Ancona School Family Handbook

Ancona educates students to become creative problem solvers, confident risk-takers, and independent, lifelong learners. Rooted in the Montessori tradition, our child-centered school stimulates the joy of learning and builds a strong academic foundation. We inspire children to nourish their inner lives, find the power in their own voices, and strive for justice and peace. In a community of cultural, economic, and individual diversity, Ancona cultivates understanding, care, and respect for others.

Philosophy

We believe that excellence is achieved in an educational community that embodies the following qualities, and we strive to achieve them throughout Ancona.

Ancona is proud to embrace:

Love of Learning

The product of curiosity, desire, enthusiasm, and determination

Exercising Choice

Thinks critically; carries out self-directed learning

Critical Thinking

Solving problems; analyzing situations; learning from iteration

Community Responsibility

Commitment to social change; acts to help where help is needed

Acceptance of Outcome

Recognizing outcomes as opportunities to learn

Guiding Principles for a Peaceful Learning Community

Ancona is a place that affirms that all children are the experts on their identity and experience.

The Ancona School is a safe place

for people’s feelings…

We are gentle and generous with each other.
We use words carefully and with compassion. We do not tease or laugh intending to hurt.
We can each feel comfortable expressing our individuality. No one is treated unfairly because of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, looks, size, learning strengths, or challenges.

for people’s bodies…

We do not threaten, intimidate or hurt others, or touch them in ways they do not like.

for people’s stuff…

We do not take, misuse, damage, or destroy the property of others or of the school.

for people’s ideas…

We listen to others.
We speak in a respectful manner and tone.
We encourage each other to express feelings and opinions without fear of interruption or retribution.

for learning…

We work together to make our school a calm and productive place for learning.
We know and follow the ground rules of the school and the classroom.

in which to grow…

Each of us is trying to become the best person that they can. We recognize that people can and do change.

Social Justice, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Social justice principles are woven into every aspect of life at Ancona. Students use their voices. We affirm that every child is the expert on their own experience and identity. Centering students empowers them. It is the foundation for advocacy. By measuring students' learning experiences, we are able to adjust and improve our equity practices. Rich opportunities to learn start with listening.

Our social-emotional learning practices and commitments are anti-racist. Unafraid to have tough conversations, we invest in who our students are as well as what they can do. Children, adolescents, and adults make mistakes. This is a safe space for people to grow and change. Repair and restoration are central to our practice.

The materials on the shelves and in the curriculum reflect the multifaceted nature of our student body and center narratives that are systematically marginalized. “Students’ exposure to other students who are different from themselves and the novel ideas and challenges that such exposure brings leads to improved cognitive skills, including critical thinking and problem-solving.” We value curiosity and inquiry in pursuit of all forms of literacy.

Our academic program fosters cooperative learning, language development, executive functioning, and impulse control. These are the foundation for a sense of belonging in school which leads to academic engagement and achievement for all students.

Accreditation

Ancona School is a member of the Independent School Association of the Central States (ISACS), from which it receives its accreditation. The accreditation is maintained through a cycle of self-study culminating every seven years with a visit from an evaluation team of teachers and administrators from other independent schools.

Ancona is an affiliate of the American Montessori Society (AMS) and undergoes regular consultation with that organization.

Other memberships include the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the Lake Michigan Association of Independent Schools (LMAIS).

Governance

The Ancona School is led by the Board of Trustees, the Head of School, and the Ancona Parent Connection (APC), each with its own distinct but complementary responsibilities that forward the goals and aspirations of the school.

Board of Trustees

Ancona's Board of Trustees engages in long-range planning; policy formulation; stewardship of the school's assets; and selection, evaluation, and retention of the Head of School. In addition, Trustees help represent the school in the community at large and support Ancona's programs. When vacancies on the Board of Trustees exist, the Committee on Trustees nominates candidates and presents them for election to the parent body; they are frequently recruited from among the active members of the school community. Community members must attend the Board meeting at which the election will take place to vote on prospective trustees.

Board Meetings

All community members are invited to attend Board of Trustees meetings. Board meeting dates are listed on the Ancona Events calendar before the start of each school year. At each board meeting, immediately following the approval of the minutes, there is a Visitor Comment Period during which any visitor may make a statement to the Board. Parents wishing to be placed on the agenda should contact the Board President in advance of the meeting.

At least once per academic year, the Board will convene a Town Meeting open to all Ancona parents, faculty, and staff to communicate information regarding the state of the school and receive appropriate feedback from the Ancona community.

Board Committees

Much of the Board’s work is accomplished through meetings of its standing committees and ad hoc task forces. With a few exceptions, committees and task forces may include parent and faculty members. Parents interested in serving on Board committees should contact the APC or the Chair of the Board’s Committee on Trustees.

Standing committees are as follows:

Executive Committee

Board officers only; meets monthly

Finance Committee

Open to non-board members
Oversees the financial affairs of the School, including preparation of the annual school budget

Institutional Advancement Committee

Open to non-board members
Oversees fundraising activities and advancement plan

Committee on Trustees

Open to non-board members
Nominates and orients new trustees

Facilities Committee

Open to non-board members
Oversees campus master plan, tracks maintenance needs & identifies enhancement opportunities

Home and School Partnership Agreement

A child’s education occurs both in and out of school. We at Ancona believe that a strong, positive relationship between a family and the school is essential to a student’s well-being and to the fulfillment of our mission. We work together to create a climate of trust, open-mindedness, and mutual respect that allows for learning and growth on the part of all members of the community.

As we collaborate on behalf of our students, we expect all members of the Ancona community to support the fundamental values and policies of the institution and to understand the respective responsibilities of both school and families. These include (but are not limited to): Ancona’s Mission, Shared Definitions, Guiding Principles for a Peaceful Learning Community, Bullying Prevention and Intervention Policy, Communication Framework, and the Admissions and Enrollment and Tuition policies.

We employ restorative measures community-wide to promote productive and respectful resolutions to conflicts. Students, teachers, and leadership abide by the Guiding Principles for a Peaceful Learning Community which are used as the basis for our restorative conversations. Parents are also expected to abide by these guidelines in their interaction with all members of our community. School personnel routinely meet with individual students and groups of students as the need arises without explicit parent or guardian permission.

“Restorative conversations" are:

adapted to the particular needs of the age groups involved,
protect the integrity of a positive and productive learning climate, and
serve to build and restore relationships among students, families, the school, and the broader community.

Community Responsibilities

Ancona expects faculty and staff to:

Treat children and family members with respect and courtesy.
Communicate openly and honestly; welcome thoughtful questions and suggestions.
Act professionally and with discretion.
Respond to phone calls, emails, and notes within the timeframe identified in the Communication Framework section of this Handbook.
Strive to understand each child and their learning needs as fully as possible and to offer their best, most considered professional advice.
Recognize parents’ knowledge of their own children and partner with families to reflect each student’s best self back to them.
Provide thoughtful written reports that describe students’ progress and performance.
Alert parents proactively when they observe academic or social-emotional issues arising.
Keep families informed about the school’s program and activities through classroom updates, newsletters, My Ancona classroom pages, parent education events, and other events and resources.

Ancona expects that parents and guardians will:

Treat all members of the Ancona faculty and staff with courtesy and respect, understanding that they are professionals with deep commitment to children and substantial expertise in their fields.
Communicate with faculty to address questions, concerns, or the need for information; respect the timeline for teacher response as outlined in the Communication Framework.
Attempt to resolve issues openly and constructively at the level closest to the problem before escalating whenever possible (student ⇒ teacher⇒ instructional leader ⇒ head of school)
Respect that the teacher’s role is to educate the child; requests for medical and emotional support/information should be directed to the school nurse and the Student Support Team.
Stay connected to the school by reading school emails and engaging with other communication platforms as described in the Communication Framework.
Be an active partner in parent conferences, and take advantage of other opportunities the school provides to make learning visible (e.g., Curriculum Nights and Moving Up Nights).
Respect the privacy of all members of the Ancona community and use discretion when discussing personal matters related to other community members; keep in mind that the school respects the confidentiality of all members of its community and is not at liberty to discuss issues involving other students/families.
Familiarize yourselves with the material in this Family Handbook.

Bullying Prevention and Intervention

At Ancona, we expect that all members of our school community will follow the Guiding Principles for a Peaceful Learning Community.

It is the policy of the School to provide and maintain a learning environment that is free of bullying and any other verbal or physical misconduct which disrupts the learning environment or makes it unsafe.

Bullying is contrary to State law, and the policy of the school. This is not intended to infringe upon any right to exercise free speech or free exercise of religion or religiously based views protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or under Section 3 of Article 1 of the Illinois Constitution.

The School will promptly investigate any report of bullying or retaliation. Upon determining that a case of bullying or retaliation has taken place, we will immediately take action to intervene and address the safety concerns of any member of the community who has been victimized. As a complement to this, we use a restorative practice framework for supporting our students when mistakes or poor choices are made.

Please click here to read the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan in its entirety.

Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution

Philosophy

We understand that inappropriate behaviors are a normal part of growing up for many students. Our goal is to nurture students to be self-regulated and accountable to themselves and our community. We also have a responsibility to help students develop awareness, change concerning behaviors, and signal to others that we take inappropriate behavior seriously. We do that in an environment that focuses on intrinsic motivation and relationships with trusted adults.

At the beginning of each year, teachers work with students to co-create developmentally appropriate rules for the classroom. These are aligned with the Guiding Principles for a Peaceful Learning Community and encompass the major domains of self, others, and environment. Teachers routinely conference with individual students to build rapport, work proactively on issues as they arise, and build a framework for understanding the student’s social landscape.

Our response to inappropriate behavior begins with a conversation. We center logical consequences (you break it, you fix it; loss of privileges; taking space and time) and restorative practices (respect, responsibility, repair, reintegration). The guidelines below outline the scope, definitions, and processes that guide Ancona’s approach to supporting students.

Scope

We aspire for our students to embody the Guiding Principles for a Peaceful Learning Community throughout their lives, but the school will only intervene when a behavior is reported to have happened at school or while the child is representing the school. Our expectation is that inappropriate behavior that happens outside of school will be dealt with by parents/guardians unless it falls under the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan.

Definitions

Appropriate Behavior: Behavior in keeping with the Guiding Principles and the classroom rules.
Inappropriate Behavior: Behavior not in alignment with the Guiding Principles and the classroom rules. Note: behavior that is considered appropriate for one age group may not be considered appropriate for another age group.
Extreme Behavior: A behavior or a pattern of behaviors that puts a member of the community at physical, personal, or academic risk, causing a threat to the self, others, or the learning environment.

