2013-2014 Report from the Head of School

WE ARE MONTES
soaring
The 2013-2014 Report from the Executive Director
i
THIS is a SCHOOL
WHERE KIDS CAN soar .
From the day we first opened our doors, we made a
commitment to every student that here they will discover
an extraordinary place to learn.
LEARN TO:
be
themselves
be the best
they can be
fall in love
with learning
This is a place that will give them not just challenging academics
but the skills that will strengthen their humanity and set their moral
compass in a committed, compassionate direction.
This report is about the exhilaration of learning for life.
FASTEN your SEAT BELTS.
WE HAVE
LIFT OFF
1
DEAR NEAR NORTH MONTESSORI
Mon
FAMILIES and FRIENDS:
Something extraordinary has been going on at our school. It’s been going
on for 50 years.
We’ve seen the remarkable achievement of our children as they graduate to
the best high schools in the city. And we’ve also seen:
> The quiet miracles of learning to read in the 3-6 classrooms.
> The ah-ha! moment of a 10-year-old student discovering a new
way of thinking about math.
> The laughter of students as they plant vegetables in the Farmessori.
> The arms around a friend who is feeling homesick at camp.
> The teacher staying late with a student who needs a little more
time on a project.
Year after year, graduate after graduate, family after family, we have
experienced a school that’s not like any other. But we have had
trouble expressing what this school means, how it delivers an
exceptional education, and shapes our students for life.
We needed to find our voice. We needed to define our brand.
Thanks to the vision of our board, initial research by
parent Karen Daugherty, and the expertise of marketing
committee chair and parent Sherman Wright, we worked
with a branding firm during the past year to identify who we
are, who we aspired to be, and brought it to life.
We are so proud to begin our new year with the launch of
our new brand: Montessoaring.
ntessoaring
This report from the Executive Director is your first look at Near North Montessori’s
new brand. Beyond a handsome new logo – seen on the front cover – you will
read the articulation of what our school stands for. You will see engaging new
images that bring the brand to life. You will discover that Montessoaring is really
the profound connection that takes place every day in our classrooms.
This does not mean we have lost sight of our Montessori philosophy. It means
that the educational philosophy of Maria Montessori, developed 100 years ago,
is more relevant now than ever. Our new brand helps us demystify Montessori
and demonstrates that all the latest best educational practices – independent
thinking, self-sufficiency, creative problem solving – have always been core to
Montessori and our school.
Our new brand will help us speak to prospective families who are interested in
our school, give teachers a relevant context for articulating student progress,
and develop a deeper, richer understanding for parents who are so invested in
their children and Near North.
Welcome to the new school year. This is the place where kids can soar.
Audrey Perrott
Executive Director
Eddie Gershman
Board President
3
WHAT A PLACE TO learn.
WHAT A
great year
Near North Montessori is a powerful educational experience, drawing its energy and
inspiration from the students, families, and teachers who call this school home. Together, we
work to create a warm, welcoming community where young hearts and minds take flight.
Houston,
This is Annie’s class
Montessoaring
This year in Annie’s 3-6 classroom, letters were sent to everyone from
grandparents to Audrey to Cyndi Lauper. A student even wrote a letter
to NASA asking to please send a picture of space. When no answer
was received, Annie suggested sending a second letter, this one
addressed to a specific person with more in-depth questions. Three
weeks after the letter went out in the student’s large but legible
handwriting, a written response came back with charts, drawings, and
an offer to talk via Skype to the entire class, which happened the next
week. What a lively discussion it was!
4
AT NEAR NORTH
MONTESSORI,
LEARNING
is like
BREATHING.
Here you will not find the traditional lineup of desks in rows,
textbooks, and mind-numbing rote memorization.
What you will find are dynamic learning laboratories –
a school alive with students exploring questions about the
world around them.
No wonder Near North students love school.
Around every corner is another learning adventure, ready
to be explored.
WHAT A PLACE TO
fly .
the code to Creativity
The Hour of Code was a new weeklong series of activities aimed at building computer coding
literacy at Near North. Introduced as an afterschool program, over 85 students participated,
with many finishing 15-20 hours of additional work outside the classroom. Likening coding
to a superpower, Technology Teacher Janeen Cohen guided students through the process of
using the computer as a tool to take what they imagined and make it into a reality.
Real-world thinking for the real world
Economics Week engages many 9-12 students in an immersive process
where they are faced with careers, life, money, and how to make it work.
Using demographic data from the city, students are assigned a job and
salary, put into different family structures, and work together to navigate
real-life economic conditions. Decision-making includes taxes, paying
utility bills, enrolling in insurance, saving for retirement, and raising
children – all while living on a budget. Research and confronting the
reality of economic hardship and financial constraints create an
unforgettable lesson in learning for life.
5
Next stop: I’m lost
“If you are not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original,” says education
guru Sir Ken Robinson, whose presentation on “How schools kill creativity” is the most watched
TED Talk of all time. So every Friday afternoon, Near North junior high students embark on a
learning journey filled with challenges, adventures, and a few mistakes along the way.
Flex Fridays begin earlier in the week when students need to plan their Friday afternoon schedules.
They travel in small groups to various Chicago destinations, learning about transit, history,
cultural organizations, education resources, and community – while fostering creativity, critical
thinking, and cooperation. Each group has an adult chaperone who does not interfere when a
group gets on a wrong train, makes a wrong turn, or is short admission fees.
“We want our kids to not just be students, but to also feel like citizens of the world,” says Junior High
Director Chris Ambroso. “We’re extending the classroom beyond its four walls into the city.”
After reading Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle,” one class took a trip to the former Union Stockyards.
Other trips have included Chinatown, Ukrainian Village, the Museum of Contemporary Art,
Hull House, the site of the protests during the 1968 Democratic National Convention, and other
Chicago destinations that expand classroom learning.
