⭐ Back To School Night Message from Hope ⭐
September 17, 2020

Dear MSLF Families,

 

In the past 6 months, we’ve all been faced with some incredible challenges. A worldwide pandemic, virtual learning and social distancing have brought unimaginable challenges to all our lives. The students, staff and community at MSLF have handled these challenges with such resilience and grace . This is yet another reason why I am so grateful and proud to be a part of this wonderful school community.

A Montessori education prepares one to be resilient, to adapt to change, to problem solve and think outside of the box. Our students have truly exemplified these traits over the past 6 months. They individually adapted to distance learning in the Spring, adjusted to life with face masks and social distancing with understanding and acceptance and have resumed their work in the classrooms with focus and joy. They have adjusted to changes in classroom schedules, routines and procedures effortlessly, while also thinking critically to solve any problems in these new routines and procedures they may discover as time goes by. When I walk down the halls of MSLF, I am delighted to see classrooms at peace full of students receiving lessons from their teachers, working independently or safely with another and even socializing. While so much is different this year, one true constant is the children’s love of learning. We should all truly look to them to be our role models for accepting and adapting to change, as they are doing it so gracefully!

 

The MSLF community is fortunate to have incredibly dedicated teachers and staff who are committed to supporting our students and our community. These individuals have worked tirelessly to make in-person learning a reality this school year. They have dedicated countless hours, evenings and weekends to plan and prepare for students to return to campus because the education and safety of our students is their utmost priority. Their efforts allow our students to continue to have the benefit of a Montessori education; a hands-on, individualized learning experience that will prepare our children for life. They have ensured a safe return to school so all our students can continue to develop and learn, even during a pandemic… a challenge MSLF was uniquely prepared to overcome, thanks to our spacious building, expansive outdoor environment and Montessori approach to learning. As a leader to this community, I am proud of their hard work and efforts. As a parent within this community, I am filled with gratitude towards them, as I am sure you all are too.

 

I am also very grateful to the MSLF parent community. You supported MSLF during unprecedented and unpredictable times. You dedicated much of your own time in the Spring to supporting your child through distance learning, becoming teachers yourselves while also working, caring for your children, and caring for your home. This was not an easy task, but you adapted and rose to the occasion. You continued to support MSLF through the Summer as we reopened and began implementing new procedures and policies. You offered us patience and understanding as we learned how to open during a pandemic. As we welcomed back our entire community, old friends and new, you have continued to offer us that patience and understanding. This community has proven to be incredibly kind and considerate, communicating with the school honestly and making choices with the entire community in mind so we can all continue to enjoy the benefit of in-person learning this year. That thoughtfulness gives me such hope that this year will be an incredible one. Thank you!

 

We are all adjusting to changes in our lives and at MSLF, but there is much that has thankfully stayed the same. Incredible work is still happening in the classrooms. Teachers are giving lessons and students are working and focused. Their love of learning still very present in their hearts, perhaps even more than before as we all celebrate our return to our beautiful campus, reuniting with teachers and friends. And we have much that is familiar to look forward to as we plan to soon celebrate Spirit Week at MSLF, kick off our Annual Giving Campaign, and choose our outfits for school picture days. I hope the entire MSLF community will join me in showing great school spirit, giving generously, and smiling big in the coming weeks. This is indeed a year for the history books, and I for one am incredibly proud of our school’s place in it.

 

Hope Allegretti
Executive Director
Montessori School of Lake Forest

MSLF Overnight Trips Build Independence and Confidence for Elementary and Adolescent Program Students

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!

Forbes Article: The Surprising Health Benefits Of Montessori Education

By Teresa Pavelich • March 7, 2025
Forbes Article highlights mental health benefits of Montessori education