well-being of our students. The language teachers are all native speakers who are dedicated to their students learning a new language as well as world culture. I'm a former CPS primary school teacher and I can say, LaSalle is as good as it gets.

Lakefront Academy and the teaching staff have been absolutely phenomenal. We are so appreciative to…read morehave been part of this community. As a former educator, I am deeply thankful for the amazing support they provided for my son over his two years at the daycare. During this time, he was able to develop strong literacy and math skills along with the socio-emotional growth that built his confidence and led to his acceptance into a Gifted Center for Kindergarten. I have tremendous respect for this team and cannot recommend them highly enough. I would be happy to speak with anyone who has questions about our experience.

Lakefront Children's Academy is highly qualified child care and education establishment in Chicago,…read moreand probably the best thing that my family have received from living in Chicago. I would simply say the best investment you can do in your life is investment in your kids, LCA is fully worth it !!!! Kids are really missed their friends and teachers and the extensive curriculum when we moved out of Chicago, and now we are looking for at least something similar to LCA in our current place... and nothing compares to it. Thank you LCA, and kisses and hugs from our kids! We miss you...

Update: April 20, 2015 My children are now 7 and 3-1/2 years…read moreold and I and they love the school as much as ever. Currently, the school announced that they do plan on expanding the school. Update: August 16, 2014 My 6 yr old daughter & 2-1/2 yr old son attend. The school and parent community is still incredible and my only wish is that they expand their elementary program to middle school. Original review: It may not seem like much from the outside, but this school is a hidden gem. I honestly believe that there is no better learning or childcare environment than Gateway Montessori School. My daughter is 3 years old and has been attending Gateway since she was about 10 months old (Infant Program). When my wife and I were interviewing daycares, nannys, etc. for our daughter, we asked ourselves 3 important questions: 1. Can you we trust the Institution and Providers? 2. Will our child be Loved & Respected? 3. Will our child be learning and developing to her full potential? Can you we trust the Institution and Providers... ? Both my wife and I have complete trust in the school's Directress, Shelley Torres (and teachers). Once you meet her, you will understand. She teaches the 1-3 year old class and has the composure and patience that few have (and that is necessary for this age group). She has a long history as a Montessori teacher (AMI) and upholds to the standards that make a true Montessori school a great education. Gateway is a small school with small classes so you know all the teachers and assistants. The school hosts teacher presentations (as well as guest-lectures) and classroom observations. These are great opportunities for parents to see how teachers work with children, understand the classroom environment & materials, and talk with teachers. We leave our daughter at Gateway everyday knowing that she is in the best care outside of family. Will our child be Loved & Respected...? I see everyday not only how loving and respectful the teachers are to the children, but how my loving and respectful my daughter is to others. The teachers exemplify the qualities that I value in a caring & quality school. Among other things, they help the children become independent, guide them with reasoning (rather than control), support them emotionally, and encourage them to support their classmates with love and respect. I think my daughter has developed a true sense of empathy and understanding through working in the classrooms. Will our child be learning and developing to her full potential...? Number One, I want my daughter to be Happy (and she is). Number two, I want my daughter to Learn (and she does). Not only do the children build on their knowledge, but they learn about independence and practical life. They are drinking from cups in the infant class, baking bread in the 1-3 yr classroom, and learning about the trinomial equation in the 3-6 yr classroom. My (limited) experience with Montessori... My wife and I had never heard of Montessori education prior to attending a Gateway lecture. After meeting the director, learning more about Montessori, and seeing the school we were completely sold. Whether you are already familiar with Montessori education or not, you should see Gateway. As my wife and I have learned, this is no ordinary school.

My son just started his third year at Gateway Montessori and both he and I couldn't be happier…read moreabout it. This hidden gem of a school has enriched my child's life immensely and witnessing how he has been progressing with hands-on math, science, geography and culture as well as reading and writing has been brilliant. Did you know the second smallest country in North America is Belize? I didn't until my four year old informed me of it and then pointed on a map to where it was located. Shelly, the headmistress, is wonderful and has a way with children that is astoundingly calm, nurturing and loving. All of the teachers have been incredible as well, so much so, that during summer break my son woke up one morning and out of nowhere asked if he could write his teacher a letter. The letter was "Dear Tracy, I love you." The TL;DR of this review would be the same but changed to "Dear Gateway, I love you."