After having to change schools due to closure after COVID and realizing that we did not make a good…read morechoice in that change, we made the decision to bring our children to St. Luke in the hopes that we would get the experience we were seeking. All I can say is I could kick myself for not coming here first. It has been nothing but a positive experience as a parent and a blessing for our daughters. From day one the students have been totally welcoming and lovely. Class size is half what it was at the other school and teachers are amazing. The staff and administration are very responsive and always looking to "do more" to make the school a better place. Parents have also been so friendly and inclusive. I highly recommend St. Luke to anyone asking a high quality education that combines important Christian values with academic excellence.

I initially fell in love with St. Luke School because of the environment and the Christian values…read morethat are part of the fiber of the community. There's safety and love that envelop the students as they walk in the door each morning. The love is given and received, and is almost easy to take for granted because it's just always there. The positive energy in the classrooms is due to the teachers and staff who have chosen to teach in a Catholic school almost as a vocation, as well as the children whose families have chosen this school. As a reading specialist and elementary and middle school classroom teacher, my trust deepened as I recognized the curricular knowledge base for which the administrators and teachers used to select their resources and programming. The importance of including phonics, spelling, and word study is important to me because I have seen the value of it first hand. Their understanding and knowledge of brain-research-based instruction as well as their understanding of meeting the needs of the WHOLE child is impressive and unique in our present educational climate. Additionally, the partnership between the teachers and administrators has been instrumental in making the curriculum accessible to the students. St. Luke's is truly growing and nurturing critical-thinking, independent, well-rounded, soulful individuals.

Methodist preschool has been a wonderful start to our "school years" for our kids. My son started…read morein PDO when he was 2 1/2. This was the first place he stayed by himself and I felt comfortable bringing him here 1 morning a week to play and interact with other kids while I could run a few errands or go to a doctor's appointment with my other little one. The staff was so warm and friendly that by the time he started 3 year old preschool the other teachers and staff knew him. It was wonderful having him progress and feel comfortable b/c it was in the same building and same faces and routine. Methodist does a friendly drop off system where teachers will come help the kids out of the car. So on those rainy or bad weather days you don't want to get your other younger ones out of the car you can. Most days I walk the kids in to the classrooms. The staff is always nice and says "Hi" to all my kids. I've met a lot of other Mom's this way which is nice when you are new to the neighborhood and have young kids. The Director is extremely friendly and inviting. Once in the preschool the teachers are sweet to all the kids and class sizes are small. The 3 year olds and 4 year old classes both do field trips (with the parents) which is a nice to meet other parents and see the children interact. They also offer a "special guest day" to allow Dads, or grandparents to come see the preschool with the children. The enrichment programs are outstanding. My kids look forward to them, never complain school is too long, and learn amazing stuff. They mix with lots of different kids and teachers. My son has learned a lot of scientific terms and comes home with interesting projects. I'm impressed with the scientific understanding he has and how he can explain it to us. They offer a "lunch bunch" after preschool to link the enrichment programs which makes it a great way to prepare them for "All day kindergarten" in a comfortable environment. We have had a great experience with Methodist and look forward to many more happy years there as our other children grow up

Methodist Preschool is my childrens' home away from home. All four of my daughters have learned to…read morelove school and to love learning in the caring and supportive environment that has been created at Methodist. I cannot say enough wonderful things about the teaching staff, the support personnel and the director. They truly care about the children and it shows on all the smiles of the kids, teachers and parents at pick up and drop off times. Speaking of drop off, you don't even need to leave your car in the morning! They have teachers and support personnel that help your kid out of their car seat and into the front door of the school for you. This is a huge help, especially when you have other little ones in the car with you. My daughters have attended PDO (age 2+, no need to be potty trained!) and the 3's classes and 4's classes in the preschool, so we have been fortunate to experience both the PDO and preschool programs as well as enrichment classes (art and science being some of their favorites!) This school offers so much to kids and has flexible scheduling for families including an early morning bridge program and "lunch bunch." We felt very well prepared for full-day kindergarten after doing preschool-lunch bunch-enrichment days once or twice a week where kids are in school from 8:45-3pm. During winter and spring breaks, my daughters will ask daily "is it time to go to school?" and I have to disappoint them by telling them they have the week off. I think that says it all! This program has been wonderful for our family and I encourage all preschool age families to go and take a tour!

