We have LOVED our 5 years at TGS Oakbrook. I can't believe we are about to leave behind this daily…read morepart of our lives! The people at The Gardner School of Oakbrook Terrace have helped to raise our daughter to be the beautiful, smart, hilarious, creative, sweet little 5-and-a-half-year-old lady she is now. These women have changed her diapers, fed her nutritious meals, played with her, read to her, soothed her, encouraged her, loved her, taught her, shaped her, and helped her grow in every way possible. They've helped me be a better mom (& teacher, too). They've helped my husband in myriad ways as well. The teachers, administrators, and other staff are supportive and caring in all their interactions. The administrators were understanding whenever "life" happened and you needed to bend protocol to make all the things happen, whatever they might be. In our case, when our daughter was an infant, we actually pulled her out of TGS for a 6-month period because she was getting sick so often and so intensely. (Former preemie with low immune system plus she had the stereotypical childhood recurring ear infection.) When we decided we wanted to have her return, TGS welcomed us back with open arms. And...no matter what...every day during high traffic/morning drop-off/evening pick-up times, one of the administrators was there with a smiling face to greet parents and families at the front door. That meant more than it might seem on the surface. First of all, there were plenty of days where I blew into the building in quite a mood from my own long, trying school day with 100+ kids, but after I was greeted by a smiling Ms. Natalie, Ms. Jen, or Ms. Brittany and walked to my daughter's classroom, that interaction had managed to shift my focus to what kind of day my child had. Second, consistency is key with children and at TGS, it's demonstrated even in this area. Third, knowing you can count on that presence at a particular time makes it simple to plan quick verbal check-ins with TGS staff. The teachers were forever gracious about everything, including me dropping off incredibly late in the summer. :-P Enrichment teachers like Coach Janelle helped our daughter explore ballet, gymnastics, and theatre in a friendly, safe environment. We counted on Chef Nicole to prepare and serve tasty, healthy food several times a day every day & she always delivered. Most of all, we knew that daily our daughter's classroom teachers were doing absolutely amazing things, instilling in her a love of learning and an understanding of how school works... Ms. Angelika, Ms. Abbey, Ms. Tameka, Ms. Jessica, Ms. Angela, Ms. Jennifer, Ms. Cassi, Ms. Adriana, Ms. Ann, Ms. Anna, Ms. Lonnisha, Ms. Vanessa, Ms. Elyse: you are forever in our hearts. Beyond everything mentioned above, these women at TGS Oakbrook have always understood who our daughter is. That means they know what she responds well to and what she needs in order to feel safe, loved, & happy. It also means they knew what gaps needed to be filled and what she needed to work on. So at TGS, she has learned soooo much about how to be brave, to write, to play with friends (or to play alone when she's not feeling it!), to wash your hands at all the right times, to listen when others speak, ... Because of TGS Oakbrook and the women who work there, my daughter will walk into kindergarten at our neighborhood school the most prepared she could possibly be. And for that, we are forever grateful.

Worst ever daycare that I've experienced. Teachers are ignorant. Cold face! They don't hit your…read morechild, but they also don't care about. My heart still hurts whenever thinking of my kid's experience over there.

horrible school with bad staff especially Mrs Kleiner. She grades too strict and has caused many…read morepeople to fail when it was unnecessary. She needs to be stopped as she will and is the cause people will not get into college.

w school on fonem. theres fights in lunch which is nice. dresscode is kinda wack tho nglread more

My daughter seems to be thriving in this school. When there were problems with her schedule, they…read morewere resolved quickly and professionally by her counselor. I definitely appreciate all of the effort the teachers, administrators, and general staff put in to make the school year run smoothly for the majority of students. But it takes more than most parents realize to get all of these kids doing what they are supposed to be doing for 8 hours a day for 9 months of the year. You guys are doing great!

Good school but they do too much they know what I'm talking about it's really not a bad school the…read morestaff are nice but do too much

As an African-American student, my niece went to this school for 2 years, because her family lived…read more2 blocks from the school. My niece is very smart, started a school club and pretty much keeps to herself. She has one very good friend, at the school, who is Latina. Unfortunately, she couldn't enjoy her time at Unity, due to continuously being called the "n" word in a disrespectful & offensive manner. The staff did nothing. And the 2 times she my niece had to defend herself, she got punished. The Hispanic children, in efforts of trying to be cool, often referred themselves, as the "n" word. Upon her graduation (class of 2023), she was quoted as saying, "I'm glad, I don't have to come back to this racist school again!".

