The Goddard School

It ok. i have had some problems with this location… Last year i never got my child’s boots back. Also, i was told a few months before his birthday that he needs to be potty trained to go to the next class. he has been in the class for atleast 4 to 5 months… if im paying this much money he should be potty trained by them by now! They are obviously not doing their job and then threatening that he will not move up.

The Goddard School in Third Lake provides an environment that is miles above the competition in Lake County.
We have been part of the school since 2010, and I currently have three children attending Goddard, ranging from the infant room to a recent Kindergarten graduate. The level of care that they receive is unparalleled. The curriculum at each level is comprehensive, advanced, and holistic. They truly treat each child as an individual. The owners are progressive, to the point where they’ve implemented a new outdoor learning center, which includes nature trails! My children absolutely love school. We receive picture updates throughout the day, as well as a summary email covering in extensive detail the activities and milestones reached that day. The teachers and staff are like an extended family to us. I implicitly trust Goddard Third Lake as a whole and have seen my children make INCREDIBLE strides in their learning and personal development. My son emerged from Kindergarten with a second grade reading level, a limitless knowledge of and love for biology, and advanced math skills. He also has a passion for athletics and chess! He is so well-​rounded and respectful, and I owe much of it to Goddard.
It’s also worth noting that, especially in this day and age, Goddard handles interpersonal skills in an exemplary way. The children are taught that they are ALL friends, and tolerance and kindness are instilled in these kids from day one. My children have rarely had any issues at school, but when the few and far between have occurred, the staff have been transparent, honest, and extremely swift to remedy any situation. I wish I could send my children here forever!

For my wife and me, deciding who to use for Child Care was a big decision. We were looking for an environment which would educate and bring the best out of our Daughter (and eventually Son), not just a place to drop her off and pickup during work. There are plenty of choices if that is all you want. We researched all the options in the Northern Lake County area and it became clear the Goddard School in Third Lake (near Washington and Rte 45 on the edge of Gurnee) would be a great it. I can say without hesitation we were right.
My daughter attended the Goddard School from about 18mos through their Kindergarten program, and even continued for a while in their after school program. My wife and I knew all along she was being well cared, both body and mind. The tangible proof surfaced after she entered First grade at Woodland Elementary. She was at the top of her class in every area, and equally important loves reading, math, and challenging activities. She is about to finish Second grade. She continues to excel and was even moved into an advanced program where she is pulled out of class each week for special sessions of advanced Mathematics. For third grade she may be entering a program for gifted children. I have no doubt her success is due, in part, to the great start she had at Goddard. The positive values they instill provided a strong foundation for her success. My wife and I (with three Masters Degree’s between us) clearly value education. But more importantly, we are thrilled with how much our daughter loves to learn and challenge herself.
A couple years ago Goddard implemented a system which provides parents with a very detailed account of the daily activities. The daily report is emailed to the parents at pickup time. It includes pictures of your child doing various activities that day (which is great to see!) as well as what s/​he did (and learned) during Circle Time, Language Arts, Motor Skills, Mathematics, Music and Movement, Science/​Nature Studies, Social Science/​Self-​Help/​Life Skills and sometimes even Yoga! It’s so comforting for me to know what my child did throughout the day. It is also a handy tool for dinnertime chats about their day, and allows me to reinforce the learnings at home.
This year (in 2015) Goddard added a new outdoor learning center and a quarter-​mile walking trail which surrounds a beautiful nature preserve adjacent the building. This allows students supervised access to this habitat with indigenous plant species, birds, etc. It’s a great addition to an already outstanding facility.
As I look back to when my daughter first joined Goddard over 6 years ago and my Son 4 years ago, I couldn’t be more pleased with the education and care The Goddard School provided.

My daughter started at Goddard in December (2013) after a bad experience with a different daycare in Highland Park. I couldn’t be happier with the family at Goddard! They truly are a family and I feel my daughter is in wonderful hands.
My daughter, who is now 3, was having difficulties with potty training and accidents at her previous daycare. I was washing 3 sets of clothes almost everyday. After she started at Goddard she had 1 accident, that is it! I couldn’t believe the difference. Her teacher Ms. Shelia, who always welcomes me with a big hug, made sure she got the attention she needed to be successful.
My daughter now loves to go to school and everyday she comes home with new skills. She surprises me with her yoga poses and letter identification.
If you are looking for daycare in the area PLEASE consider Goddard. They are amazing.

I wanted to post an update for parents who wonder about how children that go here progress… My oldest daughter has been at Goddard since she was 18 months old — she is now 5 ½ years old, and my youngest also joined at 18 months and is now 3 ½ years old.
At 3−½, the youngest daughter can READ sight words, knows colors, numbers, and weather in English and Spanish (Spanish is not a language we speak at home, so this is all the school). While some reading is due to us working with her, and some in part because of her sister’s advancement, a big part (and thank you) is owed to the school for working so diligently with her.
At 5−½, the oldest daughter has blossomed into an amazing and bright little girl. She is reading at a 4^th Grade level, doing math at a 2^nd grade level, and the teachers are making sure to encourage her and help her grow, even though it requires them to take «special» time out for her to do so, since she’s above the average lesson plans. They have worked very closely with me to make sure she stays engaged and challenged, and as a result she’s a happy, healthy, very bright kid who LOVES her school.
I read the previous review from someone in April, and while I feel horribly for the situation in theory, I can’t imagine it being accurate. There is no mention, for example, of the specific room the child was in, and I can tell you from years of personal experience there’s NO WAY the Dave I know at our school would refuse to help a parent who was uncomfortable, or force a child backward and not forward. While I won’ t say it outright isn’t true (I wasn’t there), I can say that the parents who have children here know everything, see everything, and an event like what was described would have been talked about heavily, yet I never heard a peep…
Bottom line, if you are looking for child care, there is hands down no where better in the area — they’ve won the «Best Childcare in Lake County» award for like 7 years running. If you are unsure, call them and ask to take a tour to see for yourself… you’ll be so glad you did.

I’ve been very happy with my child’s care at The Goddard School Third Lake (attended from 1yr old to 2yr old). My child developed great social skills there, and I always felt confident that he was safe and cared for during the day. This is one of the most expensive day care centers in the area, but I do believe it is worth it. The kids are constantly enriched all day, from art activities to song and dance to gym play to reading books etc. The food seemed to be of high quality and my child enjoyed it. My only complaint was an occasional missed changed diaper (and rash) and runny noses left running on many kids through the day. But, again, the important aspects of day care were there — safety, attentive care, and enrichment.