Council Oak Montessori School

Council Oak Montessori School was organized initially as an elementary school by a group of parents in response to the need for elementary level Montessori education on the far south side of Chicago and neighboring suburbs. The founding parents — Kenneth and Karen Brienzo, Patrick and Doris Cox, and John and Marsha Enright — knew that there were many others in the community who, like them, wanted their children to continue to learn and grow in a Montessori environment after the pre-school years. So plans were begun. The prospect of opening a school in the Fall of 1990 became a reality when rental space was found at the Morgan Park United Methodist Church and Diana Smith Butler accepted the position of the first Montessori directress (the Montessori word for “teacher”) and Educational Director. In the summer of 2003 the Children’s House program (ages 3-6) came into being, a logical extension of the great work of the elementary school. This very popular level serves parents looking for a superior program for their young children. All the founding families are active in the school today as volunteers and on the advisory board and through volunteer work. In 2008 Lila Jokanovic joined the school as a directress in the children’s house. In 2015 Lila became the executive director as Council Oak continued to grow. Under her leadership, Council Oak has expanded to its new location in Blue Island and added several new programs. Council Oak boasts an outdoor curriculum, complete with farm-to-table, a robust music program, and a yoga and mindfulness program.