This administration who run this school is horrible. There is little to no communication from…read morethem. I toured the facility. It is a VERY short tour there is not much to the building. I then and asked the "teacher" what the daily routine looks like. She didn't really have an answer. The first 3 hours the student gets to choose a subject, then lunch, and then the next 3 hours the student gets to choose another subject. Oh yeah, and they offer before and after school care. The playground (empty open field) is pretty good size. But there is nothing to do outside. My child attended this school against my wishes (mother made unilateral decision for our child's' education). I tried to get some info from the school regarding my sons' education. They literally provided nothing. The teacher actually told me, "we don't do that." I would like to believe that there are good Montessori schools out there. Montessori Habitat in Champaign, IL, however, is not one of them. Please treat your children right and keep them away from this horrible facility. Sincerely, Disappointed Dad

From the owner: The teachers at Montessori Habitat will guide and nurture your child's love of learning through…read morepurposeful, joyful, and often collaborative activities. Our school is located on two peaceful acres with butterfly gardens, vegetable gardens, and a berry patch. We serve children from age three through 8th grade.

Jane will smile & put on the act to get you in the door. What she says about you behind your back…read moreis what you need to watch out for. Some of the parents, like me, have text circles with some of her staff and knows what is said. Jane doesn't want special needs children at First School & that's quite apparent. She has her favorite employees & those she treats badly. My advice to any parents that have children who go here is to ask other parents about their experiences. Those who state that they have had little to no bad experiences are the parents who are afraid to speak up or get treated preferred treatment by the staff that Jane favors.

As a disability advocate I have spoken to the director/owner multiple times about a 3 year old…read moredisabled child. The lack of knowledge and common sense in caring for children with special needs is alarming. From lack of respect for the parent who received almost daily phone calls or texts regarding their ability to care for the child to then change their attitude when Dad picked child up to openly admitting they barricaded ( surrounded student on all sides) the child at nap time is what this family experienced. The receptionist and owner yelled at parent and myself for asking questions when once again notified the teacher doesn't want the disabled student in her room. The owner stated she didn't want to lose staff so the child has to go. This 3 year old was not a behavior problem , however is non verbal and needed extra assistance in some areas. I do not recommend this daycare at all for disabled children and question their honesty and ability to operate a safe and respectful facility.

My son has been going to AppleTree Academy since he was 18 months old and he's now four. We…read morenavigated through the pandemic with them smoothly and the administration did a great job of communicating new changes and policies. If you are looking for a part or full-time program that has a daily schedule, serves nutritious snacks and meals, with education and social activities, then look no further. We have always been comfortable leaving him at the facility. No organization is perfect when it comes to your child. A parent can and will always find flaws in their personal experience. I have found that even if concerns arose that the administration and teachers handled it swiftly and professionally.

Both my children went to Appletree Academy as infants into the time of being toddlers. I have…read morereally high standards when it comes to childcare and Appletree did not disappoint! They were organized, very responsive, nurturing, attentive and my kids had a blast there! They still ask to go back when we drive by. I will definitely be sending my next little one here in the future and I highly recommend it! Hannah, Florah and Carrie are all wonderful, personable and organized!!

I cant say enough good things about this place. We have a foster child there and they treat him…read morelike gold. He loves going there and the progress he has made in the 7 months that he has been there is outstanding

My daughter has been at this school since she was only a few weeks old, and she is getting ready to…read morestart kindergarten in the fall. I have seen directors come and go, I think 8 or 9? some better than others. I have seen caring teachers and I have seen people who I questioned how they were allowed to work with children. Mostly I have seen an issues with high turnover and high un communicated fees. Not only was I charged a $270 "kindergartner prep fee" but also a separate $255 summer camp fee. My child has been here SIX YEARS, every other year the camp fee was about $70. I would highly recommend you find ANYWHERE else to take your child. They the company view your family as a number and could care less to help you which in turn runs off all of their good and caring staff. I would recommend finding something local and not part of a big chain that can't even live up to its own standards.

I was a newly divorced mom when my 3 month old started at Little Hearts and Hands. My daughter…read morewould not take a bottle and I had tried everything I could think of. So I asked Terri and Macey and the wonderful girls in the Giraffe room for ideas and help. They all were so helpful everyday, Terri order every bottle she could think of to help my daughter. Macey helped with every feeding and Terri kept me updated daily letting me know how my daughter was doing. Finally, with all their help she took a bottle. I don't know how to thank them for all their loving and support.

I am writing to formally address a series of deeply troubling incidents that occurred at Little…read moreHearts and Hands, which have left me profoundly concerned about the safety of the children in your care and the professionalism of your staff, particularly the owner, Terri.I have generally had a positive experience with your facility, but recent events have been alarming. My daughter sustained a significant injury when a large, wooden fridge fell on her face in the gym, resulting in severe facial bruising and a likely concussion, as her head was forcefully slammed into the wooden floor. As a concerned parent, I sought to address this matter to ensure the safety of my child and others. However, when I raised these concerns with the manager, they were dismissed without adequate attention. I then contacted Terri, requesting access to video footage of the incident, only to be informed that the footage was "no longer available." Furthermore, the hazardous toy remained in the gym until I insisted it posed a risk to other children.Following this incident, the relationship with your staff felt strained, seemingly because I was assertive in prioritizing my child's safety. More recently, my other child was bitten twice by another child, with the second bite being significantly more severe. When I addressed this with the manager, expressing concerns about the potential for lifelong scarring, transmission of bloodborne pathogens, and psychological trauma, I was met with a dismissive response: "Well, it happens." The manager became defensive, failing to address the gravity of the situation.When I requested to speak with the director, Terri, I was told she would contact me. Instead, she confronted me in a public hallway at the daycare, in the presence of other parents, children, and my own children. During this encounter, Terri raised her voice, made baseless accusations about my character and personal life, including references to my divorce, and attempted to publicly humiliate me. Her aggressive behavior, including shouting defamatory remarks, was not only unprofessional but deeply distressing, especially as it occurred in front of my children. When attempting to disengage from the situation she followed me down the hall continuing to harass me in front of my children. I told her to stop speaking about the matter in front of my children and she yelled down the hall baseless & defaming accusations. Little Hearts and Hands claims to operate as a Christian-based organization, which makes this experience all the more shocking. As a parent and paying customer, I am appalled by this treatment and gravely concerned about the safety and well-being of the children in your care. If this is how a director addresses a concerned parent, I am left to question what may be happening behind closed doors. Consequently, I have withdrawn my children from your facility and will not be utilizing your services in the future.I strongly urge a thorough investigation into these matters, including the safety protocols at your facility, the handling of incident reports, and the conduct of your staff, particularly the owner. The dismissive attitude toward serious injuries, the lack of transparency regarding video footage, and the unprofessional behavior exhibited by leadership raise significant concerns about the integrity of your operations.

Amazing care . Family care with family the main focus . Learning in steps to prepare for education…read morein life with manners and good relationships with others.

From the owner: Care for Infants to 10 yrs old…read more Additional service care: Baby sitting Weekend CARE Night CARE