Flex Fridays include visits to Near North’s Farmessori, the school’s urban farm on Wood Street,
and food depositories around town. They also include community service based projects
including visits to area shelters and group homes.
Getting lost, finding your way, discovering the secrets of a global city; that’s the
exhilaration of learning for life.
Compassion is not for sale
Every May, students in 6-9 classrooms bring in old toys to sell to raise
money for a charity of their choice. This year, students in Daniel’s class
found themselves with a surplus of toys and an additional choice to make;
the immediate gratification of selecting toys to take home or donating
them all to a school with very few resources. A vote was taken and it was
unanimous – the toys went to a local needy school.
6
TEACHERS RECHARGE
THEIR
passion
Near North teachers are a passionate, committed team who recharge their lifelong
love of learning with 100 percent participation in attending at least one professional
development program annually. This year, our teachers attended a diverse group of
workshops and conferences. Workshops included: Tips on Proactive Communication: Helping Students Develop Self-Regulation & Empathy; Rigor & Engagement
for Growing Minds; Learning & The Brain: Teaching Self-Aware Minds; Taking the
Bite Out of Challenging Behaviors; Montessori Unity in Diversity; and Montessori
Teachers Elementary Science Workshop.
Montessoaring
Conferences included: The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics; Heads
of School Conference; People of Color Conference; attendance at AMI, NAIS,
and ISACS conferences; and the Association of Illinois Montessori Schools Annual
Conference, which was hosted by Near North in February.
No one ever says
Teachers question students, challenge them, and inspire them.
They look for ways to spark creativity and imagination. They
cultivate the three Rs: respect, responsibility, and resilience.
changed their life.
They carefully guide students through challenging academic
work and teachable moments where students stand on the
precipice of trying something new.
a textbook
BUT AT NEAR NORTH,
EVERY TEACHER IS
A LIFE-CHANGER.
And when students make the leap – whether they crash and
burn or soar – the teacher is always there. Not to catch them,
but to celebrate the leap. To help them understand the experience,
and encourage them to do it all again.
7
LEARNING:
It’s a dirty business
Although a lot of important lessons are learned in the classroom, sometimes students need to
roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty, which happens quite literally at the Farmessori.
Embracing a complete farm-to-table model, Urban Farm Coordinator Joe Phillips introduced the
concept of waste to the Farmessori curriculum this year with the implementation of a school-wide
composting program.
The green cans placed throughout the school are a daily reminder to the entire community that the
waste we produce is a shared responsibility and gives the students a more acute sense of how much
waste they produce, allowing them to be more mindful about ways in which they can lessen their
ecological footprint. Building on the concept of minimizing waste and making the most of our
resources, Farmer Joe also installed rain barrels so the Farmessori has a steady supply of water despite
being completely off the grid.
Farmer Joe’s FUN FACTS
Eggs layed this year
squash harvested
Approximately 392. Not
bad for a couple of hens who
started laying eggs in the
middle of the worst winter
in recent memory.
50 or 60 (and we haven’t even
hit the hot season yet).
jars of honey harvested
bees in hive
Cute chicken anecdote:
One day last summer the chickens decided
to jump out of their makeshift pen to explore
the exciting world of the alley. I was in full
beekeeping gear, with a frame of honey in
my hand and several thousand angry bees
buzzing around me. I dropped everything
and pursued them down the alley, looking
like some clumsy astronaut. The neighbors got
quite a show that day.
A dozen or so. At least another
jar’s worth went straight into
the mouths of students in the
name of “quality control.”
We tried to get an accurate
count, but we only got to three
before they started moving. A
wild guess: 15,000 workers,
10,000 drones, one queen, and
a handful of “wannabees.”
Most popular thing about the farm
for NNM students:
Without a doubt, hands-down: the chickens
(despite my best efforts to make the compost
bin the most popular thing).
Number of:
Funniest quote from a student:
“If you can’t do it, you’re
not a farmer.” - Joshua, 6
8
Funniest quote from a passerby:
“Your students must sell a lot of vegetables
to pay the mortgage on this place!”
Montessoaring
Lettuce, tomato, and a
side of learning
Life is our
worksheet.
Sandwich Shop is a student-owned
and student-run business, operating
out of the fourth floor kitchen. It’s
an integral part of the 12-14 program
and becomes a beloved Near North
memory, as well as a resume builder
for our students. Each class runs
Sandwich Shop during one trimester
per year. At the end of the year, all
Sandwich Shop profits are distributed
to a variety of organizations that the
students have researched and voted
upon, including The NNM Financial
Aid Program.
And that’s a little
tough to
put on the fridge.
New on menu this year:
3,529
Homemade personal
pizzas with Farmessori
fresh ingredients
Record breaking day:
On April 22, Sandwich Shop set a one-day record of
208 orders, eclipsing their previous record of 120!
Student Jobs:
General Manager Back of the House; General Manager Front of the House;
General Manager Farmessori; Accounting Department Head; Accounting Assistant;
PR/Marketing Department Head; PR/Marketing Representative; Kitchen Manager;
Kitchen Assistant Manager; Worker Bee -Order Taker; Worker Bee - Morning Prep;
Master Baker; and Assistant Baker.
FUN FACTS
Number of lunches made all year:
Our students don’t come
home with worksheets and
report cards.
What they bring home is:
Compassion and courage.
Respect and responsibility.
Curiosity and confidence.
And a never-ending love of
learning that just keeps
getting stronger.
Our students are challenged
to think for themselves and
pursue their ideas. And it’s the
exhilaration of trying a new
idea – that is what really tests
our students. It strengthens
their confidence if they
succeed. It tests their resilience
if they don’t. But it always tests
their appetite to do it all
again, only better.
That is how they become
real learners for the real world.
Our students’ work is bigger
than a place on the fridge.
