“I really cannot put it into words how special ALMA is, honestly....It is the most magical, spectacular, special, loving place I can imagine.” – Elizabeth Lenzo

“Jacob has been excelling in both reading and math, and more importantly, he loves both subjects. He also treats everyone in a kind and caring manner. Carolyn and I both know this is completely due to the loving, nurturing, and supportive environment that you have created at ALMA. Your school encouraged his curiosity, fostered his imagination and empowered him to believe in himself and find his own way. Jacob having attended ALMA for his early years has set him up for success as he enters the oak park school system. Your school is truly a magical place and a unicorn in this community. We cannot thank you enough and we look forward to Jacob coming back this summer for camp.” – Chris

"We looked at many preschools before finding A.L.M.A. and we are forever thankful for finding this wonderful school. A small class size was important to us, as our son was transitioning out of a small daycare. We wanted to find a school that would love Elliot, embrace his tentativeness around new things, and give him an environment to explore new concepts at his own pace. We found all of that and more in A.L.M.A. Elliot looks forward to school each day and truly feels that he is part of a family at A.L.M.A. Elliot comes home every day with tales of exploring in the garden, new songs and math games, art projects, and so much happiness. Elliot has made a tremendous amount of growth academically this year and we are excited to see his love for reading and math develop. Elliot is also learning so much about caring for the earth, being a kind friend, and how to be a responsible student. We have seen Elliot's vocabulary flourish this year! Sending Elliot off to preschool was a big transition for our family and we have no doubt we chose the perfect place for him."– Nora Heide

"My son’s preschool, A.L.M.A., has been so amazing with all three of my neurodivergent little ones....The class size is small. The two owners, Gingi and Rita, are the teachers, and their combined experience teaching children in both Montessori and traditional classrooms is astonishing....They provide very thorough feedback on my child’s progress in the parent teacher conferences, and they set up times for parents to observe their peaceful and fun classroom operations. They are so loving and caring, and they teach our little ones about social emotional wellness and self regulation. They teach my kids how to be good friends to each other through gentle conflict resolution. They let the kids learn at their own pace and work within their attention span....They combine Montessori teaching methods with traditional learning and somehow do it in a play-based structure. It’s like they’ve taken the best of everything they’ve learned in their monumental experience and have created the perfect little school. 

I just can’t say enough about this sweet little school and how well they work with each of my kids’ varying needs and personality." – Marylou Tawney

"From the moment we talked to the A.L.M.A.teachers, we knew this would be a great place for our son....A.L.M.A. offers to its students a very personal experience delivered with great care and professionalism. The teachers' credentials are impressive, and so is the program that they are offering. Our son first attended A.L.M.A. for the summer camp in 2022, and then we signed him up for the 2022-2023 school year. We have been very happy with these decisions. Our son loves the teachers and his friends. He has really grown intellectually and emotionally. We are especially happy to know that A.L.M.A. uses principles of Nonviolent Communication, which helps our son to better understand himself and others, and to keep growing as a kind and responsible person." – Elizaveta Friesem