The Future Begins Today
The 2015-2016 Annual Report
from the Head of School
DEAR NEAR NORTH MONTESSORI
FAMILIES and FRIENDS:
The 2015-2016 school year was a remarkable time at Near North Montessori marked by engaged students,
extraordinary faculty and staff, a dedicated parent body and a high degree of teamwork at all levels of the
community. We are both honored and inspired to lead such a strong and vibrant school that excels at its mission and
is justly recognized as a leader among independent schools in Chicago and among Montessori schools on a national
level.
At the same time, we recognize that it is not enough to just be content with our accomplishments. Societal changes
have been unfolding rapidly and have demanded the planting of new roots and the charting of new territory. By all
accounts, our students will be competing and living in an increasingly diverse, global community. Preparing students
to appreciate, respect and understand such a community is essential if we are to develop future citizens and leaders
of the world.
As we continued to strive for excellence, the NNM Board of Directors embarked on creating a new Strategic
Plan for the school. And as the Board truly believes that we do our best work, come up with our brightest ideas
and sustain our close knit community through a collaborative approach, it should come as no surprise that when
we began planning for the school’s new Strategic Plan we wanted to create something that was inclusive and best
reflected a true community consensus on the direction for the school. To this end we engaged parents, the Board, a
strategic planning steering committee, faculty and staff in a variety of ways to gather input, expectations and ideas.
The ensuing strategic vision truly represents a year of transparent, honest, systematic and thoughtful assessment as
well as innovative thinking among all of our constituents.
This year’s Report from the Head of School serves as a summary of the 2015-2020 Strategic Plan. This plan will
guide NNM for the coming years and will serve as the foundation for the school’s investment in groundbreaking
educational programs, growing and sustaining a diverse community, enriching professional development, ensuring
that all of our parents are involved and invested and enhancing our facilities and outdoor spaces. As you read about
these strategic imperatives, we hope that you will join us and the Board of Directors as we envision an exciting future
for NNM that embraces the future and leads our students to success.
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Audrey Perrott
Head of School
Sarah Norris
Board President
Cover photo by Julia Tulley.
Making the Most
of our resources
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 a budget surplus. The balance sheet remains strong with solid cash reserves. Some financial highlights from
this past year include:
> Implementation of the second year of a two year plan to increase faculty compensation to ensure
competitive salaries and teacher retention;
> A $204,000 contribution to the Building Fund in accordance with the capital budget, now in its second
year. The capital budget funds the short-term and long-term capital needs of the school outside of the
operating budget. Having a capital budget allows for improved tuition management;
> Investment in diversity including establishment of a full-time Diversity Director position;
> Expanded investment in technology through infrastructure upgrades (wireless access points) as well as the
purchase of 150 laptops and 59 iPads for use by students, faculty and staff;
> Increased revenue from afterschool activities due to increased participation in NNM programs; and
> Increased revenue from fundraising due to increased participation in the Annual Fund.
Additionally, the school responded to the needs of the community by increasing the financial aid budget for 20162017 to $710,000, granting aid to 79 of our students. Of the $710,000, $15,000 is allocated, for the first time,
to non-tuition based activities. This allocation will further assist financial aid families so that students can fully
participate in all that NNM has to offer (afterschool activities, trips, etc.).
The overall budget for 2016-2017 was approved by the Board in January, 2016, resulting in a tuition increase
of 4.5% for the upcoming school year. The Board remains committed to keeping modest tuition increases while
ensuring the best educational environment for our students.
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Imperative #1:
An Inclusive Community
Diversity
is our true north
Near North Montessori is committed to making our school
as diverse and vibrant as the city we live in. Here we take a
purposeful and fearless look at ourselves, our differences and our
connections so that all students, regardless of their background,
can comfortably and confidently engage with those around them.
By providing windows as well as mirrors, we ensure that students
are able to both learn from those who are different as well as
reflect upon the experiences of people who are like them.
As part of this commitment, a new teacher-led initiative was launched last school year to identify ways in which our
subconscious bias impacts students. Known as AWARE (Alliance of White Anti-Racists Everywhere), the voluntary
12-member group of faculty and staff met to frankly discuss how their whiteness has shaped their experience,
recognize the ways in which whiteness unknowingly affects their actions and discuss ways in which to begin
chipping away at the privilege conferred by well-entrenched societal norms.
In addition to increasing diversity-based parent education last year, such as the screening of "The Greens" and
focusing on cultural competency in professional development, our faculty and staff took an active role in promoting
diversity outside our school by presenting at
conferences such as the Independent Schools
2015-2016 Racial Diversity Association of the Central States. And our diversity
work is getting noticed. Last year the American
NAIS
NNM
Montessori Society (AMS) reached out to Near
Black & Biracial
5%
9.2%
North to present at their conference citing all the
Latino & Biracial
3%
16.6%
progress we have made with our diversity initiatives.
Asian & Biracial
6%
21.6%
Multi-racial & Other
7%
5.8%
Fostering this sense of understanding is of the
White
79%
46.8%
utmost importance because NNM is a place where
many cultures meet and mix. Compared to the most
recent data available from the National Association
of Independent Schools (NAIS), NNM is outpacing the diversity of peer institutions by a large margin. Black/
Biracial and Asian/Biracial students are enrolled at twice the national average and, in the case of Latino/Biracial
students, that number is five times higher. Following a similar trend, 40% of our faculty and staff self-identified as
people of color, far exceeding the national average of 16%.
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GOAL 1: Increase and retain diversity among the student
body and staff to offer "windows and mirrors" for all
constituents.
In addition to racial diversity, NNM strives to
be as inclusive as possible by providing enriching
experiences for all our students, regardless of
their financial circumstances. Although we
have long offered need-based tuition assistance,
last year marked the first time that support was
available for extracurricular and co-curricular
activities. Utilizing the Seebeck Family
Scholarship Fund for non tuition-based aid, we
were able to provide almost 50 students with the
opportunity to attend programs such as before
school care, afterschool activities and athletics.
Providing these experiences for our students had
such a positive response that the school decided
to allocate additional funds in the upcoming
budget to support non-tuition based activities.
