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

An amazing school that graduates smart, confident, and well-balanced students. It's been an…read moreunexpected gift to be able to send our child to Chicago Friends School. Being from the east coast, I'm aware of the values of a Quaker education - observing my child's (and other students') growth only highlights its impact even more - I wish more people knew about it. The classroom environment and skilled, caring faculty provide individualized learning rather than the tug and scrum between discipline and attention we've experienced in other schools. If you are searching for the right school for your K-8th grade learner, give Chicago Friends a go. Now more than ever, our kids need this kind of education. It's a great place.

We are new to CFS this year. Our child is in the 6th grade. From day one, the whole community have…read morebeen welcoming and the experience have so far been amazing for our child and our family. We were initially unsure about the pacing and whether the academic rigor will be there due to the smaller class sizes. But it hasn't been a problem. Our child comes back each day and tells us that he is being challenged in his classes and that he is enjoying the "difficulties" because it's "fun" which tells us the he is on track. He also tells us that the kids has been welcoming to him as "the new kid" and that he is free to be himself and make friends with kids both older and younger. We think CFS is perfect for anyone who is looking for a nurturing environment socially with a more individualized learning based of each child's needs.

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.

Wonderful school wonderful learning environment wonderful helpful Admin and teachers…read more Great school

Peirce school is a wonderful school and provides excellent academic curriculum. Principal,…read moreteachers, and parents are dedicated to making Peirce an amazing school. Peirce has many programs and partnerships with organizations that focus on improving students learning skills and provide recreational activities for students. My two boys love their teachers and are excited to share what they have learned from school. As a parent I am well informed and updated on my children's educational and emotional developmental. I recommend Peirce school if you are considering it for your child. They are PreK - 8th grade school. Peirce is having an Open House on Thursday, November 14, 2013 at 8:30 am - 10 am if you would like to stop by. You can also email the school at peirceopenhouse@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Kilmer has a bad reputation left over from 5 years ago when it had a terrible principal. Now it has…read morean amazing principal and great things are happening there. I could not be happier with the education my child receives there. In my experience, teachers are innovative, committed, and attentive to each student's unique needs.

My family has been part of NCA's diverse community for 4 years after my two boys started at the…read moreschool in Pre-K. I've been continuously impressed with the school. Its leadership, responsiveness when issues arise, offerings for students (and families), and overall culture, is phenomenal. Their tagline of educating "minds that think, hearts that love, and hands that serve" truly is their mission, and it shows in everything they do. Here are a few reasons why I love the school: - Their academic benchmarks far surpass all traditional CPS schools. - They have excellent in-school programs. eg. school-wide morning meetings; a "house" system that brings the whole school together and focuses attention on moral leaders from past/present; a buddy system matching older students with younger students. - They have excellent programming outside of school too. eg. flexible early care starting at 6:30am and after care until 6pm, chess club, after school arts and crafts, soccer. - They handle student conflict (eg. bullying) exceptionally well, with immediate responses focusing on restorative justice, not just discipline. -Their focus on ethics, (I saw this as a non-Catholic). They don't over-index on the religion component. Rather, they focus on the ideals of Catholicism (eg. Love of God and neighbor, service to others, human dignity, social justice). They also hand out "Wildcat awards" to students each day in morning meeting, calling out students who exemplify moral behaviors. For example, my son came home yesterday, beaming with pride, showing us his award certificate received earlier that day (pictured). -Reasonable tuition with discounts for multiple students + financial aid. I plan to send my kids here until the age out in 8th grade. They are thriving at NCA.