Process

Inappropriate behavior is observed or reported:

Teacher has a conversation with the student, and other involved parties
Teacher and student decide on next steps, including conversation with involved parties
Internal note may be used to document the behavior so we can holistically support the student

Pattern of inappropriate behavior seems to be developing:

School informs parents/guardians of the concern
As a team, we work to understand the context through conversations with student, peers, teachers, parents/guardians, multilevel teachers, and after school staff
Determination if pattern has potential for bullying

If yes, we follow the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Policy
If no, teachers and administrators determine logical consequences, parent/guardian communication, potential need for additional supervision and monitoring, and follow up

School will provide opportunities for the parents to meet with school representatives where we will discuss logical consequences, expected outcomes, and follow up
Student will have a conversation with Director of Student and Family Services, Director of School Culture, Assistant Head of School, or Head of School which is documented, including expected outcomes and changes in behavior

Extreme Behavior is observed or reported:

Assessment is made as to whether any initial steps need to be taken to protect the well-being of students and to prevent disruption of the learning environment
Parents/guardians are immediately notified
The school may take immediate steps to remove the student from the learning environment, including for consultation with a mental health provider
As stated in the enrollment contract, the school, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to terminate a student’s enrollment contract at any time and to dismiss the student from the school if in the school’s sole determination: the student’s or the parent/guardian’s conduct is detrimental to other students; the student poses a safety risk to the school’s other students, faculty, staff, or administration; and/ or the student’s psychological, developmental, or educational needs cannot reasonably be met by the school

Having gone through this process and provided opportunities for families to meet with school representatives, the school, in its sole discretion, will make decisions about consequences and follow up. Our goal is to work towards a resolution to the extent it is reasonably possible and to take such steps as can be taken to repair relationships.

Consequences and next steps are thoughtfully determined to repair relationships where possible and preserve the learning environment, and to provide students with opportunities to be reflective, to agree and disagree civilly, to articulate their needs, and to understand the impact of their choices and actions. This might look like:

a written reflection,
a mediated conversation,
a conference with parents,
a research or service project about something the student made light of,
temporary removal from the regular classroom setting,
suspension from extracurricular activities, and/or
termination of enrollment contract.

To protect the privacy of all involved, the school will provide parents/guardians with details only about their own student’s behavior.

Communication

At Ancona, we aim to provide consistent and timely communication that delivers relevant information to stakeholders across the organization.

Communication Framework for Teachers, Families, and the School

The goal of this framework is to set clear expectations and norms for communication at Ancona.

Who	What
Teachers with Students	General Guidelines: Display, socialize, model, and reinforce community norms and guidelines; provide reminders and redirection to individual or groups of students, as needed Remain in contact with the whole group and sense changing mood or activity Help students understand how to come to class prepared Treat children with unconditional positive regard and provide student-centered care for needs Specifics vary by age and division, and may include (but is not limited to): Whole group and small group instruction Written and oral directions and guidance Individual conferences with children about their work Explanation of assignments, including specific deadlines Written and/or oral feedback on student work Developmentally appropriate rubrics Calendars for long-term projects Daily schedule and student groupings A consistent place to turn in/pick up assignments and other deliverables Wall charts and supports Digital organization and citizenship embedded into lessons, especially at the beginning of the school year
Teachers with Parents	Classroom Updates: Completed work sent home with students Weekly classroom email update on curriculum, units of study, and class/level events NOTE: Teachers will provide a two-week lead time for classroom events to ensure as many parents as possible can attend Homework PP-2nd grade: No homework assigned 3rd-4th grade: Homework sheet with notes and comments 5th-8th grade: Grade books visible to students and parents Additional Regular and Ad-Hoc Communications: Two narrative progress reports (Fall and Spring) and an end-of-year checklist A Beginning of the Year conference (for those entering a new level); fall conference and spring conference (student-led at the 7/8 level) for all students Individual emails or phone calls Sent to parents/guardians: proactive communication about student behavior or academic or other concerns Received from parents/guardians: acknowledge receipt within two school days and set a timeline for a response if it requires additional consultation or planning Photos shared through Vidigami
Parents with Teachers	Hopes & Expectations form filled out and submitted at the start of every school year Attend conferences and be an active partner in student learning Email with questions, concerns, or information; respect the teacher's email acknowledgment norms Resolve issues constructively at the level closest to the problem before escalating whenever possible (student ⇒ teacher⇒ instructional leader ⇒ head of school) In-person or virtual meetings, as necessary and mutually agreed upon
Parents with the School	Absences, early dismissals, and late arrivals reported in SchoolPass Emails to feedback@anconaschool.org for general questions or concerns Emails to administrators for specific needs (e.g. the Director of Auxiliary Programs for a question about Aftercare) School-wide parent surveys Abide by the Home and School Partnership Agreement
Parents with Parents	Room Parents Communications: Relay and reinforce information about activities, volunteer needs, and various happenings around the school Support: Help answer questions and direct parents to the appropriate contacts. Ancona Parent Connection Listserv (read more about the APC) APC hosts the google group Ancona Parents Online to enable Ancona community members to post questions and share information with each other. To join, email anconaconnection@gmail.com. School Directory Parents may use the School Directory to find contact information for individual families. The information in the School Directory may not be used for business or commercial reasons. Please note that families have the option to opt-out of the School Directory.
School with Parents	Family Handbook Curricular resources, including the Scope and Sequence My Ancona Resource Boards Updates from the Nurse and Magnus Health Weekly Newsletter during the school year with a note from the Head of School Updates via email with timely information that may impact your student Summer welcome letters including a list of school supplies Parent education materials Updates from the Board Philanthropic messages and calls to action SchoolPass alerts

Platforms for the School to Communicate with Families

What	Why
My Ancona	Online portal with school-wide information, classroom landing pages (with links and resources); serves as the gradebook for middle school students and families.
Classroom and Grade Level Google Email Groups	These are the primary sources of communication from teachers to parents. Parents and guardians are automatically subscribed to the classroom and grade level groups associated with their student’s level. Though able to reply directly to the sender of group email (i.e., an Ancona faculty member), parents are not able to send messages to other parents through these groups. Archives of group messages are always available on My Ancona Classroom Pages.
School-Wide Messages via MailChimp	Ancona uses the MailChimp platform to send school-wide messages; emails will come from either feedback@anconaschool.org or boardfeedback@anconaschool.org. Please add these email addresses to your contact list to ensure they go directly to your inbox. IMPORTANT: Please make sure to open and read all school emails regularly. Lack of engagement with these emails over time will trigger your address to be cleaned from the system. If you have stopped receiving all-school emails, please fill out the form at this link to resubscribe to the list. If you miss an all-school email, please go to: anconaschool.org/archive to catch up.
Individual Emails	Teachers' email addresses are accessible through the My Ancona Directory or on your child’s classroom page. Teachers will acknowledge non-urgent parent emails within two school days, either answering your question or providing a time frame for the answer.
Phone calls	Parents and caregivers may call the school’s main phone number (773-924-2356), and a member of our office staff will direct the call appropriately.
Informal Conversations	Casual conversations with teachers at drop-off, pick-up, assemblies, and other school-wide events are a great way to get to know teachers. However, substantive concerns or questions should be emailed to your student’s teacher to ensure appropriate documentation and follow-up.
Administrative Staff	The top priority of the faculty is the students in their classrooms. Please rely on the administrative staff to help address your concerns if possible.

My Ancona Portal

My Ancona (https://anconaschool.myschoolapp.com/) is the school's password-protected student information system (SIS) and learning management system (LMS). It has a wealth of useful information and resources for families. It is also the platform that stores all student information, hosts classroom pages and groups, and facilitates contracts and sibling applications. If you have a question, this is the best place to look for your answer!

Media Use and Media Opt-Out

Community Media

Ancona uses photographs, videos, voice recordings, and student work in the weekly

newsletter, community-wide emails, and on internal platforms (e.g. My Ancona and Vidigami) to inform families and the community about our educational program, events, and activities.

Ancona does not provide a formal method for opting out of Community Media. Parents who have a particular need for their student to be excluded from Community Media should reach out to the administration and/or the student’s teacher.

Promotional Media

Ancona also uses media for promotional purposes on platforms including, but not limited to, our website, social media, blogs, and advertisements. Ancona will never publish your child’s name along with their image, voice recording, video, etc. if used for promotional purposes. Ancona maintains a list of students whose families have chosen to opt out of Promotional Media.

Media Opt-Out

Some parents prefer to exclude their students from media used for promotional purposes (as described above). Parents can opt out of promotional media at any time by updating the Opt-Out of Promotional Media field on their child’s My Ancona Contact Card. When the Opt-out of Promotional Media field in My Ancona is set to "Yes", this is an indication to the School that this child's likeness—image, work, voice, etc—should not be used for promotional purposes. When this field is blank or set to "No," the School may post the students' media for promotional purposes but will use discretion and adhere to the policies stated above.

For students who entered Ancona before the 2023-24 School Year: All families who matriculated before this year used a different method to indicate their media opt-out preference; these selections are now reflected in the Opt-Out of Promotional Media field of students’ My Ancona Contact Cards. Please reach out to registrar@anconashchool.org to request a change in your student’s Promotional Media status if you run into any difficulty updating it in My Ancona.

For students who entered Ancona after 2023: Families indicate their decision to opt-out of Promotional Media in the required New Student Profile form to be filled out on My Ancona by parents of new students (typically available a few weeks after the contract is signed).

Who to Contact at Ancona

Ancona staff members are here to help! Please refer to the Who to Contact at Ancona guide at this link for information about the best person to answer your question.

Directories

The Ancona School maintains up-to-date contact information for families and faculty, which are always available to view on My Ancona. The information in the directory is intended for the private use of our families. Information should be used only for personal (i.e., birthday parties, play dates, etc.) and school-related (i.e., classroom events, room parents, volunteers, etc.) business. The directory information may not be used for parent business or advocacy nor may it be distributed to third parties.

Accessing the Family Directory

When you first sign in and create a My Ancona account, the system will prompt you to validate your profile information including name, address, phone number, and email address. After that, you can adjust contact information about you, your child(ren), and (to some extent) your spouse at any time. Please make sure to keep your information up to date.

Family Directory Opt-Out

If you would prefer to not have your family's information displayed in the directory, you may adjust your privacy settings to fine-tune who can see certain parts of your profile.

Daily Life at School

Preparing for the School Year

Please refer to the Preparing for the School Year guide at this link for more information about the steps new and returning families need to take to prepare for the school year.

Schedule

2025-26 student schedules are available for parents and guardians to view on My Ancona.

Calendar

All school events and activities are published on the Ancona Events calendar (on our website at https://www.anconaschool.org/calendar). We encourage all parents to subscribe to the Ancona Events calendar in whatever electronic calendar app you already use. This will ensure that your personal calendar reflects all future Ancona events plus changes to events currently on the calendar. Use the links and methods below for your preferred calendar:

Google Calendar: Click the Ancona Events Subscribe link while signed in to your preferred Google Calendar account on the same browser and follow the on-screen prompts.
iOS (iPhone): Click on the iCal Feed link on your iPhone or iPad and follow the prompts.
Desktop apps: Download the Ancona Events calendar .ics file, open your preferred app, and use the "subscribe" feature as described in these instructions for Apple OS Calendar or Outlook.