Word of Mouth
Although NNM takes every opportunity to foster diversity and expand our network, none of this work would be
as effective without the exponential reach and connections provided by our best ambassadors, our parents. Here are
some of the many ways in which our parent networks actively worked to make NNM a more inclusive place to learn:
> Affinity Groups: NNM parents generously opened their homes to other members of their community in an effort
to both attract new families to Near North and foster camaraderie among current parents.
> SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity): Led by parents for parents, these workshops investigate our
own experiences in creating a larger community in which to drive personal, organizational and societal change while
acknowledging systems of oppression, power and privilege. Last year, both parent SEED sessions were filled, as was a
peer-led SEED for NNM faculty and staff.
> Pride: Coming together to celebrate love and individuality, Near North parents — along with children,
faculty and staff —gathered to march in the Pride Parade and show the entire city that NNM is a place where all
relationships are valued equally.
> Moral Mondays: In response to the racially motivated shootings at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal
Church in South Carolina last year, a group of parents gathered once a month to discuss ways in which to begin
dismantling racism. In addition to discussion they also screened movies, spoke publicly at Chicago Police Board
Meetings and supported the Englewood group Mothers Against Senseless Killings (MASK).
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Imperative #1:
An Inclusive Community
Cultural Competency
is our second LANGUAGE
Whether it’s outside the school or in the classroom, Near North students learn
to engage with the world around them in meaningful, authentic ways.
Our students feel just as comfortable walking to the Farmessori as they do in
Central America and what allows them to flourish in both environments is
empathy. By being able to see themselves in someone else's circumstances, our
students increase their cultural competency and are better able to approach
others across the street or around the globe. Our approach to history stresses
how every person has a valuable point of view to learn from and our wellstocked library's selection of books is curated to present stories of people from
different nationalities, family compositions and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Adding to that richness are the different lessons and approaches to sharing
these viewpoints that our teachers further hone through professional development.
This January we witnessed a powerful expression of what cultural competency looks like when the entire school
reflected on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy in Giving a Voice to the Voiceless. During the lead up to this
assembly, our students explored what it means to build empathy and speak out against racism, sexism, classism and
all other pervasive 'isms' as an ally. True to the Montessori philosophy, each level was assigned a developmentally
appropriate theme with 0-6 focusing on fairness, 6-9 identity, 9-12 humility and 12-14 empathy. Utilizing song,
dance, artwork, poetry, dialogue and theater, all of our students were able to share their personal and collective
reflections on the teachings of Dr. King and start a conversation that was continued throughout the rest of the year
and beyond.
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GOAL 2: Enhance the Montessori curriculum to provide
authentic, global lessons and experiences that will develop
cultural competency among all NNM students.
Giving a Voice to the Voiceless was a collaboration between Diversity Director Brian Corley and a new group, the
Diversity Advocacy Team (DAT). Charged with introducing sensitive and age-appropriate material to our students
and integrating it within the curriculum, DAT was created following the 2014 Assessment of Inclusivity and
Multiculturalism (AIM) report and is comprised of NNM faculty and staff. In addition to Giving a Voice to the
Voiceless, DAT also implemented Mini BLOTCH, a once-a-month discussion for all 5th and 6th graders designed
to provide a platform and vocabulary for students to begin engaging with complex and often difficult subjects.
During these lessons, students were exposed to topics such as Equity vs. Equality, Redefining Racism, Humility,
Cultural Conditioning, Cultural Competency, Gender Identity and White Privilege.
Students teaching students is one of the hallmarks of a Montessori education
and this year Jr. High students participating in the BLOTCH elective took it
upon themselves to design a day in which they could address gender identity
with their classmates. Beginning with a screening of “The Mask You Live In,”
a film about masculinity and how to create a more balanced, equitable society
for all, the students also organized a teacher-facilitated panel, led small group
discussions and created board games to educate their peers about the ways in
which people hide their true identity. The day concluded with each Jr. High
student signing a class pledge announcing what they will do moving forward
to create a more open and supportive environment for everyone.
Although NNM students are provided with global lessons, it can often feel like you’re in an entirely new world
whenever you travel a few miles away from the school. It was this premise of communicating differences and bridging
cultures that prompted Brian to start a social justice group at the James R. Doolittle School in Bronzeville with the
goal of one day bringing both schools together. While our students looked at issues of gender identity and privilege,
the students at Doolittle talked about mass incarceration, poverty, fear and daily concerns for their safety. Next year
will see greater interaction between NNM and Doolittle students as they continue to highlight commonalities as
well as normalize differences in order to find points of intersection so the two groups don’t feel as separated as they
once did.
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Integrate STEAM
Imperative
#4
Curriculum
Imperative #2:
Full STEAM ahead
Montessori prepares students for life but the contours of what that will look like
are changing rapidly with a future populated by jobs that have yet to be created and
entire fields of study that may not yet exist. In order to best prepare our graduates
for this malleable world, the integration of science, technology, engineering, arts
and math provides a broad and adaptable skill set so that all of our students are able
to explore this exciting new landscape while having an opportunity to reach their
full potential as creative and curious problem solvers.
Although the concept of STEAM has recently increased in popularity, it’s core
tenants — a sensorial, hands-on, integrated, question based approach to learning — should resonate strongly with
Montessori families. In this way, STEAM presents not so much a set of standards for Montessori to retroactively
conform to, but rather, a series of lessons to enhance and further explore the already robust curriculum we’ve
inherited. By engaging with STEAM we not only expand students’ world-view but also allow them to dig deeper and
follow their interests to places beyond what they may have ever imagined.
