Discovering the Nature of Learning
Forest Bluff School, located near downtown Lake Bluff and Lake Forest, IL, is an independent, not-for-profit Montessori school serving approximately 150 students between the ages of 18 months and 14 years. Paula Polk Lillard, Lynn Jessen, and Jane Linari co-founded our teacher-run school in 1982 as an institution that adheres to the educational philosophy developed by Dr. Maria Montessori.
Our goal is to help each child develop in every area of life. At Forest Bluff, academic rigor shares equal emphasis with the attainment of virtues important to a civilized and productive society – character, integrity, service, and passion for life. Our graduates have attended excellent schools across the country, including Andover, Exeter, St. Paul's, Thacher, Lake Forest Academy, and Lake Forest High School.
New families from Chicago, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, and other suburbs on the North Shore often begin with us in our Parent Child Series as early as during pregnancy and/or with young children up to age three. All interested parents are welcome to call (847) 295-8338 to inquire about joining the Parent Child Series and Forest Bluff School.
To learn about Montessori education, please see