Del Mattino Montessori School

I honestly couldn’t be happier with how Del Mattino handles everything health-wise. Sending a toddler to school usually means they’re sick every other week, but this place is kept incredibly clean. You can tell they actually follow through on their sanitizing routines. Plus, I love that they include yoga in the curriculum—it's so rare for a preschool to focus on that kind of physical and mental wellness so early on. It really helps keep the kids calm and active. The communication is also top-notch. If there’s a bug going around, the staff is quick to give us a heads-up so we can keep an eye out, and their sick-child policies are firm but fair, which I appreciate because it keeps the whole class healthier. It’s such a relief to have my son in a spot where they actually care about the environment he’s breathing in and playing in all day. Definitely feels like a little community that looks out for each other.

My kid has been at Del Mattino for a bit now and honestly the health vibes are pretty solid. Since it's Montessori and they’re always using their hands on the materials, I was worried about germs, but the teachers are actually super on top of hand washing. They have a really strict policy about keeping kids home if they have a fever or a runny nose which can be a total pain for my work schedule, but it definitely keeps the classroom from becoming a total petri dish. Communication is decent too—they usually send an email blast if something like strep or HFM is going around so we aren't caught off guard. Only real bummer is the small outdoor space, but they try to get them fresh air whenever the Chicago weather isn't being totally miserable.