To demonstrate this point, one need not look any further than Educational Technology Director Janeen
Cohen’s blog (cohen.nnms.org/). Proudly announcing STEAM in the banner, the blog is a virtual archive of all
the animation, Lego robotics, global communication, coding and construction projects that her students have
undertaken throughout the year. Instead of just putting students in front of a screen, Janeen believes that it’s
important to get off the computer and get things into their hands; for students to make a connection between
mechanics and electronics in a meaningful way. One example of this is students who designed and built a forklift,
wrote a program for it to lift and lower, tested its weight, re-designed, re-programed and re-tested it to improve with
each iteration. Bridging the gap between the virtual and the tangible, this is a perfect example of the ways in which
a new technology can be used to explore very old principles of physical science. This same synthesis of analogue
and digital has been filtering into the younger classrooms with several 6-9 classes utilizing animation for both
independent group work as well as class performances.
Real WorlD, Real Problems
STEAM, however, isn’t just all hardware and gadgets. Tackling the “problem of the week,” a 12-14 math classroom
challenges students to take perplexing, real life problems and apply various standards from the curriculum to
arrive at an answer. One example was “if I turn on a flashlight and point it up at the night sky, how long would it
take for that light to reach the moon?” Of course, the teacher could have given a worksheet requiring students to
put numbers into standard notation or translate standard notation into very long numbers, but how much more
interesting to figure out how far away the moon is, research how fast light travels and then devise a way to combine
those two pieces of information to begin constructing an answer. Approaching the problem this way is not only
more interesting but it also allows students to utilize other crucial skills, such as research and estimation. You can
also be sure that whenever they look up into the sky they’ll remember how much was involved in the process of
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trying to answer what at first seemed like a very straightforward question.
GOAL: Evolve and align Montessori curriculum to
lessons in the STEAM fields of education (Science,
Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math).
Hands-on!
Inspired by the work being done in the Computer Lab, a 9-12
classroom introduced an open-ended Maker's Lab last September.
Like the Arts & Crafts movement a century before, the Maker’s
Movement is centered around hands-on creation, but this time
around it comes complete with a modern, technological toolbox
that encompasses traditional crafting, electronics and computer
coding into a DIY experiment laboratory. Take for example the
MakeyMakey, a small device that can turn anything into a keyboard.
Using their imagination in a way that only an adolescent can, these
students decided that they wanted Chibly, the class gerbil, to cause
the video “Sugar” to start playing when he took a sip of water.
Unfortunately, the students came upon one small problem, namely,
that water and electricity don’t mix and doing so would electrocute
the gerbil. Instead, they needed to find another path, which in this
case took the form of completing the circuit when a penny was
stuck into a banana. The song played and the students learned an
important lesson about redefining objectives and what happens
when you meet obstacles.
On the Drawing board
Even our youngest students are engaging with STEAM in many ways.
Take for example one 3-6 classroom where students are blending
arts and engineering by constructing 3D models, translating those
objects into 2D drawings, using the drawings to make pattern pieces
and ultimately cutting out fabric to stitch together to, once again,
arrive at a 3D object. Learning crucial skills such as perspective and
scaling without even realizing it, students may one day take what
was an interesting primary project and use it in a world where the
ability to move fluidly between a two-dimensional screen and a
three-dimensional printer holds untold possibility. The reverse,
constructing a three-dimensional world in a two-dimensional space,
is also enticing as virtual reality and game design — something the
3-6 students also take part in — place a premium on realism and imagination.
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Imperative #3:
Excellence in Instruction
Leading by
Example
Every spring we say a tearful goodbye to our graduates but fortunately the same can’t be said about our teachers.
Although there are always a few departures — out of town moves, graduate school, new job opportunities — the
vast majority of our teachers stay year after year after year. Almost half of the people who work at NNM have been
here for at least a decade and there are 23 people who have been here for two decades or more.
Part of what makes employees want to stay at Near North is that we invest in their education. Like our students,
we foster a lifelong love of learning so that teachers can expand their knowledge, pursue their interests and take
it all back to the classroom. Every member of our faculty participated in professional development this year with
workshops that addressed Montessori education, learning and the brain, diversity, social justice, different approaches
to reading, special education, the science of imagination and even a workshop at Second City that utilized improv
and how it can be creatively integrated into pedagogy. Additionally, three of our assistants completed their threeyear Montessori training this past summer, bringing our total number of interns — assistants who have completed
Montessori Teacher Training but not yet been appointed as head teachers — up to four. This summer, another
assistant started her first summer of training at the 3-6 level and a 3-6 teacher took an Association Montessori
International course in special education. We also had a Jr. High associate who took Association Montessori
International Jr. High training.
When you’re able to retain such excellent people, attracting good candidates becomes even more important. This
past year we saw a 20% increase in the number of applicants who applied to work at Near North. Similarly, people
were so interested in working at Near North that they sent in resumes to be considered for future openings when
there weren't any positions currently listed.
To augment our recruiting efforts and open houses, NNM also hosted its first ever recruiting event for Educators
of Color this past February. Serving as a way to recruit and network, the event drew over 30 people from across
Chicago. A panel of faculty and administration members shared information on our commitment to diversity,
addressed their questions and showed them that working at an independent Montessori school is a real possibility.
This is just one of the many steps the school is taking to reach a broader and more diverse applicant pool to attract
the best and brightest minds in Chicago and keep our students engaged with instruction that exceeds expectations.
Above and Beyond
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It's impossible to quantify all the ways in which our teachers support and inspire our students but this Fourth
of July Farmer Joe exemplified all the traits we value at Near North. As the rest of the country was enjoying the
rockets red glare, Farmer Joe was nestled into the goat shelter with a flashlight and sleeping bag to ensure that
our three little doelings remained as calm as possible throughout the night as they nervously made it through
their first firework display.
GOAL: NNM will attract and retain the most qualified
Montessori teachers who consistently meet NNM
expectations for excellence in education.
Why NNM
Faculty and Staff
Are proud to
work at NNM:
It's an opportunity to change
the world.
I can work and live the
Montessori philosophy.
Game Changers
We know that Near North teachers make a difference in the classroom but they're
also serving as emerging thought leaders in the field of adolescent education.
Take for example the Jr. High faculty who will host their third Montessori &
the City Adolescent Conference (MACA) this November. With topics ranging
from community participation and social justice to pedagogy of place and city
literacy, MACA presented a unique opportunity for our teachers to both connect
with other urban professionals while also giving them a platform to share their
experiences.
