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EDUCATION & ENRICHMENT GUIDE
November 14, 2018
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8 1 0 2 r e t n i W Fall to
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SAY Connects presents
After America to Me: On the ground in Oak Park and River Forest
Meet the people & organizations working to create change in our villages • John Borrero - Collaboration for Early Childhood Community Ambassadors Program • Frances Kraft - The E-Team • Christian Harris - Zingela Ulwazi
• Kamau “Maui” Jones - Echo Theater • Dot Lambshead Roche - Race Conscious Dialogues
Special guest Isaiah Mākar An OPRF spoken word club alum and graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in Organizational/Corporate communication. He is the founder of Impact Mākars.
Wednesday, Nov. 28 | 7p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Our moderator
Doris Davenport
Percy Julian Middle School Auditorium Free admission | RSVP required
RSVP at: www.OakPark.com/sayconnects
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November 14, 2018
EDUCATION & ENRICHMENT GUIDE
Discover The Difference
The St. Luke School Difference
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rom our early childhood program through 8th grade, St. Luke Parish School, a nationally recognized Blue Ribbon School that consistently scores in the top 30th percentile in ACT Aspire test scores, prides itself on its ability to educate the whole child by promoting spiritual, academic, and emotional growth. Our graduates leave as young, independent leaders filled with academic competence and a sense of service.
• Small, caring community which promotes kindness • High expectations in the classroom challenge our students to reach new heights • Safe, nurturing environment for children in preschool through 8th grade
Fall for Us! St. Luke Parish School
519 Ashland Avenue, River Forest, IL
708-366-8587 • www.school-stlukeparish.org
At St. Luke, each child is encouraged to learn at their own pace led by teachers who are highly experienced and credentialed. In fact, our teachers average ten years of service to St. Luke students. We provide a rigorous curriculum that challenges our students to reach new heights in both their creative thinking and academic skills. These high expectations in the classroom lead to matriculation to top high schools where our graduates excel. More than 60% of our recent graduates were placed in high school honors and Advanced Placement courses. Advancements in the areas of math and STEM have marked St. Luke as an innovative and excellent school seeking to evolve with the times. Our STEM program developed its standards using national Common Core and NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) and seeks to expose students in grades K-5 to project based
and inquiry-centered learning in their earliest and most formative years. In grades 6-8, students use the Big Ideas math curriculum, which fully integrates cooperative learning strategies and realworld based problem solving. We focus on the values of faith, hope, love, and community. Teachers talk openly about these values and give children a daily opportunity to learn, share, and understand the consequences of good behaviors and poor choices. Our students are given a solid foundation in Catholic teaching and tradition which in turn provides a distinctive moral vision for the world. Service projects allow our students to understand the meaning of community life, interdependence and commitment, and service for others while being challenged to think critically for real-life problem solving. Learning goes beyond the classroom as our students participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities, including speech club, art club, and a variety of musical programs. Our no cut sports program for students in grades 4-8 promotes athletic participation, personal growth, teamwork, and leadership. We invite you to come and experience the St. Luke difference. Please call the Admissions Director at (708) 366-8587 to schedule a tour today.
Learning From and With Each Other
Celebrating Over 55 Years of Montessori Excellence
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ounded in 1961, Alcuin Montessori School offers a cross-curricular learning environment balancing academic and emotional intelligence. We partner with parents and provide students the tools to become highly-skilled independent thinkers with a passion for knowledge. Our programs are designed to help each child become confident, curious, self-disciplined and motivated. At Alcuin, classrooms operate on the principle of freedom within limits. Children, under the guidance of a teacher, work at their own pace with materials of their choosing. Each student may work alone or with others; different levels of ability are expected and welcomed within each classroom. Education occurs in multi-aged classrooms where children of various stages of development learn from and with each other. Our programs for ages 0-14 include: • Parent/Infant - Fridays, 8:45 to 10:30 a.m.
