About Knowledge Harbor Academy

Our Story

As the parents of two great boys we found ourselves disillusioned and frustrated with the limitations of first our daycare and then our school system and the collapse of the unreliable and unresponsive after school programs. It seemed that year after year and at every turn we were met with restricted schedules that lacked accommodations for working families and limited alternatives for such a common struggle. After many late night conversations about the unneeded stress we were experiencing we decided to be the change we wanted to see in the world and we started our a journey of providing learning and enrichment that is focuses on children and the needs of their parents as well.

While talking with other disenchanted parents we grew inspiration from the commonly shared experiences. Having our children come home from expensive programs like foreign languages and not being able to utter a single word in Spanish, coming home from choir without being able to sing any lyrics they've practiced, and wondering where these instructors were being hired from and wondering what qualifies them to work with our children.

We all were feeling the constant stress of our daily professional lives and then caught rushing home through traffic to pick our children up by the end of the program day, praying that the Chicago traffic will cooperate, which it rarely does, and the judgmental look on the faces of the program providers when you walk through the door late.

As parents and educational professionals we worked together to create a program that is centered around your children and your busy lifestyle. We all want our children to get the best family-like environment, to experience a home away from home, and to learn in a warm loving atmosphere with the best academic support.

Knowledge Harbor Academy is a safe place that will send children home with the skills and experiences we promised parents their children will acquire. Our program stands alone as one that works with your schedules as busy working parents and gives you a peace of mind that your children are well cared for. You will be able to observe their progress throughout the day via online password protected video system, say hello to them via skype, and connect with the teachers and other parents to create a community of support for you and your growing family Knowledge Harbor Academy respects the need for quality family time when you pick them up at the end of the day. It is our goal to say good night to your children after a day full of education enhanced activity and plenty to share with you about the fun they had at the Academy that day! Knowledge Harbor Academy is your family's safety net. We designed our programming to be exactly what we needed and always wanted for our own children. We all desire the best quality educational experiences for our little ones and so with our own children in mind we have set high expectations for our team members.

Philosophy

Preschool: Our philosophy at Knowledge Harbor Academy is grounded in the idea that children at birth are like little scientists built with an innate desire to explore their world. We believe that children learn best in an environment rich in the freedom of self-discovery through child led activities where the instructor helps guide and facilitate the learning. Knowledge Harbor Academy is fully equipped with age appropriate materials which will help provide your child an opportunity to build independence and self confidence, with a complete experience that allows them the freedom to work at their own pace. Our approach is hands on and promotes creativity and self-expression while encouraging problem solving, reflection, decision making, and thinking at high levels. Our Spanish program will help your child experience language in a full immersion classroom setting five days a week. Our arts program will expose your child a wide variety of art experiences including painting, printmaking, sculpture, and photography. We recognize that children need the freedom to explore their individual interests. We as educational professionals provide the exposure and a warm guiding hand to enrich their ever-expanding world and promote their growth at an age where they question everything.