We are on the forefront of
educational change and reform.
It's like a home away from
home.
I know I am trusted and
supported in my work.
We are always learning and
growing.
Every adult here puts the whole
child first.
Students are happy to be at
school and they want to learn.
I work in an energetic and
positive community.
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Imperative #4:
Parent Engagement
Be Involved
Parents are an integral part of the NNM community
and without all of their time, energy and support the
school would be a very different place in which to learn.
From baking treats for graduation and serving on the
Board of Directors to volunteering at the Walk-a-Thon
and making costumes for class plays, these contributions
are not only invaluable but also far-reaching, making the
school a more dynamic place to grow and giving parents
myriad opportunities to get involved.
Last year, parents continued to weave themselves into
the fabric of everyday life at NNM. Parent Ambassadors
greeted new families to the school while Room
Parents kept those already here well organized, engaged and informed. Parent photographers captured many
memorable moments throughout the year while our Parent Artists once again collaborated with our students
to create incredible works for Artessori. NNM Cares visited seniors at the Levy Senior Center, gardened with
members of Oglesby Montessori and arranged for a Holiday Bazaar to benefit Suder Montessori. POPS, our
very own Dads group, built planters for the courtyard and The Montessorian benefited greatly from our parent
editor, designer and writers.
With so many ways to get involved, the school prioritized finding a new way to communicate these
opportunities to parents while simultaneously defining the roles and responsibilities for each of the core parent
leadership groups: Committee on Community & Culture; Parent Committee; Room Parents; POPS (Dads
Club); Parent Ambassadors; and NNM Cares. Building upon the recommendations from the Independent
Schools Association of the Central States accreditation report from the summer of 2013, the school was proud
to announce the formation of a new Parent Association this past May that will begin in the fall.
Serving as a source of information and connection between parents and the school, the new Parent Association
will work to clarify and communicate the role of parents as partners within the NNM community. Building a
strong feeling of community among NNM families is a primary focus of the new Parent Association because a
solid community spirit strengthens the school as a whole and greatly benefits the students.
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GOAL: Continue to build and sustain an engaged parent
community that is informed, involved and invested.
Last year was a banner year for The Near North Montessori Annual Fund with 100% faculty and staff
participation and nearly 90% parent participation, raising close to $368,000. Thanks to the shared vision and
contributions of parents, grandparents, alumni families, faculty, staff and the Board of Directors, we were able to
support the school’s yearly operating budget while expanding and enhancing our students' learning opportunities
and experiences. While there is no way to enumerate all of the special classroom materials, art supplies, athletic
equipment and technology-based resources this allowed us to purchase for students, here are some specific
highlights of what the Annual Fund was able to help us realize this past year:
Ellie, Frankie, and Pickles: The Near North family grew by three this
spring as we welcomed our new doelings to the Farmessori. The goats
will provide ample opportunities for our students to contribute to the
farm, take responsibility and learn about mammals. Best of all, these
goats are a dairy breed so its only a matter of time before we're making
Farmessori fresh goat cheese!
STEAM: There's no limit to a child's imagination and the purchase of
Ozobots — tiny smart robots — allow our students to channel their
ideas into reality, all while learning about coding, problem solving,
collaboration and much more. Additionally, a 3D printer will give our
students an entirely new way to see their ideas come to life.
Be Invested
Physical Play: An active body is just as important as an active mind so
we purchased scooters and tricycles for our 3-6 students to use in the
newly reconstructed courtyard. And, true to Montessori principles, the
maintenance staff built a new shed so that these vehicles will be in top
shape for our students. Moving from the courtyard to the roof, a new
jungle gym/dome climber was added for even more ways to have fun
under the sun.
Computers and Technology Infrastructure: There's nothing
worse than a Wi-Fi outage when you're trying to work but after an
overhaul of our wireless system, including a new central control and
expanded access points, we no longer have to worry about reliability.
Additionally, the purchase of 200 MacBooks and iPads for staff and
students will save a significant amount of money over leasing and
provide opportunities to work with the latest technology.
Professional Development: This past fall we brought in
representatives from the Chicago chapter of Regional Organizing for Antiracism (ROAR) to provide
insight on how unconscious bias can lead to systemic racism within our school. ROAR, a part of the
CrossRoads organization, then provided staff with strategies on how to deconstruct prejudice to promote
equity and increase cultural competence.
We are sincerely grateful for your generous support of the Annual Fund and have highlighted all our
donors at the end of this report.
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Outstanding Environment
and Facilities
Environment
and Facilities
Imperative #5:
#6:
Building for
The future
Just as our teachers carefully arrange their classrooms to create a prepared environment for their students, Near
North Montessori staff and the Facilities Committee take great care in their approach to the maintenance,
presentation and longevity of the school. This is no simple task with a building that spans all of Division from
Greenview to Cleaver and contains a multitude of spaces for students to enjoy. From classrooms and gyms to dance
studios and art rooms to a computer lab, pool and music practice rooms, each one of these areas has its own unique
role in the school environment and its own challenges to keep it in proper working order.
Providing a consistently pristine environment doesn’t happen overnight so the school's Facilities Committee created
a "Life Cycle Cost of Building Systems, Technology Systems and Infrastructure" spreadsheet to track the expected
life and replacement cost of all major building components. Looking at a span of 20 years, this document allows
the committee to prioritize work and plan ahead for the future. By pro-actively engaging in preventative and smallterm projects, the committee can keep the school looking its best while minimizing the impact on the teachers and
students by concentrating a majority of the work over the summer. Equally important, preventative and small term
projects demonstrates fiscal responsibility and sustainability by ensuring that sensible investments in the school’s
present will pay large dividends in its future by avoiding costly and invasive problems. Here are some additional
projects NNM has taken on in the past year:
Courtyard: Reconstruction of the
courtyard has given us a beautiful, multifunction outdoor space utilized for
activities as diverse as 3-6 recess and the
New Parent Party to everything in-between.
Facade: Rain, sleet,
snow and ice are
extremely tough on
the building. This
summer, the south
side of the school was tuck-pointed so
that the building will remain strong for
decades to come. Other exposures will be
completed in subsequent summers.
