What a special place, a true gem in the community. Orrington is an exemplary school, and that goes…read morebeyond the scores. The teachers are so welcoming and inclusive, it is a very special pillar in our community. So thankful that we get to go here.

This is what my son says: You need to meet Mr. B. He is so nice. You need to meet Mr. Schamber…read moreand Mr. Blum. and Ms. Waller! These are the only three teachers my sone has had.

I enrolled my son in the Toddler 2 community when he was 19 months old. Prior to enrollment, my son…read morehas been in Early Intervention since he was 7 months old, working with both an Occupation and Speech Therapist. He was speech delayed and developing areas of concern within his development, along with his emotions surfacing = very tough time! Transitioning from his sitter 5 days to Montessori setting 5 days was certainly an adjustment for him. It took my son a few weeks to stop crying at drop off, and months to get acclimated to the routine, work periods and the environment, and even then, still working through normal toddler behavior ie. biting, hitting pushing. As a single mom, with an only child, it was important to me that my child become independent, resilient and was within a supportive environment where his development can continue to progress regardless of the phases he is experiencing. By far, this was the BEST DECISION I have ever made. The Lead Guides and Leadership team work super hard to invest in training to ensure the classrooms are lead professionally with love. It genuinely warms my heart to know that my son has developed close relationships with his teachers and has learned to really care and love his classmates. My son was diagnosed to be on the Autistic Spectrum right around 2yo, which increased my concerns for him to develop emotional connections. I deeply know that if my son was not supported in the way he was at Guidepost, he would not have developed his emotional muscles as strongly, and build true personal connections like he has. I believe in Montessori philosophies and approach, and with the school's help and practicing this approach at home, has made me believe that my son will have equal opportunity in the world and positively make a contribution, (ok ok I know he's only two :). ) All this to say, if you're looking for an extension of your own home, where structure, community, kindness, genuine care and development opportunity is present, this is THEE PLACE. The experience is truly invaluable, no amount of money can actually repay the hard work these teachers put in every single day. Genuinely, you cannot put a price on, peace of mind, circle of community, support and programming. You will not be disappointed. Shout out to Carolyn, Sam, Taylor, Ms. Jenny, Ms. Carmen, Ms. Mariela, and Ms, Dono (many others who's names I can't spell I am so sorry). Chauncey and I will always have a special place in our hearts for you all.

We have been so happy here! The whole team from Sam down feels deeply invested in giving our child…read morethe best possible experience she can have, and the moment you walk in you can feel what a happy, thriving community they've built. They go above and beyond to keep the children engaged, happy, comfortable, and active - proactively identifying any concerns and raising them to parents to ensure their little ones live their best lives and get all their needs met. The facility is attractive, clean, well run, and always filled with laughter. And our child is absolutely thriving. We could not recommend it more!

Love this establishment, community gem, been coming here since I was a child , now my children come…read morehere , very knowledgeable staff , I love this place