One day, our students’ work
will help them take their
place in the world.
9
AIM is
Inclusion
This year, the Assessment of Inclusivity and Multiculturalism (AIM) was conducted to determine the
school’s progress in meeting diversity and multicultural goals. AIM included both an online climate
survey and self-assessment exercises facilitated through focus groups, which were taken by parents,
students, teachers, faculty, and members of the Board of Directors. After reviewing data from the
climate survey as well as focus groups, the AIM Steering Committee highlighted the following
major commendations:
The school has a
caring community.
The school
community values
inclusivity and views
it as important to a
child’s education.
The school takes
action to create
a diverse
environment.
The school has a
commitment to
ethical values
and character
development.
Both boys and
girls have an equal
opportunity for
success.
The study offered a series of
recommendations:
> Convene a task force to identify
gaps in available resources and
best practices for supporting
parents and students with
learning differences.
> Actively continue to recruit
diverse applicants for
faculty, administration,
and board positions.
AIM was chosen because it offered the opportunity to benchmark
the results of NNM against other schools, providing qualitative
and quantitative evidence for issues and ideas that previously had
only anecdotal backing. Most importantly, the findings of the
study will be used to guide the Board of Directors, together with
the Diversity Committee, in setting goals for the forthcoming
Strategic Plan to ensure that our students are well-prepared for
their global future.
10
> Explore ways to more
completely integrate
multiculturalism into
the curriculum.
> Determine and implement
best practices for ensuring that
socioeconomic status does not
limit the ability of any student
to participate fully in the
educational (curricular,
co-curricular, extracurricular)
programs available at the school.
Here’s what we look like
Last year, NNM continued to reflect the diversity of people and cultures in
Chicago. Below is a table of the profile of the entering 3-year-old class and
the school as a whole for the 2013-2014 school year.
2013-2014 Racial Diversity
Montessoaring
African American & Biracial
Latino & Biracial
Asian & Biracial
Multi-racial & Other
White
School-wide
Entering 3-year-olds
9.1%
17.2%
20.1%
3.2%
50.4%
6.7%
15.0%
31.6%
6.7%
40.0%
diversity is
our true north.
When we talk about diversity, we talk about the
things that make us uncomfortable. In the classroom
and as a community, we take a purposeful, fearless
look at ourselves, our differences, and our connections.
It’s a conversation that never ends.
11
NEAR NORTH MONTESSORI STUDENTS
soar
WHEREVER THEY GO
Montessoaring
Near North Montessori graduates move on to the most academically challenging,
competitive selective enrollment high schools in the city. They also go to performing
arts high schools, private schools, and schools with International Baccalaureate programs.
But what’s more important is that they thrive wherever they go. Near North empowers
students with the critical thinking, creativity, and responsibility they need to navigate
high school, college, and the world.
12
it’s cool
to love
school.
Classrooms are vibrant communities, each organized by age levels,
where students spend three years learning and growing together.
Little ones watch older kids as they master new skills. Older ones
take the time to mentor younger students as they work through
new challenges.
And all of this is orchestrated by the teacher, who serves as a guide
on the learning journey, carefully fine-tuning instruction for each
child before they launch.
What a way to learn. What a way to fly.
NEAR NORTH
Rocket Boosters:
2014 graduates will attend a range of high schools, including:
Beacon Montessori Academy
Chicago Quest Charter School
George Westinghouse College Prep
Jones College Prep
Lane Tech College Prep
Lincoln Park – International Baccalaureate
Northside College Prep
St. Ignatius College Prep
Walter Payton College Prep
Whitney Young High School
In addition to our recent graduates moving on to the next level, the class of
2010 will attend the following colleges and universities:
Amherst College
Beloit College
Berklee College of Music
Clark University
College of Wooster
Connecticut College
Cooper Union
Cornell College (Iowa)
Cornell University
Evergreen State College
Grinnell College
Lawrence University
Macalester College
Miami University (Ohio)
New York University
Princeton University
Smith College
Stanford University
Tufts University
University of Alabama
University of Guelph
University of Texas at Austin
University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign
Virginia Commonwealth University
Parents
Near North parents
volunteer thousands of
hours in a million ways to
keep our school soaring:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Student/Parent Artist Program
Set building
Baking
Fundraising
Photography
Special events
Room Parent
Graphic design
Farmessori
Carpool
Writing articles
Board leadership
Tech support
Video production
Parent Ambassadors
And for all of it,
thank you!
13
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
soars
For the third year in a row, The Near North Montessori Annual Fund had a record-breaking year.
Parent participation was at 75 percent, and we surpassed our goal of $300,000, ending the year with
an amazing total of over $318,000! This could not have been achieved without the commitment of so
many NNM parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty, staff, and
friends who contributed to the Annual Fund this year. We are
truly grateful for your overwhelming support.
Contributions received through the Annual Fund allow us to
recruit superior faculty and staff, provide excellent programming,
supplement our curriculum with forward-thinking and
innovative learning opportunities, and ensure that NNM
continues to provide an outstanding Montessori education
for our students.
The Annual Fund directly supports the yearly operating budget
and provides for items that would not otherwise be possible.
Last year contributions to the Annual Fund allowed the school to:
> Purchase Builder Boards, interlocking rounded wooden blocks, for open-ended creative
construction play used on the rooftop playspace. As a result, students engaged in
three-dimensional learning and cooperative problem-solving while having fun on the roof,
building everything from forts, dens, fences, houses, and even spaceships!
> Continue to keep live animals in the classrooms, including rabbits, hamsters, birds, guinea pigs,
gerbils, the beloved 20-year-old turtle Red Eye, and a bearded lizard named Julius. Through
these animals, students gained countless opportunities to learn responsibility, empathy, and
compassion within the cycle of life and the natural development of living things.