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4
Telecom: Safety is our primary
concern so an upgraded camera
network not only allows us to
see more but to do so in higher
definition. Additional precautions
at entry points also
ensure that we have
greater control
on who enters the
school.
On Site Generation: What could be more green
than making your own cleaner and disinfectant?
Last year NNM purchased and installed a new
system that takes water, electricity and a small
amount of salt and generates cleaning solution.
The result is a cost-effective system that keeps our
school sparkling and doesn't hurt the planet.
GOAL: NNM will provide a quality environment and
facilities conducive to a Montessori education in all of its
facets.
While all of those projects allow us to continue
providing optimal teaching and learning
environments, perhaps the most important project
wasn’t undertaken by the maintenance staff, but
rather, by the parents and students of NNM.
Beginning last fall, the shadow of a new goat habitat
began to take shape and by May our three newest
kids — doelings Eleanor, Frankie and Pickles —
were firmly nestled into their new home. This
addition to the Farmessori not only increases the
off-campus opportunities for student learning but
serves as a point of interaction with the surrounding
neighborhood and community, whether it’s curious
looks while walking the goats or being able to one day
offer Farmessori fresh goat cheese through Sandwich Shoppe.
Near North does an excellent job of
maintaining a quality environment and
facilities for our students but we are always
looking for ways to improve and expand.
During the strategic planning process many
parents, faculty and staff expressed a strong
desire to increase the outdoors spaces available
to our students and last year a once-in-alifetime opportunity was presented to us when
the parking lot at 1217 N. Bosworth came up
for sale by the City of Chicago.
A conceptual rendering of the Bosworth Parking Lot.
With Division St. to the south and well-established buildings to the west, north and east, the parcel is attractive
both for its proximity to the school and its large size. Acquiring the land presents myriad possibilities for the short
and long-term viability of the school.
It was in this spirit that the NNM Board of Directors moved to bid on the lot. Last August, 2nd Ward Alderman
Brian Hopkins met with the Board, NNM administration and parents to express his support of our purchase of
the lot. Since then, the Board and our attorneys have spent much time in conversation with the City and its agents
over the sale. Although the process has been long and arduous, we are happy to report that we expect to close on the
property before the end of the year.
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2015-2016 DONORs
A community OF GIVING
14
Current Families, Faculty
and Staff
Anonymous (9)
Maricela Acosta
Lehia and Erwin Acox
Paige Adams and Joseph Cliggott
Caroline and Zac Adelman
Nelly Agassi and Assaf Evron
Kristin and Terry Alexander
Marina Nieves Alonso and
Daniel Alonso
Mayra Alvarez
Christopher J. Ambroso
Kennetha Anderson
Gina and Kirk Anderson
Kevin Angeles and Katie Sullivan
Sean and Iryna Archer
Merav and Adi Argov
Josefina Asconape
Fred and Alison Aske
John and Barbe Asta
Araceli Avila
George and Sara Aye
Dr. Jovita Baber and
Dr. Marie Ciavarella
Jeffrey and Rebecca BaCote
Andrew and Elina Bankert
Tuan and Monette Barnes
Phillip Barengolts and
Heather Leaver-Spear
Catherine and Tom Barron
Walter Batson and Stacie McMurtry
Leonard Becker and Michelle Michaels
Beverley Becker
Alexandra Bellisle
Carrie Berlacher
Debra Bernard and Robin Schachtel*
Fernando and Ann Beteta
Mary and Michael Beyer
Sheila Bhagavan
Daniel Blanco
Jordan Booth
Sue and Stan Bowman
Pam Mitchell Boyd and Craig Boyd
Elias Boyer
Juliet Bradley
Robin Bradley and Malcolm Joyles
Liz Brandt
Brandt Family
Meg Broz
Tim and Stacy Bruce
Kyle Brumfield
*Denotes giving at the Leadership Level
Jason Burdeen and Julie Smolyansky
Rex Burgdorfer and Melinda Stanley
Barbara and Eric Burgess
Metta Burke
Renee Burke and Brady Tinkham
Bushofsky/Gómez Family
Amy Cade
Elise Cade
Jeff and Nicole Cantalupo
Kent and Aisha Carey
Mariecel Carlos and Ansel Bizarra
Godfrey Carmona and Tina Sullins
Raymond and Teresa Carso
Kevin Carter and Janice Maxwell
Paulo Carvalho
Francesca Casadio and
Giorgio Bortolotto
Nawal Qarooni Casiano and
Jonathan Casiano
Cynthia Castiglione and John Huston
The Castro Schmit Family
John Centeno and Theresa Rowe
Sarah Chamlin
Tina Chang and Bob Stauffer
