0-6 Level
Nancy Allen and Vinkle Thakkar’s toddler classes’ Fathers/Special Friends Visiting Day will be on Thursday, February 23, from 8:30 – 11:30am. Please RVSP to the Evites.
6-12 Level
6-9 Parent Education evening will be on Wednesday, February 22. All 6-9 teachers will be presenting how the Elementary Montessori classroom aids the development of constructive socialization. If our children are going to thrive in the 21st century, they must be collaborative learners and have highly developed critical thinking skills. The Montessori classroom is designed to foster and facilitate the ability to deal with new environments, situations and problems which will prepare them for the future. Please RSVP to the Evite.
Sonja Fauske’s class performance about poetry will be on Thursday, February 23 with shows at 9:30am and 7:00pm in the Little Theater. Please RSVP to the Evite.
Paul Blievernicht’s 6-9 student piano recital will be on Friday, February 24 at 4:00pm in the Little Theater.
All School
Re-enrollment was due by February 15. Follow all four steps including dropping off your Tuition and Fees form, which is late after February 15, to complete re-enrollment. Late submissions assessed a $500 Late Fee. Contracts (enrollment offers) expire on February 26, 2012. To re-enroll, open MyBackpack, click on My Profile and online enrollment. Contract, Deposit and Tuition/Fees form all need to be submitted in order for re-enrollment to be complete.
Association of Illinois Montessori Schools conference for parents and teachers will be held at Near North Montessori on February 25. Registration is now closed.
Apply Now for the Board of Directors: The Board of Directors is searching for parents interested in participating in the governance of the school by serving as a member of the Board of Directors. Interviews will be held during the evening of Tuesday, March 13. The Board welcomes applications from any interested parent; however parents with at least two years experience at NNM are preferred. This year the board is especially interested in candidates with experience in diversity, strategic planning work and expertise in communications and technology. Applications are available in the school office or online at http://www.nnms.org/connect-and-support/board-of-directors/and are due back in the office, to the attention of Sarah Norris, by Friday, March 9. If you have questions about the Board or the nominating process, please contact Sarah Norris at sarah.norris@jpmorgan.com
Financial Aid: Complete information regarding the financial aid application process is available on the nnms.org website. Please go the “Admission” tab and click on “Financial Aid”from the dropdown list. Submit your online application (which you access from the nnms.org website) any time between now and March 15, 2012. Note that March 15,2012 is the last day applications will be accepted. Families will be notified of their financial aid award by April 30, 2012. Completed tax returns (your 2011 taxes) will need to be submitted to FAST by March 15, so please plan to have your taxes completed so that FAST receives your tax package by that date. Important note: DO NOT SEND YOUR TAX RETURN TO FAST PRIOR TO COMPLETING YOUR ONLINE APPLICATION. Complete your online application first; then send in your tax return and associated schedules. Please make sure the name on the application is the same as the name on the tax return.
Please note one change from prior years’ application process: the Additional Information Form is now part of the online application, so you no longer have to mail that form in to FAST. The only items to send to FAST are your tax return (including required schedules) and a completed Form 4506. Envelopes to FAST are in the bin outside of the main office, and a copy of the Form 4506 is in the envelope for your convenience. Please use that envelope to mail your information to FAST.
If you have any questions, please email Linda Rudnick at lrudnick@nnms.org.
Death and Harry Houdini: Enjoy this spring’s NNMS benefit performance of Death and Harry Houdini at the Chopin Theater. A show that has sold out every other performance, Houdini is highly-recommended by the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, and TimeOut Chicago. Our special production takes place on Friday, March 2 at 4:00pm, at the Chopin Theater, 1543 W. Division. Tickets are $25 and all proceeds support NNMS. Many thanks to NNM parents Zygmunt Dyrkacz and Lela Headd Dyrkacz for providing us with this exciting opportunity. Tickets can be purchased in the Development Office. For more information, contact Brenda Turner at bturner@nnms.org or (773) 269-6229. To learn more about the play, please visit www.chopintheatre.com.
Also note: This story is largely narrated and may not be understood by some younger children. It is recommended for children 7 years and up.
Development
Big Night tickets are on sale online and in the Development Office. Ticket prices are $150 after February 10 until the day of the event and will be $175 at the door. If you have any questions, please contact Natalie Vega-Finn at nvega-finn@nnms.org or (773)269-6204.
