Kali & Rob Lindner
5 year, 3 year & 2 year old daughters
Elizabeth Weaver, Attorney at Law
5 year old daughter
"All three of our daughters attended Origins and we were so grateful for the love, care, education and nourishment they received. The eco-literacy and organic meals they received not only nourished their minds and bodies, but I believe will have a long-term effect on them, their communities, and the earth. To learn at such a young age that you are a part of nature and its cycles, how to live gently on this earth, and how to both play and to "be" in nature will surely be of benefit as they grow into adulthood. A child's natural curiosity and wonder about the world they live in is celebrated at Origins and we know that our children were given a beautifully creative and nurturing space to explore and play as they began to enter the world. We are grateful to have been a part of the Origins family."
"Our daughter has attended Origins since she was 10 months old. We highly recommend Origins to everyone! It provides a rich, caring, and joyful program that encourages students to become independent thinkers and lifelong learners. Classes are very interactive, inquiry-based, student-centered and experiential. We love all the art and interactive projects. Our daughter has developed great intellectual curiosity, social, and critical thinking skills that are attributable in great part to Origins. Also, the sign language they taught our daughter early on was clutch! In addition, we have found it to be a very tender, compassionate, and sweet environment fostering very secure children who are free to express and explore their burgeoning individuality.”
Brad & Lori Monahan
infant daughter
“We are so pleased with the care our daughter has received from the Origins staff! She’s always happy when we drop her off, and lights up when she sees the ladies in the baby room. She’s equally happy when we pick her up, and we often find her playing with the other kids or snuggled in the arms of a staff member, well-fed, freshly-diapered, and as pleased as can be. The staff is always diligent about informing us how her day went, including how long she napped, what and how much she ate, and any difficulties or exciting developments she experienced. The staff truly enjoys our daughter, and are sincerely concerned when she struggles, and sincerely delighted when she triumphs by mastering a new skill or reaching a new milestone. As a parent, it’s gratifying to know that she’s in such loving hands when she can’t be with us! The Origins staff are also very receptive to any special requests we have, and have gone completely above and beyond to accommodate our family’s schedule with several (very) early morning drop offs. It was a difficult decision to send our daughter to daycare, and an even more difficult decision as to which daycare to choose… but Origins is the best choice we could have made! We will unhesitatingly recommend Origins to anyone looking for insightful and dedicated caregivers for their little ones.”
Brooke McBride Ph.D. and
Eric McBride M.Ed.
3 year old son
“This past Fall, my husband and I were shocked and thrilled to receive the sudden emergency placement of a 3-year-old little boy into our home. We had just completed our foster-adoptive parenting training, but were not expecting to receive a referral for at least one year. Lo and behold, our first child landed in our home during the first week of November. As professionals and consummate planners, this turned our quiet lives on end! We both already had significant work commitments, but immediately fell in love with this vivacious little spirit, and were committed to doing everything we could to give him a full and happy life. THANK GOODNESS for Origins during this time of incredible transition for us and our son. In only four months at Origins, he went from barely speaking to taking tremendous pride in spotting and writing the first letters of each of our names everywhere. The staff at Origins were so kind and accommodating to having a speech therapist visit him there twice per week, and his language and vocabulary have sky-rocketed. He also learned so many invaluable yet taken-for-granted social skills, such as the concepts of sharing and helping, enjoying and serving meals with others at the table, and taking turns. Our jaws literally dropped to the floor when, early on, he came home from Origins and asked “May I be ‘skewzed, peez?” from our table. His Origins artwork is layer-caked on our fridge. He has taught us so many adorable songs and games. Also, in our brief drop-off and pick-up times at Origins, we gleaned so many priceless skills as pretty clueless new parents, especially “I’m going to count to 3 and then I’m going to help you”, which works like a charm every time. Where would we be without that, we dare to think?! We cannot thank the staff and community at Origins enough for their tremendous commitment to helping enhance the lives of little ones, and the lives of their families, as well.”
Sandra Koelle
5 year old daughter
“Our daughter has been attending Origins since she was nine months old. She has recently graduated to “upstairs at Origins” – the Preschool, and is thrilled to be one of the big kids. We are just as impressed with the preschool teachers as we were with the infant and toddler staff. Several kids who have been attending Origins for years now form the core group of our daughter’s friendship circles and social life. And we like their parents too!”
Heather Cahoon, PhD.
2 year old son, 4 year old son
“As a parent, I am very pleased with multiple aspects of Origins Education. Besides appreciating the obvious things like their small class sizes and organic meals, I’m really glad that my boys are being cared for by competent and loving “friends,” as my 3-year-old calls the Origins staff! I also have been impressed with the academic side of Origins–my son is consistently impressing us with the things he’s learning there. I would certainly recommend Origins to other parents who value the low student-teacher ratio, healthy meals, and an overall happy and safe environment for their kids. Origins is truly a home away from home for my two sons and the other kids who go there.”
Lisa and Dale Bickell
2 year old son, 4 year old daughter
“We looked around at lots of options for child care and education in Missoula and chose Origins because of the teaching philosophies, the personal attention they can give our children with a smaller enrollment program, and the excellent communication they maintain with us. We never feel like a number or even like just a client. The staff at Origins truly goes out of their way to provide high quality care while meeting our needs as working parents. We see not only how much our daughter is learning but we are also watching her open up and develop new friendships. The staff at Origins was quick to celebrate the milestones of my son’s first steps with us. We drop the kids off in the morning confident that they will eat good food, have new experiences, learn new things, connect with their peers, and be appreciated by the Origins educators for the little people that they are. The size of the Origins program, the attention to quality education, the communication with parents, and the attention to the little things is what set Origins apart for us.”
