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2 | January 25, 2018 | 22nd century media private school guide
22ndCenturyMedia.com
Rose Hall educates the whole child
Rose Hall Montessori School has
been educating young children for over
30 years ago. Based on the philosophy
and educational methods of Maria
Montessori, Rose Hall’s mission is to
educate the whole child by providing a
stimulating and nurturing environment
that allows children to grow socially,
emotionally and intellectually. The ultimate
goal is to help children reach their
highest potential and gain a lifelong
enthusiasm for learning. This holistic
focus is still at the heart of Rose Hall
Montessori School today.
At Rose Hall the priority is to help
each child become the person that he/
she is meant to become; to develop a
strong sense of self and confidence. The
teachers and staff work hard to provide
a supportive, caring, peaceful environment
in which young children feel safe
to explore, grow, learn and become independent.
Academically, the classroom is separated
into 5 key curricular areas – Practical
Life, Sensorial, Math, Language and
Cultural. The core Montessori principals
of order, coordination, concentration and
independence are priorities throughout
the classroom. At Rose Hall they believe
that the development of these core executive
functioning skills will assist in
building lifelong learning skills.
In addition to the 5 core areas the curriculum
is enhanced with a variety of additional
units including botany, art, music,
the 5 senses and more. Each unit is
taught with a hands-on approach – even
down to creating a large art studio in the
gym for Jackson Pollack Day.
In addition to all of these rich learning
opportunities, French is taught weekly,
and yoga is offered once a month. Every
day begins with student and teachers
greeting each other, followed by work
time and typically ends with a fun line
time with songs, dancing and peace curriculum.
Gross motor play is an important
component of every day as well.
While the school takes academic
rigor seriously, it recognizes that there
are other equally important life skills
that are formed and cultivated in very
early childhood years such as patience,
humility, empathy and compassion.
A strong emphasis is placed on Maria
Montessori’s passion for peace and
community. The teachers invest a lot of
group class time, called “Line Time” or
“Peace Circle”, in helping the children
address issues of compassion, conflict,
respect and problem solving. Rose Hall
teachers believe that fostering an environment
of peace in the classroom not
only aids in the children’s academic
success but also enables them to begin
the long work of becoming responsible,
respectful and loving members of our
larger communities.
Rose Hall recognizes that every child
brings his/her own unique personality
and talents and therefore, the teachers
don’t try to enact a one-size-fits-all approach
to their learning. The teachers
observe the children intently so that
they understand how the children react,
what motivates them, what areas need
to focus on.
Rose Hall’s classrooms are a place
where your child can feel at home, feel
loved, and feel the freedom to explore
and grow.
Submitted by Rose Hall Montessori School,
1140 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette, www.rosehallmontessori.org,
847-256-2002.
Join us for an Open House at The Cove School
Wednesday, March 14th | 9:15am - 11:30 am
At Cove, we provide an individualized approach with
integrated specialized services that enables students
with learning disabilities to shine. At this Open House,
you will hear from Cove leadership, staff and current
families, as well as have the opportunity to see the
school and our students.
RSVP to mditthardt@coveschool.org
Northbrook, IL | 847.562.2100 | coveschool.org
St. Francis Xavier inspires, challenges learners
St. Francis Xavier is a
Blue Ribbon school educating
preschool through
8th grade students from
Wilmette and the northern
suburbs of Chicago. School
families value the role of
engaged and motivated
teachers within a stimulating
environment that prioritizes
lifelong learning,
faith development in the
Catholic tradition, and the
formation of informed and
compassionate individuals.
The school was founded in
1910 and draws inspiration
from a rich legacy of faith
in action, calling students
to make the world a better
place by promoting a culture
of care and concern in
service to others. St. Francis
cultivates curious learners
through a framework of
academic excellence, faith
tradition, collaboration and
innovation in which students
are known and honored
for their gifts in their
many forms. SFX families
form a tight-knit community
that enriches the school
through service, regular
and meaningful collaboration
with administration,
and authentic support of
faculty, programs and traditions.
Students are held
to high academic and moral
standards, and teachers feel
called to participate in the
formation of individuals
who are aware of their gifts
and their responsibility to
use them to make a difference
in the world.
SFX students are called
to develop their talents to
“be the best they can be”
as articulated through the
school’s Crusader Covenant,
encouraging students
to lead with integrity, serve
community, prioritize faith,
and live in harmony with
others. The school’s annual
Respect Each Difference
(RED) campaign leverages
perspectives from speakers
across the U.S. and the
world to build bridges of
understanding. RED connects
St. Francis learners to
writers, artists and speakers,
encouraging curiosity for all
the world has to offer and
establishing relationships
with members of a vast
global community. A year
long One Book, One Community
read invites nationally-acclaimed
authors to
campus linking themes to
Language Arts curriculum
where they are further developed
through classroom
dialogue. A Poet in Residence
Program, math and
reading differentiation, and
rich extra curricular offerings
add depth and support
to curriculum to inspire and
challenge learners. Fulltime
support staff in the
areas of reading/math, technology
integration, social
work and nursing complement
administrative depth
provided by the addition of
Early Childhood and Middle
School Directors.
SFX thrives because it
collaborates and innovates
frequently and well. STEM
and out-of-the-box learning
experiences are housed under
an EPIC framework that
invites students to Explore,
Play, Invent and Create.
EPIC guides lesson planning
and cultural vocabulary,
fuels curiosity, and
cultivates problem-solving
skills. EPIC is unique because
of its intrinsic ability
to connect the dots between
the importance of play and
innovation and the need
to frame the development
of curious learners within
the values of the greater
learning community. The
school’s Make an EPIC
Difference Fund enables
programs that support a vibrant
learning community,
including elite professional
development experiences
for faculty such as the Center
for Transformational
Educational Leadership
through the University of
Notre Dame, service learning
in Africa, continuing
education at the Teachers
College at Columbia University,
and workshops at
the M.I.T. Media Lab’s
Center for Future Children.
A technology integration
specialist works with
students in Preschool
through 8th grade to challenge
and inspire. Through
classroom EPIC hours, collaboration
across grades,
and project-based innovation,
this transformative
role prepares learners for
careers that don’t yet exist
by encouraging curiosity,
maker-skills, digital citizenship
and a relationship
with emerging technologies.
SMART Boards, 3D
printers, Google Chrome
Books, and a 1:1 iPad Middle
School initiative support
student-centered methods
to promote creativity
and critical thinking. Digital
portfolios, worldwide
Skype relationships, and
virtual learning experiences
including the Global Day
of Design are but a few examples
of how technology
has transformed learning
at St. Francis. Partnership
with Shedd Aquarium has
yielded SFX teams in the
annual Underwater Robotics
competition. Robotics
sequences with Legos, coding,
and tech tools spanning
Beebots to 3D printing
engenders curiosity for
how and why technology
exists to benefit humanity.
St. Francis Xavier is
grateful to be part of the robust
educational landscape
of the Wilmette community.
To learn more or request
a tour, contact jackiepetrozzi@sfx-school.org
or call
(847) 256-0644.
An open house is set
for 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 28, to kick off
Catholic Schools Week. All
are welcome.
Submitted by St. Francis
Xavier School, 808 Linden
Ave., Wilmette, www.sfxschool.org,
(847) 256-0644.