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• Three to Five Day Toddler/Parent, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
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• Primary, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
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• Full-Day Kindergarten, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00
p.m. • Junior and Senior Elementary, 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. • Middle School, 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. • Before/After School Care • Art • Musical Theater • Spanish Families currently attending Alcuin come from Oak Park, as well as Berwyn, Broadview, Brookfield, Chicago, Cicero, Elmhurst, Forest Park, River Forest, Riverside, River Grove and more. We welcome all prospective parents to join us for our monthly informational Coffees. We will start with some good coffee, a short video on Montessori education and then take an in-depth look into all of our classrooms. At the end of the tour we hold a question and answer session, and explain our admissions process. Tours are held throughout the school year on Thursdays (9:00-11:00 a.m.) at the main Alcuin campus. Visit Alcuin.org for tour dates. To enroll in a tours please e-mail our Director of Advancement at avalera@alcuin.org or call 708.366.1882.
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EDUCATION & ENRICHMENT GUIDE
Nurturing Faith at Grace Lutheran
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race Lutheran School, at the corner of Division and Bonnie Brae in River Forest, offers a nurturing and faith-filled environment for students from preschool through eighth grade. Drop in and take a tour on “First Look Friday,” November 30, 8:30–10:30 a.m. Additional First Look Fridays are scheduled for January 18 and February 15. Parents and prospective students of all ages are welcome! Grace School students consistently perform above national averages on standardized tests and go on to succeed at competitive high schools in the city and suburbs. In elementary and junior high classrooms, a strong core curriculum challenges children academically while high expectations and appropriate supports help students achieve their best. The faculty includes a full-time resource teacher and a part-time certified reading specialist. Grace students study God’s word daily and are encouraged to live out their faith through service projects as well as in weekly chapel worship. Students of all ages participate in art, music and German classes. Band and orchestra lessons and ensembles are also available. After-school enrichment classes offer a variety of fun and creative learning experiences. Grace
sports teams are open to all and include basketball, volleyball, track and cross country teams are open to students in grades 3–8. “We love our daughter’s school!” says the mother of a Grace fourth-grader. “I can’t think of any other place we’d rather have our girl being lovingly taught about the world God created and the people we share it with.” Early childhood programs. Preschool and kindergarten classrooms at Grace provide flexible options for families with children age 3 through 5. Three-year-old preschoolers attend morning classes two, three, or five days a week. Junior and senior kindergarten classes for students age four and five meet in the morning, Monday through Friday, with an optional afternoon program. Extended care is available until 6 p.m. for children age four and up. Before-school care opens at 7 a.m. For more information call the school office (708-366-6900) or click on School at GraceRiverForest.org.
November 14, 2018
Grace Lutheran School 7300 Division Street in River Forest
Faith ▪︎ Academics ▪︎ Character Early Childhood age 3 to 5
▪︎ Structured academics, free play and social learning ▪︎ We learn about God’s love!
Elementary grades 1–8
▪︎ Caring, experienced teachers ▪︎ Challenging curriculum ▪︎ Support for individual learning needs ▪︎ Music, art, and sports teams ▪︎ Before and after-school care available
First Look Friday Drop by for a tour!
November 30 8:30–10:30am 708-366-6900 www.GraceRiverForest.org
Intellectual, Spiritual, Physical, and Social Development at St. Giles
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t. Giles School offers academic rigor, leadership development, and faith formation for students in grades preschool through eight. We emphasize intellectual, spiritual, physical, and social development and value our diverse student body, drawing from Oak Park, Galewood, River Forest, Elmwood Park, Berwyn, and more. Our picturesque, multi-building campus features open green spaces and beautiful architecture. Our outdoor classroom provides hands-on learning in science, math, and social justice, and is Wi-Fi enabled to extend learning. We believe in a balanced approach to technology, integrating iPads, Chromebooks, and Smartboards into our curriculum. Our early childhood program boasts dedicated, welcoming preschool teachers and a renovated facility. Our play-based approach helps students explore their creativity, build communication skills, and solve problems in an enriching environment. A variety of full and halfday schedules are available, including before and after care, with an additional preschool classroom to open this fall. We take an interdisciplinary approach to learning, augmenting the curriculum
with gym, art, Spanish, music, and a professionally-staffed library. Cocurricular options include band, choir, scouting, and athletics, and enrichment programs offer cooking, engineering, yoga, and more for K-8. St. Giles students consistently score above local and national norms on standardized tests. Our graduates attend the finest high schools in the Chicagoland area and are known for their intellectual preparedness, leadership skills, and commitment to bettering their community. We are proud to highlight our new leadership model, which includes an executive director to oversee budget, facilities, and enrollment, enabling our principal to focus on the key areas of academics, faith, leadership, and community. Our fully-funded scholarship program supports those who need financial assistance to make a St. Giles education reality. Considering a St. Giles education for your child? Join us November 28, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. for our Early Childhood Showcase and January 27, 2019, at 12:30 p.m. for an all-school open house.
