Update: we have both of our sons, upcoming 6th grade and 2nd grade, at walt disney magnet school…read moreand I just felt compelled to express my absolute joy with this school! Both of our sons have been here since kindergarten, and they are just flourishing. Living in chicago, parents can almost be overwhelmed with the amount of education options and feel stress about if they're making the right call on where to send their children. After being here so many years, we have never once questioned our decision to join the walt disney magnet school family. Whether your child is an excellerated learner or needs some extra help, the teachers optimize the true potential of each student. This is genuinely a school for every and any child and we just feel so lucky to be here. Aside from the teaching staff, the administrative team has found a way to keep a personal relationship with their families, all while managing over 1,400 students. Principal Riskus is always at every field day, concert, play, etc, and not just to show up but to engage with the kids and their families. How these teachers and administrators can be on a first name basis with over 1,400 students and families is beyond me, but they do it. We have never felt like just another name on a list despite the abundant student population. I imagine my review might seem like I work there or this is an AI response (ha!) but i truly am just a parent who loves this school. Again, I just felt compelled to express our true appreciation and cannot wait for the new school year.

I got to go the June graduation here for a family member and was really impressed. She did well on…read moreher state tests and got into a selective enrollment high school. I guess that makes for a short review but thats really all you need to know. Walt Disney Magnet School did its job and did it well.

We love St. Edward. I am an alum who learned both values and academics needed to succeed in high…read moreschool, college, and graduate school. This community is exactly what our children need. We watch them go off to school full of happiness and eager to learn. We couldn't ask for better environment for our children. Thanks to Ed's for providing a balance of education, community, service, faith, and bringing joy to their students.

As I write this, my daughter is in 4th grade and my son just started Kindergarten. We cannot be…read morehappier. Our daughter started at this school in preschool and we have seen her grow and experience everything this school has to offer. She is just getting into the sports programs there which will elevate her confidence even more. The small class sizes, great families, and teachers all put forth an effort to insure that your child will excel in life. Also, most of the children that have graduated from this school have qualified for great high schools in the area, from Loyola, Notre Dame, and St Ignatius to Northside College Prep and Whitney Young. Great Choice, Great Community, Great School. Eva K, not sure who you are, or when you went, but those comments are far from our family's experience.

Phenomenal teachers and staff. Caring and knowledgeable in their each area of expertise.read more

We had a terrible experience with the new head of school. We were given promises regarding tuition…read moreprior to paying a deposit, but the administration would only make assurances over the phone and not in writing. When it came time to honor them, the head of school again made assurances in person only, and again refused to do so in writing, and then refused to fully honor said promises. Moreover, he lacked any empathy or concern for my child's well being and seemed to care only about money. For this reason, we will not be attending CCDS again in the fall. My daughter made great friends, and I am highly disappointed and disgusted by the actions of the head of school.

I was a student at Ravenswood Christian School, then known as Ravenswood Baptist Christian School,…read morefrom August 2001 till I graduated Class of 2014. It's unclear to me why "Baptist" was removed from the name (Could it be a branding thing?) but I do feel the current name lacks the same rhythm it once had. What is more, it totally ruins the cheers the cheerleaders recited at basketball games. ("The Patriots are the best! / Yes! / R-B-C-S!") Although, these days, I'm unsure if the school still has a cheer team, let alone a basketball team, to speak of. But times change and so does leadership. I submit I can't speak to the current school administration, nor to their conduct with their students, save for one particularly egregious actor. (More on that later.) At glance, it seems some former classmates of mine are now themselves staff members of RCS. But I digress. I can only speak to my own experiences as a former student, which I would describe as unpleasant. Bad, even. And though I don't resent my parents for enrolling me here, I do believe it was an error on their part. But I know of many other students who had it far worse, who were themselves victims of severe bullying by both students and staff alike. I'm ashamed to admit I was often a participant in this bullying, often greenlit by the staff, when I myself wasn't a target. Even still, that was no excuse. I recall one incident where our math teacher Mr. Ullmann (Long since dismissed, but too little, too late, frankly.) kicked a chair from under one student, V.F., humiliating him in front of the whole class. I even joined in on that chorus of laughter and to this day feel sick to my stomach that I'd been party to this bizarre humiliation ritual. I hope wherever V.F.'s at now he's in a better place and knows that wasn't OK. Last I heard, which, granted, was many years ago, Ullmann got a job as a truck driver following his dismissal. Now, that could've just been schoolyard gossip, but, if true, that's probably a better job for him. Nevertheless, Ullmann's inappropriate behavior spanned numerous incidents, yet, sadly, it took a posse of concerned mothers applying steady pressure on the school admin to get him removed from the faculty. But, as I said earlier, by the time he was dismissed, the damage had been done, and a whole lot of kids were mistreated as a result of the admin dragging its feet. A tale old as time. But that's all in the past, right? Surely the dregs have all been weeded out since then, no? I wish this was the case, but since checking the R(B)CS website it appears Mr. Bob Szontagh is still employed at the school as a secondary teacher. That's too bad, and what I find to be a glaring error on part of the new admin, because this man should have absolutely zero influence on a child's developing mind, and I, now an adult, am worse off for having been his pupil. Szontagh's conduct with us was so vulgar and so inappropriate he made Ullmann look like a Boy Scout. (More than once Szontagh referred to his genitalia as "Big Daddy" in gym class.) Why he is still a teacher there can be explained by way of what clout he has within the larger church congregation, for he's of the last of the "Old Guard" I knew from then and has taught at R(B)CS for decades at this point. And, to his credit, he had undeniable charisma and was often a favorite among the children. His lessons, however, would often shift into these long, tangential lectures that had little to do with the subject at hand. They were akin to watching a two-bit standup comic practicing his tight five for the Klu Klux Klan open mic. And his jokes were awful as they were bigoted. I remember once he opened a science class with "What do you call a gay guy on rollerskates?" ..."Rol-AIDS!" Well, a lot of us 11-or-12-year-olds were fortuitous enough to not suffer from heartburn, so, mostly, the joke went over our heads. Even still, this was a science class. Did my parents really pay my tuition just so I could be sat down to watch this guy make AIDS jokes in class? Short answer: Yeah, more or less. I'd like to say that it's unbelievable how Szontagh's still teaching here more than a decade later but, given what I know about the school, I actually find it pretty believable. Mostly I feel bad for the kids who are getting robbed of a decent education and for their parents who are paying for one that's second-rate.