Tickets for the Big Night 75/25 Raffle were sent home on Monday, February 6 with the youngest sibling in each family. Each family has received one book of 25 tickets to sell. Tickets are $20 each or three for $50. The winner of the raffle will take home 25% of the total pot. The drawing will be held at Big Night, and winner need not be present. All money and ticket stubs are due to the Development Office by Friday, March 9, 2012. The family who sells the most raffle tickets will win a Kindle Fire, and the runner-up will win an iPod Shuffle!
Save the Dates: On Friday March 30 and Saturday March 31, NNM parent and Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy will be performing solo shows at the Vic Theatre to benefit NNM’s Financial Aid Program. Ticket prices are $75 for General Admission; $150 for Golden Circle, which includes General Admission seating in front of the stage and a post-concert “meet and greet” with Jeff. You may purchase tickets in the Development office. For further information, contact Diane Cohen at dcohen@nnms.org or (773) 269-6211.
The Annual Fund has just reached the $200K mark! Alvin is getting warmer by the day, since his pant leg now reaches the top of his sock. Help Alvin hang in style, with two full pant legs!
Give to the Annual Fund at http://www.nnms.org/donate/.
As tax season is here, we just want to let you know that you can view your 2011 charitable giving to the school by logging into your MyBack account. Here’s how to do it:
Log into www.nnms.org/ and select MyBackPack
Enter your Username and Password.
Under “Donations”, select “Giving History”
Under “Recent Giving”, select “Last Year”
The appropriate amounts for “Total Pledges” and “Total Gifts/Pledge Payments” will appear below
Click on the amount of either to see the detailed summary report.
If have forgotten your user ID or password, please send an email to mbp-help@nnms.org to retrieve that information. For further gift information, contact Stephanie Harris, Development Assistant, at sharris@nnms.org or (773) 269-6239.
Parent Committee
A special thanks to the Dads’ Club for making the first annual Daddy/Special Dude – Daughter Dance such a huge success! Darling daughters and delightful dads/dudes danced the night away to the wonderful music of NNM alumnus DJ Nicholas Jean-Baptiste. Thanks to everyone who participated in planning and attending; your efforts helped to make this wonderful event a memorable evening for all! Special thanks to NNM parent photographers Leslie Schwartz and Chris Krizeder, Rich Maisel for keeping everyone moving and grooving, and all our wonderful parent bakers. To check out pictures from the mosh pit, click here and enjoy!
Book Recommendations
PRESIDENTS’ DAY READING
Celebrate Presidents’ Day with these titles from our NNM Library.
Older readers will enjoy biographer Kathleen Krull’s Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame, and What the Neighbors Thought , a collection of short presidential biographies focusing on personal facts, hobbies, and entertaining anecdotes. Kathryn Hewitt’s caricature style illustrations add humor.
Doreen Rappaport’s picture book biography Abe’s Honest Words, stunningly illustrated by Caldecott/Coretta Scott King award winner Kadir Nelson traces Lincoln’s life in simple text supported by quotes from Lincoln’s writings.
Available at Near North’s Library, Chicago and Oak Park Public Libraries.
In the Weeks Ahead
The All School Swim Meet for ages 3-14 will be on Monday, February 27, Tuesday, February 28 and Wednesday, February 29 from 3:30-4:30pm. Any 3-14 student can participate in this exhibition event to highlight each level of the NNM Aquatics Program. A sign-up sheet with available times will be posted by the pool on the lower level. Parents are welcome to watch students swim. We will organize the swimmers each day according to age, with youngest swimmers going first. Contact Samantha Ingle at single@nnms.org with any questions.
12-14 Science Fair will be on Tuesday, February 28 at 5:30pm on the 4th floor.
A tuition payment is due for the 4 and 10 payment plan on Thursday, March 1.
Session III After School and Activities registration is due by 5:00pm on Thursday, March 1.
Jeff Peters’ Academic Night will be on Thursday, March 1 at 6:30pm.
Building Committee Meeting will be on Friday, March 2 from 8:45 – 10:15am in the Hangout.
Session II After School and Activities end on Friday, March 2.
Enrichment Programs
Boys and Girls Fifth Grade Basketball Begins on Tuesday, February 21. Contact Nate Lyons at natelyons@nnms.org with any questions.