Har Zion Early Childhood Center

"Truly amazing curriculum, leadership, educators, kiddos, families, and more. Love the Reggio Emilia approach which facilitates student learning for these critical, foundational years: Lots of arts, nature, and self/outer exploration. We feel lucky to have our kiddo there- she loves it!"

"I can't say enough wonderful things about this preschool! I have my third of 3 children attending the school now. The teachers are nurturing and are like parents away from home. The program is Reggio inspired (similar to Montessori in that the children drive the direction of the learning). It also has a Hebrew focus so that young brains have exposure to another language. It's shocking how much Hebrew the little ones pick up from this program. They are a Jewish program, but you don't have to be Jewish to attend. They focus on the ideals of the religion- like protecting the earth, celebrating the birthday of the trees, being kind and learning about charity at a young age. The enrichment options are wonderful (Music, Science, Language etc). This program also really encourages parent involvement from after drop off coffees to help community building to optional parent in-class participation. The director is friendly, organized and communicates very well ( a skill which is all too important and frequently overlooked!). The schedule is super flexible and can be anything from a few days a week part-time to 5 days a week all-day and everything in between. The school recently started an organic, non-processed snack and lunch plan which is led and run by parent volunteers and school staff. My daughter eats foods that she never would have tried at home! Overall, we couldn't be happier. The school is like a second family. Go for a tour and see for yourself!"

"My family moved to the Oak Park/River Forest area last summer from out of state and we couldn’t be happier with Temple Har Zion Preschool. We found THZ Preschool because they were one the few Reggio Emilia inspired and Jewish preschools in the Chicagoland area that offered full-time childcare programs. Previous to living in Illinois we had moved around the country with our daughter--finding a safe, nurturing, and familiar preschool environment was high on our priority list. When we flew in from New York to tour different areas and preschools, we met with Ms. Claudine and immediately liked her warmth and her educational philosophy. The preschool was actually one of the reasons we chose to move to the Oak Park/River Forest area. Our daughter started in their summer camp 2017. She immediately felt connected to the teachers and the other THZ preschoolers. The teachers did an amazing job making our daughter feel safe and respected. The school year curriculum is strong. It’s Reggio inspired which is similar to Montessori--both philosophies encourage independent learning and discovery. However, family and community involvement is perhaps more unique to Reggio. The preschool has done a good job of getting the parents involved by scheduling morning dropoff/meetups and encouraging family members to volunteer during the school year. There is a grandparent that reads stories each week and some parents are involved with sharing their skills during enrichment time. The food program - Called “Healthy Har Zion” is organized by a parent committee. The food is mostly organic, fresh and seasonal. The meals are healthy--but prepared Kosher and with a preschooler’s pallet in mind! Thank you Ms. Mary Jo! We also like the Jewish education aspect of the preschool. Having our daughter singing Jewish/Hebrew songs at home has definitely inspired my wife and I towards being a little more observant. The director is great. She’s warm, affable, experienced, and extremely dedicated to the preschool. If any issues arise she communicates well and is always available to talk with parents. She’s done a great job with the program this year and has also tightened the security. In short, if you are looking for a nurturing, reggio-inspired, community-based preschool we highly recommend Temple Har Zion preschool."