When I went to school here they gave is seats. The principal spanked kids with a paddle with the…read moredoor closed. You could hear kids crying and screaming. Meanwhile the principles kid got knocked up. I thought I had leprosy as a child making us read the king James version bible. They forced. Me to eat food I told them I couldn't until I vomited. Good times! Watch the movie Jesus camp. That what this school is. Let us pret is another one about fundamental Baptist like this. Two stars because I was a good kid so my experience with the teachers was good. I liked them. I also got a good education.

We have our two little girls, ages three and six, at the GEMS world Academy, and we could not be…read moremore happy with our experiences there! The quality of the education has really spoiled us for going anywhere else, and communication from teachers and administrators is amazing, they always hear our concerns and respond, to such an extent that we don't email them on nights or weekends because we know we will hear back from them too soon! Additionally, my husband and I had concerns about putting our children in private school, but the value of this educational institution is truly outstanding. Highly recommend!

When we began looking at schools for our kids (then age 8 and 9), we were seeking a school with an…read moreemphasis on a more global and interactive educational experience rather than a curriculum focused on teaching to take tests. We wanted them to learn how to think and process information rather than to memorize. We also wanted them to have a more global understanding and what it meant to be a member of a global community and interact with a diverse student body. We found that, and more, within GEMS World Academy ~ Chicago. The teachers are among the top of their fields and know how to get the best out of their students. The Field Studies help them engage and interact with the outside world and apply their learnings in real-life settings. Our kids engage with a diverse group of students, parents, and educators. It's exciting to enter their lobby and hear a mixture of different languages spoken at any given time. We're entering our third academic year at GEMS and my kids look forward to going to school every day, something I couldn't say when they were attending their former school.

We love PFGA! We've had such a wonderful experience at Pope Francis Global Academy! From the start,…read moreit's been clear that the teachers and staff really care about each student. Their dedication and warmth have made a big difference for our kids, and we always feel supported as a family. One of the things we love most is the strong sense of community. Families look out for one another, and there are always fun events happening that bring everyone together. Halloween parties, fundraisers, classroom activities - there's always something going on that helps build strong connections. Academically, the curriculum really prepares students well for high school. Our kids are challenged and engaged. And if they struggle with a subject, there's additional support. Most importantly, our children are in a safe, nurturing environment where they feel valued and encouraged to grow. The experience has been more than worth the investment!

The joy and energy is this building is unlike any other school. Great teachers, strong admin,…read morecaring all around. A Middle School science lab that rivals many high schools! All classrooms have a productive hum and great student interactions. This is a place where students express their learning and NOT a place where 'silence is golden'! Definitely worth checking out.

We have been at SJS for four years now and are so grateful to have found this school. The school…read morehas won 3 blue ribbons, has consistently high test scores, and a wonderful parent community. We have felt very supported by the teaching staff and our kids are genuinely excited to go to school everyday.

St Josaphat has provided both of my kids a great education. The teachers and staff are amazing,…read moreand the kids are very well-prepared for high school and beyond. The parent community is active and very involved; some of our closest friends are other parents at the school. I have two very different learners, one with a 504/student support plan, and both of my kids have thrived at the school. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Our daughter has been attending for a year and we love the school. She's learning so much and she…read moreadores her guides. She's in the Spanish immersion and her Spanish has gotten way better too.

I can't say enough about this program, the staff, and community of parents/families here. Our son…read morewas born at the height of Covid so really didn't have as much exposure to other kids and activities the way our daughter did, so when he turned 3, we opted for the Children's House program at Guidepost in Wicker Park and it's been transformational for our son. When he started, he didn't want to interact with anyone and would scream at anyone who tried to engage with him, but a few months in and wow--this mighty personality that was waiting in the wings just poured out of him. Not to mention, his speech improved exponentially in such a short time. Even now, just one year later, I am so amazed at the rate of development. We've gone from unruly toddler to a little boy who is now a leader and helper to the younger kids, is so independent, outgoing, and already learning to read and write. In fact, he has an older sister at a different school and we thought about transferring him for convenience (and cost savings), but decided against it because it has been so impactful for our son--we didn't want to disrupt the process--and we are so thankful we stayed. It's such a wonderful community and not only is there "school work" but so many opportunities to participate in extra-curriculars like art, dance, tumbling, soccer, etc. The school heads take the time to carefully select the meals for each month and I'm so grateful because my son is a notoriously picky eater at home, so I'm comforted by the fact that he's eating healthy meals on a daily basis at school. The staff is honestly just exceptional and really take the time to know the parents and their kids, regardless of age or which class they are in. We leave at drop off every day knowing our son is in good hands and I would recommend this place to anyone and everyone! Ms. Gladys, Ms. Brittney, Ms. Maria, Ms. Sue, Ms. Katelyn (and all the staff I don't interact with on a daily basis)--thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you have done and continue to do for this school and the children. This is really a special place and if I could rewind the time, I would send our first child here as well!!