Our experience with Hickory Hill Academy (formerly Kids Express Learning Center) has been truly wonderful. The teachers are engaging and caring and have been helpful in making adjustments in learning styles when needed. The administration is so passionate about the school and making sure the kids have a love of learning. Not only is the the curriculum amazing, but the mission and vision of the school is so important and I see over and over again their passion for cultivating compassionate leaders. It has been so fun to see my kids thrive both academically and socially. The communication from teachers and administration has been wonderful! I could not be more happy with the experience my kids have had here! I would without a doubt, recommend everyone to this amazing school!

We are thrilled to be back at Hickory Hill Academy (HHA). My children attended HHA (Formerly Kids Express Learning Center) since infants and have thrived at this school. The teachers are caring and meet each child where they are, while also challenging them every day. They collaborate with parents and provide frequent communication. The administration listens to parents and students, always striving to be leaders in the world of education. They understand that every child has different learning styles. The enrichment programs allow for a well rounded educational program.My children struggled in public school for a variety of reason. When the opportunity for them to attend HHAs Lower School opened up, they had the biggest smile on their faces. They are challenged yet feel supported from everyone in the school community. The teachers are invested in getting to know each individual child for who they are in and out of the classroom. The student support each other and have developed amazing friendships. My children are thrilled to be coming back next year and I am thrilled they love school again.

Both of my children previously attended Hickory Hill Academy for pre-school (formally Kids Express Learning Center). We instantly felt connected to the community that it provided us and loved having them attend this school as toddlers. When the school added an elementary option my wife and I knew it was where we wanted our kids to go.This school really has everything you could want for your children’s education. In addition to a tremendous curriculum focused on personalized attention that challenges and focuss on the individual child needs (two teachers to each classroom), they offer classes and experiences you just cannot get elsewhere. Both Spanish and Mandarin are apart of their curriculum providing culture and additional language learning at a young age. They have animals (Llama, Goats & Alpaca) on campus the children interact with and there is a focus on outside learning whenever possible.We also love the sense of community and events the school has created to involve families in the learning & growing process of our kids. We have seen our children grow and thrive this year at HHA and are extremely happy with our decision to have them attend.

My little one has come such a long way in just a few short weeks with KELC. Everyone at KELC is passionate about what they do and it shows. My daughter has completely come out of her shell, she is more curious about the world around her, she notices things shes never noticed before and she now has confidence to keep learning new things. KELC has created an atmosphere where kids feel safe, secure and self expression is encouraged... all the key ingredients a child needs in order to thrive. I am so grateful for Kids Express Learning Center, the Dahl Family and all of the incredible teachers.

KELC and Hickory Hill are like none other! Our kids have flourished at this school. The program is designed in a way to ensure that every child is being challenged academically and fits their needs. As parents, we love that they are being exposed to much and that they are truly enjoying learning. All of the teachers we have had at the school have been incredible. They are patient, kind, and have truly cared about our children. A highlight is science with Mr. Rich- he is exceptional and really teaches the kids in a way that’s fun for them. Our kids are always excited to tell us about the interesting things they have learned. Not only are the teachers amazing, but the grounds are, as well. The animals, gardens, and outdoor spaces are such a wonderful asset for the school. We feel this school has been such a great fit for us and are so thankful for the opportunity to be at a school with such a rich program and wonderful staff!

Kids Express has been a MAGNIFICENT experience for our family. Administration, staff, teachers - can’t speak highly enough about each and every one of them. Our family has attended for 3 years now and our kids ADORE their learning environments. Campus is GORGEOUS, extracurriculars are OUTSTANDING, and their commitment to learning is second to none! I recommend Kids Express to everyone I know!

Money well spent/investedIve sent both of my boys here and I only have positive feedback. All of the teachers weve ended up with have been a blessing to both of our childrens development. In addition to the amazing facility (interactive gardens, multiple species of animals, full science bus, gym, music, kitchens, etc) the people who send their children here seem to be very involved parents. For this and many more reasons anyone considering sending their children here can consider it money well spent/invested.

My son has been attending Kids Express Learning Center for a little over a year now. The facilities that he has access to are second-to-none. From growing their own snacks, and watching the animals every day, to learning Spanish at 2-years-old, and spending time on the nature bus learning about all kinds of cool things -- its easy to see why he comes home with a smile on his face every day! He is learning manners, how to be kind, and is making lots of great friends. As a parent, I can attest to the genuine caring nature of the teachers and administrative staff. I have been in to chat on a number of occasions, and any time I have had a question about my sons progress I have been welcomed with open arms. I cannot recommend this place highly enough. Just go to their campus and check it out -- I promise you wont be disappointed!

Kids Express offers a variety of speciality classes for your youngster to explore topics. I haven’t met anyone that didn’t love Mr. Rich’s nature talks. The grounds are lovely, but not utilized as part of learning (outdoor time is in regular playgrounds).It is expensive. You are paying for highly educated early childhood educators and goats. If the teachers mesh with your kid they can do wonders—but little consideration is made on teacher-student fit. Also for having Masters and PhDs in early childhood education they either feign or are ignorant of treating/guiding kids who have social/developmental delays.In our case, they had a way they wanted to teach and our child was a distraction. They effectively kicked us out, but more disturbingly, with little assistance in a transition or securing help. They hadn’t documented behavior sufficiently, our medical team and MMSD team had a different opinion them...but they seemed to decide he wasn’t worth the time and made it a huge cost to us to stay for 4 weeks while we identified a new facility.They spent a lot of time empathizing and telling us that they had kids with these issues (one was in our child’s class). I don’t think they realized this made it more apparent that they were unwilling to put the effort on our child that they would on others. If your child is set on social and emotional development and looking to be academically challenged at 3, this is probably a great place. Otherwise I’d avoid the unnecessary expense and stress.