> Expand the NXT Robotics Curriculum Extension, letting students flex their
programming muscles as well as work independently and in small groups, to design, program,
and control fully-functional robots.
> Make significant renovations to the Sandwich Shop space. As a result, junior high
students were able to use commercial-grade equipment, further enhancing their real-world
experience and providing more meal choices.
14
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
NNM is pleased to report another year of sound financial management. Preliminary
reports indicate greater than budgeted revenues and lower than budgeted expenses
(excluding depreciation, a noncash item), allowing us to forecast another year of
positive net earnings. The balance sheet remains strong with ample cash reserves.
Some financial highlights from this past year include:
Retirement of nearly $1 million of bond debt ahead
of schedule.
An increase in the value of the endowment by over
$500,000 to $4.3 million; and continued growth in
our building reserve fund.
An increase in the financial aid budget for
2014 - 2015 to $670,000, granting aid to
48 of our families.
Montessoaring
The overall budget for next school year was approved by the board
in January 2014, resulting in a tuition increase of 4.95 percent for
the upcoming school year. The board remains committed to
making tuition affordable while ensuring the best educational
environment for the children.
This is not
a leap
of faith.
Near North parents develop strong,
meaningful relationships with their
children’s teachers. They build a community
of friends who will laugh with them, expand
their thinking, and help them bring their
best to the journey of parenthood.
They come to our community for many
different reasons. But they always find
what they are looking for. Sometimes, in
ways they never expected.
2013-2014 DONORs
LET OUR
16
Current Families, Faculty
and Staff
Anonymous (5)
Caroline Adelman
Nelly Agassi and Assaf Evron
Nimit Aggarwal and Manjot Gill
Saba Ahmad and Imtiaz Rashidkim
Enedina and Patricio Almendarez
Sahar Alrayyes and Khaled Abughazaleh
Chris Ambroso
Gina and Kirk Anderson
Kennetha Anderson
Mary and Thomas Arey
Merav and Adi Argov
Josefina Asconapé
Alison and Fred Aske
Barbara Asta
Araceli Avila and Arturo Diaz
George and Sara Aye
Jovita Baber and Marie Ciavarella
Rebecca and Jeffrey BaCote
Andrew and Elina Bankert
Cynthia Barnes
Walter Batson and Stacie McMurtry
Beverley Becker
Maia Benson and Elena Peters
Debra Bernard and Robin Schachtel
Mary and Michael Beyer
Daniel Blanco
Lindsey Boland and
Andrew Zimmerman
Jordan Booth
Michelle Bracke and Dan Palonis
Robin Bradley and Malcolm Joyles
Juliet Bradley
Liz Brandt
Stacy and Timothy Bruce
Kyle Brumfield
Metta Burke
Amy Cade
Elise Cade
Paul Cade
Chad Calease
Holly and Thomas Carr
Teresa and Raymond Carso
Paulo Carvalho
Francesca Casadio and
Giorgio Bortolotto
CynthiaCastiglione
thanks SOAR
Aaron Cedolia
Sarah Chamlin
Tina Chang and Robert Stauffer
Jill Charles
Ranjita and Saumen Chattopadhyay
Ann Cheeseman and George Menninger
Minh-Han and Reff Cheng
Khadka Chhetri
Jami and Eric Chiang
Savera Chopra and Mayur Gupta
Raj Chopra
Dana Christy
Jennifer and Albert Chung
Sylvia and Daniel Cichosz
Jamie and Jennifer Clemmons
Martha Clemons and John Kramer
Bailey and Gary Cloudman
Diane Cohen
Janeen and Paul Cohen
Kristin and Craig Collins
Gia and Isaac Colunga
Laura and John Concannon
Ana and Robert Conforti
Brian Corley
Lynn Costlow
Heidi and James Coudal
Jack and Alina Cowden
Stephanie Cox-Batson and
Barry D. Batson
Aimee and Thomas Crocker
Vicki and Timothy Crockett
Kathleen Cronin
Christine Cruz-Miller and Todd Miller
Mary Cunningham-Watson and
Tom Watson
Colleen and David Curran
Carolyn Daley Scott and Daniel Scott
Tricia and Ryan Dammeyer
Patricia Daniels
Leslie and Mario Davis
Leslie Davis and Gregory White
Alex and Ginger DeAraujo
Patricia DeMarais and Brian King
Jennifer Diamond
Troy Dickerson
Lindsay and Mark Ditto
Tori Dixon and Allen Momongan
Jennifer and Evan Djikas
Wendy Dodson and Nicholas Gallegos
Dennis Doheny and Karen Daugherty
Bradley and Shari Dorfman
Jeanne Douglass
Hung-Lin and Charles Dowling
Jennifer and Richard Dresden
Timothy Drover and
Taina Velazquez-Drover
William M. Ejzak
Magdalena and Manuel Espinoza
Fortino Esquivel
Sonja Fauske
Julie and Daniel Fedeli
Ian and Heidi Feinerman
Aloha and Rudy Figueroa
Zoran Filipovic
Lauren and Patrick Fischer
