I would never recommend this school to anyone I care about. Communication is poor, facilities are…read moresub-standard for the price paid, the majority of the staff seem miserable and behave as if they don't even like humans least of all children. And if your child deviates from "the Montessori way" even slightly, they will not be accepted. There are many other places, for the same price tag, where your child can learn and thrive and the adults smile.

Some of the employees are great, but management and the owners are all about the $ (and nothing…read moreelse), which gets old really fast. I don't mind paying a relatively high price for something exceptional, but I do mind when I'm being taken advantage of and extorted from. There are other Montessori organizations in the area; check out the alternatives before going with Deerfield Montessori Schools.

My son is in his second year here and also attended camp this past summer. We love the school and…read morethe teachers. My son is happy and excitheted to go to school every day. They are very flexible with days/times each child attends so we could set a schedule that works well for our family.

Love HP Montessori! Both of my daughters have been to HP Montessori for the past few years. We…read moremoved from the city mid-year; they were able to accommodate my older one easily. My younger one started the following summer in their 2-3 classroom and has progressed to their 3-6 (she's in her 3rd year now). We love how kind the teachers are and helpful the entire staff is. It is a well-oiled machine, but takes the time to work with each family's unique needs. They have been very helpful when my work schedule fluctuated - allowing me to switch days or add hours as needed. My younger daughter is reading now - not because anyone is pushing her, but because she enjoys it because of the Montessori process. Their educational model is American-style Montessori, so even though there are rules to be followed, their is much nurturing and compassion that accompanies learning activities. She has learned about all different cultures and some French, Spanish, & Italian! Lunches are amazing - Chef Don makes gourmet food that your kid will actually eat. I am so impressed by how dynamic my girls' palettes are now & I'm almost certain its because of those lunches. We have also really enjoyed the Fun in the Sun Summer Camp. Affordable, fun, and - a big for working parents - reliable with quality instruction and care. Would highly recommend to anyone in the area looking for a preschool that prepares kids well for elementary education.

When we moved to Northbrook in mid-2022, we left an amazing daycare in the city and were…read moreheartbroken to move our daughter out of the care of the people who had helped us raise her for almost two years. We came to Guidepost on a referral from friends who attended and it has been nothing short of a truly wonderful experience. We did not come here as Montessori-fanatics, but quickly realized what wonders it was doing for our child. Her growth, sense of independence, and creativity have flourished here. All of her teachers have been loving, attentive, and communicative. Abbey and Christine, the school leadership, are always reachable and open to discussions when I have questions/feedback. We love sending our daughter here because she know she is safe, loved, and engaged in her learning. We would absolutely recommend Guidepost Deerbrook to any family looking for a home for their child!

We've been with the Guidepost for a couple of months and it's been an outstanding experience!…read moreTeachers and staff are friendly and resourceful, and communication is prompt and clear. I compared over 10 daycares thoroughly prior to sending him here and I'm very happy with my decision. I love that my little one does a variety of creative and fun activities daily with Montessori philosophy as a foundation. I feel sincere care and love from the teachers and staff here, and I appreciate the teachers taking the time to do a parent-teacher conference to share detailed feedback on the child. It helps parents understand where we can better support him to enjoy his day and grow. I also like that the school puts lots of effort into building a community. The monthly gatherings/ events for families and kids, sending out weekly newsletters, and having a FB family communication page... they go above and beyond! I highly recommend Guidepost to my family and friends!

My son has been enrolled here since he turned 1 and it has been a wonderful 8 months. The teachers…read morein the infant and young toddler rooms are such wonderful caregivers. We feel so comfortable here and my little one literally runs into his teacher's arms every morning. Very grateful to have found Northbrook Montessori.