A printable PDF of the 2025-26 Academic Calendar (including important dates, days off, conferences, etc.) is available for download on the My Ancona Parent Resource Board.

SchoolPass

SchoolPass is part of a larger system designed to help Ancona keep our students safe and accounted for.

Parents/guardians use SchoolPass to:

Communicate with the school about absences, late arrivals, and early dismissals
Set authorized "drivers" in their family carpool and indicate who will be picking up their student

Ancona uses SchoolPass to:

Take attendance and confirm absences, late arrivals, early dismissals, and pick-up instructions
Send out emergency notifications via SMS and email for things like snow days

Please refer to the SchoolPass FAQ Guide at this link for more information about the features of SchoolPass, how we use it at Ancona, and how to make sure you are signed up to receive emergency notifications.

Attendance

Regular attendance is critical for educational success. Drop-off begins at 8:05 am, and students should be in their classrooms and prepared for school by 8:20 am.

Teachers check and record attendance daily. Parents should use the SchoolPass app to communicate with the school as soon as they are aware of absences or late arrivals.

Illness

Please refer to the Health section of this Handbook to read our Illness and Injury Guidelines, which offer guidance on when children stay home from school due to illness.

School Refusal

If a child is experiencing any of the items outlined below, we will begin a school refusal inquiry:

Missing two or more days of school in a row with no physical illness present
Missing at least one day of school in consecutive weeks with no physical illness present
Arriving at school after 8:45 am more than once a week
Arriving at school after 8:45 am on at least one day of school in consecutive weeks

Notes

Students who arrive at school after 8:45 am without a reported reason will not be allowed to participate in after-school activities that afternoon including sports and extracurriculars.
Students who are consistently absent from school may receive incompletes. Attendance records are reported to and count towards high school admissions.
The school is not able to offer credit recovery for incompletes due to absences when the student is not receiving outside intervention.
After the initial inquiry meeting, the student will need to bring a doctor’s note when they miss more than one day of school for physical illness.
Illinois law states that students cannot miss more than 5% of the 180 school days for the year. That means a student cannot miss more than nine (9) days a year.

Plan

If we find that a school refusal has occurred, we will take the following steps:

Step 1: Inquiry

The teacher/advisor will notify parents when the threshold for school refusal has been crossed. The teacher will schedule a meeting with the teacher/advisor, school counselor, and parents. Teacher/advisor will communicate with all other teachers and the Head of School to let them know about the concern.
At the meeting, school personnel will reinforce the above attendance requirements and notes. The school will provide an info packet to the family with resources on school refusal. We will collaborate on how to support the student.
School team will debrief on the meeting.
Teacher/advisor will continue to track attendance.

Step 2: Short Term Support

If school refusal persists (as defined above), parents will be asked to return for a follow-up meeting.
Before the meeting, the school counselor, teachers, and Director of Student and Family Services will meet to outline a plan for supporting the child. The plan will include parent expectations, student expectations, and teacher expectations. It will outline clear goals for the student.
At the meeting, the school will work with the family to finalize the plan and develop a set of expectations for what will happen when the child refuses to come to school. Steps might include outside therapy, loss of privileges, plan for missed work, and/or additional outside support.
After the meeting, the short-term support plan with goals will be shared with parents, teachers, and Head of School.
Teacher/advisor will continue to track attendance and be in communication with all others who work with the student.

Step 3: Outside Intervention

If school refusal persists (as defined above) and the goals from the Short Term Support plan are not met, parents will meet with the Head of School and the Director of Student and Family Services.
The school will recommend outside intervention services.
The school may hold the student’s contract pending completion of the intervention.
The school will continue to partner with the family and outside institutions to support the student while they receive treatment and to plan a smooth recovery to school.
The school will partner with outside institutions and make sure that students can work towards academic goals while they are seeking treatment. The school is not able to offer credit recovery for incompletes due to absences when the student is not in treatment.

Transportation

Drop-Off Timeline and Procedure

7:45 am	Alley gates are unlocked.
8:05 am	Doors to the school open. All bikers and walkers (PP-8th grade) should enter through the main entrance. 3rd-8th grade students arriving in cars should be dropped off at the alley entrance. There will be teachers to greet students as they exit the car and enter the gates. 3rd and 4th graders enter through Door #7 and walk upstairs to their lockers. Middle School students enter through Door #6 and walk directly up the main stairs to their advisory. Preprimary-2nd grade families arriving in cars should proceed through the alley, around the north side of the building, to the main entrance. Students will exit their cars at the main entrance and proceed into the building. There will be a teacher at the door to greet them. 1st and 2nd grade students will make a left and head to their classrooms. Preprimary students will make a right and head down the preprimary hall to their classroom. Sibling pairs/groups can enter at either designated drop-off location.
8:20 am	Doors close. All students arriving after 8:20 go to the front entrance and receive a tardy slip from the front desk to bring to their classroom
8:30 am	Alley gates locked.

Drop Off Car Line Map

Dismissal and Pick Up Car Line

At Ancona, we all work together to ensure that car line runs smoothly, safely, and with the least amount of congestion possible!

Division Dismissal Times:

Preprimary: 3:00 pm

Primary (1st-4th grades): 3:10 pm

Middle School (5th-8th grades): 3:20 pm

At New Parent Orientation—and throughout the first week of school—Ancona distributes name tags specially designed to be clipped to the passenger-side sun shade in the car. The tags are designed in such a way that they can be easily hidden or displayed as the sunshade is flipped up and down. These tags will help the car line staff to identify families and radio ahead to make the process more efficient. Hang tags distributed in past years are discontinued. Please click here for instructions about using car line signs.

To ensure that the text on the tags is legible, families should write their family (last) name in large letters using a permanent marker. It is recommended that families do not write first names to protect their privacy. In case more than one family shares a last/family name, please add a first initial as a distinguisher.

Tag Distribution Dates/Times:

At New Parent Orientation
Every day during the first week of school in car line: just drive through at your designated pick-up time and an Ancona staff member will distribute your tag; and
At the Main Office during the first week of school and beyond.
Returning families are encouraged to reuse car line tags year over year. If car line tags are damaged or lost, replacements are available in the Main Office.

Car Line DOs:

Follow the traffic pattern: enter through the alley and pick up in front of Ancona (see map below).
Circle the block until your pick-up time to leave spots for cars actively picking up.
Be courteous: listen to staff, respect traffic cones and other road blocks, and watch for instructions.
Stay with your vehicle and ask a staff member to radio for your child as needed.

Car Line DON’Ts:

Drive north on Dorchester, make U-turns, back up, or leave your car unattended (see map for designated pick-up route).
“Post up” and wait in front of the school if you arrive more than a few minutes early.
Double-park, block traffic, or block the exits/entrances to neighboring lots.

Additional Notes:

Depending on your spot in car line, staff will either use a radio to summon your child or wave you forward in front of the school. During inclement weather, all students will wait indoors and be summoned via radio. Please make sure to listen to staff instructions.
The alley gates are locked at 3:25 pm; parents arriving after this may drive north on Dorchester and briefly park in front of the school to pick up their child.
Please use the SchoolPass app to designate authorized drivers for your family or to add your child to another family’s pick-up carpool.

Pick Up Car Line Map

Safety and Security

In the Building

Ancona has many measures in place to keep students secure throughout the day. We audit and assess our practices regularly, and make changes as the need arises.

All entrance and exit doors are kept locked at all times. Every morning during drop-off, Ancona staff members are stationed at the front door and the alley gate to greet students. This provides a wonderful opportunity to build community and also serves as a way to keep track of who is entering and exiting the building at busy times. At the end of each school day, teachers stay with their class during dismissal and make sure every student has been picked up.
Cameras are placed strategically around the school grounds. These cameras are primarily outside; the aim is to keep the building secure, not to observe its occupants.
All visitors and parents (except for Preprimary parents during drop off) must check in at the Mian Office and receive a visitor pass. Please refer to the Visitors section of this Handbook for more information.
If you see something, say something! You can help keep our community safe by reporting observed threats, behaviors, actions, and harassment.

To fill out an anonymous report form, please visit: https://www.anconaschool.org/see-something-say-something.
If your report does not need to be anonymous, you may choose to send an email to: threat-assessment-team@anconaschool.org or to our Director of Family and Student Services Tony Gleason tgleason@anconaschool.org.

In the Classroom

All Ancona employees undergo a robust onboarding process that includes:

Comprehensive background checks
Verification of references
Mandated reporter training
Training on recognizing, preventing, and responding to child abuse and inappropriate behavior
Behavior management and camper interaction protocols
Emergency response, CPR, and first aid protocols

We maintain clear, developmentally appropriate boundaries and protocols to ensure privacy and professionalism, especially for sensitive moments with our youngest students, i.e. changing clothes or using the bathroom:

We do not physically touch students or aid in wiping/cleaning, but will be present to encourage and walk students through the process.
We encourage independence but step in to help only when necessary, and always with another adult nearby or informed.
Mixed-age activities are carefully structured with additional adult presence to maintain physical and emotional safety across age groups.

Technology

Technology Philosophy and Integration

We believe that technology should be used to harness the creativity of our students and to make everyday tasks easier and more efficient. We introduce technology with intention: Students first learn how to do tasks without the aid of technology. Then, technology tools are added in to augment teaching and learning, not get in the way of it.

All our classrooms are equipped with a classroom projector and speakers. In 1st and 2nd grade, students begin to use iPads with dedicated apps to supplement classroom learning. Starting in 3rd grade, students use Chromebooks, and are introduced to computer basics (logging in, remembering a password, etc.), word processing, and digital citizenship.

Student Email

Starting in 3rd grade, students are assigned Google Workspace for education accounts which include both a (highly limited) email (Gmail) account as well as word processing and file storage tools. These are special accounts that are designed specifically for use by students in schools, meaning there are extra privacy controls, and ads are never displayed. In addition to these safeguards, Ancona configures the student email accounts so that they are never able to send or receive emails from anyone who does not have an Ancona email address. Students are educated about email best practices and etiquette.

Students and parents/guardians sign the 3rd-8th Grade Technology Use Agreement which specifies that they will “Use my anconaschool.org Gmail account only to communicate about school-related topics with teachers and classmates.” Students also understand that their emails are not private, and can be accessed at any time by their teachers or Ancona staff members. In fact, whenever a student is signed in with his or her Ancona account, our Securly content filter not only blocks forbidden sites but also flags student-written material and alerts staff members when disturbing words or phrases are detected.

Student Personal Devices

PP- 4th Grade

Students may not bring mobile devices or electronics to school.

Middle School Device Policy

Our expectation is that students will not bring phones or other electronic devices to school. If there is a medical or practical need for your student to bring a device to school, please reach out to your child’s advisor or classroom teacher, copying Tony and Nurse Kait. In those cases, we have procedures in place that help students be present for learning. Teachers and administrators partner during the first weeks of school to contextualize this policy and support students in being successful.