Lindsay and Patrick Fitzgerald
Gillian Flynn and Brett Nolan
Carrie and Joel Freehling
Michele and Marco Freudman
Kate Freund
Jena Frey and Joe Lauer
Kate and Burt Fujishima
Jennifer and Daniel Fullick
Aruna Ganju and David Morris
Ellen and Gregory Gartland
Sonil and Sejal Gehani
Beth Genet and Simon Reeves
Kaylie and Adam George
Dawn and Edward Gershman
Olga and Kristopher Gilboy
Stephanie Gilliam and Thomas Hanley
Daniel Ginex
Gabriel Ginex
Christina and Adam Glickman
Tara Goff Kamradt
Molly Goldstein
Veronica Gómez and Jeffrey Bushofsky
Ileana Gómez
Stephanie and Adam Grais
Jessica and Dominic Green
Theri Griego Raby and Jack Newsom
Deborah Guenthner
Robert Guenthner
Diana Guerrero-Maciá and
Joseph Adamik
Pooja Gupta and Sanjay Tolia
Anna Gutkowska and Piotr Piechnik
Sarah and Jason Harinstein
John and Tari Haro
Melanie Harris and Todd LaVigne
Stephanie Harris
Lela Headd and Zygmunt Dyrkacz
Jill and Tim Heise
Tracy and Benjamin Hernandez
Tom Hernandez and Brad Suster
Maria Hopper
Samantha Ingle
Dickon and Jeanne Isaacs
Hamed Isaza
Alexandra and Michael Isroff
Kristin and Duncan Jackson
Liane Jackson and Terry Campbell
Steven Jackson and Catherine Egan
Jennifer James and Douglas Hinckley
Karen Johnson and Lafayette Williams
Neelima Joshi and Dhiren Jhaveri
Caroline and Divyang Joshi
Trish Joy and Peter Walters
Hebatullah Kamel and Max Kuznetsov
Anatole Kasathsko and Daniela Russi
Antoinette Kavanaugh and Lisa Sharp
Dennis and Melissa Kelly
Nadeya and Ayman Khalil
Amy and Rahul Khare
Hyon and Edmund Kim
Yumy Kim and Kim Jong
Chris Kirzeder and Katherine Jimenez
Elyse Klein and Robert Buchsbaum
Colleen and Joe Klein
Alyssa Kleinsmith and Joseph Carosella
Miriam Klevan and Steven Meier
Wendy Knapp Toan and David Toan
Miiri and Glenn Kotche
Jerry and Jayne Krulewitch
Daniel Kuruna and Justine Jentes
Suzanne and Kenneth Kush
Joseph Kye and Jinna Katelyn Kye
Jimena and Kerl LaJeune
Grace and Luca Lanzetta
John and Marisela Lawson
Su Ji Lee and David Anderson
Kew-Jung and Rebecca Lee
Viola Lee
Jeffrey Levine
Lydia-Maria Lewis-Brandt and
Thomas M. Brandt
Jane Liao and Louie Stallone
Lisa Lim and James Chichester
Monica and Christopher Lin
Matthew and Kathryn Lindner
Nick Locke
Marisol Lopez
Tania Lopez-Meyer and Daniel Meyer
Molly and Jeffrey Lowe
Kristina and Carlos Lowenstein
Deirdra and Michael Lucas
Catherine Lundgren Barron and
Tom Barron
Melissa Lupella and Vishu Ramanathan
Brian and Shaida Lynch
Nate Lyons
Amanda and Dan MacDonald
Michael Madgiak
Melanie Madigan and Erik Nordby
Laura Maloney
Jerome Manansala
Jessica Marland
Daniel Marre
Ashley Martin and Fredrick Potocnik
Gabrielle Martinez and Fergus Rooney
Elizabeth and James Masterson
Anne Matern Bergen and John Bergen
Amy and Cornelius McKnight
Olga Melendez
Elvira Mendez and Cesar Blas
Lisa and Dan Menitoff
Lissette and Wendell Merrill
Molly Miner
Leah Missbach Day and Frederick Day
Laura and David Mohr
Smita Mokshagundam and
Matthew Neugebauer
Zandra Montes
Melinda Morales and Allen Woolley
Jaime and Keith Moran
Reena and Sam Morgan
David and Lindsay Morrison
Anne Morrissy
Alison and Rick Mosher
Jessica and Jason Moskowitz
Jessica Moss and Kavi Gupta
Christina Mueller and Bud Stephani
Candace Mueller Medina and
Ivan Dario Medina
Kathleen Murdock and
Patrick Doyle
Salem and Rima Muribi
Amishi and
Sanjay Murthy
Pakio Myint
Firouzeh Naghdi-Ciaciura
and Greg Ciaciura
Susan and Patrick Nash
Roman Nedoshytko
JoJo and John Neumann
Joycie Nichols
Jennifer Nilsen and
Jonathan Klinck
Sarah and Clifford Norris
Tiia and Keith Norsym
Meg O’Reilly Amandes
Pilar Ortega and Joseph Cooper
Monica Ortiz-Ullenberg and
Arthur Ullenberg
Sonia Oyola and Timothy White
Eva and Gordon Pan
Madhur Pande and Mayank Pant
Neha and Ashish Parikh
Jessica Parman
Nancy Parman
Mary Pat and Mark Wood
Grant and Leslie Patrick
Maureen Peifer and Jerry Kaiser
Sharon and Thomas Perrine
Audrey Perrott
Jeff and Jennifer Peters
Patricia Petrowski and
Matthew Twetten
Tuan Pham-Barnes and
Monette Carlos-Barnes
Joe Phillips
Mya and Bryan Powell
J. Paul Preseault and Heather Heinlein
Dakota Prosch and Fernando Regueiro
Deborah Pugh and James Shapiro
Nawal Qarooni Casiano and
Jonathan Casiano
Adam and Giovana Quigley
2013-2014 DONORs
18
Mary Rafferty and Robert Gerstein
Sonal Rathi
Marion and Tanner Rice
Neha and Howard Robinson
Jennifer Roche and John Svolos
Elvira and Juan Rodriguez
Candelario Rodriguez
Juana and Juan Rodriguez
Lourdes and Martin Rodriguez