My 2 year old son went to Childrens Learning Center in Bellwood, IL from February to September of…read morethis year. My son's Father and I had a very stressful experience with this place to say the least. It's fair to say that some of the staff are uneducated, and have no experience in child development. I want to say a couple of weeks after my son started attending they were complaining about him throwing tantrums. 3 staff members in particular Ms Sue, Ms Sharon, and Ms Tomika. Ms Sue is over the 2 year old class along with Ms Tomika. Every other day Ms Sharon would greet me sitting at the front door with the question of how do you discipline him because his tantrums are going to get worse if you don't nip this in the bud. My son never did anything out of the normal two year old behavior. I told her we discipline him at home, and he's fine at home. Ms Sue would tell me he's the worst in the class on multiple occasions. I was subjected to go on field trips with them because "they couldn't handle him". The first field trip I went on was to a museum for older kids in Elmhurst. There were no other chaperone's on this trip. They told us to bring car seats or booster seats to put on the bus which to me wasn't safe for 2 yr olds as they did not have enough chaperones to begin with. The second field trip my sister attended as they went to a water park. She informed me they had some high school students help chaperone because there were no other parents. Ms Sharon proceeds to ask my sister "Do you know how to handle him" while Ms Tomika then asks how is his potty training going. Ms Tomika would ask me this every time she sees me reason being so they could move him to the 3 year old class room. Ms Sue always seemed like she was overwhelmed and couldn't handle him. It got to the point to where she would call me at work every time he threw a tantrum. My son came home with deep wound scratches under his right eye on TWO separate occasions and neither time not one staff member knew how he got it and would say things like oh he came here with that. The second time Ms Sharon had an attitude stating we can't see everything these kids do and your son plays wild! They had a talent show that according to the note ms sue sent home said my son couldn't participate and if he throws another tantrum she will call us to pick him up. Once I received that note I asked her what was her experience in child development and she couldn't answer she just stood there, then the director ms smith interrupted and said she's not picking on him she just can't control him. Fast forward to a few weeks later we decide to have our son evaluated for behavioral therapy. We had the therapists go up to the daycare and Ms Sharon had a distasteful attitude towards all 3 therapists that were there. Even the therapist themselves recommend we find a better learning environment for him. Immediately following the next day while I was putting my son stuff away Ms Sharon, Ms Sue, and Ms Tomika came to the back. Ms Sharon was more like the spokesperson for these two since Ms Sue could never effectively communicate with me. Ms Sharon states we need to have a meeting and I agreed. Fast Forward to the meeting Ms Sharon tried to defend her actions in which she did apologize for the way she acted towards the therapist. As the meeting progressed, they kept mentioning the same thing that they have been saying for months now we can't control his tantrums. Ms Tomika stated my son listens to her but doesn't listen to Ms Sue, but I guess that was interfering with her break since they also complained he never took naps. Ms Sharon then proceeds to say we have people paying their money for kids to learn as if his father and I wasn't giving them $200 a week in which I'm sure we payed more than some. Once I said that she came back with "well we don't know what to do with him" . So in conclusion I never took him back to that daycare after that meeting because clearly they are not trained to deal with toddlers of all kinds. I've never dealt with such poor bottom of the barrel childcare services in my life. I filed a complaint and hope they tighten up on their discipline and guideline procedures and get some educated staff who have the childrens best interest at heart. My son knows his abc's, how to count, recognize shapes, objects, colors, and sing nursery rhymes, but yet when I asked them does he talk there, they kept saying no and Ms Tomika stated he doesn't know his colors which was a lie. They continuously sent home bad letters of all he did even after I requested them to write down the good things he did as well. I truly believe they gave up on my son and counted him out, and I wish I would've interviewed them before we enrolled him because the money we spent there was not worth it. I can't speak on any experience with the other staff members or classrooms as my child was mainly with the three mentioned since they were the main ones complaining about him.

We aren't regular members here anymore now that they are in Winnetka since it's not as convenient…read morefor my kids, but occasionally I call for tutoring when my kids need extra help on a concept or want to review before a test. My 2 older kids had tests this week and asked me to book sessions with the House so i called and they were able to set my daughter up with Silas and my son up with Emmy at the exact times I wanted. That alone is a win! We've used many of their tutors (Kyle and Young to name a few) at this point and they've said great things about all of them. Silas and Emmy were no exception and helped them review for their math tests. I also received notes from each of them a few days later recapping how the session went, which is super helpful for a parent. When my kids attend New Trier at the Winnetka campus I could see us resuming our membership, but in the meantime it's a great option for sporadic tutoring.

This place is such a great concept for kids. It gives them the freedom they need to get their…read morehomework done and ask for help, have a safe place to hang out with friends, awesome tutors, and best of all my son looks forward to being there.

I can't say enough good things about working with Ian at Hello College. My son has always struggled…read morewith math and was really nervous before the meeting. Ian's warmth and kindness immediately put him at ease. It was such a relief to see my shy kid relax and actually start to feel confident. Ian clearly knows the material, but what stood out even more was the way he connected with my son and explained things in a way that finally made sense. As a parent, I felt truly heard. Ian understood that this wasn't just about math -- it was about my child's confidence and self-esteem. He was honest, caring, and clear in his communication, which made me feel hopeful and reassured that we have a real path forward. I'm so grateful for the experience. What could have been stressful turned into something positive and encouraging, and that's because of Ian. I would wholeheartedly recommend Hello College, especially Ian, to any family looking for not just academic support, but someone who genuinely cares about kids.

