Ann’s Message – Welcome Back to a New School Year
July 24, 2015

July 24, 2015

Dear MSLF Families,

Something very special is going on here at the Montessori School of Lake Forest.

You can see it in our youngest students as well as our alumni. This summer, a record number of alumni work here as summer helpers alongside current students of all ages. This summer children are engaged in activities both inside and outside the classroom, from swimming and hiking, nature study and making s’mores, to reading, math and studying countries like Tanzania, India, Canada, and Germany. Their alumni helpers show their Montessori roots as they take everything in stride with optimism, good problem solving skills, and humor. And from youngest to oldest, students and alumni share the same traits of common sense, capability, and high spirits. If you want to know how adaptable and successful your children will be, come see for yourself!

As you can tell, Summer Splash is progressing splendidly, and the 2015-2016 school year is already off to a wonderful start. I’m eager to tell you about it. Throughout this year you’ll have plenty of chances to hear from Alumni . We’ll host them for a panel discussion and plenty of other related events.

  • Outdoor Education is taking off! Younger children experience garden-to-table work which dovetails with the Adolescent students’ work on the Prairie Crossing Learning Farm. And students at both campuses will learn outdoor skills in the nature preserve areas of each campus. (MSLF is a good steward: the Laurel Drive Campus is certified by the National Wildlife Federation and is being vetted by Conserve Lake County, which has already certified our Blue House land!)
  • Upper Elementary students will benefit from lessons with Adolescent Program faculty to learn Latin and ancient history, Spanish language and culture, art, physics, biology, childcare, architectural studies, and the history and practice of bread baking. Their class will also present a school play!
  • Lower Elementary will function as a unit, collaborating on math, language, and research projects, solving school problems, planning events such as “lunch around the world” and enjoying recess and PE. Students will also visit Upper Elementary for extra lessons, and Adolescent Program teachers will offer special lessons.
  • Elementary After School Club will be hosted by Jeff Daube, who has trained as an artist and at the Elementary level at Montessori Institute of Milwaukee, taught at Nature’s Classroom Institute and Montessori School and other schools, and is a partner in a kayaking company. Daube offers many skills and Elementary children will find that he will know how to help them get cool things done.
  • Primary and Elementary Breakfast Club will meet in the Elementary Club Room with Adolescent Program teacher Danna Victor, who has wide experience with young children. This program is piloting now and it works well. In addition to breakfast, Clubbers will enjoy Ms. Victor’s sense of humor, her curiosity, and her desire to teach math and physics to everyone!
  • Primary classes are filling up and we have a wait pool for our Toddler community!
  • Children aren’t the only ones who get to learn at the Montessori School of Lake Forest! Parents will benefit from the Parent Education series and exciting range of workshops and activities. And as we enter our 49 th year (!!!), Parent Volunteer opportunities abound with variety and fun.

There is so much more to tell you, but I’ll wait to do that in person. Welcome back to another wonderful year at the Montessori School of Lake Forest. I can’t wait to see you!

Best Wishes,

 

 

Ann Jordahl
Executive Director

By Teresa Pavelich June 2, 2025
At MSLF, overnight trips become an important part of Montessori learning beginning in Lower Elementary. Each trip is carefully planned to meet the developmental needs of students in the second and third plane of development , with each overnight trip getting progressively longer to ease children into these independent journeys away from their families. These aren't just trips - they're carefully crafted opportunities for students to discover who they are, what they're capable of, and how they can contribute to their community and the wider world. Beginning in their first year of Lower Elementary, students take their first MSLF overnight trip to Nature’s Classroom in Wisconsin. For many Lower Elementary students, this trip represents their first nights away from home. During their trip they explore the outdoors, work together in groups, use their practical life skills during community meals, and grow! It’s this first overnight trip for MSLF students where parents and staff remark how students come back almost transformed after being able to develop their independence in a supportive environment. Our Upper Elementary classroom has embarked on overnight trips to both Camp Timber-lee in Wisconsin and The Country Experience at Amstutz Family Farm in Elizabeth, IL. Both locations provide students with increasing opportunities to apply their practical life skills, like checking the weather to ensure they have weather-appropriate gear for their trip. Every task empowers them to develop self-reliance and problem-solving skills. These trips are also opportunities for the students to get to know one another and build strong relationships with their peers and with the adults in their classroom. Adolescent Program students at MSLF have opportunities to visit both Springfield, IL and Washington, DC . These overnight trips tie directly into their studies – connecting curriculum learned in the classroom to experiences in the wider community. They often take their learning on the road, for example by watching a legislative session in action in Springfield to see which bills are passed during their trip or presenting their research papers at monuments in Washington, DC. And for these students, the skills they built on their trips in Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary are put to work, as they pack their own bags, learn more about public transportation, and plan their daily itineraries to make the most out of their visit. Experiences like these at MSLF support the child’s independence, laying the groundwork for transitions in later life: the start of high school, going away to college, a first job, and beyond. As they conquer challenges outside their comfort zone, their confidence soars, laying the foundation for the autonomy and independence they will continue to utilize throughout their Montessori experience and beyond. It’s good for parents, too, to see how truly capable our children are!
By Teresa Pavelich March 7, 2025
Forbes Article highlights mental health benefits of Montessori education