NBMS is a very warm and nurturing environment. I have had kids in both the infant and primary…read morerooms. The communication between the teachers and parents is outstanding - they give personalized care, send frequent updates, and I always feel that I can reach out with any questions I have and the teachers would address them quickly. In particular, my son needed some medical assistance in the infant room and all the teachers were very responsive, taking special care with him and following instructions that I gave them, while keeping me in the loop. The primary room is also great, the class is diverse and the kids are always busy with many activities. This school is fantastic if you are looking for more of a home day care feel, all of the teachers are friendly and wonderful with the kids.

Amazing staff! Our daughter started when she was 15 months and has grown tremendously! She loves…read moregoing each day and the rates are very competitive! She just turned 2 and has picked up so many skills! We couldn't be happier! Not a single thing we would change!

From the owner: The Deerfield Montessori Children's House is one of four Montessori schools that make up the North…read moreShore Montessori Schools (Deerfield Montessori School, Deerfield Montessori Children's House, Riverwoods Montessori School and Glenview Montessori Schools) and was established in 1966. The schools are private, nonsectarian, not-for-profit and are a recognized leader in Illinois Montessori education. Of the hundreds of Montessori schools in Illinois, only 17 are accredited at the highest level of excellence by the American Montessori Society - 4 of those schools are the North Shore Montessori Schools. Children's house offers programs for toddlers, 2 year olds and 3-6 year olds. The school is located in a beautiful, spacious setting and offers half day, school day and individualized programs. Summer Camp is also available at our Riverwoods and Glenview/Northfield campuses. Montessori Elementary education is available at our nearby Riverwoods Montessori School.

Our family had five children attend Forest Bluff School over the course of seven years…read more Unfortunately, our experience there was not a positive one and caused our children a lot of unnecessary hardship. The school presents itself as a place where every child can thrive. In reality, Forest Bluff School only caters to children who are typical learners, very compliant, and medium to low energy. Forest Bluff does not hesitate to kick kids out of the school if they don't fit the mold. For our children who learned differently, especially one of our sons with a learning disability, the school not only failed to meet his needs but actively dismissed them. The head of school would often state, "We don't do dyslexia." When we advocated for accommodations to support our son, we were treated poorly. The administration threatened to kick all our children out of the school if we continued to speak about the issues/advocate for our son. Rather than working with families, the school requires parents to trust blindly. Twice a year, students bring work home. Other than that, there is no communication on how your child is doing academically. They do not perform any formal reading assessments or monitoring. As a Montessori school, we expected an environment that valued individual differences, freedom to explore, and curiosity. Instead, their approach was rigid and limiting. The children were rarely given free playtime outside and often never went outside at all. The school claimed they didn't want to "interrupt" their concentration by going outside. Forest Bluff School values strict routines over allowing children to move their bodies. They claim they get exercise inside the classroom because they move around and carry different work. My children (especially my 3 boys) did not have their physical needs met and felt so relieved when we switched to a more progressive Montessori school that allows kids free time outside. Leaving the school was the best choice for our children's well-being, mental health, and academic success. Forest Bluff may work well for certain children, but if your child is high-energy, learns differently, or needs a more flexible and supportive environment, I would strongly caution you to look elsewhere. Forest Bluff School caused my children a lot of anxiety, stress, and academic deficits that needed to be addressed after we left. I whole heartedly regret sending them there at all. My suggestion for all parents considering Forest Bluff School is to take a tour, ask a lot of questions, look closely at the students, access whether you see joy in their learning, and then listen to your gut. I wish I had.

As part of my Montessori training, I have observed in Forest Bluff classrooms extensively at almost…read moreevery age level and have been deeply impressed by the consistent authenticity and care, both of the students and the environment. It is increasingly common to find hybrid Montessori programs that include random popular pedagogical trends or succumb to external pressures, but not Forest Bluff. Forest Bluff is a special place, thanks to the dedicated staff who love what they do and exude respect for both their students and one another. Indeed, much of what seems to make Forest Bluff so special is the diligent pursuit of its noble, explicit mission. Within the Montessori community, both AMS & AMI, Forest Bluff remains an increasingly rare example of quality, authentic Montessori. It is the kind of school I wish I could have attended myself and to which I wish I could have sent my daughters.