I want to share my family's experience with Northside Catholic Academy (NCA) during the 2024-2026…read moreschool years. We enrolled our daughter after a positive summer camp experience, specifically requesting placement with a PreK assistant teacher. However, once school started, things changed. Our three-year-old became fearful and anxious about attending. A notable incident occurred during a field trip. My daughter felt uncomfortable and stepped out of a group photo. In front of me, the lead teacher responded by kneeling close and sternly telling her that if she couldn't follow the rules, I wouldn't be allowed on future trips. This upset her further and deepened her fear of school. After witnessing this incident, we were told by others that the lead teacher had a militant approach and that several families had previously withdrawn their children from her classroom. When I raised my concerns, they were brushed off, reflecting a rigid approach that parents have discussed for years. Another troubling incident involved a bathroom accident. My daughter asked to use the restroom but was told to wait until lunch ended. She couldn't hold it, leading to a distressing experience that could have been handled with more compassion. The classroom environment felt overly strict for young children. While structure is important, play and social interaction are critical too. During center time, children were limited to one center for 45 minutes, and lunch was often expected to be silent. As room parent, I saw this firsthand. The assistant teacher was warm, but it was clear the overall approach was lacking. Despite volunteering over 550 hours, I often felt dismissed when advocating for my child. It was frustrating to feel unwelcome for raising concerns, especially when issues were acknowledged only after families chose to leave. Given NCA's small size, it was surprising that an advisory board member only asked about my dissatisfaction on the last day of school. While coming from a good place, this conversation felt more about declining enrollment and the school's future if enrollment didn't increase than about addressing my concerns. I also noticed favoritism within the school community. After serving on the parent organization board, I resigned because the environment felt divisive, with some volunteers treated respectfully while others were not. As enrollment season approached, the principal sent a mass email urging board members to submit positive reviews to counter negative ones. This email stated, "It can take 15 positive reviews to offset a single negative one." While I understand the desire for positive feedback, all families should be encouraged to provide honest opinions, not just those in leadership. It was concerning to hear that honest negative reviews like mine were flagged for removal. As a prospective parent, I would want to know that some positive reviews may have been solicited in this manner. The timing of numerous generic positive reviews across multiple platforms raises questions about their authenticity. Parents deserve transparent feedback when making educational decisions. During my time at NCA, I was saddened by the departure of many dedicated young teachers, raising questions about the school climate. I witnessed conflicts and parent concerns that were not effectively addressed. Bullying is a notable issue that isn't consistently managed, likely influenced by adult behaviors. On several occasions, I felt disrespected by the principal. Once I began advocating for my child, I felt labeled as a problem rather than treated as a partner in my daughter's education. On a positive note, my daughter's PreK 4 teachers during the 2025-2026 school year were exceptional. Their kindness and genuine love transformed her experience, providing the nurturing environment we sought. Every child knew they were valued. If it weren't for them, we would have pulled our daughter from NCA during the 2024-2025 school year. However, the previous lead teacher continued to make both my daughter and me feel unwelcome, lacking even a simple acknowledgment. This ongoing hostility felt unprofessional. While there are caring teachers at NCA, my overall experience raised serious concerns about leadership, communication, and how parent feedback is handled. The school felt more cliquish than welcoming, contradicting the community spirit described in other reviews. I encourage prospective families to ask detailed questions about classroom culture, communication practices, and how concerns are addressed before making a decision. I hope meaningful changes are made so that all students and families receive the supportive experience they deserve, starting with improvements in leadership.

As the father of a 2nd grader who's been at St. Matthias since Pre-k, my family and I love it! As…read morethe only Catholic International Baccalaureate (IB) elementary school in the city, it prepares students to be critical thinkers and global citizens--something you don't find at many elementary schools. One of the best aspects of St. Matthias is its small class sizes, which allow for individualized attention and strong relationships between students and teachers. The tight-knit community makes families feel welcomed and supported, creating a nurturing environment where kids thrive both academically and socially. The school's strong test scores reflect its academic excellence, and its affordable tuition makes it a great value compared to other private and parochial schools. If you're looking for a school that combines a challenging curriculum, a warm and engaged community, and a focus on developing well-rounded students, St. Matthias is the perfect choice and you'll love it like we do!

Our family has been at St. Matthias since 2021. There are so many reamsons we love this school and…read morecommunity. First, the community is tight and and such a support system for us since we don't have much family nearby. There are so many opportunities to connect with other families or parents. I am co-chair our parent led volunteer organization, Friends of St. Matthias and also participate innour weekly Mom's volleyball games. My husband is part of dad's SMS Mustang Club. Another reason we love the school is because of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. The added IB concepts are weived into the curriculum (PreK 3 to 8th) and have helped our children become more confident (risk- takers), ask probing questions (inquierers), and to think about their impact to the wider community and world (principled). We are the only Catholic, IB School in Chicago too! Lastly, my husband and I both went to Catholic schools throughout our education, and agreed that it helped shape who we are today. St. Matthias is giving our kids the framework for creating their unique relationship with God, whatever that looks like for them. We are so happy to be a part of the St. Matthias community.

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.

I have three grand kids that being going there since prek . my 3 year old grandson was going again…read moreto prek. But they Discontinue this program. Which it would had Benefit the school and the parents.so sad. For this reason to of my grand kids are not returning my oldest she Graduated this year.

The new principal does not care about the students. My brother gets bullied on a day to day basis…read moreand cries at home all the time because of them. Two boys that were twice his size and older then him keep harassing him because he doesn't have the shoe brands that all the other kids wear, because he is on the heavier side, and because he is different than the other kids in the school. The principal calls my dad saying there was a situation in the bathroom where my brother broke the child's glasses and they want us to pay for his glasses. I call to speak with the principal because I believe this is not fair. He tells me that the situation happened in the hallway... what is the truth? Did it happen in the bathroom or in the hallway? My brothers glasses got broken multiple times and not once did the parents pay for his glasses. We have spent over $500 in repairs. When I told that to the principal he said he doesn't know anything about it because he is new and said he can not discuss this situation with me because I am not his parents.

sullivan is a good school if you are looking for high…read moreexcellence this is the school the only thing i think they should change is the teachers with bad english

Every time I walk into this school, everyone is so friendly and helpful. I know the staff here are…read moreworking their tails off and are committed to creating a safe space where students get a quality education.