Bye, Bye Buckthorn Project Wraps-Up
May 16, 2018

Montessori School of Lake Forest partners with Lake Forest Open Lands Association, and Lake County Forest Preserves on their Woody Invasive Species Clearing Project.

Students at the Montessori School of Lake Forest are well versed in all aspects of cultivating a school garden, caring for their vast outdoor classroom, and appreciating the natural beauty of their outdoor environment, prairie, woodland, wetland and savanna. In October, 2017 they embarked on another educational adventure to learn about managing invasive species and saying “Bye, Bye to Buckthorn.”

On May 9 th , Dr. Ann Maine, President, Lake County Forest Preserve District (LCFP) joined MSLF students for the culmination of this year long initiative. Dr. Maine talked about the importance of the work the students are doing. She said, “If every neighbor of LCFP worked this hard in the effort to manage the buckthorn, we would be in good shape!” Back in October, students and teachers learned about the larger LCFP initiative and about buckthorn within their space. The impact of the balance between an invasive species and the surrounding environment was discussed, and the need for the community to unite to manage and eradicate invasive species in order to support new growth of native species. Since then, MSLF students, parents and staff have been hard at work removing buckthorn from the school’s 5½ acre outdoor classroom.

Luke Buckhardt and Peter Gordon from Lake Forest Open Lands joined the students outside. At four different workstations, children from 5-15 years, pulled and lopped buckthorn of all sizes. German Exchange students from MSLF’s Adolescent Program were among the many students pitching in on the work. Julia Lunn, an Outdoor Education Director at MSLF, noted the arrival of the Spring Ephemerals Trillium, May Apple and Virginia Waterleaf to students, showing that the work they had already done in the fall to clear buckthorn is already encouraging the growth of these special natives. “The work is ongoing. We will continue in our Outdoor Education work to manage the buckthorn”, she said.

Here are pictures from this year’s Bye, Bye Buckthorn events:

About MSLF

As one of the premier Montessori schools in the nation and with a long-standing history of 50 years in the Lake Forest community, the Montessori School of Lake Forest (MSLF) offers exceptional learning programs for children ages birth to 12 years. Program options range from half-day to full-day and year-round academic offerings. The school is home to a diverse student body, encompassing eight countries and more than 30 communities in the Chicagoland area.

MSLF’s approach emphasizes the development of the whole child and encourages academic and character development equally. Curricula at each developmental level are broad and deep. Our standards exceed the Illinois State Board of Education’s requirements, and students thrive at every level. MSLF alumni go on to succeed at renowned high schools, universities, post-graduate institutions and workplaces.

Contact: Hope Allegretti, Admissions & Marketing Director 847-918-1000, hope@mslf.org

Graduation Message from Head of School, Hope Allegretti

By Teresa Pavelich • June 10, 2026
Hello everyone! Thank you for being here today to celebrate this year’s stepping up and graduating students. This day is always a bittersweet one as we celebrate all their accomplishments and all their hard work while also preparing to say good-bye as they join new classrooms and embrace new opportunities ahead. They’ve earned their key of knowledge, completed their Elementary cycle, and are graduating from the Adolescent Program and are moving on to high school. As hard as it is to say good-bye as these students step up or graduate, we do so with the confidence that they are better prepared for life having received the gift of a Montessori education. It’s been a true pleasure this past week watching key recipients receive their key of knowledge and wear it proudly for all to see. I have loved hearing all the speeches from our 3rd and 6th year stepping up students and our 8th year graduates as they share their fondest memories of MSLF and offer thanks to all those they are grateful to. I love hearing what memories they will take away from MSLF with them. Baking in their Primary classroom, building forts in Elementary, finding a turtle on a nature hike, learning to play the ukulele in music, visiting Nature’s Classroom with their classmates, performing in the school play, a research project they worked on with their friends, selling coffee at Friday Markets in AP. These are just a few of the memories shared by stepping up and graduating students over the years. These are all incredible memories to have from school and to be able to take with you. But what I’ve come to realize is these are really more than just memories. These are significant, impactful moments that will likely, in some way, shape our students’ lives. They may not know it yet. But 5, 10, 20 years from now, when these memories are reflected on and shared again, they will become part of each student's legacy—a collection of experiences, values, and lessons that help define who they are and how they move through the world. And just as important, they become part of MSLF’s legacy as well. Each graduating class leaves behind something meaningful: traditions, friendships and memories that become woven into the story of our school. The theatre student will remember the feeling of performing in their first school play. The entrepreneur will remember the excitement of planning for their first school market. The new parent will share their love of nature with their child as they remember nature hikes at MSLF. These memories are moments of self-discovery. Opportunities for our students to learn about themselves. Experiences that help guide their future. These memories will be their compass as they enter high school, college and beyond, guiding them towards a joyful life. And all those they thank are the ones who helped guide them towards that joy. Their teachers, their parents, their peers will have all impressed upon them knowledge and experiences that have helped them learn, problem solve, adapt and teach others, all of which are life skills that any of us need to succeed. They enter the world well prepared for what will come next thanks to the memories they have made here. And I hope to be here long enough to hear you share them again someday as you set out to do great things. So, Graduates, no matter where your compass guides you, I hope you will always remember MSLF as we will always remember you. YOU are our memories. YOU are part of our legacy. And YOU have helped shape our future, just as MSLF has helped shape yours. So, thank you!  Please join me in congratulating all our stepping up and graduating students today. Congratulations graduates!

Human Tendencies: Why Montessori Still Feels So Relevant

By Teresa Pavelich • October 21, 2025
From curiosity to self-control, Montessori aligns with the human tendencies that help children grow, adapt, and flourish.