Lovely, secular, diverse, NAEYC-accredited, developmentally appropriate, play-based nursery school…read morethat welcomes and honors all families! And was able to safely care for my little peanut-allergic son, and quite a few other children with food allergies. And provided lots of music, movement, arts & crafts, and vigorous outdoor play time in all seasons. There is a volunteer Board of Directors as well as other opportunities for parents to get involved. My two children are both older now and have moved on but look back very fondly on their Pilgrim days and have maintained friendships with their Pilgrim classmates and the staff, too!!

I cannot say enough good things about this place. My kids have been going here for 4 years now and…read morehave never once resisted or complained about going to school. The teachers are all incredible and passionate about my kids. My oldest is in Kindergarten now and is fully prepared academically and more importantly socially for her school career. The school has definitely helped us to make this community feel like home and has become the center of our life in Oak Park life with so many other great family social activities to meet other parents.

We moved to the area at the start of the pandemic and by 2021 were ready to send our 4 year old to…read morea Montessori. So began our hunt for the best of many in the Oak Park area. We didn't know any folks who had sent their kids to one near by so had to do cold calls and tours. I reached out to a few in the area and Mrs Eggerding was the fastest to callback and schedule a tour, starting us off on a great foot about how well the school had their act together. We got to observe a classroom and we're extremely excited by the vibe of the guides (Montessori speak for "teachers") and the children. There was just so much independence and respect that we knew we found the right school. At first our 4 year old was resistant. He had been with his grandmother for the last 1.5 years of the pandemic so I get his resistance. But even after day 1 he was excited to share his experiences. We eventually sent our second child there too in a different classroom, which they were happy to accommodate. We couldn't have been happier with our choice even with a 10+ min drive every day. We're definitely planning to send out third there as well. At first it doesn't seem too different from other schools as far as what they're able to do but by even a few months in they're showing so much more independence and eagerness to do more. It's a challenge to me to expect and enable them more at home. The guides have been wonderful about getting to know our children and guiding them on their journey. We've had a few parent teacher conferences which are helpful to peek behind the current as they're often exhausted in a good way by the end of the day. Our child's guides and the front office staff were very receptive to questions and helped us both understand Montessori better but also our child. It was funny for us as parents to go from a city daycare that sent us his eating, peeing, pooping, and activity schedule with activity photos nearly as they were happening to come to Montessori which is really trying to put the child first and focus on them, not logging everything they're doing. I had been a Montessori student so expected that but it was still funny. We get photos and reports every couple of weeks and had parent teacher conferences that did align with what he was saying or what we figured was going on.

If i could rate this place half a star i would. i took my daughter here for preschool and she loved…read more1 teacher only 1. as soon as she got into her 1st year at that school she was getting bullied by everyone and the teachers because she had a physical disability. the classrooms are VERY packed, my kid was in a class of 35 from preschool to 6th grade. she was the happiest little girl and she loved dressing up and having parties, but as soon as she got into 1st grade she was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. she was CONSTANTLY having fights with her teachers because of her depression, later she was diagnosed with explosive anger issues. because of her teachers . she was coming home crying because of the kids bullying her. she eventually had to leave in the middle of her 6th grade year because her mental health was super bad. she is now happily at gwendolyn brooks middle school and doing much better.

Love this place!! It was the best start for my 3 boys. Caring teachers, small classes, great…read morefamilies! Just a wonderful preschool & we're so lucky to have found it. It's not all play, my boys did very well here academically& it's a place we still miss as they're older now. Fond, fond memories!

Can't say enough great things about First United. Our 5th year here, we love it! Wonderful,…read morecaring teachers and staff and a really great environment. While it's a play based preschool so much learning has happened during our time here.

My daughter attended Alcuin Montessori from 2006-2012 and I only have great things to say about…read morethis school! We considered it her second home for those years! The attention the students get from the teachers, positive learning environment, love of learning that is fostered and meaningful social connections with their peers really sets students up for success when they leave the school! We left Alcuin to attend the Oak Park public Schools (Mann) when she was in 5th grade for financial reasons and were completely let down by the local public school system. Academically 5th grade was a wash of a year for her in the public schools.(She learned how to study to memorize the exact answers for tests and her love of learning went downhill as she would say, 'I don't need to know more than this to get an A mom!") Socially, she just learned what bullies were and how manipulative other girls could be! We keep in constant contact with her old teachers and they have even advised us materials to get for her to help her adjust to her new public school environment! We left the Oak Park public school system before middle school(6th grade) to move to a new district where middle school students are flourishing. If we could have afforded it I would have kept her at Alcuin all through middle school! The new middle school is still way too easy for her (straight A's and top test scores...)and she has noticed herself that she is a bit more mature than the other students. She goes the extra mile again on projects though and her love of learning that Alcuin fostered seems to have returned! Sure there will always be a teacher or staff member here and there at a school that is new or you have an issue with as a parent.(Everyone has a bad day once in a while or messes up!) I encourage you as a parent to talk with your school though about your issues. When we had any issues at Alcuin, the director was always interested in hearing about them and I watched them actively make changes or assist the teacher or staff member that might need it! It is easy to point fingers at someone but it is more difficult , yet more effective to constructively speak with a school about issues. I believe it is the test of time and patience with a school to give them a chance to work out an issue that counts. If the school is unwilling to acknowledge you as a parent, then it is time to move on. Alcuin always worked with us over our 6 years there and we miss them dearly! In our hearts we will always be a proud "Alcuin family"!!