My son is in his second year at La Casa, and we plan to enroll our daughter when she is old enough…read more The building is clean and beautiful, and the teachers are communicative and caring. They respond promptly to text and email, and post pictures weekly on the closed FB group. I know that as soon as my son steps into the classroom, he will be treated with dignity and kindness. He loves all his teachers and gets so excited to see them - he even wanted to invite them to his birthday party! La Casa does a great job of following the Montessori methods, and I have been impressed by what my son has been learning (and is excited to learn!) - at 3, he is teaching Spanish to US! He has become quite and eager helper at home, too. La Casa is excellent at working with parents on potty training, and is much more flexible than most schools at working with the parents of kids with special needs to make sure they are learning to their full potential. Probably what I love the most is how active the kids are every day. They go for walks and to the park nearly every day, usually twice a day. When the weather isn't cooperating, they play "pelotas" and games inside, and they have Zumba at least once (if not two or three times!) per week, which my son LOVES. They also have options for yoga and additional directed art on top of the regular classroom art (and this all starts at age 2!). The only reason I would not give La Casa 5 stars yet is there is still room to improve in terms of administration. They would benefit from FT rather than PT administrative staff, as the organization can be a bit lacking at times. As a parent, you need to be a bit persistent to get all the information you need at the beginning - but at least the staff is very responsive. My son and our family have made some wonderful friends through this school, and we would recommend it to other families looking for a flexible, full-day, reasonably-priced, Spanish immersion school starting at age 15 months.

Best most loving teachers and great classes! We've been at this school for 3+ years. The lessons…read moreand classes are diverse and so rich. Art, yoga, field trips, science for the older kids! I can't say enough about the loving teachers and staff. They're true family.

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.

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.

Can't thank HCP enough for their continuous efforts of making this preschool such a special place…read morefor our children. It is my daughter's last year here and I'm saddened to leave such a great community filled with so many special teachers and families helping our children grow each day. From regulating emotions, learning letters and numbers and using playtime for learning, it makes a space for my daughter to love to go to school to learn. Thank you so much for your patience, care and growth for our community and littles! I couldn't have picked a better place and you will all be missed!

We have been sending our children to HCP since 2014. We love it! We initially chose the program…read morebecause it offered a fantastic 2s program (parents/caregivers do not have to stay with the child). The 3s and 4s programs are excellent as well - my kids were beyond ready for kindergarten. The teachers are very warm, engaging and patient. The Director is SO on top of it and the communication between the parents and school is A+. We really enjoy being part of the HCP community - it is hands down the best preschool in the area.

Our child just completed their third and final year at Montessori Children's Community, finishing…read morewith the Kindergarten program -- and what an incredible journey it has been. Today, I watched with immense pride as my 5-year-old stood in front of a room full of parents, children, and teachers to deliver a confident, three-minute presentation on "Castles" -- a topic they researched, wrote about, and presented entirely on their own. This moment perfectly captured the kind of growth MCC fosters -- not just academically, but socially and emotionally. Under the steady guidance of Ms. Rocio and the dedicated MCC team, our child has transformed from a shy, curious preschooler into a self-assured, articulate learner. MCC adheres closely to the Montessori method, and while the environment of independent exploration may take a little adjustment at first, the results are extraordinary. Over time, the children develop deep concentration, intrinsic motivation, and a love of learning. I've seen my child confidently use words like ruminate, tenacious, and paroxysm in writing and conversation. They've explored the life cycle of a moth, practiced addition and multiplication, and developed a genuine enthusiasm for knowledge. Beyond academics, MCC creates a nurturing and joyful community. From field trips and holiday celebrations to visits from local business leaders and sweet traditions like sending postcards to grandparents, the school experience is rich, well-rounded, and deeply personal. The bonds between the students are strong -- they support each other like siblings, and that emotional intelligence translates into real-world confidence. This also extends among the MCC families as well! (Shout out to the PTO and the MNO/DNO activities!) If you're seeking a school that invests deeply in your child's development -- academically, socially, and emotionally -- and a place where your family can plant lasting roots, look no further. Montessori Children's Community is a place where children truly flourish in ways you can't even imagine.

My husband and I feel so lucky to have MCC in our lives to help us care for our three little ones…read more(now 6, 3, and 1). We would not be able to pursue our professional callings while also fulfilling our high standards for family life and child upbringing if we did not have such a trusted support system and partner in place. We not only see MCC as partners in raising our children (they are a great force for instilling positive behaviors and perspectives and growing the individual), but we also learn so much from Ms. Rocio and her staff. They have opened our eyes to a great way to co-exist with children that gives them the guidance they require but in a way that is peaceful, enjoyable, and just plain sensible. We especially value MCC's Parent Education Nights and Parent-Teacher Conferences, which give us new insight every time. The kids have pretty much always been happy to be dropped off at school, which is pretty amazing, and they are growing into amazing little humans. Moreover, MCC's community is larger than the classroom--we love that we really know and spend time with the other families and even teachers; when the kids are brought to school, it feels more like they are off to spend time with their loving extended family, a comforting effect for both us and them.

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.