Morning drop-off at our Roosevelt campus is always a whirlwind of activity as the infants and toddlers begin their day. Gia smiles and waves shyly but walks in with ease.  Elli stops to point everything out in the lobby, enjoying the stroll to his room. Tiny Phia grasps at her own hands and becomes more alert as she begins to drink in the world around her. Each child settles into their routine within a space they see as welcoming and safe.

Alcuin Montessori has had an infant or toddler program of some sort since the 1990s, but our full-time, all-year program officially launched in October 2019 at our brand new Roosevelt campus.  Apart from all-star care, this DCFS-licensed program provides learning experiences in an environment that is cheerful, inviting, and rich with opportunities to explore. Alcuin is not a daycare, but rather a school with a full Montessori curriculum. 

Toddlers explore their burgeoning independence while they work on care of self and their environment. Classroom shelves are low and easily accessible with beautiful works that encourage exploration.  They learn to dress themselves, help one another with zippers and coats, bus their dishes, tend to the classroom plants, and lovingly wash the baby doll. There is a steady hum of activity as busy hands get to work. Toddlers develop their cognitive skills while they focus for long periods and sit, wholly engaged, in whatever lesson they are receiving.

On Tuesday, October 1st, Alcuin Montessori hosted our annual High School Night.  At this event, parents were able to learn about different high school options for their children.  This year, representatives from Trinity, Fenwick, Nazareth Academy, Wolcott, GCE Lab School, Beacon Academy, and OPRF were able to join us.  Parents learned about admissions requirements, testing dates, and application procedures and had some of their burning questions answered. Our favorite part of the evening, however, was the panel discussion made up of Alcuin alumni who shared some of their high school experiences.
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Hillary Y., class of 2016 and a senior at Trinity High School, stated she felt Alcuin prepared her more than other students because, “The expectation [at Alcuin] was so much higher and… going into Trinity was very, very seamless. I felt super prepared, and the workload was something that I didn’t have difficulty with.”  

Vincent V., class of 2019, and a freshman at Nazareth Academy, stated the daily schedules at Alcuin helped him with time management.  This translated to the workload in high school feeling manageable. “Going into high school, all you need to do to keep up with the work,” he said with a smile, “is to do the work.”
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What makes Alcuin’s program so unique is that it incorporates both traditional Montessori philosophy and current best practices. Its design helps transition students from the Montessori classroom to a traditional high school setting with relative ease.  Ellie S., Alcuin class of 2017, and a junior also at Trinity, added, “One thing that really helped me at Alcuin was time management and organization… and that transferred over to high school.”  

​Alcuin's curriculum has been carefully designed to meet or exceed state standards in all fundamental areas of study, as well as to align with the benchmark outcomes of local public schools.  This ensures a full preparation for a smooth transition into high school. Our comprehensive curriculum is theme-based and encompasses mathematics, science, social studies, literature, writing, Spanish, art, theater, physical education and more.
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Education should not be one size fits all. At Alcuin, we follow a philosophy proven over more than a century to discover and develop each child's interests and talents and prepare them to excel in the next level of education and beyond. It's no surprise that a large percentage of our graduates take advanced placement and honors courses in high school. We invited you to come and visit the Roosevelt Campus and see for yourself.