Sue Rodwan
Shannon Rohde and Kerry O’Boyle
Louis Rohr and Michael Dean
Deborah and Robert Roney
Ryan Rosenfeld
Cecilia Rubalcava
Linda and Chuck Rudnick
Danny Rudnick
Barbara Runde and Ed Zepernick
Rebecca and Denis Ryan
Nickie L. Sage and
Michael F. McDermott
Joseph and Julianne Sampson
Gina Santana Posada and Julian Posada
Luis Santos and Corinne Palmer
Yolanda Santoyo
Susan Sattell and Chip Hunter
Jonathan Sawyer and Tamara Bohorquez
Mari Fran Schechtman and Dhiren Shah
Carol and John Scheidelman
Mara Schmit and Alain Castro
Eric Schoonveld and
Shawna Molenaar-Schoonveld
Deborah and Martin Schwan
Leslie Schwartz and John Holbert
Lois Scott and David May
Tempi Scott
Elizabeth and John Seebeck
Erik Selz and Amy Kaplan
Reena Shah and Jeffrey Wojno
Hasmita and Sapan Shahani
Sujatha Shenoy and Kolinjuwa Shriram
Rajit and Amita Shetty
Grace and Henry Shin
Kathy Siavelis
Clive and Kate Sirkin
Zac Skinner
Maria and Scott Smith
Vanessa Smith
Julie Smolyansky and Jason Burdeen
Rachna Soriano
Thomas Soriano
Janice Soriano
Gregg Sparks
Chris-Annmarie Spencer and
Grant Gibson
Kimberly and Devin Sprinkle
Juan St. Mane
Jordan Stacey
Jennifer Stanton and Abel Kho
Elizabeth Steinberg
Susan and Paul Stepan
Dawn and Ian Stetter
Kristina Stevens
Lorelei Stewart and Andreas Fischer
Cristina and John Stirratt
Todd and Jill Stockard
Annie Stone
Elizabeth and Patrick Stura
Tina Sullins and Godfrey Carmona
Jenelle and Dan Sullivan
Kathleen Sullivan and Kevin Angeles
Tereasa Surratt and David Hernandez
Zeda Suswal
Stacy and Aaron Symanski
Jan and John Szostek
Tina Tabacchi and Daniel McDevitt
Sylvia Tamashiro and Dave Vanderkloot
Catherine Tannen and David Schink
Susan and John Tansey
Vinkle Thakkar
Marnie and John Thompson
Hrang Cin Tial
Lisa and Ted Toerne
Wenhwa Tsao and David Ciesla
Christopher and Julia Tulley
Brenda Turner
Devasena Vallabhaneni and Rajiv Naidu
Jessalyn Vander Mey and
David Polimeros
Chelo Vargas and Abel Sanchez
Prabhu Velan and Shubhra Jain
Mark and Dusanka Verschuur
Carrie Wachendorf
Myra Wagner and Glen Spear
Elizabeth Walters
Daria and Ernest Wang
Jamee Warrenfeltz
Kimberly Washington
Suzanne and Charles Weaver
Eryn Weber-Shifrin and Andy Shifrin
Bether and David Weiss
Gerry Weitz and Tom Maday
Meredith West
Maggie Westdale and Bob Kiep
Jennifer Whelan and Jesse Thompson
Margarita Wiewall and Paul Maggio
Sarah Wood-Prince
Scott Wood-Prince
Kara and Sherman Wright
Maria Xerogianes and Timothy White
Tony and Jessica Yen
Douglas and Elizabeth Yerkes
Melissa and Justin York
Mieko Joy Yoshida
Cynthia and Marc Young
Matthew and Kara Young
David Yu and Collin Mui
Catherine and Terry Zeman
Audrey and Wayne Zuschlag
Matt and Emily Zweifel
ALUMNI AND Alumni Families
Kimball and Karen Anderson
Connie Atterbury
Louise Belmont and Steve R. Skinner
Bonnie Barber and Michael P. Held
Sharon Barner and
Haywood E. McDuffie
Bernard and Nancy Blayer
Catherine Brillson
Nancy Buik and Jeffrey M. Wegerson
William and Carol Cade
Stephen and Jennifer Christy
Stephen Christy III
Patrick Cunningham
Clarissa Cutler
Howard Davis
Mary Doherty and Michael Dalicandro
Terrence Doherty
Taylor Dugas
Rachel Faulman
David Freedman and Audrey Stillerman
Lorraine and Russell Freund
James and Carol Fujimoto
Joan Gilmour and Paul Mullen
Joe and Sue Ginex
Linda and Norman Groetzinger
Susan Grossman and Walter Knoll
Halpern Family
Patti Hardy
Andrea Herrera
Robert and Saran Hutchins
Mark and Madelyn Iris
Anna-Lise Jensen and G.V. Ramanathan
Mark and Joan Jones
Martin and Christine Kittaka
Joanna Lalos
Claudia Langman and Thomas Hayes
Frances Lefkow
Kathryn Lindenberg
Michael and Kathy Lorimer
Jessie and Douglas Macdonald
Steven and Margaret McCormick
Carla Mayer and McArthur Binion
Kerstin and Frank Nicholson
Dean and Karen Nolan
Alessandro and Laura Paradiso
Martin and Barbara Perry
Dolores Quiroz
Paul and Mary Pat Reilly
Elspeth Revere, Bruce Calder, and
Celia Calder
Michelle and Gary Rich
Eloisa and Emil Ray Sanchez
Poppy Sealy
Rose Spalding and William Denton
Deborah Sternberg and
Michael Sculnick
Chris Stockwell and Chris Laubach
Dianne and Charles R. Strain
William and Amy Tam
Christina Tchen
David Ullrich
John and Donna Urbikas
Jill Willis
Kenn and Loren Wolf
Grandparents
Anonymous (1)
Barbara and Fred Anderson
Willetta BaCote
Helen Batson
Kathi Becker
Krishna and Sita Bhagavan
Mary and Dan Blythe
Byron and Margaret Bradley
George and Susan Bruce
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Buchsbaum