Jill Charles
Ranjita Chattopadhyay
Minh-Han and Reff Cheng
Jami and Eric Chiang
Jennifer Ching and Richard Co
Raj Chopra
Savera Chopra and Mayur Gupta
Dana Christy
Jennifer and Albert Chung
Daniel and Sylvia Cichosz*
David Ciesla and Wenhwa Tsao
Beverly and John Clark
Jamie and Jennifer Clemmons
Bailey and Gary Cloudman
Kamau Coar and
Maria Whiteman Coar*
Diane Cohen
Janeen Cohen
Collins Family
Rose Comaduran
Laura and John Concannon
Ana and Robert Conforti
Weiser and Lacey Cordero
Brian Corley
Cynthia and Patrick Coyle
Vicki and Timothy Crockett
Kathleen Cronin
Keating Crown and
Caroline Beak Crown*
Michael and Alexandra Cuevas
Bawi Cung
David and Colleen Curran
Kristin Czocher
Ryan and Tricia Dammeyer
Patricia Daniels
The Dauk Family
The Leslie Davis and Gregory White
Family Fund
Frederick, Leah and Lincoln Day*
The Dean Rohr Family
Sarah Dearing and Christopher Thomas
Nisha and Kevin Desai
Jennifer Diamond*
The Ditto Family
Tori Dixon
Evan and Jennifer Djikas
Wendy Dodson and Nicholas Gallegos
Dennis Doheny and Karen Daugherty
Shari and Bradley Dorfman
Jeanne Douglass
Pat Doyle and Kathy Murdock
The Dresden Family*
Drohomyrecky Family
Taina Velazquez-Drover and
Timothy Drover
Christine and Keith Ellett
Emmons Family
Magdalena Espinoza
Fortino Esquivel
Sonja Fauske-Smith and Rose Denham
Acasia and David Feinberg
The Feinerman Family
Figueroa Family
Zoran Filipovic
Lauren and Patrick Fischer
Patrick and Lindsay Fitzgerald
Scott Floersheimer
Longinos Flores
Gillian Flynn and Brett Nolan
Alice Foreman
Danielle and Matthew Forte
Jeff and Lucia Fortin
LeiAnna Fraizer
Carrie and Joel Freehling
Marco and Michele Freudman
Kate Freund
Naomi and Aaron Frisch
Michelle and Randall Froeschle
Ashley and Mark Furrow
Richard and Melissa Gamble
Ellen and Gregory Gartland
Neil and Sejal Gehani
Adam, Kaylie, Blake and Remy George
Gershman Family*
Mary and Bob Gerstein
The Gilboy Family
Stephanie Gilliam and Thomas Hanley
Daniel Ginex
Gabe Ginex
The Glickman Family
Tara Goff Kamradt
Christopher and Elizabeth Golden
Molly Goldstein
Marcela Gómez Sixto and Robert Sixto
Libby Graciano and Manuel Miranda
Raymond Graeff and Nina Huynh
Stephanie and Adam Grais
Robert Guenthner
Diana Guerrero-Maciá and
Joseph Adamik
Claire Guis and Frédéric Boyer*
Anna Gutkowska and Piotr Piechnik
Annahita Haghgooie and Eoin Cullen
Aaron and Fiona Hammer
John and Tari Haro
Melanie Harris and Todd LaVigne
Anne Hartley and Jeffrey Rastatter
Michael Hartman
The Hartney Family*
William and Susan Hawkins
Myron and Hye Seong Hayden
Jill and Tim Heise
Tom Hernandez and Brad Suster
David Hernandez and Tereasa Surratt
Benjamin and Tracy Hernandez
Douglas Hinckley and Jennifer James*
Nader Hindo and Juan Allos Hindo
Jonathan and Marlo Hoffman
Drs. Keren and Meyer Horn*
Justin Hoss and Amy Swibel
Cody Hudson and Lori Seidemann
Jeanette and Graeme Hunter
Chip Hunter and Susan Sattell
Dickon and Jeanne Isaacs
Hamed Isaza
Alexandra and Michael Isroff
Duncan and Kristin Jackson
April and Patrick Jean-Baptiste
Matt Jenkins
Jentes Family Foundation and
Daniel Kuruna
Dhiren Jhaveri and Neelima Joshi
Karen Johnson and Lafayette Williams
Patricia Joy and Peter Walters
Heba Kamel and Max Kuznetsov
Andrianna Kastanek and
Chris Buzachero
Stephen Katz and Margaret Kinsella
Christopher Kelleher and Susan Heath
Melissa and Dennis Kelly
David and Anita Kensick
Ayman and Nadeya Khalil
Yumy and Jong Kim
Chris Kirzeder and Katherine Jimenez
Kenneth and Erin Klassman
Klein Family
Elyse Klein and Robert Buchsbaum*
Alyssa Kleinsmith and Joseph Carosella
Miriam Klevan and Steven Meier
Klinck Family
Priyadarshini Koduri and
Raghuveer Reddy
Miiri and Glenn Kotche
Ami Kotecha and Poonam Sombaya
Jennifer and Mitchell Kranitz
Jason and Rita Krejci
Krulewitch Family
Suzanne and Kenneth Kush
Joseph Kye and Jinna Katelyn
The LaFlamme Family
Jimena and Kerl LaJeune
Neha Lall and Robert Knowles
Grace and Luca Lanzetta
Joe Lauer and Jena Frey
Alexis and Raymond Lavko
Marisela and John Kevin Lawson
Su Ji Lee and David Anderson
Viola Lee and Conor Klaus
Rebecca and John Lee
Jeffrey Levine
Jorge and Iliana Levy
Shana Liberman and Joshua Gartler
Caroline and Timothy Lim
Kathryn and Matthew Lindner
The Litvin and Sherman Families*
Cresencia Lopez
Kristina and Carlos Lowenstein
Deirdra, Perri and Michael Lucas
Shirley Luna and Peter Stack
Melissa Lupella and Vishu Ramanathan
Nate Lyons
Maday Family
Michael Madgiak
Adan Madrigal
Temi Makoyawo
Brendan and Kathleen Malone
Jerome Manansala
Daniel Marre
Rebecca and Wesley Martino
Anne Matern and John Bergen
Graham McMahon and
Joseph Guarino Jr.