As an employee of Alcuin, I can speak highly of this school's teaching faculty, who are among the…read moremost intelligent, talented, and committed Montessori teachers I have met in the field. The families who send their children to this school seem highly committed to helping their children reach their highest potential, and see their children as whole beings with social and emotional needs, as well as academic ones. As a teacher here, I have greatly enjoyed my relationships with parents, as they have been so collaborative and positive. We have newly begun a terrific adolescent program, and I encourage anyone interested in finding an alternate middle school, or a high-quality educational program for any age child to inquire. I have been so happy to work at this fantastic and excellent school, which is truly a haven for Montessori teachers who love to nurture and challenge children!

My daughter loves going to school everyday, has a great community, and has risen to the standards…read moreof the school. Thank you for changing her life's course.

I am a parent to two Children's School graduates and I am thrilled to share that both children and…read moreour whole family had an excellent experience at TCS. We had children enrolled for 8 years. Both kids were wholly engaged in the curriculum and supported in all aspects of their development while building beautiful, meaningful relationships with the other students, parents, teachers and the two amazing directors. They especially enjoyed being able to delve deeper into subject matter with TCS's project-based learning style. They loved being outdoors, having loads of field trips, learning art, music and theatre in addition to reading, math, history, civics and science. They learned to be critical thinkers, problem-solvers, good citizens and helpful friends. They were both welcomed and honored for their uniqueness and learned to further celebrate the diversity of others. Progressive Education at The Children's School was the right fit for my kids. Both of my children thrived at TCS and are now doing very well at our local public high school. It was a financial investment for our family but one we are so glad we made. I'd enroll them again in a heartbeat.

This is a newer school in Oak Park so I was a little nervous at first. The class sizes are small so…read morethe teachers are very attentive. Pricing is better compared to some in the Chicagoland areas. My daughter is taking Japanese classes here and so far so good. She really likes her teacher which I feel is important. The space also promotes learning, rugs and pillows everywhere but also small classrooms for teaching. On the weekends the environment is very quiet. Had a chance to write this review while sipping complementary coffee while waiting for my daughter. The staff here are always so welcoming!

I am Cynthia R.'s husband. We signed up for the whole summer back in January and have the email to…read moreprove it. When we showed up with our daughter for day 1 of the 2nd 6 weeks, we were shocked when they said we had not enrolled. Then they lied to us and said the session was full; we had a friend call the next day and found they had room. It wasn't until after repeated calls and emails that the director (does not deserve this title) informed us it was due to our child's behavior. We were only notified once of any issues and we immediately addressed them. In addition, we asked every day how things were and were always told "good" and "fine" and were never again contacted about any behavior issues. If we had been, we would have dealt with them but the lies and deceit are so very unprofessional and unethical. We have filed a formal complaint with the BBB of Chicago and have done the same with the Village of Oak Park. Our child did love Academia and is heart broken, is this how an institution of child learning acts and behaves? Buyer beware with this place!!

We love it here! Our son has just completed his first year at Montessori Dual Language Academy and…read moreit's been wonderful. He's only 4 and has learned so much and has become so independent. 10/10

We could not recommend MDLA enough! Our son started there about a year ago and attends both…read morepreschool and the summer camps. He learns in Spanish for half of the day and also gets to do fun activities like yoga. He's become so much more independent and well-mannered since going there. We're also thrilled that hot lunch is now included with tuition. The hours are great for working parents, and the staff is so wonderful and caring with the kids. We're grateful that they were here for us when we moved to the area!

Our child transferred to St. Giles School for middle school. The transition was seamless thanks to…read morethe caring teachers and staff. As a new family, we all felt fully supported as we learned the ropes. The tight-knit school environment was a night and day difference from our former public school experience; it was exactly what our child needed, academically, socially, and mentally. A bonus was knowing that our family's faith-based values were shared by other SGS families, contributing to a sense of community and belonging for us.

We have had an amazing experience at St. Giles with our 2 kids. The sense of community is…read moreunparalleled. Classes are small, teachers are committed and responsive. For a small school, the number of extracurricular opportunities that are offered is amazing.