Students who need to call home during the school day will be granted permission to use a school phone, but we will first try to problem-solve with school resources. Staff are

always available to receive urgent messages from parents or caregivers. You can call the main office, send an email to info@anconaschool.org, or in the case of student dismissal changes, use the SchoolPass app.

Student Device Guidelines

Ancona is a phone-free campus for students between the hours of 7:30 am and 3:30 pm.
All students are required to turn in their cell phones, smart watches, and other non-school-issued electronic devices at the beginning of the school day. Phones and smartwatches will be collected by advisors and secured for the day.
Students should not have their phones out upon arrival to campus.
Students arriving late must hand their phones and smartwatches to the Front Desk upon arrival.
Phones and smartwatches will be returned to students at dismissal from the Front Desk.
Students leaving early should inform the Front Desk to retrieve their phones before departure.

Technology Use Agreements

As a condition of using the School's devices and technology infrastructure, 1st-8th grade parents will be asked to sign the Technology Use Agreement via Magnus Health. Students must review and sign the agreement before using Ancona devices each school year.

The links below are for reference only.

1st and 2nd Grade Technology Use Agreement
3rd-8th Grade Technology Use Agreement (students fill this out as a Google form)

Digital Citizenship and Home Technology Guide

Please refer to the comprehensive Home Technology Safety Guide found on the My Ancona Parent Resource Board for the most up-to-date information, tips, and links.

AI Policy for Students

AI is a new technology that is evolving rapidly. Thus, this policy is subject to

change and will be regularly revised by the Ancona AI Committee (made up of teachers, technology staff, and administrators).

As of September, 2025, Students are not permitted to use Generative AI tools (e.g.,

ChatGPT, Gemini) for Ancona assignments, and their use is prohibited and blocked on

school-issued devices. 3rd-8th grade students agree to this as part of the Technology Use Agreement, signed off on during the first few weeks of school.

Birthdays

If your child’s birthday occurs during the school year, they are welcome to celebrate in their classroom. Birthday celebrations should be fun but modest. Invitations to outside parties are only allowed in school when the child’s entire class is invited.

In the preprimary grades, your child’s teacher will plan special activities during “line time” on the day of your child’s birthday, and you will be invited to participate. You are welcome to provide a healthy snack, beverage, and/or sweet treat. In the older classrooms, the teacher will find an appropriate time in the day for a celebration for the students.

Holidays

Ancona is a secular school in which children of many religions and no religion attend. For that reason, the school does not celebrate particular religious holidays. As a feature of our multicultural curriculum, parents are invited to share important parts of their ethnic or religious upbringing and practices with a class. Older students may study the history and beliefs of various religious groups. Students may also learn the music of different groups or cultures. If you are interested in sharing some aspect of your family’s beliefs and practices, please consult your child’s teacher.

Halloween costumes are permitted on Halloween, though no weapons, masks, or any costume that could scare a 3-year-old are allowed. Costumes should be appropriate for school activities (e.g., PE, recess). If not, students should bring a change of clothes. If your family’s religious observance conflicts with our Halloween events or the way we celebrate the day, please tell your child’s teacher so we can excuse your child’s absence.

Costumes should also avoid cultural appropriation. When choosing a costume, think about questions like:

Does this costume reference a certain culture/identity?
How accurate and/or respectful is it to the culture/identity?
Do I have a connection with the culture represented?
Can I share my own culture in a costume rather than someone else’s?

Food

Students may bring lunches and a snack from home. Students in 3rd grade and up will have access to microwaves. We partner with ChiFresh Kitchen for hot lunch delivery; information about how to sign up for ChiFresh is distributed at the start of each school year.

Preprimary classrooms are nut-free. This includes peanuts, tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, or hazelnuts), and nut butters. Nuts are a wonderful addition to a child's regular diet, but please keep them at home.

Once children reach primary and older classrooms (1st - 8th), they are considered old enough to be in allergy-aware environments. They can bring nuts and nut products to school in their lunches, depending on the severity of allergies in their classrooms. Teachers will reach out at the beginning of the year with allergy information specific to their classrooms.

Students should not share food at school unless it is for a special event (ie, birthdays) with teacher/advisor approval. We will remind students and support them in this practice at school, and we appreciate your partnership with this at home.

Classrooms and advisories regularly cook and prepare food together. This builds community, independence, and practical life skills.

Bathrooms

All bathrooms at Ancona are gender-neutral. We have some bathrooms that are reserved for adults and some that are reserved for our preprimary students. Bathrooms marked with a toilet logo can be used by all people.

Recess

At Ancona, we fundamentally believe that all students need a break in their school day when they can go outdoors, socialize, run around, and enjoy some unstructured playtime. Children go outside for recess every day unless:

It’s raining;
it’s exceptionally windy; or
the wind-chill factor is below 10 F°.

Even on very cold days, older children who are appropriately dressed may choose to go out for a short time if a teacher determines it is safe. We expect that children dress appropriately—including hats, scarves, mittens, and warm socks—for outdoor play in winter weather.

Visitors

All visitors—including current parents—must check in at the front desk upon arrival at school and register with our visitor management system.

Parents assisting young children during drop-off do not need to use the visitor management system unless they plan to remain in the building after dropping off their child.
Regular visitors such as aides, outside student support providers, interns, and others who routinely enter the building can request a permanent visitor badge.
All visitors are subject to ID checks and may be denied entry based on checks against internal or publicly available databases.
Visitors must have a valid reason for entering the school. The receptionist will confirm appointments before allowing unknown individuals to pass the reception desk.
Visitors are issued a badge sticker that they must wear throughout their visit.
All visitors are expected to follow Ancona’s Guiding Principles for a Peaceful Learning Community and may be denied entry or asked to leave based on staff discretion.

Lost and Found

Ancona’s lost and found is located in the lobby. Please check regularly—particularly in the winter months—for lost items. Periodically throughout the year, we will donate unclaimed items left in the lost and found. Advance notice of these lost and found donations will be announced in the weekly newsletter, providing ample time to reclaim items.

Academic Program

Academic Organizational Structure

Our Org Chart is being updated for the 2025-26 school year.

Expectations of Ancona Teachers

Curriculum: Ancona teachers are creators and curators of our curriculum. They develop, select, and adapt units of study and instructional activities appropriate to the interests and abilities of the children.

Instructional Design: Ancona teachers develop a repertoire of instructional approaches to stimulate individual as well as group needs and to accommodate a range of learning styles.

Classroom Management: Ancona teachers create learning communities in their classrooms and are effective managers of positive, engaging learning environments.

Student Assessment: Effective instruction is only possible if it is informed by knowledgeable, consistent, and regular assessments of student learning.

Professional Development: Ancona teachers are reflective practitioners who continually refine their teaching. They are professionals who recognize that vibrant teachers are lifelong learners.

Parent Relations: Ancona teachers work in partnership with the parents of their students. Teachers listen thoughtfully to parents and use their knowledge together with that of the parent to construct a more complete picture of the child.

Collegial Relations: Ancona teachers are members of an active faculty that participates in collaborative decision-making. Teachers work together to create a shared purpose in the school.

Professionalism: Ancona teachers conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times.

Curriculum Scope and Sequence

The Scope and Sequence is a map of the curriculum that will be covered each school year. It outlines what the curriculum focuses on and how the plans and materials support children at different stages of development. The scope refers to the content addressed. The sequence is the order in which those plans and materials are presented. A sequence of learning experiences deepens from less to more complex, to support children as they move through the developmental progressions.

The 2025-26 Scope and Sequence will be shared with families after Curriculum Night in the fall. Click here to view the 2024-25 Curriculum Scope and Sequence.

Standards and Assessments

Ancona uses a strengths-based approach when assessing students. Years of research on how children learn and best practices in education support this model. If a child is struggling or needs additional enrichment in a particular area, teachers and the SST create a plan to address their needs.

Standards: Standards provide a foundation for our work. We use high-quality curricula including Eureka2, Writers Project, Project Based Inquiry Science, The DBQ Project, and teacher-developed units. Our curricula align with the Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Illinois Social Science Standards, emphasizing deeper learning, critical thinking, and conceptual understanding.

Please refer to the Curriculum Scope and Sequence for a summary of our curricula.

Montessori Assessment

At the Preprimary (3-years-old through Kindergarten) level, Montessori practices inform how we assess and support students’ progress. Regular observation and detailed record keeping offer a picture of their interests and skills in each of our classroom areas. These inform teachers’ individualized lesson planning to support each child’s development and growth across a range of skill sets. While child-development science informs our assessment, no two students are alike; we honor the Sensitive Periods of development (0-6), which inform why students may choose to focus their work in particular areas for significant amounts of time. More about Montessori practices and assessment are shared every fall at our Montessori Curriculum Night.

Assessment and Benchmarking

In math, teachers conduct end-of-unit assessments that align with the learning standards presented in that unit. In language arts, social studies, and science, students' work is most often assessed using rubrics outlining progress toward goals. These assessments are used to inform continued instruction.

Additionally, we conduct math and reading benchmarking for all Kindergarten through 8th grade students three times a year. The math assessments are based on the Common Core. The reading assessments measure early literacy (letter names, phonemes), phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. These are internal measures conducted by SST to give teachers insight into which students may need additional instruction or enrichment. If we have concerns about a child’s progress, we reach out to families to discuss.

Standardized Tests

6th and 7th grade students take the NWEA MAP, a nationally normed test. Ancona administers the MAP to give children experience taking standardized tests and to provide information about strengths and areas for improvement. Since we began administering the MAP in 2014, our median percentile rank (out of 99) for 7th graders in math is 78 and in reading is 86. Between 6th and 7th grade, we observe a mean growth of 20.5 points in math and 10 points in reading. This increase is consistent with students who have not been in a culture of test-taking and demonstrates adaptability and acuity.

Grades

7th and 8th grade students earn grades. This supports the high school application process and gets them acclimated to this type of marking. Teachers maintain open grade books and students have opportunities throughout the term to improve their grades. They receive a grade at the end of each trimester: fall, spring, and end of year. These grades are non-cumulative.

At Ancona, children feel supported and valued as learners. Our approach to assessment stimulates the joy of learning and builds a strong academic foundation.

Progress Reports and Conferences

We observe children for growth relative to both process and content standards. We report on work habits, community membership, engagement in learning, and collaborative skills as well as academic standards. Our progress reports list the priority standards for the year and reflect all the benchmarking, assessment, and many teacher observations made over the course of the school year.

In Fall and Spring, teachers write progress reports that include both narrative sections and standards-based assessments. Our progress reports are a snapshot of individual growth. Our goal is to communicate to parents about strengths, growth, challenges, and goals. You will see information about learning behaviors as well as specific content. Different grade levels use different modifiers to describe student learning: usually/often, meets/exceeds. These are based on the developmental stage of the child.

