Rogers Park Montessori School

Before graduating tonight, our eighth graders left their handprints on the wall, a cherished RPMS tradition and a reminder that they will always have a place here. We are so proud of our students and we can't wait to celebrate them this evening! 🎉 🎓💜

Just a little peek into one of our favorite RPMS traditions: classroom closing ceremonies. 💙 Each year, we welcome families into our classrooms to mark the end of another school year - yet another journey around the sun together. Ceremonies are held in individual classrooms, while milestone years - like Kindergarten - come together for special joint celebrations. Each classroom's ceremony is uniquely its own, yet they all share the same spirit: a chance to reflect on how much we've learned, grown, and accomplished together, and to celebrate in community one last time before summer begins.

Simple? Yes. Meaningful? Absolutely.

Thank you, Children's House students and families, for a wonderful year. We hope your summer is filled with adventure, discovery, popsicles, and plenty of play. And for many of you, we'll see you again soon at summer camp! ☀️🌻

From Basquiat and Banksy to the Smithsonian museums and so many monuments, Washington D.C. became the ultimate classroom for exploration, creativity, and connection! 🎨✨ Over the course of their trip, our 7th graders immersed themselves in art, history, culture, and hands-on experiences through visits to the NMAAHC, Planet Word, the Air and Space Museum, the Spy Museum, the National Mall, Jefferson Memorial paddle boats, and even an interactive art escape room. This trip was largely student-planned, giving students the opportunity to help shape their own learning experience and making this adventure even more meaningful. What an unforgettable week of learning beyond the classroom!

What an incredible evening celebrating the launch of The Trees, Issue 3! 🌳📚
We are so proud of the talented students who dedicated their time, creativity, and passion to bringing this year’s literary journal to life. Guests had the opportunity to hear excerpts from their work, meet the authors, purchase copies of the journal, and even attend a book signing with these newly published writers.

Congratulations to all of the students who contributed to The Trees this year. Your creativity, hard work, and willingness to share your ideas, stories, and perspectives made this publication truly special. The event was a tremendous success and a wonderful celebration of storytelling, creativity, and student expression. Copies of The Trees will also be available in select bookstores, making this an especially exciting milestone for our young authors!

There is something so special about sharing the RPMS community with the people our students love most 💛 Grandparents’ & Special Friends’ Day is always one of our very FAVORITE days around here and 2026 was no exception! It was a day filled with smiles, laughter, proud moments, and meaningful connections as loved ones stepped into our classrooms and experienced a glimpse of everyday life at RPMS. We are so grateful to everyone who joined us and helped make the day one for the memory books!✨

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Faculty Friday is back! 💙 This week, we’re recognizing some of the amazing educators who make up our Middle School team — otherwise known at RPMS as “Aspen”. The Aspen years are filled with so much growth and discovery, and these teachers guide students through it all: navigating adolescent ups and downs, building confidence and independence, traveling together on longer trips away from home (including Washington D.C. and Costa Rica), and encouraging each student to discover their unique interests, strengths, and voice along the way. The Aspen team works to ensure students are not only prepared for high school academically, but that they find a high school community that truly fits them — their interests, personalities, and goals. In fact, high schools often tell us how much they love welcoming RPMS graduates into their communities! Thank you, Aspen team, for all the care, dedication, and support you bring to our students and school community each day. ✨ Check back next week as we highlight the remaining members of our Aspen team!

From working alongside friends to learning together each day, our toddlers continue building relationships that help make school feel joyful, safe, and familiar. 💛 We can’t believe the school year is almost over!

📸 This week’s is getting a special selfie edition!
From classroom snapshots to silly smiles and sweet everyday moments, these photos capture so much of what makes RPMS feel like a second home — joyful connections, trusted relationships, and the sense of community that grows between teachers and students each day. 💛

Our 6th graders recently traveled to the Center for American Archeology in Kampsville, Illinois, where they stepped into the world of experiential archaeology through hands-on learning and exploration. From weaving baskets 🧺 and creating traditional clay pottery 🏺 to exploring nature 🌳 and learning archeological excavation methods, students gained a deeper understanding of the ancestral Native peoples of Southern Illinois in a truly immersive way. Experiences like these allow learning to come to life through curiosity, discovery, collaboration, and connection to the world around us.

Faculty Friday is back! 💙As we wrap up several weeks of celebrating the incredible team members who help shape the Elementary experience at RPMS, today we’re highlighting our amazing Elementary and Middle School Full Day Assistants: Cassie, Shannon, and Nealie! Each and every day, these folks help turn lunch, recess, and aftercare into spaces filled with laughter, connection, and warmth. Their impact is perhaps best summed up by the many students who don’t want to leave when their parents arrive for pickup! Thank you for the energy, patience, fun, and heart you bring to RPMS. Our families are so grateful for you. ✨