Wheaton Warrenville South High School

This is our families third year here and we could not be happier. We've had the BEST teachers that really seem to enjoy their students and teaching. That love of learning has really passed on to the kids. School culture seems to be very warm and accepting. Principal knows all the kids and does a great job encouraging them to strive do well.

Our son was in this school from 2 1/2 through 8th grade. His education was extraordinary. He is now a sophomore in Plainfield North Highschool taking 4 honors and advanced placement classes. Because of the work ethic he developed at DuPage Montessori and the excellence of his education, he often gets his homework done WHILE STILL AT SCHOOL! As a child, he was very active and needed to move a lot. If he had been in a normal school, they would have called him ADHD and demanded he go on Ritalin so he could sit drugged at a desk all day. At DuPage Montessori, the education is tailored to each child, and what some reviewers call "chaos" is actually brilliant insight into the nature of how children learn best by active doing rather than sit-at-the-desk passive absorption. The education is so efficient that it is not necessary to send a lot of homework home. That said, the younger children are given worksheets they can take home to do with their parents, and the older ones are given web-based math, reading, and vocabulary assignments to do at home, and those are monitored by the teachers so they can give students help in their weak areas. In lower elementary, grades 1 through 3 are together, and in upper elementary, 4 through 6 are together. The older students are engaged with helping the younger students learn. That interaction provides tremendous support for the younger children and reinforces the learning for the older students and also gives them the rewarding experience of helping others succeed. The focus is on success at the student's own pace. While the teachers do provide assessments to the parents and have parent-teacher conferences, lack of A through F grades allows the students to see each other as equals and gives them room to accept each other's differences as normal. Also, if a parent has any concerns, the teachers are more than willing to meet with the parents and address their concerns. In my opinion, our investment in our son's education at DuPage Montessori is the best investment my wife and I will ever make in our lifetimes.

We have three children that attend or graduated from St. John the Baptist Catholic School. The principal, teachers, pastor and staff are amazing! They did an excellent job preparing our two children that graduated for success in high school. They have created a culture or compassion, caring and inclusivity that makes every student know they are loved. My children have grown in faith and made life long friends.