Starting in 7th grade, students receive letter grades in addition to the standards-based assessments and narrative. We continue to believe that letter grades are not an ideal way to engender intrinsic motivation and investment in learning, but we want to support our students in the transition to their next school environment.

You will receive three progress reports throughout the school year, each including the previous term for reference along with new markings for the trimester that has just ended. In November and March, progress reports will be shared in advance of parent-teacher conferences. The end-of-year checklist (K-8th), sent after school ends in June, will outline the readiness standards for the next grade and will capture where your child is in relation to those standards at the end of the school year.

Conferences

You have three opportunities to meet with teachers and discuss your child’s progress. The conference in September is the “Beginning of the Year” conference. This conference is required for parents/guardians of new Ancona students, as well as students who are new to a level (new 3rd graders, new 5th graders, etc.). Parents of students who do not fit into the above criteria may also request a Beginning of the Year conference, if they feel it is necessary. Teachers sometimes call this the “listening” conference since our goal is to learn more about how you see your child, what their strengths and challenges are, and your hopes and expectations for the year.

In November and March, we host two more conferences. These will be more robust. Teachers prepare materials and have observations and anecdotes to share. Please share with teachers in advance any questions and topics you want to discuss.

At the 7th/8th level, students lead their conferences. They spend time in advisory, reflecting and preparing. Eighth graders demystify the process and help seventh-graders get ready. They create an agenda, share work samples, and collaboratively set goals during the conference.

We offer the option for both in-person and virtual conferences. There are benefits to meeting in person (seeing the learning environment and physical work samples, proximity, and focus) and advantages to meeting via Zoom (commute time and flexibility). We want to honor the diversity of needs in our community while also maintaining the integrity of our program.

In the Montessori and primary classrooms, the head and assistant teachers attend the conferences. In middle school, both teachers for the level attend the conferences for all students at that level. If your child receives direct support from either the school counselor or learning specialist, they will attend (or consult with the teachers in advance of the meeting). Multilevel teachers are available for questions during conference days. Feel free to reach out to them and set up a time to check in if you have specific questions.

Homework

Homework varies depending on grade level, and is gradually increased in developmentally-appropriate ways. In addition to assignment, we want all students to develop a love of reading, and encourage families to build in reading time outside of school.

PP-2nd grade: No homework assigned
3rd-4th grade: Homework sheet with notes and comments
5th-8th grade: Grade books visible to students and parents

Experiential Learning

Learning inside Ancona’s classrooms and out is both hands-on and minds-on. Engaging students in intellectually, socially, and sometimes physically challenging situations while maintaining a safe and nurturing environment, Ancona teachers offer students opportunities for growth and development that keep the whole child at the center of learning.

Because learning outside the school walls is a school value, we maximize the times we are outside and away from school by utilizing our Outdoor Learning Space and garden, going on field studies to local organizations and natural spaces, and, from 3rd grade up, on overnight camping and enrichment trips. These settings allow students to maximize their learning and make crucial connections to the outdoors and the world.

Field and Overnight Experience Details

Apple Picking (Preprimary): Every fall, our preprimary students board a bus and travel to an orchard in Indiana for hayrides, apple picking, and community.

Ancona in the Woods (1st and 2nd grade): Twice a year, our 1st and 2nd grade faculty, students, and parents spend the day at a forest preserve. They work together on activities and cooperative games and share a meal in a peaceful, natural setting.

3rd and 4th Grade Camping Trip (3 days, overnight): Our first overnight camping experience begins in 3rd and 4th grade, where students spend two nights and three days practicing archery, rock climbing, and interdependence each fall. Parent chaperones are invited to help ease the transition, as this is many of our students’ first time away from home.

5th and 6th Grade Camping Trip: Students spend a week at camp hiking, studying watersheds, and embodying environmental stewardship.

7th and 8th Grade Camping Trip: Starting in 7th grade, students travel by plane to camp. Students alternate each year between a Spanish language immersion camp in Minnesota and a more traditional camp in the Adirondacks. This alternating schedule allows all students to experience both camps.

8th Grade Immersive Spanish Language Experience: Our travel program culminates with a week-long immersive Spanish-language experience for our 8th graders. Destination for the 2025-26 school year: Puerto Rico.

Class Placement

The success of every classroom is dependent upon a mix of students’ personalities, strengths, and educational needs. To ensure that each classroom has a successful year, placements are made thoughtfully and seek to balance factors like gender identity/expression, ethnicity, and temperament. We also consider existing friendships, leadership opportunities, and social or learning issues that could impact the classroom dynamic.

Because our program is built on the Montessori model that allows children to remain in the same class over several years, approximately two-thirds of each preprimary class and one-half of each primary class are children returning for a second or third year (preprimary only). New students are placed according to the makeup of the already-established groups.

We believe that each child is best served by a school experience uniquely their own; sibling relationships may complicate this possibility. As such, it is our policy to avoid placing siblings in the same class. However, we are willing to consider placing siblings together on a case-by-case basis.

Program Overview

Preprimary/Montessori Division

Starting in our preprimary classrooms, students' identities are affirmed and their voices have power. Our curriculum centers equity built on a foundation of inclusion. Our classrooms support independence and logic. Every corner holds interesting materials that children investigate and use to understand their world.

Materials evolve from the simple to the complex; the concrete to the more abstract. Each material isolates one skill or concept, and each is designed to be naturally appealing to the child. The materials are self-correcting, so children engage in a process of checking their own work and grow their ability to solve problems independently. Their explorations inspire them to ask questions and become independent learners and confident risk-takers.

In the Practical Life area, children learn to care for themselves and their environment. They develop competence in the skills of everyday living and grow as independent human beings. The Sensorial area focuses the child's attention on the physical world with activities that use the senses to sharpen awareness, discrimination, and observational skills. The Language area encourages the students' natural interest in language and develops the literacy skills that will lead to reading and writing. The Math area encourages the ability to think mathematically and provides materials for developing number sense, counting skills, and concepts such as equivalence and compensation. The Science area invites students to inquire into the natural world and to develop strategies and understandings for answering their own questions. The Cultural area develops understanding of the many ways that people around the world meet their common human needs. The Art and Music areas encourage expression of the children's creativity.

Students work with the materials in increasingly sophisticated ways as they move through our program. By the time children are in kindergarten, they have moved away from independent parallel activities to more complex, collaborative projects. The work helps to develop intuitive abilities such as observing, sequencing, comparing, and categorizing. This builds the strong academic preparation students need for success at Ancona and beyond.

Primary Division

1st and 2nd Grade

Our equitable learning practices continue in 1st/2nd grade with meaningful and relevant work presented in a context centering empathy and representation. Our first and second graders work in mixed-age, open classrooms. This encourages the joy of peer-to-peer learning and builds a strong academic foundation. Teachers nurture students' talents and encourage independence. Our classrooms are affirming, inclusive, and warm.

Our rich reading and writing program, incorporating the approach from Teachers College Reading and Writing Project as well as Words Their Way and phonics instruction, employs a workshop model where children work independently, and teachers confer individually. Our math curriculum, Eureka2, features a hands-on, standards-based approach to concepts and strategies. These experiences set the stage for a lifetime of learning and the sense of wonder, curiosity, and self-motivation of our young learners.

3rd and 4th Grade

These are the bridge years from childhood to young adulthood. Students explore their personal, cultural, racial, and academic identities. The learning spaces are designed to encourage curiosity, independence, and mindfulness. Children have the opportunity to experience deep and meaningful engagement through project-based learning and access their innate joy of learning within an academically rigorous program.

Under the framework of Eureka2, students explore new math concepts and solidify skills using a differentiated, hands-on approach. Through the Hegerty phonics curriculum and the Reading and Writing Project workshop model, students develop their literacy skills in an engaging and personalized manner, allowing for choice and exploration of personal interests and passions. Students mature into self-directed, motivated learners with strong collaboration and problem-solving skills.

Middle School

5th and 6th Grade

Identity development is central to middle-school life and to our program. Our students show up as their authentic selves and know that they belong at the school and are truly valued. Belonging is tied to academic engagement and achievement for students of all intersectionalities.

In Middle School, to provide for the expanding intellectual lives of the students, we have a team of teachers who specialize in different areas of the curriculum. To provide an anchor for each student, we have an advisory program following the Responsive Classroom model. Middle School units are a “thinking curriculum,” focusing on learning processes, critical thinking, and habits of mind. Students work to build understanding, reflect deeply, wrestle with ambiguity, and make connections within and across disciplines.

7th and 8th Grade

In 7th/8th grade, we build strong classroom communities that challenge students to be confident risk-takers, compassionate global citizens, and agents of change. We offer powerful learning opportunities to expand their capacity for independence, leadership, and social justice work.

The Middle School units are a “thinking curriculum,” focusing on learning processes, critical thinking, and habits of mind. Students build understanding, reflect deeply, wrestle with ambiguity, and make connections. 7th/8th-grade students take on a leadership role in the school, shaping our traditions and helping younger students. Throughout the year, we will travel around the neighborhood, the city, and beyond. Students will build their academic confidence and decision-making skills as they choose topics to research and projects to explore.

Multi-Level Classes

Students also receive instruction in the following multi-level (co-curricular) subject areas:

Spanish (1st-8th)
Art (PP-8th)
Library (PP-8th)
Music (PP-8th)
Outdoor Learning (PP-8th)
Physical Education/Creative Movement (PP-8th)

Please refer to the Curriculum Scope and Sequence for more information about each of these subject areas.

High School Transition

We know some of the best preparation for high school is for a person to know themselves as a learner. Our alums go on to the top high schools in Chicago, and they do that with a toolkit full of thinking and learning strategies.

Ancona graduates leave us as resilient, deep thinkers. They are socially conscious, emotionally intelligent, and academically prepared for the next steps in their development. The rigor of our curriculum builds critical thinking skills essential for success in high school with a focus on both content and process so that students know how to tackle intellectual challenges. Known for leading class discussions, Ancona graduates make connections across subject areas and leverage their problem-solving skills to create top-notch projects and essays. The annotation, note-taking, number sense, and estimation skills that are taught explicitly at Ancona become the foundation for their independent work in high school.

Ancona grads rely on the executive function skills they develop here at Ancona. We know our students will have more homework in high school, and we have years of alums reporting that they were easily able to tackle the increased time commitment.

Our High School Transition Program consists of the following elements:
High School Kick-Off Audience: 8th grade parents Goal: Review the high school checklist and timeline for the year. Veteran parents share tips and reminders. Parent Google group to share open house info.	September
High School Week Audience: 7/8 students (parents encouraged to attend) Goal: Introduce students to a variety of high schools in Chicago. Description: Each morning during the week, high school reps visit for a presentation with students.	September
Individual Parent Meetings Audience: 8th grade parents Goal: Talk with the Admissions Director and Head of School about high school goals and the admissions process.	Fall
Alum Student & Parent Panel Audience: Current and prospective families Goal: Hear from parents and students who have been through it! (includes alum panel, guided discussion, and Q & A for current parents and students)	Fall
High School: Choices, Process, Timeline Audience: 6th and 7th grade parents Goal: Orient parents to the Chicago high school landscape and help them understand the choices, process, and timeline.	Spring
Student Programming in Advisory Topics Include: Interview skills, stress management skills, coaching around acceptance/rejection letters, portfolio creation and conference prep, discussions to refine each student’s High School Vision, peer essay review, and more. Each 8th grader will complete an exit survey to help us improve our program	Throughout the year

Student Support

SST Overview and Services

Ancona’s Student Support Team: Provided for no additional fee, this program supports Ancona’s commitment to students with a diversity of learning needs.

