Near North Montessori School

What it reported doing in 2024

Near north montessori is the place where children can soar. Our school develops curious, motivated, and accomplished lifelong learners from pre-school through 8th grade via an environment and montessori approach unique to our school. Located in the wicker park neighborhood of chicago, our families draw from over 40 neighborhoods across chicago and the surrounding areas.here you will not find the traditional lineup of desks in rows, textbooks and mind-numbing rote memorization. What you will find are dynamic learning laboratories - a school alive with students exploring questions about the world around them. Classrooms are vibrant communities, each organized by age levels, where students spend three years learning and growing together. Teachers carefully orchestrate the students' journey, with the trajectory of each individual student fine-tuned prior to launch. Teachers question, challenge, and inspire students. They look for ways to spark creativity and imagination. They cultivate the three rs: respect, responsibility and resilience. All classroom teachers are trained in the montessori method, and each lead teacher holds a credential from association montessori internationale (ami), the american montessori society (ams), or north american montessori teachers association (namta).in the classroom and as a community, we take a purposeful, fearless look at ourselves, our differences, and our connections. Here, diversity of our approximately 550 students and 140 faculty and staff can be race, ethnicity, religion, gender, economic status or learning differences. Our commitment to diversity promotes an environment of respect based on equity and inclusion in which students become allies for each other while developing awareness of social and global justice issues.our program extends beyond the school day with morning and afternoon care along with a variety of specialized after school classes. During the summer, students can partake in an array of general and specialized camps to suit the child's interest, each approached with our montessori philosophy.near north montessori is a powerful educational experience, drawing its energy and inspiration from the students, families and teachers who call this school home. Together, we work to create a warm, welcoming community where young hearts and minds takeflight.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 76.9%; rating input score 77
• Program expense ratio: 75.4%; rating input score 75
• Fundraising efficiency: $2.93 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 95.2%; rating input score 95; 29th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -5.2%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.07; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.27; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 6.2%; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 4.2% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4% per year; rating input score 100; 34th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 2.9% per year; rating input score 100; 22nd percentile among comparable filings