Amazing experience! The absolute best thing about Kids Express is the incredible variety of programs (at all ages) offered - things other private schools (and certainly public schools) cannot do due to cost and/or logistics. Example: The summer program includes a Rock Band class where kids learn to play rock instruments - guitar, drums, bass, keyboard, etc. Show me another school in Madison that offers this! Our kids LOVE their science program and frequently come home asking about conduction or phosphorus or amoebas, etc (they are in 3K and 4K). Amazing! PLUS...Cooking, Music, and Spanish classes are weekly for all age groups. And all the animals, learning to garden, nature walks, etc. I could go on and on. We love this school so much and feel VERY BLESSED to be able to send our kids here. Their attention to detail is second-to-none. Administration is attentive, positive, and always listening on how to improve their school. Teachers are fabulous. Reading the negative reviews, I couldnt disagree more with what those folks had to say. We recommend KELC to everyone!! I feel our kids are WAAAAAAY ahead of their peers at other schools and consistently impress us with their burning desire to learn more (which is SO IMPORTANT, dont you think?). ** And we are THRILLED that they are adding an Elementary School (first classes rolling out Fall 2019) so that the exceptional learning can continue!

We are so lucky to be able to send our son to Kids Express! Hes 2 1/2 and has been attending Kids Express since he was 3 months old. All of his teachers have been amazing and he is so excited to go to school every day! Hes made great friends and loves Mr. Richs nature class. We love the weekly emails and constant teacher communication, always sharing photos and letting us know how our little guy is doing. We couldnt ask for a better place to send our son.

The facilities are amazing, the teachers work so hard and care a lot for the students. The administration is kind, but the parents at KELC are cruel- even to young children. Be prepared.

My son attends 4K at Kids Express and I am delighted to see him run and hug his teachers and friends every day. He is challenged, treated wonderfully and gets to try so many new sports, activities and lessons. I am so thankful Kids Express is a part of his life and setting him up for future learning. The teachers and center are amazing.

Our experience is unlike the negative review posted above. We only enjoy the center. They truly care about the children and want each to do well. They take time to learn each child and provide a well-thought out report several times a year. The campus offers more than any other Ive seen. Well worth the money.

This place has gotten pretty lazy with the care provided to the students. The facilities are top notch, but they dont really seem to be utilized by any of the students. It is all for show. The teachers feel like they have phoned it in - if you see them during the day they are literally on the phone or are just talking with each other; not interacting with the kids at all. Really disappointed

There is something very cold and unwelcoming about this place. I can only attribute it to the fact that my family is of a minority group. My child went to this school this for a few months and he did not learn one thing. They do have a very nice campus but aside from the animals and karate, the children learn nothing. This place is definitely not worth the high tuition price.

Weve been sending our children to Kids Express for almost five years. The teachers and staff are well educated, professional, and passionate about what they do. Our children light up when they talk about their experiences in gardening, nature studies, sports, and the classroom. This is a wonderful place that our family highly recommends.

Such a wonderful experience for my two boys. My wife and I will be forever grateful for the experiences and education of KELC. The teachers are wonderful and environment so conducive to learning. I would highly recommend this school to any parent in the Madison area.- Micah Chan

My son attended for three years prior to kindergarten. I was very pleased with the services offered both during the school year as well as during the summer sessions.I would recommend the school to anyone looking for an academically focused preschool.

Theyll hound for fees before getting all the information about the situation. They dont make special accommodations. And when the website says u can pay weekly they act like they want all the money you front.

Very warm, caring environment. Structured, but fun - my son loves to go to school every day and comes home talking about all the wonderful activities. Beautiful campus, very clean, very open and bright.

My four year old attends this school. The teachers are caring and thoughtful and very accommodating. The school is flexible and works with parents to achieve their goals. The science program is amazing. My child had been reading but his fluidity and grasp of reading improved almost immediately. My only concern is that he will be bored when he attends public school full time as he is so much more advanced now with the aid of Kids Express. Also, the premises are amazing. They are clean, well organised and rarely do you see or hear a child crying. Usually they are running around with big smiles on their faces. My son loves it. He adores his teachers, Ambriel and Mr. Chang and especially the science bus.

KELC has been a wonderful place for our child. She comes home and tells us stories about her day, teaches us songs she had learned in class, and shows off new words and skills. We feel like her teachers always work with us as partners and are happy to address any questions we have - the communication is truly top notch. This is a great school that has played a huge role in our childs early development. What a relief to know your child is in great hands while you are at work!

KELC is an amazing place for daycare in Madison. When we moved to Madison with our one-year-old, we scheduled appointments to visit as many daycare facilities as we could but stopped our search after visiting KELC. The teachers in all of the classrooms so far have been superb – you can tell in your child’s reaction to saying a teacher’s name just how much they like the teachers as people as well as educators. Additionally, the grounds themselves are awesome – the emphasis placed on nature, animals, and gardening is something that we value and KELC thoroughly provides. Some days it is hard to leave because our daughter wants to keep feeding leaves to the goats. Amusingly, a relative keeps commenting on how our children won’t have anything remaining to learn once they get to kindergarten – the teachers and curricula are certainly effective. All in all we love KELC for our children and couldn’t imagine sending them anywhere else.

Our son has been attending KELC for the past year. WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT AND KNOW HE DOES TOO!! The learning experience is amazing. From learning about gardening to some pretty awesome art projects and much, much more, there are days we wish we were attending KELC. We have gotten to know the Dahls quite well and are feel as though our child is treated not only as a student but as part of a family. We have recommended KELC to many others and will continue to do so.