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EARLY CHILDHOOD SHOWCASE
NOVEMBER 28TH 6:30PM 1101 COLUMBIAN AVE OAK PARK 60302
708.383.6279 | stgilesschool.org 708.383.6279 | stgilesschool.org
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EDUCATION & ENRICHMENT GUIDE
November 14, 2018
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Love, Kindness, Respect
F 601 VAN BUREN STREET
OAK PARK, IL
60304
T: 708-386-7282
SCHOOL@ASCENSIONOAKPARK.COM
ASCENSION SCHOOL ASCENSION SCHOOL
OPEN HOUSE OPEN HOUSE OPEN HOUSE OPEN HOUSE 601 VAN BUREN STREET
601 VAN BUREN STREET
OAK PARK, IL
ASCENSION SCHOOL
ASCENSION SCHOOL ASCENSION SCHOOL
601 VAN BUREN STREET
OAK PARK, IL
OAK PARK, IL
60304
60304
60304
T: 708-386-7282
T: 708-386-7282
T: 708-386-7282
SCHOOL@ASCENSIONOAKPARK.COM
SCHOOL@ASCENSIONOAKPARK.COM
JANUARY 28TH
601 VAN BUREN STREET
SCHOOL@ASCENSIONOAKPARK.COM
10AM to NOON
JANUARY 28TH
10AM to NOON
60304 T: 708-386-7282 10AM SCHOOL@ASCENSIONOAKPARK.COM JANUARY 28TH to NOON
OAK PARK, IL
PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE PRESCHOOL JANUARY 28TH
10AM to NOON
PRESCHOOL
Ask about our half-day & full-day classes for about our half-day JANUARY 28THolds! 10AM to 3 Ask &Ask 4 about year our half-day & full-day classes for &3 full-day classes for & 4 year olds! 3 & 4 year olds! Ask about our half-day & full-day classes for KINDNESS RESPECT 3 & 4LOVE year LOVE olds! KINDNESS RESPECT
PRESCHOOL
NOON
TOUR THE SCHOOL MEETTHE FACULTY TOUR SCHOOL TOUR THE SCHOOL
TOUR THEVISIT SCHOOL MEET FACULTY OUR CLUBS MEET FACULTY
MEET FACULTY VISIT OUR CLUBS
VISIT OUR CLUBS
TOUR THE SCHOOL
VISIT OUR CLUBS
MEET FACULTY VISIT OUR CLUBS
ounded in 1912, Ascension School has been providing excellent, Catholic education for families in our community for over a century. With thousands of alumni, many of whom have chosen Ascension for their children’s education, we continue to be a vibrant school, proud of our history, and ready to serve each new child who joins us. Ascension School offers a faith-based education for children from three years old through the eighth grade. Our rigorous curriculum prepares students for the next level of education. We continue to provide a strong fine arts curriculum taught by highly qualified full-time teachers. Ascension students consistently score above national norms on standardized tests at all grade levels. In 2007, Ascension received the U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Award. In addition to an excellent elementary school education, Ascension provides: • An excellent Preschool for 3 and 4 yearolds, with certified teachers and a studentteacher ratio less than 10 to 1
The opportunity to learn in an environment that promotes the principles of Love, Kindness and Respect. • Competitive athletic leagues for grades 5-8 in soccer, cross country, basketball and volleyball • Tablets available in classrooms to supplement traditional educational materials • Anti-bullying initiative and a “buddy” mentoring program to connect upper and lower grade students • A service-oriented student council
We know that parents have many wonderful options when choosing the right school for • An outstanding, affordable Extended Day their children. When you choose Ascension Program open from 7AM to 6PM on school School, be confident that you are providing days. your children with more than an academic • Two full-day Kindergarten classrooms experience, you are giving them the gift of a caring community and the opportunity to learn 601 VAN BUREN STREET OAK PARK, IL 60304 T: 708-386-7282 SCHOOL@ASCENSIONOAKPARK.COM 601 VAN BUREN STREET OAK PARK, IL 60304 T: 708-386-7282 SCHOOL@ASCENSIONOAKPARK.COM • A variety of Extracurricular Programs LOVE KINDNESS RESPECT in an environment that promotes the principles including band, orchestra, and drama club T: 708-386-7282 SCHOOL@ASCENSIONOAKPARK.COM of Love, Kindness and Respect.