Direct Service: Extra support in specific areas or to build specific skills.

Reading (decoding and comprehension), Written Expression, Mathematics, Executive Function

Staffings: Scheduled meetings that occur with a team of Ancona teachers/staff as well as the desired outside specialists.

Meetings can occur before or after an evaluation, a change in care, a transition in school, etc.

Accommodations: Changes to help students with learning differences access the same curriculum and assignments as their peers.

SST and teachers provide accommodations as outlined by the SST. These accommodations can be derived by SST or the recommendation of an outside specialist or evaluator.
Not all recommended accommodations can be provided.

Student Support Plan: Individualized plans for students to support positive learning growth. Reviewed and revised quarterly.

Short-term plans focus on specific goals.
Long-term plans focus on push-in support and accommodations to make the curriculum more accessible.

Teacher and Parent Consultation: Guidance and support for teachers and families.

Weekly meetings with all classroom teachers, support, and accountability for applying the Student Support Plan.
Suggestions for differentiation and accommodations made in the classroom and at home.

Progress Reports: Comprehensive overview, including growth toward goals.

Short term: Report back to parents throughout the intervention and at the end of the intervention.
Long-term: Progress communicated in fall and winter progress reports.

Counseling services:

Small group support.
Individualized conferences.

Guide to Accommodations, Modifications, and Interventions

What is Differentiation?

Differentiation is a method that teachers use to adapt teaching and curriculum to meet students where they are. This includes accommodating students' needs and modifying assignments to meet their needs.

Accommodations

Accommodations are changes to the environment that the student works in. They make the environment “fit” for that particular student. Accommodations:

Can and should be made for all students—not just those with a 504/IEP/Diagnosis.
Can and should be delivered by any teacher, not just a learning specialist.
Accommodations allow students to complete the same tasks as peers.
Accommodations level the playing field.

Examples: extended time, preferential seating, giving breaks, using varied teaching approaches (visual, auditory, multisensory, small/whole group), using manipulatives, graphic organizers, teacher modeling, providing notes ahead of time, allowing a student to use technology.

Modifications

Modifications are changes to the content or how the content is delivered. Modifications:

Alter knowledge expectations and assessment administration processes.
Aare made specifically for students with cognitive impairments or disabilities
Include changes in content, standards, location, timing, and teacher expectations.
Change the level of content and how you assess it—content can be modified to be higher or lower.
Change the field that you are playing on.

Examples: adapted texts, different grading scales, different tests, different worksheets, different assignments, changing graduation requirements, altering the physical environment (using a walker to move through the hallways).

Accommodations vs. Modifications at Ancona

Reading

A: allowing a student to use an audiobook in order to read the same book as their peers
M: Having a student choose a different book that is at another reading level than the rest of their peers

Math

A: Re-formatting a test or providing more time for a student to take a test.
M: Changing the number of questions on the test or the questions that are presented.

Interventions

Interventions are not differentiation. Interventions are a more direct and intense level of support. Interventions:

Are specific skill-building strategies that are implemented and monitored to improve a targeted skill and achieve progress in that skill; these can be for either academic or behavioral needs.
Change the instruction or provide additional instruction to specific students.
Require targeted assessment, planning, and data collection.
Teach a new skill, build fluency in an existing skill, or apply generalization to a skill.
Can be changed or modified after six weeks of data collection, based on progress or lack thereof.
Are intended to teach new things that the student is missing and to overcome deficits or maladaptive response patterns.
Should positively change a student’s learning outcome.

Two Types of Interventions

Academic interventions

Short, high-intensity programs are intended to fill a hole or better understand if there are deeper problems.

Behavioral Interventions

Longer programs with less explicit progress.
Much more difficult to track.

Beyond the School Day

Athletics

Ancona’s interscholastic athletics program provides students with opportunities for personal growth, self-discipline, teamwork, and fun outside the school day. We invite all middle school students (5th-8th grade) to participate in one or more athletic teams per year, and we enforce

a no-cut policy to ensure opportunity for all interested students regardless of skill level or past experience. Our coaches provide a nurturing environment where athletes work hard and focus on skill development, knowledge, and rules of the sport and strategy. We belong to the Chicago Area Middle Schools League (C.A.M.S.) along with The British School, Catherine Cook, Lycee Francais, Near North Montessori, BZAEDS, Chicago City Day, and The Waldorf School. In addition, we host and attend contests with public and private schools outside of our league.

In the spirit of the game, we are committed to promoting the highest ideals of ethical conduct and fair play. We support high standards of good citizenship and propriety along

with regard for the rights of others. Our goal is to develop confident, enthusiastic, and disciplined athletes who understand the value of teamwork and the importance of

sportsmanship. In accordance with our values and CAMS league gender policies, students are permitted to participate in recreational, non-competitive sports, and competitive athletic activities in accordance with their gender identity. Teammates, coaches, and all others should refer to all student athletes by a student's preferred name and pronouns should reflect the student's gender identity.

Along with our no-cut policy, we want every team member to experience playing in our interscholastic contests. We want to emphasize, however, that athletic participation is a privilege extended to student athletes who accept the responsibilities of team membership outlined below. Playing time is at the discretion of the coaching staff and the Athletic Director and is based on the following responsibilities of our athletes:

Being prepared and on time for all practices and contests;
Giving one’s personal best both on and off the court or field;
Maintaining a positive attitude;
Demonstrating sportsmanship in victory or defeat;
Being receptive to coaching; and
Being a citizen in good standing in the school.

Every athlete who fulfills these responsibilities can expect to play in interscholastic contests.

In the event an athlete is unwilling or unable to meet these responsibilities, they may be suspended from practice, contests, or dismissed from the team for the remainder of the season.

Sports By Season (2025-26)

Fall: Flag Football; Girls Volleyball

Winter: Basketball (girls and boys)

Spring: Girls Soccer; Boys Volleyball

Aftercare, Breakfast Club, and Ancona Extra

Below are high-level overviews of our extended day programs Aftercare, Breakfast Club, and Ancona Extra. Please refer to the Ancona Extended Resource Board for details about pricing, dates, and how to sign up for each program.

Aftercare

From Dismissal until 5:45 pm each day, Aftercare provides a safe and nurturing environment for students to learn and play in a less-structured program than that of the school day. Every day of the week students are dismissed from their classrooms into the Commons. Our activity facilitators and program partners provide leadership and instruction to foster creativity and provide avenues for self-expression through planned activities. 2024-25 Aftercare partners included: STEAM Academy, Music Kids, Chicago Fire Soccer, Hyde Park School of Dance, Challenge Island. Specifics about 2025-26 Aftercare program partners will be announced during the first days of school.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club (previously known as "Before Care") includes a breakfast that kids will often have the opportunity to help cook. It opens at 7:30 each morning and is open to students at all grade levels.

Ancona Extra

Ancona Extra is childcare for Ancona students on parent-teacher conference days.

Student drop-in to Ancona Extra is allowed on conference days only for the duration of the child's parent-teacher conference. Drop-in is complimentary; if the student will be staying longer than their parents' conference time, the full day must be purchased.
A minimum of eight students are needed to offer an Extra day. Please register for Ancona Extra as soon as possible (and at least one week in advance) to ensure that Extra days run as scheduled. If eight students are not signed up one week before an Ancona Extra day, it will be canceled.

Summer

Ancona is proud to offer a robust summer camp program which was completely revamped for 2025! Please visit anconaschool.org/summer to learn more.

Community

Student-Led Initiatives

tACoS

Founded in 2020, the Ancona Council of Students—tACoS—is Ancona’s version of a student council and was formed after students expressed the need for more voice and advocacy. tACOs meets weekly and is a platform for students to share their concerns, enact change, and also connect to the greater Ancona community.

Members of tACos rotate on a 5-week term, where students (1st-8th grade) are all given a chance to volunteer to be part of the year's council. It is the goal of each 5-week term that the council completes one community activity and one advocacy goal.

In the past, tACoS has advocated for change in class schedules that work for both students and teachers, has mediated around equitable playground practices, as well as conducted school-wide events such as Ancona Dogs (hotdog stand) and Taco Day.

Fundraising

Student-led fundraising initiatives occur throughout the year to support the annual 8th grade Spanish immersion trip, as well as the school at-large.

Planned and executed by middle school students, please keep an eye out for events like Sandwich Shoppe, Cafecito, and Restaurante en la Escuela. All orders are placed online; order forms are shared via email in the weekly newsletter as well as in stand-alone emails. Please note that no cash is accepted for student fundraising initiatives.
tACoS runs fundraising events throughout the year (e.g., bake sales) to support their advocacy goals.

Assemblies, Events, and Traditions

Ancona has many community events, beloved traditions, and opportunities to make learning visible for families. Please refer to the 2025-26 Ancona Events Guide for more information.

Ancona Parent Connection (APC)

About the APC

The APC is Ancona’s parent association. If you are an Ancona parent then you are automatically a member of APC and may attend as many or as few APC meetings and events as fits your interests and availability.

APC focuses on four initiatives:

Community Engagement,
Parent Education,
Social Justice, and
School Support.

With these initiatives in mind, parents organize social activities, outings, discussion groups, and more throughout the year.

How to Get Involved

For general questions about the APC and how to get involved, please email Angie Martinez, Director of Community Engagement, at amartinez@anconaschool.org.

The APC also maintains an independent listserv. To join, please email anconaconnection@gmail.com. The group is for general parent-to-parent information and discussion. Posts include anything from arranging playdates to posting items for sale to informing the community about interesting workshops and classes.

Volunteering

Ancona has a long history and a strong culture of volunteerism. Volunteers support our classrooms and teachers as well as community events and activities to help create and maintain a sense of joy and community.

From becoming a parent ambassador, to field trips, to school events, we've got something for everyone. Time commitments range from all (school) year support to day-of activities, arranged to accommodate a variety of schedules.

Please visit the Get Involved page on our website to learn more about current volunteer opportunities.

Farm and Garden

Who grows the Ancona garden? We all do! Students, parents, and staff share the chores and harvest. Ancona families can use the garden after school hours and on weekends. Volunteers can take produce and sometimes get their own plot to cultivate. To get involved, contact Outdoor Learning Educator, Chris Weber, at cweber@anconaschool.org.