Medina Family
Joy Meek and Jamie Cook
Neera Mehta and Sanjiv Shah
Aarti Mehta and Suneel Udani
Olga Melendez
Elvira Mendez and Cesar Bliss
The Menitoff Family
George Menninger and Ann Cheeseman
Wendell and Lissette Merrill
Matthew and Amanda Mertz
Sharon Millas and Ryan McDonough
Chris Cruz-Miller and Todd Miller
Molly Miner
Mohr Family*
Smita Mokshagundam and
Matthew Neugebauer
Allen Momongan
Christina and Cy Monley
Zandra Montes
Mindy Morales and Allen Woolley
Morgan Family
Anne Morrissy
Jessica Moss and Kavi Gupta
Christy Mueller and Bud Stephani
Amishi and Sanjay Murthy
Vijay Murugappan and Nisha Vijay
Pakio Myint
Patrick and Susan Nash
Roman Nedoshytko
John and JoJo Neumann
Kimberly and Jonathan Newbury
The Nordby Family
Sarah and Clifford Norris*
Tiia and Keith Norsym
Edmund Offokaja and
Nadiya Yakovenko
Pilar Ortega and Joseph Cooper
Corinne Palmer and Luis Santos
Pan Family
Jessica Parman
Hart and Allison Passman
Parag and Rina Patel
Grant and Leslie Patrick
Logan and Vaneesha Pause
Maureen Peifer and Jerry Kaiser
Glenda Penaherrera and Jerry Morales
Lindsey and Carlos Perez
Audrey Perrott
Jeff and Jennifer Peters
Joe Phillips
Tracy Kucia Podesta and
Nicholas Podesta
Dave, Jess and Chase Polimeros
Mya and Bryan Powell
The Power Family
J. Paul Preseault and Heather Heinlein
Christian Priebe
Dakota Prosch and Fernando Regueiro
Deborah Pugh and James Shapiro
Garlanda Freeze-Puzio and
Thomas Puzio
Adam and Giovana Quigley
Ramon Family
Lisa Reichert and Daniel Villar
Mark and Julie Reyes
Marion and Tanner Rice
Howard and Neha Robinson
Roche-Svolos Family
Juana Rodriguez
Lourdes and Martin Rodriguez
15
2015-2016 DONORs
16
Candelario Rodriguez
Susan Rodwan
Shannon Rohde and Kerry O'Boyle
Roney Family
Fergus Rooney and Gabrielle Martinez*
Cecilia Rubalcava
Chuck and Linda Rudnick
Rebecca and Denis Ryan
Sarah and Kevin Ryan
Nickie Sage and Michael McDermott
Joseph and Julianne Sampson
Raymond and Gabrielle Sansonetti
Santana-Posada Family
Yolanda Santoyo
Jon Sawyer and
Tamara Bohorquez Sawyer*
Jeannette and Reid Schar
Carol and John Scheidelman
The Schoonveld Family
Shawn Michael Schulson and
Greg Schulson
Deborah and Martin Schwan
Carolyn and Webber Scott
Selz Family
Dhiren Shah and Mari Fran Schechtman
Krupa Shah and Kirk Bacastow
Shetty Family
Shifrin Family
Henry and Grace Shin
Katherine Siavelis
The Sirkin Family*
Neima Sitawi and Giacomo Bottone
Jewell Skillern and Christian Colucci
Emma Smart
Vanessa Smith
Janice Soriano
Rachna Soriano
Gregg Sparks
The Spencer Gibson Family
Sara Spolrich
Devin Sprinkle
Juan St. Mane
Louie Stallone
Jennifer Stanton and Abel Kho
Daniel Stark
Patricia and Stephen Staten
Elizabeth Steinberg
Ava, Owen, Susan and Paul Stepan*
Jessica Stephens
Ian and Dawn Stetter
Kristina Stevens
Jill and Todd Stockard*
Annie Stone
Ina Strauss
Molly Streicher
Roberta Strickler and David Meyers
Patrick and Elizabeth Stura
Zeda-Jailynn Suswal
Stacy and Aaron Symanski
Sylvia Tamashiro and Dave Vanderkloot
Catherine Tannen and David Schink
Tansey Family
Michele and Edmund Taylor
Vinkle and Manoj Thakkar
Marnie and John Thompson*
Thompson/Whelan Family
The Thorrington Family
Hrang Cin Tial
Wendy Toan
Lisa and Ted Toerne
Julia and Christopher Tulley
Ullenberg Ortiz Family
Liz Urso
Devasena Vallabhaneni and Rajiv Naidu
Emily and Jonathan Van Wyck
Chelo Vargas
Prabhu Velan and Shubhra Jain
Dusanka and Mark Verschuur
Nisha Vijay and Vijay Muruguppan
Christopher and Deja von Ende
Jessica Wacker
Christen and Michael Walczak
Daria and Ernest Wang
Jamee Warrenfeltz
Kimberly Washington
John and Shannon Waterfield
Charles and Suzanne Weaver
Meredith and Izabella West
Maggie Westdale and Bob Kiep*
White Family
Heidi Schmid Whiting and
Andrew Whiting
Margarita Wiewall and Paul Maggio
Mike Wilson and Evelyn Lauer
Shane Winegard and Kathy Beymer
Jeffrey Wojno and Reena Shah
Mark and Mary Pat Wood
Wood-Prince Family*
Maria Xerogianes and Timothy White
Tony and Jessica Yen
Douglas and Elizabeth Yerkes
Melissa and Justin York
Mieko Joy Yoshida
Kara and Matthew Young
Zeman Boyz (Terry Zeman)
Audrey and Wayne Zuschlag
Matthew and Emily Zweifel
ALUMNI AND Alumni Families
Karen and Kimball Anderson
Marsha and Daniel Ashley
Batson Family
Graydon Booth and Lauri Sugerman
Catherine Brillson
Carol and Willie Cade
Holly and Tom Carr*
The Christy Family
Coudal Family
Kathryn Cubria
Peter Cunningham and
Jacqueline Kazarian
Patrick J. Cunningham
Clarissa Cutler
Howard, Kim and Adam Davis
Will Denton and Rose Spalding
Dolinsky Family
Tina and Jeffrey Dugas
Russell and Susan Freund
Carol and James Fujimoto
Joan Gilmour
Joe and Sue Ginex
Linda and Norman Groetzinger
Susan Grossman and Walter Knoll
Betsy Hearne and Michael Claffey
Michael Held and Bonnie Barber*
Andrea Herrera
Mark and Madelyn Iris
Anna-Lise Jensen and G.V. Ramanathan
Mark, Joanie and Annie Jones
Martin and Christine Kittaka
Ronald Lindenberg
Kathy and Michael Lorimer
Jessie and Douglas MacDonald*
Steven and Margaret McCormick*
Morrison Family
Gail Niemann and Douglas Farr
Laura Racelis Paradiso and
Alessandro Paradiso
Barbara Williams Perry and
Martin Perry
The Reilly Family
Gary and Michelle Rich
Lois and David Scott
Robert Shapiro and Ginger Farley*
Amy and William Tam
The Tchen Family
David and Eric Ullrich for Polly
