February 20, 2008 It is my sincere pleasure to recommend First Steps Nursery School to any parent considering enrolling their child in the program. My family has had the pleasure of working with the staff at First Steps since the fall of 2004 since my daughter became enrolled in pre-school. She attended full-day pre-school there for two years until she moved on to kindergarten. Last summer she also attended their School-Aged Summer Camp, which was initiated for the first time. My daughter absolutely loves the staff at First Steps. She regularly asks to stop by and visit them even though she is now in first grade. We have worked with many different staff members over the years and each one of them has been just great. . .warm, friendly and caring. One of the best things I can say about First Steps’ staff is that they always greet you and your child with a warm welcome. My daughter has always felt safe and secure while in their care. In the early years when I needed to get onto work in the mornings, my daughter would occasionally be reluctant to let me leave.  The teachers were always right there to try and comfort her or re-direct her attention to make the transitions easier. I have always felt that all of the children attending the school seem happy to be there. In regards to the facilities, they are always neat, clean and orderly. I have visited various other daycare/pre-schools and have not felt the same.  Except during naptime, First Steps is always nicely lit, with the blinds open to allow natural light in, which creates a positive atmosphere. The structural design of the facility also contributes to the overall feeling. The half-walls allow for open communication between all members of program while providing the children with some barriers to limit distractions. Finally, I believe the educational programs are well thought out and are age-appropriate. The children are always kept busy throughout the day with various activities targeting different physical or intellectual areas of child development. I have found the projects the children create to be extremely inventive and positive for developmental growth. In conclusion, I highly recommend that anyone considering placing their child into daycare or pre-school visit First Steps Nursery School. We have had nothing but positive experiences. Sincerely,     Jacqueline Bevan     First Steps Parent

December 21, 2007 We currently attend First Steps Nursery School in Round Lake Beach. During our 7 years, I have found that the school creates an environment where children are safe, nurtured, loved, and encouraged.  I have had the pleasures of meeting and befriending all the staff including; owners, managers, teachers, and assistants. I find them all to be fine leaders and amazing instructors. Any projects, personal activities and everyday agendas are well studied and performed. Each day I am amazed on what they have learned. The facility is extremely clean with an open atmosphere that surpasses any other school I have seen. I am proud to recommend First Steps. If your vision includes people who bring value to your children, work well with the parents, take commitment and ownership of actions seriously, while balancing the education with a great sense of humor and commitment; this is the school for your children. Warm regards,     Eva Swenson     Lake Villa, IL

Our family joined First Steps when they opened the center in 2001. We had been to other daycare centers in the past and were looking for a new daycare.  We attended the open house to see the center and to meet the Directors and Teachers. We really liked the open layout of the classrooms and how friendly the staff was to us. They gave us a tour and answered all of our questions. We could immediately see that they provided a safe, happy learning environment for the children.  My two girls were 3 years old and 9 months at the time. We made the decision to try out First Steps and I am happy to say that the girls adjusted really quickly and made lots of friends! The girls learned so much and when it came time for them to graduate from First Steps they were well prepared for Kindergarten! We have since had a son who started at First Steps at 8 weeks old. There was not even a question in my mind that we would return to First Steps for his care. My son is learning words so quickly and runs up to hug his teachers when we arrive in the morning!    I truly cannot express how wonderful First Steps has been for our children! We have made long lasting friendships with the Directors and Teachers.   Every Director and Teacher knows all of the children’s names. They make a point to greet each parent and tell us to have a nice day every morning!  They truly care about your children and love to share in the many milestones that each child goes through. The most difficult thing for a parent is to be away from their children while they are working. First Steps allows me to focus on work knowing that my children are safe and very well cared for.    We highly recommend First Steps and are truly thankful that we were lucky enough to have them to take care of our children! Feel free to contact us if you have any questions! Sincerely,     Michael and Susan Barber