Katie Andre
3 year old son
“As a mom, I was nervous about sending my child to preschool for the first time, and did a lot of research before choosing Origins. But from the moment we first came to visit, I knew that there was nothing to worry about. The staff at Origins are welcoming and friendly, the facility is clean and safe, and they serve nutritious food from quality sources. My son loves coming to school, and I love that he is well cared for and learning a fantastic curriculum. I highly recommend Origins to anyone who is not only looking for childcare, but an educational experience for their child.”
Jeff S.
18 month old son
“Origins worked with us so we could get child care during the hours we most needed it. Every day I would drop my one-year old off and pick him up a few hours later. He was happy, stuffed full of local organic food, and somehow actually cleaner when I picked him up than when I had dropped him off. Though young, he even got to take part in the special activities, like when the firefighters came to class. We were very happy with the care from Origins and would happily recommend it to anyone.”
Elise & Sam Risho
3 year old son
“I had been reluctant to enroll my son in any child-care facility due to his severe reaction to foods containing both wheat and dairy products, until I found Origins. In addition to providing a gluten free facility with all organic foods, Genevieve went out of her way to accommodate our son’s special dietary restrictions by teaching and guiding her staff to not only be aware, but to take active precautions around food. Everyone at Origins has shown overwhelming care and personal attention for our son, showing the truly kind and generous nature each of them possess. We are delighted to have found Origins, and are genuinely thankful for time and special attention Origins encourages.”
Stephanie Stratton
4 year old daughter
“When I left the child care and early education field I was worried about where to enroll my 4 year old daughter for preschool. She had been with me since she was born, always in the same facility where I worked, but my shifting career path meant that was no longer possible. I knew of the many quality programs available in Missoula but none seemed to be the right fit for our family’s needs and preferences. Once I toured Origins and met Genevieve, I knew the search for a loving, friendly, clean, and educational atmosphere was over! My daughter attended Origins for her last year of preschool and I could not be happier with the results! She made wonderful friends in the other children as well as the stellar staff. I loved the small class size, friendly and caring staff, and competitive tuition rates. Beyond traditional preschool, the children at Origins get music lessons weekly, organic meals and a sense of belonging to a larger ‘family’. My daughter is thriving in Kindergarten, building on the wonderful social skills and academic knowledge she acquired at Origins.”
McKenzie Powers
3 year old son
“My son Carson is an only child, so I decided to enroll him in preschool mainly to benefit from getting social interaction with other kids. I visited a couple preschools before deciding on Origins. The calm atmosphere and small class sizes were very appealing, the staff was not only competent but warm and welcoming, and I felt the philosophies they practice matched ours. I could not have asked for a better experience for Carson, and felt he came away with much more than just positive social interactions. He tried many new (organic!) foods, did some wonderful and creative art projects, and continued reaching appropriate developmental milestones. He always looked forward to seeing his teachers and classmates. We have since moved, but I would highly recommend Origins to anyone in the area looking for a high quality preschool program for their child.”
Jamie & Michael Sparr
2 year old son, 4 year old daughter
“Looking for childcare can be a daunting task. As we looked for a place for our two children (then 3 months and 2 years old), the results I found were less than desirable, until I found Origins. From the start Genevieve was very professional and proud to show what she has built. Immediately, I noticed the smaller group sizes, and personal attention. Her staff are people, who not only love children, but are pursuing or have early childhood education. I was amazed at the attention to education through play. This is not a place to just watch your child while you are at work. They want your child to thrive in all aspects. I felt so comfortable leaving my kids there, and often had a hard time pulling them away to go home at the end of the day. I have piece of mind knowing my kids are being fed healthy foods, learning to identify their emotions, being rewarded for their positive behaviors, and shown how to redirect any negative behaviors. As my daughter turned three, she was able to move upstairs to the preschool. She continued to love the staff, and her friendships and social skills continued to blossom. Overall, I think the ultimate validation that I made the right choice is that my kids are excited to go there, and they continue to grow into the great little people that you would like them to be.”
"We have been particularly impressed with the mindful practices and the connection to nature while with Origins. During stressful moments at home or with other kids, our son is able to ground himself by taking deep breaths. When we are outside he can describe key concepts like 'photosynthesis' and demonstrates his love for nature by caring for chickens, bugs, and plants. Origins is the right balance of nature, learning, and emotional connection." Elizabeth Metcalf, 5 yr old son
“Our son fully absorbed the eco-literacy concepts that were presented to him through the Origins Curriculum. He would often point out to us important positive eco behaviours he had learned and remind us that we need to take care of our planet. To be honest we had no idea that we would luck upon such an amazing preschool program with a diverse, eco literate and conscious curriculum. We were overcome by the level of thought and consideration the school put into not only the children’s care but to their long-term education and personal growth. “ Fiona Wyborn, 5 yr old son
"Our daughter started going to Origins when she was 7 months old. From the moment she arrive, she was shown lots of love. It has been a positive and warm place for her to grow and develop. The management and staff are open, kind and always working to make the environment a safe, fun and positive place for littles to explore and thrive. " Lindsey Thompson, 3 yr old daughter