Chicago, IL - December 11, 2025 - North Park Elementary School (NPES) is proud to announce the successful launch of LEAPP: Leaders Exploring a Professional Passion, a new faculty enrichment grant program dedicated to supporting transformative learning experiences for educators. LEAPP marks a significant milestone in NPES’s ongoing commitment to educator development and student-centered innovation.

“At NPES, we believe exceptional teaching is the foundation of exceptional learning,” said John Novick, Head of School. “LEAPP represents our conviction that when educators pursue bold ideas, explore new environments, and expand their professional practice, our students benefit in deeply meaningful ways.”

LEAPP was designed to honor and support educators who think expansively about their learning, embrace curiosity, seek global and cultural connections, and bring new perspectives into their classrooms. Eligible experiences include international study, cultural and research travel, interdisciplinary learning, and advanced training with educational leaders.

NPES is pleased to announce the program’s inaugural LEAPP recipients:

Anna Nardulli, Preschool - 2nd Grade Art Teacher
Experience: Reggio Emilia: Constructing Modern Knowledge in Italy
Nardulli will explore the Italian approach to early childhood learning to deepen play-based instruction and art integration. Her learning is expected to strengthen NPES’s early childhood program and inform student-centered practices across all grade levels.

FrankO Mansilla, 4th - 8th Grade Spanish Language & Cultures Teacher
Experience: Viva México!: A Cultural Immersion Journey
Mansilla will engage with language, culture, and educational communities in Mexico to enrich the Spanish and World Cultures curriculum, expand identity mirrors and windows for students, and deepen cultural affirmation across grade levels.

“These proposals reflect the heart of LEAPP,” said Emily Friend, Assistant Head of School. “Curiosity, depth, cultural relevance, and meaningful student impact - each recipient will return with knowledge that will shape instruction, belonging, and engagement across our school.”

Both educators will complete their experiences by December 2026 and will share their learning with the NPES community, continuing a cycle of innovation, reflection, and growth that defines the school’s mission.

LEAPP is made possible by the generous philanthropic support of NPES families and the pioneering leadership of the Class of 2025. Their legacy gift sets a powerful precedent for future graduating classes and reinforces the message that even small communities can spark big change.