Teacher Spotlight: Tami Levandowski, Primary
March 19, 2015

3c8732c5-0828-4997-8508-4343b1acdc81 When I was a young girl, my Dad decided he wanted us to live in what he described as “God’s Country.”  So we moved from Illinois to Wyoming when I was ten years old. Our house was in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees and mountains.  The nearest town was 30 miles away and had a population of 600 people.  Our driveway was about 5 miles long.  In the winter, my two brothers and I would actually have to snowmobile to the bus stop!  It was very beautiful in Wyoming and I had some great experiences.  But I knew one day I would move back to Illinois.

I always wanted to be a teacher.  At the age of five, I would pretend to be in front of my imaginary classroom of students.  It was no surprise to anyone that when I went to college, I majored in elementary education.  During the summers, I worked as a nanny in Arlington VA, and Hampton, CT.  After I graduated with a BA from the University of Wyoming, I worked in public school, but felt like something was missing in this traditional way of teaching.  There was never enough time to work with every child that needed my help.  I felt most of the class was on task, but some children needed extra help and some children needed to be challenged more.  I didn’t know how I could reach every child’s needs.

In 1998, I finally did move back to Illinois and responded to an ad for an assistant at MSLF. I had never heard of Montessori before.  It was never mentioned in any of my college classes, and I had no idea what to expect.  When I first observed a classroom, I was blown away!  I saw these little children doing amazing things: three year olds sewing with real needles, four year olds learning to read, five year olds doing multiplication!  It wasn’t just the academics either.  It was the way these children showed respect for the environment.  They were cleaning up after themselves and helping each other without being asked.  The children showed confidence and independence I never knew young children could possess.  It was so different from anything I had ever seen, and it seemed just the right fit for me.

That first year, I worked as an assistant with Mia Stompanato.  I loved it so much I decided to become a Montessori teacher.  I went to the Montessori Midwest Teacher Training Center in Evanston, IL, where I received my Montessori degree.  When Mia went on maternity leave with Gianna, I took the position as lead directress and have had my own class ever since.

Every day, working here at MSLF is a new experience.  I LOVE teaching and learning from the children, and am inspired by their love of learning. Recently, I have become a mother, and I know my son, Griffin, will benefit from my experiences here. At the same time, I think being a mother will help me be an even stronger teacher.

— Tami Levandowski, February 2015

 

MSLF Retirement Announcement

January 29, 2025
Dear MSLF Community, After over 20 years of teaching Lower Elementary students at MSLF, Kathryn Jasinski has shared her plans to retire from teaching at the end of the current school year. There is no doubt about the impact Miss Jasinski has had on our school community during her long tenure here. Kathryn has been well known for her dedication to her students, to developing the whole child, and for her passion for Montessori education, always staying true to the core tenets of Montessori philosophy. Her legacy at MSLF will certainly live on in each of the students who have been lucky enough to have been in her class and in the many words of wisdom she has shared with her fellow colleagues, past and present. No doubt each one of her current or former students who receives a note from her in the mail instantly recognizes her perfect cursive writing and the thoughtful note inside. Kathryn’s care of her students extends well beyond their time in her classroom as she has kept in touch with dozens of her former students and has even welcomed some back to work alongside her as assistants. She has been a mentor to many, imparting her years of expertise on all those who have had the privilege of working with her. While we are sad to see her go, we know that she will enjoy her well-earned retirement, and we look forward to celebrating Kathryn’s legacy more this year. MSLF is pleased to announce that Laura Earls will be the new Lower Elementary lead teacher for the 2025-26 school year. Laura has been co-teaching in our Upper Elementary classroom since the beginning of the current school year. Laura Earls joined the MSLF team from Higher Ground Education where she was Regional Program Lead, working to elevate program quality in all Guidepost Montessori schools across the Chicago area. It was during this work that she realized how much she missed working directly with children in the Montessori classroom and decided to return to teaching. Laura received her BA in art history from the University of Dallas and completed graduate work at the University of Notre Dame. Soon after, Laura shifted her career to education and earned her AMI Elementary Montessori Certification (6-12 years old) at the Montessori Institute of Milwaukee. She then taught in an Elementary classroom at Forest Bluff School, and her classroom was profiled in Paula Polk Lillard’s book, Montessori Today. After moving to Wisconsin to raise her three children, Laura received her AMI Primary Montessori Certification (3-6 years old) at the Midwest Montessori Institute. After that, she worked as a Primary Directress and Director of Admissions at a Montessori school in Wisconsin, as Head of School of Forest Bluff School, and as Senior Head of School at Guidepost Montessori. Laura has three grown children who all experienced Montessori education themselves and are thriving in college and beyond. Laura has lived and studied in both Paris and Rome and is an accomplished pianist. Laura is excited to make the transition to the Lower Elementary classroom and looks forward to working closely with current and new Lower Elementary families next year. She also looks forward to meeting families in the Lower Elementary classroom during the Open House on February 5. With Laura transitioning to the Lower Elementary classroom following the current school year, MSLF will be conducting a search for a new co-teacher to work alongside Debbie Lincoln in the Upper Elementary classroom for the 2025-26 school year. We are thankful to Laura for all the support she has offered the Upper Elementary community this year. Please join me in wishing Kathryn a peaceful and fulfilling retirement and in welcoming Laura to the Lower Elementary community. Sincerely, Hope Allegretti Head of School - Executive Director Montessori School of Lake Forest

Montessori Assessments at MSLF

By Teresa Pavelich • January 8, 2025
An overview of how Montessori schools assess student progress and development
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