Lenora and Roosevelt Burnett
Ann and Richard Carr
Anida and Roger Chamlin
Carol Chiang
George Chiang
Varsha Chopra
Ann and Lee Cooper
Norma and Leonard Davis
Rose De Marais
Mr. and Mrs. John Dixon
Beverly Dolinsky
Al and Nina Dordek
Kathleen Evans
Sue and Paul Freehling
Anne and Burton Friedman
Richard and Nancy Gallegos
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Goff
Helen and Robert Graeff
Joseph and Catherine Gustaitis
Tina and Carmine Iosue
Morton and Barbara Jaffe
Thomas and Lorraine Keil
Cindy and Lewis Kleinsmith
Sue Kobets
Joan Kust
Jill and Stephen Lauer
Beatrice Lehman
Lloyd and Katie Maday
Theresa McDermott
Rabbi Paul and Rita Menitoff
Birgit and Jim Molenaar
Frank Moorman
Linda and George Neugebauer
Susan Nicholas
Donald and Judith Norris
Neal and Kelly O’Boyle
Joann C. and Lawrence J. Pelka
James and Susan Rheude
Georgette and Edwin Rohde
Steve and Chickie Rosen
Joan and Randy Rulland
Kathy and Ed Ryan
Margot Ryan
Alan and Michaeleen Sage
Ms. Diane Scharffe
James and April Schink
Ursula and Manfred Schwan
Berta Shapiro and John Friedland
Bharti and Vipin Shroff
Marlene and Cary Sokolec
Ida Steinberg
Barbara and Bud Stephani
Ines and Jorge Stern
Carlette and Frank Thomas
Alice and John Tulley
Louis and Edel Ullenberg
Marie and Mark Urso
Dr. and Mrs. Venugopal
Rick and Lynne Weber
Gertrude and Jerome White
Shel and Martha Young
Friends of NNM
Carol and Paul Arnold
Jacqueline Bergen
Bridget and Mark Degnen
Julia and Justin Douglas
Gerald Freedman
Holy Family Alumni
Donald Knapp
Jack Murchie
Connie Shirakawa
Corporate Support
Bank of America Matching Gifts
Birkdesign, Inc.
BP America Inc.
CME Group Community Foundation
Cotter Consulting
GlaxoSmithKline
IBM International Foundation
Kirkland & Ellis
Kraft Foods
Leo Burnett Company, Inc.
MacArthur Foundation Matching Gifts
MB Financial
McDonald’s Corporation
McCormick Tribune Foundation
Midland National Life
Takeda Pharmaceuticals
North America, Inc.
Thomson Reuters
Wicker Park and Bucktown
Chamber of Commerce
2013-2014
NEAR NORTH
MONTESSORi
BOARD of
directors
Board Officers
Eddie Gershman, President
Sarah Norris, Vice President
David Morrison, Secretary
Lois Scott, Treasurer
Board Members
Kevin Angeles
Debra Bernard
Alina Cowden
Charles Hunter
Miriam Klevan
Jerry Krulewitch
Michael Lucas
Gordon Pan
Roc Roney
Jill Stockard
Sherman Wright
Doug Yerkes
Administration*
Audrey Perrott, Executive Director
Linda Rudnick, Finance Director
Staff*
Jesse Thompson, 0-6
Sonja Fauske, 6-14
* non-voting members
19
THERE ARE
NO standardized tests
for creativity.
The challenges our children face in the future are unprecedented.
How will they navigate a world so wildly unpredictable?
The innovators and game changers who are shaping our future tell us
creativity and critical thinking are the answer.
Creativity that unlocks the power to see possibilities and the discipline
to achieve the extraordinary. This means creativity in math, science, finance,
politics, technology, and education.
Critical thinking that requires us to ask the tough questions, challenge the status quo,
and find the courage to move forward through our discomfort to find the answers.
Bringing both together is collaboration – the ability to build on each other’s
thinking to take an idea far beyond what one person can do.
And infusing it all is passion.
That unmistakable thing you are crazy about.
From a child’s first day until graduation,
this is how our children learn.
THIS IS MONTES
20
soaring.
MISSION CONTROL
NEAR NORTH MONTESSORI 2013-2014 FACULTY & STAFF
LIBRARY
Gabe Ginex, 9-12 Supervisor
Nancy Parman
Ryan Rosenfeld
Sandra Feliciano/Iliana Suarez
Maureen Peifer, Librarian
Daniel Ginex, Librarian Assistant
Cecilia Rubalcava, 12-14 Supervisor
SPANISH
MUSIC
ADMINISTRATION
ELEMENTARY LEVEL
FARMESSORI
Audrey Perrott, Executive Director
Chris Ambroso, Junior High Director
Anne Matern, Elementary Director
Reena Morgan, Primary Director
Diane Cohen, Advancement Director
Linda Rudnick, Finance Director
Jenelle Sullivan, Admissions Director
Jan Szostek, Diversity Director
Carrie Wachendorf,
Human Resources Director
Mieko Joy Yoshida,
Operations & Facilities Director
Daniel Blanco, 6-9 Teacher
Kate Freund, Assistant
Dan Stark, Lunch/Recess Assistant
Joe Phillips, Urban Farm Coordinator
PRIMARY LEVEL
Nancy Allen, Parent/Infant,
Toddler Teacher
Cindy Vazquez, Toddler Assistant
Vinkle Thakkar, Parent/Infant,
Toddler Teacher
