Near North Montessori School

Today, our Junior High students had the honor of welcoming the Greek Consulate General, Emmanuel Koubarakis, to NNM!

He shared insights into his fascinating work in international relations and the vital role the Greek Consulate in Chicago plays in supporting Greek Americans and the broader community.

We were especially intrigued to learn how his experience spans continents—from Europe and Africa to now North America. He also touched on the consulate’s involvement in citizenship services, fostering business ties, and preserving culture—like the incredible work behind the National Hellenic Museum in Chicago’s Greektown.

We’re so grateful for the time he shared with us and his vision for future involvement in community efforts for Chicago.

Getting Ready for Big Night: Collaborative Art in Action!
Parent, artist, and NNM alum, Cristina Silvestri, teamed up with our students for a one-day workshop, turning a raw canvas into a vibrant masterpiece! With spray bottles, brushes, and four-strand braiding—a nod to Cristina’s Italian heritage—students layered color and movement into the piece. Cristina then wove their work together in her studio, creating a stunning artwork inspired by Maria Montessori’s Cosmic Education. The final piece? A dynamic fusion of creativity, connection, and the birth of the universe. Come see the final version installed in the NNM lobby!
Thank you ! and thank you for the photos!

Yesterday, our community came together in such a beautiful way to recognize Trans Day of Visibility. 🏳️‍⚧️ With the heartfelt support of our incredible Family Groups, we transformed the NNM Little Gym into a space of joy, creativity, and solidarity.

Students crafted in the colors of the trans flag, decorated a banner, and wrote powerful letters of love and affirmation to trans members of our community. The turnout was beyond anything we expected—we even ran out of supplies and snacks (the best kind of problem to have!) Thank you to everyone who participated!

March Mayhem showcased our incredibly talented Junior High students who lit up the stage with music, dance, comedy, baking, acting, improv, and film—entertaining us with their enormous energy and creativity!

Purim Party!
On Thursday evening, our NNM Mishpacha gathered in the spirit of Queen Esther, to celebrate Purim! Children and families wore fun costumes, danced, sang, shook noisy graggers, and ate delicious hamantaschen in a much-needed expression of communal joy.

Celebrating our amazing student athletes past and present🏆 Slide 1. Vivienne focuses before her 3rd place victory in the IKWF state finals. Slide 2,3 NNM alum Cooper Kavanaugh and his team celebrate their victory as they head down state for the 3A basketball finals Slide 4,5 NNM alum Henry and his brother Jack celebrate two state championships in boys hockey. Slide 6-9 NNM team members gracefully get buckets during the 2024-2025 season. Slide 10,11 team pics of the annual staff vs students basketball games. Slide 12 NNM alum Perri Lucas makes a kill for Seton Hall volleyball during her senior year. 13 NNM alum Julian Aske ties for 10th best all time in the 800 fir NYU track. Slide 14 NNM alum Rosie Klein is selected to the ECAC all rookie team in her freshman year at Princeton. Slide 15 teamwork makes the dream work♥️♥️♥️

Daisy Cookie Booth at NNM This Week!
Yesterday was so much fun at our Daisy Cookie Booth! Our cookie sellers were full of energy, smiles, and unstoppable enthusiasm as they worked hard to share their delicious treats with the community. NNM has two Girl Scout sister troops — one Daisy and one combined Brownie/Junior Scout Troop — made up of all NNM students. There are still some upcoming opportunities for you to support both troops by purchasing cookies!

On Monday evening, friends from across the NNM community gathered for a special celebration hosted by MENA Montessori—our Muslim, Middle Eastern, and North African Family Group. We marked our fourth annual Ramadan Iftar, the meal shared at sundown to break the daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan. In addition to the incredible company and delicious food, we enjoyed crafts, listened to MENA music from across the globe to our own backyard, shared stories and traditions, and took part in charitable acts—preparing meals for The Love Fridge and supporting MENA’s fundraising for PCRF. Thank you to everyone who joined us in this celebration! (Find donation links in our Linktree.)

Joy, Laughter, & Sisterhood

Our Black Girl Affinity Group had a surprise party last week! These incredible students filled the room with love and support. As our amazing group leader shared: “Each young lady brings her own unique energy, brilliance, and warmth. They keep me laughing, but more importantly, they inspire me.”

Cosmic Weaving Project

Our students have been hard at work creating beautiful woven wall hangings for Big Night 2025, inspired by this year’s theme: Cosmic Connections. Each thread represents the unique contributions we bring to our community—just as the cosmos align to sustain life, we are strongest when we weave together.

3-6: Stamped their individual weft pieces onto a painted warp.
6-9: Painted expressive lines onto their weft pieces.
9-12: Used tie-dye and rubber bands to create colorful weft designs.
12-14: Wrote words that reflect the positive qualities they bring to their community.

Shweta and Kiri’s class took us on a wonderful Trip to La La Land, bringing creativity, laughter, and incredible performances to the stage! Bravo to these students and their wonderful teachers.

Get Creative at NNM This Weekend! Join us for a Still Life Drawing Workshop with artist Laura Mae Noble (LMN Wedge Studio & Gallery)! In this hands-on class, you'll arrange fruits, flowers, and other objects in our Textile Studio, then sketch and color your own masterpiece to take home and display. No experience is needed—just bring your creativity! Visit our Amilia site to register! [$45/child]

📅 Saturday, March 1, 11am
🎟️ Open to ages 3-9. Spots are limited—sign up now!

What a fun night last night at Little Night- our NNM Parents’ Night Out Trivia Event! We had an amazing turnout, tons of laughs, and some seriously impressive trivia skills on display. A big THANK YOU to all the parents who made it such a fun and memorable evening! An extra special thank you to Dicey’s Pizza 🍕 for keeping us fueled with their delicious pizza .

Our 6th year students had an incredible time at the Shakespeare Theater this week, watching A Midsummer Night’s Dream!

Saturdays@NNM Presents: Felted Wool Soap Pockets Saturday, February 8, 11am-12pm for ages 3 and up (9 and under accompanied by an adult)

Are you interested in learning more about felt in the craft world? Join NNM and Laura Mae Noble (LMN Wedge Studio & Gallery) as we make felted wool soap pockets! $60 per child. Visit Amilia to register.

Last Friday, the Brown Line class embarked on their Sandwich Shoppe Food Flex to LouLou by Lula Café! A huge thank-you to father of Brown Line student, Jason Hammel, for hosting this unique culinary experience.

Students were divided into five teams and took on the challenge of cooking five incredible dishes to create a shared, beautiful meal. It was a day filled with fun, creativity, and of course, delicious, healthful food!

Thank you to our host!

NNM Alum (class of 2001) and finalist on the Great American Baking Show, Sarah Chang, presented a baking demo to the Junior High Brown Line class's Sandwich Shoppe team. The students got to pipe and spread buttercream frosting, make lemon curd, and they learned an interesting way of using the liquid from chickpeas to make sprinkles. What a sweet day it was!🍰