Reach for the Stars Childcare Academy

Honestly, I’m pretty frustrated with the health situation at Reach for the Stars. It feels like every other week my little one is coming home with another bug, and the communication about what's going around is basically nonexistent. I know it's a daycare in Woodlawn and things get busy, but the rooms don't always look the cleanest when I'm doing drop-offs, and they seem way understaffed to really monitor if kids are washing their hands properly. The sick policy is written down, but they seem to let kids stay even when they’re clearly unwell, which just restarts the cycle for the rest of us. It’s a struggle because I need the care, but the constant illnesses and lack of transparency are becoming a huge deal-breaker for our family.

I've had my little one at Reach for the Stars in Woodlawn for a bit now and honestly, the health side of things is pretty solid. They actually mention their deep cleaning policies in the parent handbook and you can tell they're keeping up with it because the classrooms don't have that lingering 'old milk' smell you find at some city daycares. They are part of the Chicago Early Learning network so they stay pretty strict on the sick-child policy—if your kid has a fever, they are definitely calling you to come get them right away, which is annoying for work but keeps the germs from spreading to everyone else. My favorite part is that they have access to behavioral health support and resources for at-risk kids, so they really look at the 'whole child' and not just if they're physically sick. It feels like a safe, clean spot for the kids in our community.