After enrolling my son at Montessori on the Lake, the teachers and educational program exceeded…read moreeven my highest expectation! I am beyond grateful for the compassion and dedication of the entire staff during his time in both elementary and middle school. The quality of teaching is outstanding! This school not only challenged my son intellectually, but helped develop him into his very best self. He was extremely happy to go on campus every morning and felt like he was part of a "school family." I am amazed with how well the teachers understand and take interest in the students' personality, needs, and learning style. I can't express enough how wonderful this school is in so many ways. We love MOTL and highly recommend to everyone interested!

Amazing amazing teaching environment and highly educated professional teachers. Hands on learning…read moreand caring staff. We feel very safe having our kids attend MSLF and would highly recommend.

My son Reid went to CLP since he was 18 months old, which I believe is the youngest to be admitted…read moreto the school. Being so young and a sensitive kid in nature, we definitely are a bit nervous about his experience at school. We toured several schools around the area before deciding CLP, since it immediately feels right to Reid and us. It feels a more homy environment with very close interactions between principle, teachers and kids. Ms. Rai and Ms. Anna are so caring and compassionate about their works. Compared to a bigger facility, I feel Ms.Rai and Ms. Anna knows Reid's character and support his very personal emotional needs. And I want to address one of the comments down below about Mr.Rai as administrator does not provide enough interaction with parents about children's daily activities. That is so NOT the experience for us. Actually quite opposite. Yes, CLP does not have a online reporting system like many other daycares. However, every time I need to talk to either with teacher or administrator about how Reid is doing, with regarding to eating, napping, emotions, activities, I wan responded and explained immediately. I was invited to watch how he is actually doing in the daycare. We also had difficult times that we need to do adjustments for Reid's schedule, and Ms. Rai was always very patient and accommodating to our requests. So, I love the experience there and will send my second child to this daycare.

Our son has been attending CLP since December 2019 and so far we are very happy with the care he…read morereceived. His teacher Ms. Anna and Ms. Rai pay close attention to his needs and he seems to be thriving. He loves his school and he got used to the environment pretty quickly. Every morning he has a big smile going in. The school also organizes several events for parents to inform them about the Montessori environment such as dad's night and mom's night.

I'm a parent of a little girl who would later be diagnosed dyslexic. In preschool it's not super…read morepossible to know what is coming down the road for a child with regard to reading challenge. The head start Glencoe Montessori gave my daughter who attended 3yr through K has become so valuable to me now as a parent of a third grader. We have moved and my 6 year old twins attend the best montessori school in our new area and the literacy advantage of GMS and ALL the highland park montessori schools is unbelievable in hindsight. When I was a younger mom I found the idea of phonics in preschool to be a questionable practice because I wanted creative play emphasized. The children in the whole Highland Park Montessori sister school Network DO AN EXCELLENT JOB WITH CREATIVITY SUPPORT but they are also exceptional early literacy teachers. Go here. Stay for K if you can afford it. You are getting a value for your money beyond words. Our new school has a chicken farm and beehive the children tend and an outdoor eco lab in addition to the playground and and indoor pool with weekly lessons for pre-k and K. Glencoe Montessori is so much better than this new school (that is fabulous). My children are grateful, creative, and the one-on-one system at GMS and HPS for reading and pre-reading has saved my daughter's life practically. When you have trouble reading in the higher grades the stress for the child is heartbreaking. When my daughter attended GMS (Sue, Ro, Miriam, Beth) she was unstressed and they had her creating journal entries everyday of kindergarten that were super long and filled with phonetically spelled ideas she was having and she was proud to share her ideas and this was the best way to start out. Reading and writing was exciting for her in these early years of development. Your child deserves this!

The BEST!!! My twin boys attended the extended pre-k program here for the 2016-2017 school year and…read morethey loved it! The teachers, the director (Jenniferand ) and owner (Carol)