Jill Willis
Kenn and Loren Wolf
Grandparents
Barbara and Fred Anderson
Purani and Velusami Arumugam
James and Linda Ayers
Kathi and Phil Becker
Cindy and Brad Behmer
Jan and Jim Bensdorf
Misha Berman and Elena Barengolts
Joann and Rich Birkenbeuel
Augusto and Diony Bizarra
Don and Phyllis Blakey
Cathryn and Peter Bomberger
Margaret and Byron Bradley
Arthur J. and Maxine Brown
George and Susan Bruce
Beth and Samuel Buchsbaum
James Burch
Lenora Burnett
Victor and Nancy Buzachero
Carol Chiang
George Chiang
Varsha Chopra
David and JoAnn Chyla
Lee and Ann Cooper
Rick and Bonnie Cooper
Steve and Nancy Crown
Joe and Celia Cruz
Leonard E. and Norma H. Davis
Sharon and John Dixon
Tom and Mandy Djiaks
Jeanine Donner
Kathy and Mike Donovan
Nurit and Ami Elis
Diane Fischer-Woods
Willie and Fannie Franklin
Sue and Paul Freehling
Frida Freudman
John Friedland and Berta Shapiro
James and Linda Froeschle
Joe and Lennore Gaffney
Sandy Gartler
Doris and Tom Gibson
Robert and Helen Graeff
Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Gustaitis
Antoinette and Bill Hawkins
Judith and John Helmuth*
Anna and Herbert Hernandez
Linda Hopper
Lynne Hudson
Paulette Hurwitz
Daisy Johnson
Leonard and Gail Kaplan
Rhonda Kapp
Lorraine and Thomas Keil
Jenny and John Kinsella
Cindy and Lewis Kleinsmith
Virginia Koblica
Florence Kranitz
Barb Lauer
Steven and Jill Lauer
Dan and Janice Litvin
Bob Lopatin
Maria Lopez
Ramona Maekask
Tom Marciani
Paul and Rita Menitoff
Musette Michael
Birgit and Jim Molenaar
Reesa A. Motley Reynolds
George and Linda Neugebauer
Susan Nicholas
Arlene and John Norsym
Myrna and Neal O'Boyle
Joann and Lawrence Pelka*
Ed and Sharon Pugh
Maryanne Rastatter
Carol Rosofsky and Bud Lifton
Alan and Michaeleen Sage
Lalitha and Sury Sastry
Stuart and Bonnie Schar
Diane Scharffe
James and April Schink
Ursula and Manfred Schwan
Daniel Scott and Marti Munninghoff
Helane and Jerry Shifrin
Sudarshan and Usha Singal
Phyllis and Walt Skrainy
Ludmila Smolyansky
Patricia and Evan Spencer
Ida Steinberg
Donna and Joel Stender
Bud and Barbara Stephani
John and Alice Tulley
Louis and Edel Ullenberg
Peter and Marie Urso
Carol and Glen VanderKloot
Kiran and Vijay Vohra
Fredric and Lynne Weber
Mike and Martha Welch
Jerome and Gertrude White
Friends of NNM
Anonymous
Jacqueline Bergen
Ginevra Ciavarella and
Conrad Pomykala
Gerald and Ellen Freedman
Richard Horwood
Nadine Lurey
Lorraine M. Tyson
Christopher Young and Kim Bergen
Corporate Support
Amazon Services LLC
Amgen Foundation
Bank of America Matching Gifts*
BP Foundation, Inc.*
Cardinal Health
Cotter Construction Consulting
Cynthia Ashby, Inc.
Exelon Corporation
General Mills Box Tops for Education
IBM International Foundation
Kensington Square Foundation*
Launch
MB Financial*
MBIA Foundation
McDonald's Corporation
PNC Foundation Matching
Gift Program
Prince Charitable Trusts*
Target
The Cooper Foundation
The Kula Foundation
Thomson Reuters
US Venture /Schmidt Family
Foundation, Inc.
2015-2016
NEAR NORTH
MONTESSORi
BOARD of
directors
Board Officers
Sarah Norris, President
Chip Hunter, Vice-President
Gordon Pan, Secretary
Debra Bernard, Treasurer
Board Members
Kamau Coar
Richard Dresden
Eddie Gershman
Shubhra Jain
Miriam Klevan
Kerl LaJeune
Ariel Litvin
Michael Lucas
Dan Menitoff
Ramesh Nair
Julianne Sampson
Kate Sirkin
Jill Stockard
Doug Yerkes
Administration*
Audrey Perrott, Head of School
Linda Rudnick, Finance Director
Staff*
Jennifer Nilsen
Jamee Warrenfeltz
* non-voting members
17
Graduates Go on to Great Things
Near North Montessori graduates move on to the most
academically challenging, 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. NNM empowers
students with the critical thinking, creativity and
responsibility they need to navigate high school, college
and the world.
Photo by Regina Burnett
2016 graduates will attend a range of high schools, including:
Amundsen High - International Baccalaureate
Beacon Academy Montessori High School
Chicago Academy for the Arts
Chicago High School for the Arts
CICS Northtown Academy
Francis W. Parker School
GCE Lab School
Jones College Prep
Latin School of Chicago
Lane Tech College Prep
Lane Tech College Prep - Alpha Honors
Lincoln Park High School - International
Baccalaureate
Loyola Academy
New Trier High School
North Shore Community Day School
Northside College Prep
St. Ignatius College Prep
St. Patrick High School
Walter Payton College Prep
Whitney M. Young Magnet High School
In addition to our recent graduates moving on to the next level, the class of 2012 will attend the following colleges and
universities:
Barnard College
Boston University
Bradley University
DePaul University
Drexel University
Indiana University
Kansas University
Knox College
Loyola University
Macalester College
Northeastern University
Pratt Institute
Sarah Lawrence College
Syracuse University
Tulane University
University of California Irvine
University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign
University of Michigan
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
University of St. Andrews Scotland
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Wesleyan University
Willamette University
Williams College
NEAR NORTH MONTESSORI
1434 W. Division | Chicago, IL 60642
www.nnms.org | 773.384.1434