My son has completed two years of preschool at Queen of Angels grammar school. He is starting to…read moreread already and doing the curriculum of a 1st grader. The teachers are detailed orientated and truly teach the kid lessons early on that they will need to be successful as they progress through 8th grade and beyond. I would say that the teachers and school higher ups over communicate what is happening at the school and in the classroom. This is defiantly not the case when I talk to family friends that send their child to a public school in the area. The school has a buddy program where a preschooler is matched up with a 4th or 5th grader which creates cohesion and respect throughout the levels of the school. My experience is my child getting high fives and fist bumps leaving school rather than bullying. The community of the school is tight-nit with parents that are very welcoming of new families. Families are given many opportunities to give back through service and build new relationships through events. We are a very happy family with Queens and put our trust in the school with our son which is our #1 priority.

This school has been going downhill fast. High turnover for staff and students. Changed principals…read morerecently from a former teacher to some inexperienced kid who fired multiple teachers before big events (first communion, spring concert) offering little to no explanation or telling a completely contradictory story. Office staff are used as substitutes which is way too often.

My daughter joined North Park Elementary when she was in kindergarten and she is about to graduate…read morefrom 8th grade. I have been impressed with this school from start to finish. NPES does an amazing job teaching the kids how to learn. They're constantly building on what they know, and rounding back to reinforce the knowledge they already have. The 8th grade math and science curriculum is high school level and I've heard the kids are well prepared for high school. The kids test well for the CPS selective enrollment and private school tests, and most kids go to top rated high schools. We had a lot of support through the whole high school enrollment process as there is dedicated faculty to guide families. The school also has a strong basketball, theater and Science Olympiad program. The parents and teacher community are welcoming. I feel lucky to have found this little school!!

In our experience, you couldn't do better than NPES -- high standards achieved by excellent…read moreteaching rather than testing pressure. This weekend our son graduates from the University of Illinois - Champaign, as did our daughter three years ago. Both went through NPES from K through 8 and thrived in high school and college. Our daughter was in the Scholars program at Van Steuben, our son at North Side College prep. Now for the proud parent part. Our daughter is only a couple years out of college with a B.S and already in her dream job in food science, working for a major company. Our son is graduating for UIUC Phi Beta Kappa with a major in geography with minors in urban planning and infomatics, accepted in library school at the UIUC (which is the best in the country). Wow. They couldn't have done any better. We credit NPES for giving them a very strong start, with an impetus to study and do well that has carried them all the way. The small classes, personal attention, inspiring teaching, encouragement rather than pressure, out of class activities -- it all worked the way grade school should work. Beyond that, and perhaps because of the NPES friendships and good start, neither has ever gotten into any kind of trouble or (to our knowledge) even close to it. We feel blessed. And NPES was a key part of that blessing. If you're thinking about schools, be sure to consider this little gem.

My son got in to the first class of the Options program at Coonley, and now that he's about to…read moregraduate, I have to give them credit for helping him get into the Selective Enrollment HS of his choice. If you're fortunate enough to test into the Options program here, or be in the Neighborhood program, consider them seriously as a good place to entrust your kid's intellectual growth.

I moved back into this neighborhood 5 years ago. My son is now in 7th. He has challenging LD's with…read morean IEP. Coonley has done the best of their ability to help my Son and listen to my suggestions. I appreciate their help :)

Yes. I misunderstood it said admission "priorities" are given to not only "siblings of currently…read moreenrolled students and active parishioners" as janet says but also ( taken from their website) "Students who are baptized Catholics and whose families are active parishioners for at least one year prior to application and are regular contributors (recommended contribution of $780/year to church collection) Students who are baptized Catholics and whose families have been registered, contributing parishioners for less than one year prior to application Students who are baptized Catholics and whose families are not parishioners Students from non-Catholic families" So if your parents have an additional $780 to donate to the church you are prioritized over one whose parents don't have an extra month of rent to donate . Sounds like discrimination still. Way to give opportunity to the lower income or non religious families.yes "ALL ARE WELCOME" to apply. As she said. But not all are welcome the same chances of getting admitted. I'm still saying it's an unfair admission process.

We currently have three children at SJB, and could not love it more! The teachers are incredibly…read moresmart, caring and engaging. Our principle stands outside the front door in the mornings to greet all the students as they enter. Teachers write emails to their class parents at least once a week, they are accessible and very willing to work with your child if there is a special need/learning deficit. I could go on and on with how wonderful our school is!

Belding Elementary is a great school. I have been assigned to Belding for over a year as their…read moreschool nurse. All of the staff is very friendly, and are genuinely invested in their students. I love the special classes that they have for all grades. Every child gets the opportunity to learn Arabic, as well as participate in a dance class that teaches everything from modern dance, to tap, to breakdancing on a weekly basis. If students are having trouble in class, then teachers aides take them to the side to work on their problem areas. This is a small school, but that is perfect to ensure that all students receive the optimum learning experience. Fun note: The garden in front of Belding with the picnic tables is a certified wildlife habitat.

Belding Elementary has been home to my daughter for the past 4 years (having transferred her here…read morefrom a private school starting in 5th grade). The leadership under Principal Yutzy and the time and care that the teachers at the school provide each student is a joy to witness. Students are challenged according to their abilities and are gently prodded to excel. It is almost like an extension of your family when it comes to the care/efforts put forth by the faculty & staff for the students. As a parent I can honestly say that my interactions at the school were more enjoyable and inclusive than they were at the private school. The education provided by all the GREAT TEACHERS over the years helped to enable my daughter to be prepared for that arduous task of Selective Enrollment and it got her into Northside College Prep. If you are debating whether to place your child at this wonderful neighborhood school; take the leap of faith as you will not be disappointed. We will miss Belding, but in our hearts we will ALWAYS BE A BELDING BULLDOG FAMILY!!

Great school!! My kids are very happy to be at Scared heart school. The teacher are truly invested…read morein my children's education and their growth as learner. Highly recommend!

I give 5 stars to the school . I graduated from the grammar /elementary school in 1983. Made alot…read moreof friends, teachers/instructors were interesting. We always had mass on Friday mornings. It was very expensive for my parents at the time. However, they sacrificed only the best things. I love them very much !. One of my classmates is a New York time best selling author, another one a film maker, and others Investment bankers, CEO of a company and engineers/doctors.

Swift is remarkably special place. If you are looking at schools in the area, I strongly recommend…read moreyou reach out to Swift to learn more and maybe even take a tour! Its a specialty school. Pre-K through 8th grade with an integrated Fine and Performing Arts Magnet program. The fine arts program integrates music, art, dance and drama into the regular school day. The facilities include a pool and swimming lessons during PE. They are a school in good standing, and take tremendous pride as being one of the most diverse schools in all of CPS!

The staff are amazing and very professional. the principal…read moreand his assistant are great responsible people . our 2 boys are lucky to be there . just they need to control more seriously and strongly some bad behaviors from some kids so the school will be IDEAL. the school deserves to get 7 or 8 out of 10 . or 4 out of 5

This place got to political and throw the term bullying around way too frequently . This school…read morecares way more about the LGBTQ plus community than actual teaching in the classroom in many distractions that cost are students important time in the classroom. My son was bullied at the school and they did nothing about it but when my son engage in bullying I have multiple phone calls home every week. This was just not a good fit for my son.

We are so thankful to be a part of this community and educational institution. We switched schools…read moreafter being in a 3rd grade gifted program at another school and entered into Bell for 4th grade gifted program. It was such a drastic improvement almost like night and day. I am so happy we got accepted into this school and our son is surrounded around positive leadership who teach by example and is filled with lovely students as a whole.