Libby Graciano, P/I, Toddler Assistant
Jennifer Peters, Toddler Certified Intern
Metta Burke, 3-6 Teacher
Mari Lopez, Assistant
Mayra Alvarez, Assistant
Marci Acosta, Lunch/Recess Assistant
April Jean-Baptiste, 3-6 Teacher
Olga Melendez, Assistant
Lourdes Rodriguez, Assistant
Nancy Allen and Vinkle Thakkar,
Lunch/Recess Assistants:
Lydia-Maria Lewis-Brandt, 3-6 Teacher
Zandra Montes, Assistant
Sonal Rathi, Assistant
Jennifer Peters, Lunch/Recess Assistant
Juan St. Mane, 3-6 Teacher
Araceli Avila, Assistant
Juana Rodriguez, Assistant
Paul Cade, Lunch/Recess Assistant
Annie Stone, 3-6 Teacher
Mariela Garcia, Assistant
Elvira Mendez, Assistant
Libby Graciano and Cindy Vazquez,
Lunch/Recess Assistants
Wendy Toan, 3-6 Teacher
Amy Cade, Certified Intern
Sandra Feliciano, Assistant
Crescencia Lopez, Lunch/Recess Assistant
Chelo Vargas, Primary Assistant Substitute
Molly Miner, 6-9 Teacher
Viola Lee, Certified Intern
Sarah Kim, Lunch/Recess Assistant
Marcela Gómez Sixto, 6-9 Teacher
Emily Simpson, Assistant
Barbe Asta, Lunch/Recess Assistant
Jennifer Nilsen, 6-9 Teacher
Kyle Brumfield, Assistant
Ryan Rosenfeld, Lunch/Recess Assistant
Jesse Thompson, 6-9 Teacher
Zeda Suswal, Assistant
Jeff Fortin, Lunch/Recess Assistant
Sonja Fauske, 9-12 Teacher
Ranjita Chattopadhyay, Assistant
Amanda MacDonald, Lunch/Recess Assistant
Hamed Isaza, 9-12 Teacher
Jessica Parman, 9-12 Teacher
Sarah Kim, Assistant
Gabe Ginex, Lunch/Recess Assistant
Trish Joy, 9-12 Teacher
Patrick Pressl, Assistant
Cynthia Barnes, Lunch/Recess Assistant
Jeff Peters, 9-12 Teacher
Nick Locke, Assistant
Sue Rodwan Lunch/Recess Assistant
Jeff Fortin, Elementary Music Teacher
JUNIOR HIGH LEVEL
Michael Madgiak, 12-14 Teacher
Jamie Clemmons, Certified Intern
Rick Mosher, 12-14 Teacher
Cynthia Castiglione, Certified Intern
Jordan Stacey, Substitute for Leave
Meg O’Reilly Amandes, 12-14 Teacher
Gregg Sparks, Associate
Brian Corley, Science Teacher
Daniel Rudnick, Science Certified Intern
Jamee Warrenfeltz, Sandwich Shop Teacher
Cecilia Rubalcava,
Spanish Program Coordinator
Nancy Parman, Spanish Teacher
Josefina Asconapé, Spanish Teacher
LEARNING SPECIALISTS
Carrie Colpitts, Learning Resource Teacher
Ryan Rosenfeld, Learning Resource Teacher
Kathy Siavelis, Excel Educational Services
Maggie Rouman, Excel Educational Services
ART
Barbe Asta, Ceramics Open Studio Instructor
Cynthia Barnes, Art Teacher
Sue Rodwan, Art Teacher
TECHNOLOGY
Chad Calease, Technology Manager
Janeen Cohen, Technology Teacher
Jordan Booth, Technology Assistant
Gabe Ginex, Technology Assistant
PE & ATHLETICS
Nate Lyons, PE/Athletics Director
Amanda MacDonald, PE/Dance Instructor
Dana Christy, PE Associate Instructor
Lindsey Trent, PE Instructor & Coach
Samantha Ingle, Aquatics Coordinator
Zac Skinner, Swim Instructor
AUXILIARY PROGRAM
Dan Stark, Band Director & Brass Instructor
Ann Birman, Piano Instructor
Scott Burns, Clarinet Instructor
Christiane Capshaw, Suzuki Violin Instructor
Paulo Carvalho, Piano Instructor
Steve Doyle, Guitar Instructor
Sylvia Myintoo, Suzuki Violin Instructor
Vance Okraszewski, Percussion Instructor
Anita Hwang, Cello Instructor
Dalia Chin, Flute Instructor
Dan Nicholson, Saxophone Instructor
Stephanie Aaron, Voice Instructor
Rich Maisel, Production Consultant
DEVELOPMENT
Jeff Levine, Communication &
Events Manager
Jeanne Douglass, Annual Giving
Manager
Liz Brandt, Development Assistant
FINANCE / ACCOUNTING
Yolanda Santoyo, Accounts Manager
Kennetha Anderson, Accounting Clerk
Tempi Scott, Accounting Associate
STUDENT WELFARE
Caroline Adelman, School Psychologist
Elise Cade, School Nurse
OFFICE & RECEPTION
Ileana Gomez, Auxiliary Program
Manager
Molly Goldstein, Auxiliary Program
Coordinator
Jill Charles, Administrative Assistant
Patricia Daniels, Receptionist
Maggie Espinoza, Executive Assistant
Janice Soriano, Front Desk Manager
GENERAL AFTERSCHOOL
BUILDING & MAINTENANCE
Amy Cade, 3-6 Supervisor
Marci Acosta
Cresencia Lopez
Chelo Vargas
Mariela Garcia
Kyle Brumfield, 6-9 Co-Supervisor
Sonal Rathi, 6-9 Co-Supervisor
Barbe Asta
Jordan Stacey/Sue Rodwan
Sarah Kim
Jerome Manansala, Safety & Security
Coordinator
Candelario Rodriguez, Building Manager
Khadka Chhetri, Maintenance Staff
Fortino Esquivel, Building Engineer
Zoran Filipovic, Maintenance Staff
Pakio Myint, Maintenance Staff
Roman Nedoshytko, Building Engineer
Cin Tial, Maintenance Staff
Near North Montessori School
1434 W. Division | Chicago, IL 60642
www.nnms.org | 773.384.1434