Forest Bluff School, located near downtown Lake Bluff and Lake Forest, IL, is an internationally-renowned AMI accredited Montessori school serving approximately 150 students between the ages of 18 months and 14 years.
Forest Bluff School is an internationally-renowned Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) accredited Montessori school, serving approximately 150 students between the ages of 18 months and 14 years. Our mission at Forest Bluff School is to provide an environment that fosters the development of both the intellect and the human spirit, staying true to Dr. Maria Montessori's vision of educating the whole child. A Forest Bluff School education focuses on the student’s skills for discovery and exploration, respecting the innate curiosity that resides within every child. Forest Bluff students experience a daily joy in learning that they will carry with them well beyond graduation.
At Forest Bluff School, we have a small, supportive community where parents and teachers work closely together to support each child's individual developmental and intellectual journey. Our Montessori from the Start program for parents with children under the age of three provides a foundational understanding of the Montessori approach, with practical suggestions for the home environment.
At a Glance:
Ages: Children from birth to 14 years
Community: Approx. 150 students between 18 months and 14 years
Location: Two light-filled buildings, designed specifically for a Montessori education, located in the quiet village setting of Lake Bluff, IL
Leadership & Faculty: Co-founded by Paula Polk Lillard, Lynn Lillard Jessen, and Jane Linari, and lead by Head of School Paula Lillard Preschlack, Forest Bluff School is a teacher-run Montessori school, served by a staff of experienced, AMI-certified teachers.
Why Montessori: At Forest Bluff School, we see each child as a unique individual undergoing the process of self-formation. A Montessori education is far from uniform; our students undertake ambitious, self-initiated studies, developing a love of learning that follows them throughout their lives.
Montessori from the Start: A series of lectures and practical sessions offered throughout the school year, our Montessori from the Start programs provide an introduction to Montessori education for parents who are expecting and parents of children birth through age three. These include our Newborn Series, Parent and Child Practicals, and the Morning Lecture Series.
For more information about Forest Bluff School, visit our website or give us a call! Feel free to ask questions, schedule a visit, or get upcoming dates for our Montessori from the Start programming.
"Nurturing the Human Spirit"
Our mission is to guide children in their self-formation from birth through fourteen years of age. Self-formation follows universal principles and is unique for each child. It involves an integrating process that is guided by the developing intellect and the human spirit. It is best achieved in an educational environment that fosters self-discipline and the opportunity to exercise freedom appropriate to the child's developing sense of responsibility. These skills of strong character are readily observed in the child's growing respect for others, for the environment and for the self.
Academically, a Forest Bluff education focuses on the child's skills for discovery and exploration of a world that is both physical and spiritual in nature. We believe that this search for understanding, as opposed to the presentation, memorization and subsequent testing of information, is the essence of a meaningful education. It is a life-long process for each of us.
We encourage Directors and parents to continue their own personal growth as a means to assist children in their self-development and in their attainment of those virtues important to a civilized and productive society: character, integrity, service and a passion for life.
