The Gardner School of Lincolnshire
Nationally Accredited Through NAEYC With Curriculum-Based Learning
Our learning atmosphere at The Gardner School of Lincolnshire includes a careful blend of traditional and Montessori educational styles, centered around curriculum-based lessons, child-directed activities, and structured play. Your child will have access to Creative Curriculum, World of Wonders Curriculum, and Learning without Tears Curriculum. We are proud to have achieved the honor of national accreditation through the National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education Programs (NAEYC).
Safe and Secure Environment
The Gardner School of Lincolnshire values safety and ensures a secure environment with its multiple security checkpoints, giving parents peace of mind.
Now enrolling! The Gardner School is thrilled to join the northern suburban Chicago community of Lincolnshire with our seventh preschool in the greater Chicago area. Our school is conveniently located at 250 Barclay Boulevard between Marriott Drive and Knightsbridge Parkway, offering easy access for families across Lincolnshire.
More than a traditional preschool or child care facility, The Gardner School of Lincolnshire offers year-round full- and part-time child care, with early childhood education programs for children 6 weeks old through 5 years. The school’s stimulating and educationally-engineered new space is designed to meet the needs of our most important client—the children. Our lead teachers at The Gardner School of Lincolnshire are highly-qualified and have a passion for helping young children learn and thrive. We are excited to bring our award-winning early childhood program to Lincolnshire families.
School Features
- Academically-focused learning with research-based curriculum
- NAEYC Accredited
- Real-time updates through the parent communications app with photos, nap and feeding times, school announcements
- Clean, safe and secure environment with two security checkpoints
- Inviting classrooms with four-year degreed lead preschool teachers
- Delicious, healthy meals in the Kids’ Café
- On-site supplemental enrichment classes (sports, music and arts, computers, foreign language) in our enrichment studio and computer lab
- Open-door policy for daily check-ins
- Expansive indoor and outdoor playscapes
- Private nursing room
Academically-focused Programs
Summer at TGS
Infants
Pre-K
Preschool
Toddlers
Twos
Kindergarten
Enrichment Classes
Amazing Athletes
BeSmart Computers
Cooking
Gymnastics
Karate
Music
Soccer
Lincolnshire Campus Leadership
Sarah Smith
School Director
How long have you been with TGS?
I have been with TGS since January of 2017.
Roles Served with TGS:
I started as the Enrichment Coordinator and then served as the Assistant Director at TGS Northbrook. Currently, I’m the Executive Director for TGS Lincolnshire.
What is your educational background?
I have my Bachelor’s Degree in Child LIfe from The University of Iowa and a Master Degree in Early Childhood Education from Concordia University Chicago.
What makes you laugh about kids?
I love how honest kids are. I always joke with parents that I am going to write a book containing all the funny things I hear the children say throughout the day.
What is your favorite part of the day at TGS?
I love being at the front desk when the children arrive and leave, especially Monday mornings. I love when the children stop to tell me about their weekend or what their favorite part of the school day was. Interacting with the families is one of the main reasons I love working in early childhood education.
What do you love most about TGS?
I love that TGS is more than just a child care center. It’s an actual school for the children and I know they are learning so much each day. I also love getting to interact with the families on a daily basis.
What is your fondest memory of TGS thus far?
Our Spring Fling and Graduation program in May was one of my favorite memories at TGS so far!
What is the funniest thing you have ever heard come out of the mouth of a TGS Student?
My first week at TGS I walked into one of the Exploration classrooms in the afternoon and saw a little girl standing at the window with a huge smile on her face. I asked her what she was looking at and she took a huge sniff of the air and told me that she could smell her daddy coming.
What inspires you?
I love to be a role model for the children I work with. They are the reason that I fell in love with my career in early childhood education. It’s wonderful to interact with all the children on a daily basis and hear all about what they are learning in the classroom and enrichment classes. My friends and family also inspire me. They believe I can do anything and have been very supportive and continue to be as I continue to work towards my career goals.