Hello College is a great opportunity to help you or your child with ACT and SAT prep and ask any…read morequestions about the college planning process. They offer many services, not just test prep. Jeannine is very helpful and even called me on a Saturday (her day off) and scheduled an ACT prep test for my son. They are experts in college planning and so easy to work with. I recommend them and I am sure I will be using them again in the near future.

I worked at WMS two years ago for 5 years total and within that time learned and loved the…read moreMontessori Method applied here. From the wee seedlings to the elementary kids, I watched how these children flourished beyond anything else I've ever experienced during all my hours of student teaching at various schools. First off all, the organization behind every aspect of the school comes from the extensive training and education that the school founders have along with their decades of experience. Yes, decades. Everything offered at WMS is all very carefully considered and all the material there is hand-picked by their wonderful teachers and moderated by the head directress. By hand-picked, I mean hundreds of material is considered before being chosen. The material selected all depended on the season, subject, and mastery of each child in mind. This is no easy task. Secondly, the work is all relative. What your child is doing in the infant and toddlers program (from pouring to sorting) will lay a strong foundation for what they will be doing years later in the preschool and elementary program. I cannot stress enough how many times my jaw dropped when I realized how all of the works are so connected. All of the works encourage independence early on so they can master specific work later on. It all comes full circle. Third, the socialization that happens within the walls of the school is inspired by the work itself because the way the work is designed teaches children patience, compassion and empathy. A lot of the work here teaches children how to contribute to their homes and communities in a positive way. It also helps children find their confidence because they realize they can do so many every day things themselves that it sets them up for success academically - from tying their shoes to doing dishes the practical life work is such an essential part of their learning. The teachers have so much patience and love towards their students. It's really beautiful to observe. They develop connections with each individual child and because of the nature of the Montessori applied here, they have the ability to do that as opposed to teaching every child in the same exact way like most traditional schools. While working there it was pretty common for the children to be far more advanced than their friends and family who were in regular public and private schooling. Because of the method, they had the ability to cognitively identify and grasp things much easier in a safe and encouraging environment - all at their own pace. I look back on my time working here with a lot of fondness. As teachers, we took a lot of pride in the work we put into our kids. We provided them with quality education, but above all else a lot of encouragement to explore and play - all important parts of this method. We let our children lead and that is what makes this place so special. They all eventually became leaders in their own right. If you have any questions, reach out and book a tour! They're always really informative and it's a real peace of mind seeing the beautiful space your children will grow in before enrolling them there.

My review will be slightly different from the rest of the reviewers…read more Most of the reviews are from the perspective of parents who have or had children attend here. I will give you the perspective from a former alumni that graduated from here over 2 decades ago. While many of the teachers have come and gone, the leadership has remained steady with the founders since '93. I went to Wonder Montessori in the mid 90s, a few years after they opened, and I can honestly say it was the one of the most important educational experiences of my life. Of course, I did not realize it then, but reflecting back I can clearly point to my experience here to clearly shape the person I am today. Every detail was examined, and every individual considered. I am sure Wonder Montessori's mastery of the montessori method has improved in the years since. I can remember learning to use the computer here, learning about planets and plants and science in general. Singing songs in multiple languages. Even mundane life skills like washing the dishes, oh and of course - I learned to tie my shoes here. Even more importantly social skills on how to properly interact with your peers was developed, and if someone has been wronged we were guided to resolutions, often with apologies to the wronged party. Conflict mediation is an underrated skill. Parents, it is easy to forget how profoundly influential these formative years are for a child. In terms of social development and satisfying their intellectual and creative endeavors - positive and enriching experiences in these areas now will only compound in the years to come. Your children will be more confident, more independent, and more intellectually curious. Characteristics that will hopefully stay with them for the rest of their lives As for myself, what happened to me? While everyone's path in life is different, many years after here I attended an engineering college and studied electrical engineering, achieved moderate success as an entrepreneur and in my other professional endeavors. My final vote of confidence? I will be sending my kids here when they are ready.

Never thought I will rate this a 5!! This is solely for Becca who helped me through the crazy…read moreselective enrollment process and sent me a couple of emails to check if I got the application process right. Government organizations will overcome the stigma for being lazy and rude if they have more Beccas on board!! Now, hope my kids do well in the testing!!!