601 VAN BUREN STREET PRESCHOOL
ASCENSION SCHOOL
LOVE
KINDNESS
ASCENSION SCHOOL
OPEN OPENHOUSE HOUSE
Ask about our half-day KINDNESS RESPECT full-day classes for 3 & 4 year olds!
LOVE&
OAK PARK, IL 60304
This is How Seed Kids LEARN
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eed Montessori Afterschool parents are surprised at what kids grades K-5 can do in the hours between school and dinner. Parents don’t expect an after school program that will make learning so fun and life so easy. What a happy surprise that kids so young can tackle long division, addition of fractions, and the study of angles. Seed kids write reports, build models of castles and brains, experiment with electricity, embroider. They play outside and take field trips. And they LOVE IT. Parents report that Seed kids talk more about what they learned at Seed than what they learned at school. They don’t want to go home at 6pm!
RESPECT
Montessori Afterschool
Afterschool Learning and Wonder
Kids of every description ride the Seed van from school to their classroom at 500 Madison Street, Oak Park. There they work and play under the supervision of Director Ileana Gómez, an experienced teacher. If kids have homework to do, there are materials and help available. If they have a project they want to tackle, the answer is yes. There are books, paints, maps. Hands-on materials and supplies make every exploration possible and the experienced teacher makes everything fun. But don’t let those big smiles fool you; this is how Seed kids LEARN.
PRESCHOOL PRESCHOOL
500 Madison Street Oak Park seedMontessori@gmail.com
Grades K-5
Transportation from D97 schools
In keeping with the Montessori model of freedom and responsibility,
Ask about half-day Ask our about our half-day
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Seed students enjoy making their own choices. More than one parent has commented that “Seed is where my child gets her real education.” The warm learning environment, the joy of the children and the convenience for working parents (including service on Institute Days and some holiday breaks) make Seed Montessori Afterschool a great choice for Oak Park kids and families. Seed Montessori Afterschool is enrolling students for 3-5 days/ week. Visit their Facebook page or contact them at seedMontessori@gmail.com for a free trial visit.
JANUARY 28TH 28TH 10AM to NOON JANUARY 10AM to NOON
seed
TOUR
VISI
EDUCATION & ENRICHMENT GUIDE
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November 14, 2018
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—Daniel Herman, former Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic
“I was filled with HOPE…
The world is a better place because of Shen Yun.” —Richard Swett, former U.S. congressman
“Absolutely THE NO. 1 SHOW in the world.” —Kenn Wells, former lead dancer of English National Ballet
“The HIGHEST and the BEST of what humans can produce.” —Olevia Brown-Klahn, singer and musician
—Broadway World
DEC 27–30, 2018
CHICAGO Civic Opera House
JAN 10–13, 2019
AURORA Paramount Theatre
FEB 14–17, 2019
ROSEMONT Rosemont Theatre
ShenYun.com/Chicago 888.99.SHOWS
Early Bird code:Early19
Civic Opera House tickets only throgh hotline Get best seats & waive fees by Nov. 19