The problem is not the child or teenager , neither the school the problem is you as a parent ,…read morerate your self and see how you doing as a head of your own home , kids need constant help they belong to you when it comes to their behavior , schools do a good job

15 years ago we chose Montessori Education for our children. It was an investment we were…read morepassionate about. WMS offered the perfect conditions to nurture and "grow" our children. I wrote an essay years ago, Locally Grown, about our experience of the treasured early elementary years. Fast forward and our oldest is graduating High School and youngest is a freshman. As a family, we are compelled to share our honest and sincere feedback of this experience from a retrospective perspective. These thoughts have been communicated with the head of school directly however, we feel called to share publicly as to offer insight to those families considering the AP. Our children's recommendation is: "Stay through 6th and skip the AP". The Adolescent Program at WMS presents a conflicting experience for several students and families, highlighting significant concerns and areas for improvement. While the school claims to provide a holistic approach to education, it falls short in crucial areas, leaving some students unprepared for the challenges of high school. The AP  has strayed far from the original Montessori philosophy, which emphasized neutrality, respect for individuality, and a focus on grounded, thoughtful education. The current approach has deviated from those principles, favoring an agenda-driven model that seems to place the needs of its teachers above those of the students. The most striking issue is the lack of preparation in foundational subjects, especially math and writing. My oldest states she was at a disadvantage due to the insufficiency in these core areas, leading to regret and frustration as struggled to catch up in her freshman year. She expressed she was profoundly underprepared for the rigor of her high school, acknowledging the gap could have been much wider had we not chosen to leave the AP before the completion of the 9th year. The social environment at WMS also presents challenges. We observed evident favoritism towards certain students, creating an atmosphere of exclusion and uneven attention. Additionally, teachers engage in questionable behaviors, including texting students and discussing other students in a negative light both in front of students and sometimes parents. A total lack of integrity. The teacher-student dynamic often feels less like a mentorship and more like a friendship-seeking relationship which undermines the authority and maturity required in an educational setting. For example, encouraging students to experiment with nail polish, twerking, and other frivolities rather than teaching math and writing. Some teachers seem more interested in fulfilling their own emotional needs through vulnerable adolescents than providing the guidance, wisdom, and leadership that students require. The program's attempt at inclusivity and open-mindedness is overshadowed by a lack of neutrality. Teachers actively promote personal social beliefs, leaving little room for objective discussion or diverse perspectives. The curriculum, too,  leans heavily into certain ideologies, and teachings, creating an atmosphere of comparison, while neglecting broader educational goals. As parents, we were told by staff "The adolescent brain is broken " and they will struggle with decision making and managing emotions. Indeed, the adolescent brain's developmental limitations are not adequately considered in decision-making. The emphasis on identity exploration, and identity-dependent worthiness, adds to the confusion and emotional turmoil during a period when students should be focusing on personal growth and academic development.  Our observation has been that the adolescent program has strayed from"following the child" to "following the cause".  A distinct contrast to the original Montessori philosophy, which emphasized neutrality, respect for individuality, and a focus on grounded, thoughtful education. The current approach appears to favor an agenda-driven model that often places the needs of the school and its teachers above those of the students. In conclusion, while the WMS Adolescent  Program may appeal to some families for its progressive approach, it is our determination it falls short in preparing students for future academic success and personal development. A return to the original Montessori mission--focusing on respect, objective learning, and appropriate developmental guidance--could better serve the needs of these adolescents during one of the most critical stages of their growth. Investing in a Montessori education was a good parenting decision but pulling them from the Adolescent Program was our greatest decision.

Our son has been at WMS since January 2023, and we couldn't be happier with the quality of…read moreeducation he is receiving. He attended preschool and Kindergarten (primary ages), and Montessori learning has been wonderful for his development. Thank you particularly to Mrs. Berdick for her help in bringing our boy out of his shell even more and helping him excel academically but also in his independence. We plan to have him enrolled through 9th grade, and we can't wait to be long-term members of this great community.