Ellen Mauer is principal at Ravinia School, one of three North Shore District 112 schools that made Chicago Magazine's list of the Top Ten elementary schools in Lake County. | Brian O'Mahoney~for Sun-Times Media

Ravinia School third-grade teacher Dennis Brosseau and students Caroline McDougall and R. J. Guhl are in the garden in front of Ravinia School. The school was one of three District 112 schools that made Chicago Magazine's Top Ten in Lake County. | Brian O

Fourth-grader Zach Lichtman, 10, works on an art project at Ravinia School in Highland Park. The school is one of three in the elementary district that earned Top Ten status in Chicago Magazine's September issue. | Brian O'Mahoney~for Sun-Times Media

Ravinia School third-grader Maya Bravy, 8, plays with some worms in the greenhouse at the Highland Park school. The District 112 school was one of three making Chicago Magazine's Top Ten list for Lake County elementary schools. | Brian O'Mahoney~for Sun-T