What is your passion or passions?
I love working with young children and seeing them achieve their developmental milestones. The look on their faces when they achieve those goals is inspiring.
What does the term ‘Where Learning Begins’ mean to you?
The term ‘Where Learning Begins’ demonstrates the importance of early childhood education. Early Childhood is one of the times in a child’s life that they are learning and developing the most. The children need a place where they can learn at their own pace, learn in their own way, and be respected as an individual while gaining the confidence to be comfortable with themselves. TGS helps the children develop a love for their future schooling and is a place where they can develop self confidence and courage to try new things.
Ashleigh Holley
Assistant Director
What is your educational background, and what inspired you to pursue a career in early childhood education?
I graduated from Auburn University at Montgomery with a Bachelors in Childhood Education, which is a dual degree to teach children all the way from birth to sixth grade. I started my career in Head Start where I taught four year olds for a year and a half. Then, I transitioned to the public school setting where I taught kindergarten for two years and second grade for two years before moving on to complete two years of ESL teaching. Once I moved up to Illinois, I started teaching private kindergarten in an Early Childhood program and fell in love with it! What I absolutely love about Early Childhood is building strong relationships with children and their families. I also love knowing that I am creating a positive, friendly, educational environment for them! The kids’ smiles and joy for being at school really makes me love coming to work every day!
How long have you been with TGS, and what excites you most about being part of this school community?
I have worked for TGS since 2023 and I absolutely love it! I started as an Enrichment Coordinator and have recently moved up to an Assistant Director. I work with some of the most amazing women and men that are passionate about educating and caring for children. The thing that I love most is how educational the programs are for our students! Having been in public schools, I know that the children here are getting exceptionally strong foundations that will help them when they move on to their “big kid” schools!
What do you love most about working with children during their early years of development?
I love seeing the children laugh and learn while having fun! Seeing their joy for learning really makes my heart full as an educator!
What is the most rewarding part of your day at TGS?
The most rewarding part of my day is definitely interacting with the children and getting to be silly with them! Also, I love telling the parents little stories about their children that made me laugh that day. One of my greatest joys is getting to build strong relationships with the families and children!
Why do you believe quality early childhood education is important for a child’s development?
It is so important for children to have a strong educational foundation before they even go into Kindergarten! Having been a public school teacher, I know that the standards for each grade level have drastically increased from where they used to be when I was a child in the 1990s. Children who come into school with strong educational foundations of reading, mathematics, and social emotional skills definitely have an advantage and are less likely to fall behind.
How would you comfort and reassure new parents who may feel nervous about leaving their child in someone else’s care for the first time?
I always reassure new parents of all the different ways that they can keep up with their child’s day. I show them our app and let them know that they will receive pictures, videos, feedings/meals, and other activities throughout the day so that they have a full scope of their child’s day. Also, I let them know we have an open door policy so they are always welcome to stop by and drop in for a secret reading, watch the cameras, or to facilitate a fun activity with their child’s class. I also let them know of universal behaviors that they might notice for the first few weeks (e.g. crying at drop off and pick up) as their child adjusts to their new environment.
How do you partner with parents to support their child’s growth and learning journey?
I build strong relationships with the parents so that they are comfortable to ask any questions about their children. Whether the questions are positive or concerns, I always address their questions with empathy, understanding, and reassurance. This has definitely helped the parents feel valued and supported during their child’s growth and learning journey.
What TGS Parents Are Saying
Schedule a Tour
Please select a date and time that works best for you (tours are ~45 minutes). We recommend visiting in the morning between 9:30 – 11:30 am. Of course, we completely understand that is not always possible with families’ schedules and welcome families to join whenever is most convenient for you. If you aren't ready to tour yet or these times below don’t work for your family, use the Contact Us button below and we will coordinate a time together.
Contact Us
If you aren't yet ready to schedule a tour or the available times do not work for your family,
please click Contact Us to connect with someone from The Gardner School.