Philanthropy

Philanthropy is a vital part of how we build community; it is a direct investment in a public good. The support we give to educating Ancona’s children—future artists, activists, innovators, disrupters, and change-makers—is a contribution to a more empathic, just, and equitable world.

Why We Give

Donations are vital to the fiscal health of all independent schools and Ancona is no exception. Because we receive no public funding, by supporting Ancona, our families help us provide extraordinary student experiences, professional development of our amazing teachers, and help us work toward our mission of economic diversity through our tuition assistance program.

The Butterfly Effect: Ancona’s Annual Fund Campaign

The Butterfly Effect is Ancona’s yearly annual fund campaign; it is a crucial component of the fiscal health of our organization and helps to fill the gap between tuition and the cost of keeping our doors open for learning. Participating in the Butterfly Effect is the most direct way that we can come together to support our students, our school, and our community

Be it the garden or the library, music or math, science or art, apple picking or travel abroad, contributions to the Butterfly Effect support every area of the school—inside and out. The Butterfly Effect helps keep class sizes small, provides us with the ability to respond to unexpected challenges, and gives our amazing faculty the freedom to develop thoughtful and responsive curriculum for our students.

We encourage all families to bundle their Annual Fund gift with their monthly tuition payments. It’s a seamless process and provides you with the opportunity to break your gift into installments. We particularly recommend this method because it makes supporting the Annual Fund more accessible for more of our families. Plus, by contributing in this way, you support the school even further as it allows us to more accurately budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

Giving Circles

In 2023, we launched Giving Circles as a component of our philanthropic program. As a Giving Circle member, your gift supports the retention of top-notch educators who represent our diverse student body and ensures that Ancona has the resources to deliver an educational experience grounded in equity and excellence.

Gifts of $5000 or more per year qualify for a Giving Circle membership. For more details, please visit the Giving Circles page on our website.

Planned Giving

Naming The Ancona School in your will or estate (or other planned giving options) provides exceptional planning strategies and may minimize tax implications. To learn more, please contact the External Affairs Office at 773-924-2356.

Other Ways to Give

There are many other ways to support Ancona! Please visit the Supporting Ancona page on our website to learn more.

Health

To effectively plan for health and medication management at school, parents must notify the school promptly, at least annually, of their students’ acute or chronic medical diagnoses and any medication requirements, including current medical documentation. This includes reviewing and signing a consent-to-treat document permitting staff to provide basic medical care at school.

Health information is maintained by parents in Magnus Health and utilized by the office, school nurse, and Student Support Team, as outlined below. All health-related questions and communications should be sent to nurse@anconaschool.org.

Magnus Health

Magnus Health serves as our platform for secure electronic medical records. Parents will begin receiving reminders to complete the child’s Magnus Health requirements annually on June 1. The deadline to complete your child’s health record and submit the required health forms is August 1.

Completing all of the requirements in Magnus Health by the deadline is required for enrollment. Students with incomplete items will be held back from starting school until all of the requirements have been met.

Any health updates during the school year should be included in Magnus, and a follow-up email sent to nurse@anconaschool.org.

Required Health Forms

The forms listed below are collected in Magnus Health and are required by the State of Illinois to attend school.

Certificate of Child Health Examination Form (aka physical or immunization form): Students in preprimary (P3 - K) and 6th grade are required to undergo a physical examination by their healthcare provider and submit an updated Certificate of Child Health Examination form. This will verify that a physical has been completed and that your child is up-to-date on their required immunizations. Minimum immunization requirements are set by the State of Illinois.

Proof of Dental Examination Form: Students in kindergarten, 2nd, and 6th grades are required to undergo a dental exam within the previous year to the start of school and submit a Proof of Dental Examination form to the school.

Eye Examination Report Form: Kindergarten students (and students entering an Illinois School from out of state or out of country) are required to undergo an eye examination by a physician or a licensed optometrist within the previous year before the start of the school year and submit an Eye Exam Report form. This is in addition to our annual hearing and vision screenings (details below).

Preparticipation Physical Evaluation: Students participating in middle school sports are required to receive annual clearance to play from their healthcare provider. The Certificate of Child Health Examination form has a checkbox that your provider can complete giving approval to participate. Providers can also complete an IHSA Medical Eligibility form. Either form will be accepted.

Medication at School

Before the start of the school year, parents will complete all necessary requirements in Magnus Health, indicating any medications that may need to be administered by the office or the student during the school day. If a medication is prescribed during the school year, parents will update their child’s Magnus Health record and follow the guidelines below. Follow-up emails should then be sent to nurse@anconaschool.org.

Students are not allowed to carry medications of any kind, including over-the-counter medications unless given approval to “self-carry” by their provider and approved by the school nurse.

Prescription Medications

All prescription medications require a completed Medication Administration Form signed by the student’s healthcare provider. The medication will be supplied to the school in the original container with the prescription label affixed. Only emergency/rescue medications are allowed to be self-carried. If your child’s healthcare provider has determined that they are capable of self-carrying their medication, they will need to indicate that the student is approved “self-carry” on the Medication Administration Form or Action Plan and the school nurse will give final approval. Final approval to self-carry is typically only given to middle school-aged students and is handled on a case-by-case basis.

Action Plans

Students with health conditions requiring ongoing treatment or monitoring and a rescue medication available are required to have an emergency or medical action plan on file. These conditions can include asthma, food allergies, diabetes, epilepsy, etc.

Action plans are supplied by the child’s healthcare provider and must be updated annually. The plan will indicate the health condition, appropriate treatment options, and monitoring, including medications to be kept at school or approval to self-carry by the student and medication-administration guidelines.

Families should follow up with the school nurse and their child’s teachers/advisor to discuss their expectations for how the plan will be implemented at school. The school nurse will work with the Student Support Team to develop an individualized health plan if needed.

Over-the-Counter Medications

All over-the-counter medications that may need to be administered regularly at school require a Medication Authorization Form signed by the student’s healthcare provider. Parents will then supply the school with the medication in its original packaging.

A school supply of Tylenol and ibuprofen can be administered during the school day on a limited basis if parent permission is on file in Magnus. An attempt to reach parents prior to administration will be made, and a follow-up email will be sent summarizing the visit with medication administration details.

Medication Drop-off

Required Forms: If your child will need medication (prescription or over-the-counter) at school, or will self-carry an emergency medication (middle school only), an action plan and/or medication authorization form must be completed, signed by your child’s provider, and uploaded to Magnus Health. These forms must be updated each school year.

Medication Drop-Off:

All medications must be dropped off at the front desk by a parent (do not send medication in backpacks).
Medications will be accepted beginning Tuesday, the first day of school.
All medications must be in the original container; prescriptions must have the pharmacy label attached.
Please check expiration dates. Expired medications will not be accepted.

Carrying Medication:

Only emergency medications (e.g., EpiPens, inhalers) may be carried by students in middle school with proper documentation on file and a communication sent to nurse@anconaschool.org with intent to self-carry.
All other medications (prescription or over-the-counter) must be checked in at the office and administered by school staff.

Please note: Medications are prohibited on campus without the required documentation.

Undesignated Medications

New-onset allergies with anaphylaxis, severe asthma exacerbation, or possible opioid overdoses are emergency situations. Ancona maintains a supply of epinephrine autoinjectors, Narcan, and an albuterol inhaler available for these types of situations. After assessment by the school nurse or other trained personnel, medications can be administered, and 911 will be called along with the student’s parents. Undesignated medications do not travel on field trips.

Illness and Injury Guidelines

We continue to depend on families reporting illnesses to monitor for outbreaks and take action if needed. This is for all communicable illnesses. If your child receives a diagnosis for an illness, please include that information in SchoolPass or email nurse@anconaschool.org.

Parents are required to follow the Illness and Injury Guidelines listed below.

When to Keep Your Child Home from School

Follow these basic guidelines for illness prevention and management, including keeping children home from school if they have:

Fever above 100.0° - Students can return to school if they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medications.
Vomiting and/or Diarrhea - Students can return to school if they’ve had no vomiting or diarrhea for at least 24 hours
New Onset Rash - All new rashes need to be seen by a healthcare provider with a provider note stating when they are approved to return to school.
Eye Crusting or Discharge - Any potential eye infections need to be seen by a healthcare provider with a provider note stating when they are approved to return to school.
Symptoms Not Improving Within a Few Days - May need to be seen by a healthcare provider. Contact your child’s pediatrician for guidance.
Physical Injuries - Any injuries that may impede your child’s ability to get around or participate in school activities without assistance need to be seen by a healthcare provider. A provider note or after-visit summary must be submitted stating the nature of the injury, expected recovery time, and any accommodations the student may need at school while recovering.
Emergency Room Visit or Hospitalization - A discharge summary must be submitted with medical clearance to return to school, including any school guidance or accommodations required upon return.

Injuries at School

Kids will be kids, and injuries can happen at school. All head bumps and injuries that require more than comfort care and a bandaid are seen in the office, and parents are notified. If the injury is urgent, parents will be contacted by phone, then by text and/or email if there is no answer. For basic injuries, the office will send a summary email to parents notifying them of the visit.

If an injury requires further medical attention beyond what the school can provide, the school nurse or other trained personnel will assess the injury, determine the level of care the student may require, and notify the parents or other emergency contacts.

If the injury requires emergency treatment and transport by a parent is not possible or available, 911 will be called. Parents can decline transport by ambulance upon arrival. A school administrator will accompany students transported by ambulance if a parent is unavailable.

More information is available in the Consent to Treat document in Magnus Health.

Hearing and Vision Screenings

Hearing screenings are provided annually to all preprimary-aged students (P3 - K) and students in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades, as well as students new to the school and those receiving academic support from the Student Support Team or those referred by their teachers.

Vision screenings are provided annually to all preprimary-aged students (P3 - K) and students in the 2nd and 8th grades, as well as students new to the school, those receiving academic support from the Student Support Team, and those referred by their teachers.

Parents of students identified as needing further assessment during the screenings will receive an email notification and a mailing with forms that need to be completed by their provider and returned to the school.

If your student does not fall into one of these categories, and you would like them to receive a hearing or vision screening, email nurse@anconaschool.org.

Allergy-Aware School

At Ancona, we are committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for students with potentially life-threatening food allergies. All faculty members complete annual training and follow emergency procedures to quickly identify and treat allergic reactions. Individual emergency action plans are in place for each student with food allergies, and age-appropriate education is provided to classmates and families when an allergy is identified in a classroom.

Our preprimary classrooms (P3–K) are designated nut-free zones. We ask that families refrain from sending nuts in their child’s lunches or classroom treats. While we cannot guarantee that there won’t be an exposure, this policy significantly reduces the risk, particularly in younger age groups, where children may be less aware of personal boundaries.

Appendix I: Policies

Admissions and Enrollment Policies

Sibling Admission

Siblings of current Ancona students receive 50% off their application fee. In addition, the New Student Enrollment Fee is waived for all current families enrolling a new child at Ancona.

