Montessori School of Long Grove

The Montessori School of Long Grove is a small, private, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit institution founded in 1975 by Bob and Margaret Riley, longtime residents of Long Grove. The Riley family continues to be involved with the school. Their grand-children graduated many years ago and their great-grandchildren are enrolled today! We have grown over the years from one classroom for children ages three to six, to a school able to serve the needs of children ages ten months to twelve years and their families. The Montessori School of Long Grove is a community of adults and children working together with the principal aim of helping children develop their own personal potential academically, socially, physically and emotionally. We have adopted the Montessori philosophy as a way of life and we use Montessori methods and materials to help us achieve our goals. We believe strongly that our students’ daily school experience should be a happy and rewarding one. Our students are eager to learn, and we support their natural desire for knowledge with an authentically Montessori foundation. Because children learn in relation to their environment, the Montessori School of Long Grove provides pleasant, comfortable indoor and outdoor surroundings. Multi-age groupings and our emphasis on cooperation, respect for the environment, as well as the rights and needs of others makes it possible for our classrooms to function as small communities. We believe that, as much as possible, children should have the opportunity to learn through their own experience and research. Learning by doing enhances a child’s self-esteem. Our classrooms are rich in materials, many of which provide concrete representation of abstract concepts. Current research validates Dr. Maria Montessori’s observations about how children learn, the positive effect of order in the environment, and the academic and emotional benefits of freedom of choice. Our curriculum is an integrated one. For example, math, language, history, and geography may all be learned while researching an ancient civilization or the customs and culture of another country. Art, music, cooking and physical education are also integral parts of the curriculum. The school is staffed with experienced, certified Montessori teachers and carefully selected assistants trained in the Montessori methods and philosophy.