Referral Discount

All families are encouraged to refer new students to the Ancona School. Eligible families who participate in this program will receive a referral award following the confirmed enrollment of the new student(s). The award for all referrals is $1,000 and will be credited to the referring family’s tuition for the next academic year.

To be eligible for a referral award, candidate families must indicate the full name of the referring parent/family on their admissions application via My Ancona.

Re-Enrollment Contracts

Re-enrollment contracts for the next school year are sent out to current families in mid-February. Please refer to your signed enrollment contract to view the complete terms for re-enrollment.

Student Diagnostic and Psychological Information Disclosure

In alignment with our commitment to support the development of our students, it is essential that the following information is submitted to the Director of Student and Family Services:

All school or private evaluations including Speech/Language, Learning, Neuropsychological, Occupational Therapy, Developmental, etc.
Notification to the School for outside specialists or service providers who work with the Student, i.e., tutors, occupational therapists, psychotherapists, speech, and language pathologists.
A list of current medications, the purpose of the medication, frequency of dosage, along with the prescribing physician.

New families are given the opportunity to submit this information via the Magnus Health platform starting on June 1, or in the case of a late contract a few days after the contract is signed.

Failure to disclose diagnostic information impedes both our understanding of the student's development and our ability to best meet their learning needs. Deliberately withholding this information will be considered deceptive and a breach of contract. If we become aware of such withholding, The Ancona School may choose to void the enrollment contract, and the student will be unable to continue to attend the School.

Custody Disclosure Policy

As part of the enrollment process, families are required to disclose any custody arrangements, legal agreements, or court orders that may impact a student's care, education, or communication with the School. This policy ensures the safety and well-being of all students and allows the school to comply with legal and ethical obligations.

1. Disclosure of Custody Arrangements

Parents and guardians must provide the school with:

Copies of any legal custody agreements, parenting plans, or court orders (e.g., custody orders, restraining orders, or guardianship documentation).
Any updates to legal documents that affect custody or parental rights during the school year.

Failure to provide accurate and updated information may hinder the school’s ability to support the student appropriately and comply with legal requirements.

2. Communication with Custodial and Non-Custodial Parents

The School recognizes the rights of both custodial and non-custodial parents, as defined by legal documentation. Unless the school is provided with court orders stating otherwise, both parents will have access to:

School records (e.g., report cards, attendance);
Parent-teacher conferences; and
School events and activities.

The school will not mediate disputes between parents. Any disagreements must be resolved outside of the school setting.

3. Limitations on Access

If a parent or guardian’s access to the student or school information is restricted by a court order, the School must be provided with a copy of the order. Without such documentation, the school cannot deny access to a parent or guardian.
The School will act in accordance with any legal documentation provided to ensure the child’s safety and adherence to court-ordered limitations.

4. Responsibility for Accuracy

It is the responsibility of the enrolling parent/guardian to ensure that all custody-related information provided to the school is accurate and up to date.
In the event of changes to custody arrangements, parents/guardians must notify the School in writing and provide updated legal documentation within five business days.

5. Confidentiality

All custody documentation and related information provided to the school will be kept confidential and shared only with staff who need access to this information to fulfill their professional responsibilities.
The School is committed to protecting the privacy and safety of the student and family.

6. Emergencies and Disputes

In emergency situations where custody issues arise (e.g., a parent attempting unauthorized pick-up), the School will follow the court orders on file and may contact law enforcement if necessary.
The School will not intervene in parental disputes and reserves the right to suspend access to the School premises for any party whose behavior disrupts the learning environment or compromises student safety.

Tuition Policies

Prompt payment of tuition and fees is required of all families and is an essential part of having a child enrolled in a private school. The Ancona School is a small institution and relies on prompt, full payment of all tuition and fees in order to operate. To facilitate efficient payment and collections, the School uses a third-party payment processor/biller and has established standard collection policies and procedures as outlined below.

Payment Plans and Progressive Collections Process

Annual Payment Plan

A 10% deposit of the full tuition along with the signed Enrollment Contract (that reflects any Tuition Assistance Award), is due by the contract due date. Submissions after the due date are subject to available space as determined by the School and payment of a late fee of $500. The balance of your tuition will be due on May 1, or if your child is starting mid-year, before their start date as specified in the payment plan section. You will receive a 2% discount, which will be applied after your enrollment contract has been accepted.

Monthly Payment Plan

Tuition is divided into one down payment and nine monthly payments. A 10% deposit of the full tuition along with the signed Enrollment Contract (that reflects any Tuition Assistance Award), is due by the contract due date. The balance of tuition due is spread across nine (9) equal installments due on either the 1st or 16th of each month beginning in May and ending in January. If your child is starting mid-year, tuition is spread in equal installments as indicated in the payment plan section. Tuition payments received five (5) or more calendar days after the due date in any given month are regarded as delinquent and will be assessed a $55 late fee for each month the account remains delinquent.

Progressive Collections Process:

If a family misses one payment (account 30 days past due), BlackBaud Tuition Management will send a notice of delinquency.
If a family misses a subsequent tuition payment (account 60 days past due), the family must initiate an in-person meeting with the School’s Business Manager to discuss payment arrangements. The meeting will result in a written plan signed by the family and Head of School documenting payment arrangements to bring the account current. If the family fails to initiate the meeting, the School reserves the right to suspend the student from classes until a written payment plan has been approved by the Head of School.
If the family misses a subsequent tuition payment (account 90 days past due) or an agreed-upon payment outlined in an approved plan (described above), the student will be suspended from classes until the tuition account is brought current. If tuition is delinquent at the time of re-enrollment, the School reserves the right to withhold re-enrollment contracts until the account is paid in full or a signed payment plan agreement is in place. If tuition is delinquent at the end of the School year, registration for the summer program will not be permitted.

Students will not be allowed to sit for exams or obtain report cards, transcripts, or diplomas until the tuition bill is brought to a current status. Students will not be allowed to start school in the fall if the previous year's tuition is not paid in full or addressed under a signed payment plan agreement. If tuition payment remains delinquent even after the above measures, the School will refer the matter to an appropriate collection representative(s).

Tuition Assistance

The Ancona School is proud of its historic commitment to educating an economically, culturally, and racially diverse population of children; tuition assistance plays an important role in that commitment. Ancona offers tuition assistance as a way to fill the gap between the cost of tuition and what a family, broadly defined, can reasonably be expected to pay. New families who qualify for tuition assistance should expect to receive no more than 50% of the cost of tuition in assistance.

Please refer to the Affording Ancona page on our website for important dates and more information about the tuition assistance process.

Withdrawal

Families that withdraw their student after the enrollment contract has been accepted by Ancona are responsible for the following, based on the timing of the withdrawal:

If canceled on or before the 45th calendar day after the contract is accepted by the school:

50% of the annual tuition and fees plus the non-refundable deposit

If canceled between the 46th and 90th calendar day after the contract is accepted by the school

75% of the annual tuition and fees plus the non-refundable deposit

If canceled on or after the 91st calendar day after the contract is accepted by the school

100% of the annual tuition and fees plus the non-refundable deposit

Cold Weather and School Closures

In a severe weather situation, we begin to assess conditions the day before, with student safety as our number-one priority. The variables we consider include:

Local weather forecasts: temperatures of -15° F or colder or a wind chill of -25° F or colder can be dangerous, and exposure for more than 20-30 minutes makes skin susceptible to frostbite;
Travel conditions: an assessment of road conditions and whether CTA and Metra are operating efficiently to ensure that the majority of our staff can safely arrive at school;
School facility: we assess if the school building is functioning properly and safely, including furnaces, heat, water, pipes, and phones;
Communication with other Heads of School in our network of schools and in the neighborhood.

The decision to close Ancona, or to implement the Late Arrival Procedure will be made by the Head of School in consultation with others as needed. We will determine whether to close Ancona, or to implement the Late Arrival Procedure, as soon as possible but by 5:00 a.m. of the day in question at the latest.

Notifying the Community:

To notify parents and guardians of school closings or Late Arrival Days due to severe weather, we will:

Notify parents and staff through SchoolPass using the contact information (e.g., home phone, cell phone, and/or email address) on My Ancona. Parents will receive a phone call, text (if opted-in to SMS messages), and email. This system relies on your contact information in My Ancona, so please ensure that it is accurate.
Our website and social media accounts will post a message indicating if school is closed or if we will have a Late Arrival Day.

Late Arrival Procedure:

The School’s Late Arrival Procedure provides us with the opportunity to hold school during severe weather conditions when it is safer to transport students to school later than the usual start times. On a Late Arrival Day, school will start at 10 am, with doors opening at 9:40 am, and end at our regularly scheduled times: 3 pm, 3:10 pm, and 3:20 pm.

Aftercare:

When school is closed, there will be no Aftercare, sports, clubs, meetings, or other programming beyond the school day. On a Late Arrival Day, we expect after-school activities will operate as normal. If roads look like they will be unsafe for travel in the evening, families will be notified as soon as possible of an Aftercare cancellation.

Early Dismissal:

It will be extremely rare for us to dismiss students early from school, once they have arrived for the day. However, if an early dismissal decision is made, we will notify parents and guardians through our emergency notification system by 12 pm.

Individual Circumstances:

As a parent, you have the best perspective to determine the right course of action for your child based on your family's circumstances. On severe weather days, you may decide to transport your child to school or determine that you want to keep your child at home. We know that your child's safety is your primary concern and we will respect whatever decision you make. Remember to notify the school using the SchoolPass app so that your child can be excused for the day.

Illegal Substances, Alcohol, Marijuana, and Weapons

Students may not possess, use, or distribute illegal substances, alcohol, marijuana, weapons, or items that are “look-alikes” for any of the above on the school premises or as part of any of its activities.

The school will impose sanctions including suspension, expulsion, and/or referral for prosecution upon students who violate this policy.

Crisis Plans and Emergency Drills

Ancona is compliant with all safety and crisis management standards for schools. The school has an active Crisis Team made up of key members of the administration and faculty that meets quarterly during the year. That team manages and maintains robust crisis plans; for safety purposes, the specific content of these plans is available on a need-to-know basis only.

The following emergency drills occur each school year:

Fire Drills (three times/year)
Lockdown Drill (once/year)
Tornado Drill (once/year)
Test of the SchoolPass Emergency Communication System (once/year). Please see the SchoolPass section of the Handbook for more information about this system.

Appendix II: Family Resources

Education, Curriculum, Philosophy

Social Justice, Diversity, and Equity

Play and Outdoor Learning

Nurtured by Nature (American Psychological Association)
How Lack of Independent Play is Impacting Children's Mental Health (NPR)
Kids Need More “Risky Play” Says Canadian Pediatrics (Let Grow)

Appendix III: Strategic Plan

The Ancona School Strategic Plan is informed by our Five Bold Wishes, developed out of the school’s most recent ISACS accreditation cycle. The Five Bold Wishes define the path that we’d like to see our school, our students, and our collective community travel to live into and up to our promise as a school.