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.

Northside really is an exceptional place. I was a part of the first class to complete four years in…read morethe high school, and I can say, without a doubt, that Northside had the kind of impact on me that I don't think I could have had elsewhere. The staff at this school is remarkable not only because of their depth of knowledge on various subject, but because of the fresh approach that they take to education and the compassion that they show their students. It was my experience that the teachers at Northside didn't punch out as soon as the bell rang (or the music played). As for the overall environment, this school has always been extremely progressive in it's approach to the arts and it's dedication to pursuing them. The open mics used to be something of legendary quality for Chicago high school students, and that tradition has been carried on by the annual arts festival the school presents. I found myself completely prepared for college, but more importantly, completely prepared to go after the things in life I wanted to explore personally and artistically. Northside always treated me more like a human than a statistic, which is rare in the CPS. If I ever made the mistake of procreating, I'd be sending my kid here.

Northside College Prep is an excellent and rather unusual high school. It's a Chicago public…read moreschool, with selective enrollment. Students must apply, have a great academic record, and score very well on an entrance exam in order to be accepted. All academic classes are taught at the honors or AP level, which provides the challenge needed by motivated students. My daughter is a freshman here, and so far I've been very impressed with the curriculum, faculty, and teaching methods. The schedule resembles that of a university: each academic class meets twice a week. Every Wednesday is dedicated to an alternative learning program called "Colloquium" which gives students an opportunity to sample a variety of subjects. The administration is well organized and supportive of the staff. In addition, there are very strong parent organizations that contribute to the life and health of the school community. If you know of an academically gifted grade school student, I would highly recommend that you consider NCP when evaluating high schools.

My child goes to Meijer and I can't believe how they treat students that are not in their favored…read moreprograms and or favored in general my child got in trouble for trying to stand up to somebody who did something wrong and protect the girl that was behind it and or the victim and she got sent away from her class because apparently it was a rumor even though multiple kids hadn't seen it and they should have taken it more seriously but the point it's I can't believe they're protecting a boy that SA girl maybe they should take more precautions of how to retreat the situation instead of just saying as a rumor and sweeping it under the rug

Even though this school claims to be inclusive it really isn't. It's very exclusive for the parents…read moreof the community who are majority wyt/wealthy and not for kids outside of the community who come here for the "Montessori" program. Which I wish parents really got a chance to observe a real Montessori class setting as they will VERY quickly realize Mayer isn't a true Montessori school as it claims, no way it can be when it's a PUBLIC school. We had our kids in Montessori before moving to Chicago and this is is NOT what it claims to be. A lot of the teachers here need REAL cultural awareness and also confidentiality training. There is a guard that works here that definitely needs some people's skills she really lacks interpersonal skills. A few of us were in the building and over heard how disrespectful she is to the students , yelling and yelling g them to "shut up" when addressing them, unbelievable really that they would have someone like that around kids. The LSC has the principal controlled and we believe she even fears them, which is sad because she's cool and great things could happen here. It's shocking that in a school with so much $ students have such limited access to quality music, art and language programs - and how there isn't much visible pride in having a "multicultural" school. All in all Mayer is pretty lame considering everything it claims to be, just another public school. Needless to say we're very excited to be leaving and going to La Salle where they are welcoming from the moment you walk in. Anyone looking at Mayer thinking quality and wholesomeness , keep looking.

Worst open house I have been to. The principal spent 35+ minutes talking about HER, her…read moreaccomplishments, HER family, her goals, her role as a parent...after going on more than 30 min only talking about HER, a lot of parents began to leave. I have been to other selective enrollment open houses and the principals at every other school got down to business and discussed what we were all there to learn, what programs the school offers, even presented current students to give their point of view of what they enjoyed about the school... However, here, the principal was more interested in flashing her Christian Louboutin heels than talking about why Payton is better than the other SSE HS...

My daughter graduated from Walter Payton 6 years ago. She excelled at Vanderbilt University and is…read morecurrently working on her MBA at University of Chicago. She flourished at WPHS and developed her skills in Math, Science, and critical thinking.

Regina is an outstanding school with an even better community. Our daughter loves it there.read more

Do not send your student of color here! I had so many racist encounters here. A teacher smelled my…read morehair in front of the entire class because she was "curious", a student drew a swastika on the bottom of her shoe my freshman year, and some of my classmates were called the N-word along with it being said on several other occasions. Many of the Muslim students were made fun of for their religious beliefs. I was told that my hair was "sassy" by a classmate by sophomore year, whatever that means. Dr. Allworth did absolutely nothing when she was informed about it and her only solution was to put up posters around the school reminding students not to say the N-word instead of just holding the students who were saying it accountable. If a student donates a lot of money to Regina and does anything wrong, they will never face the repercussions of their actions as the school does not want to risk losing their funding. Not to mention the fact that I was assumed to be there on scholarship on several occasions because they couldn't fathom the fact that I could afford to be there. A student told me that she would call her father who was a police officer on me because she felt like I was using my "black privilege". All in all, this is not a safe environment for students of color, and was an extremely traumatizing experience for me.

#Hawthorne 3 yr experience. Parent's, assumed I was the…read morenanny when waiting for my child, My child by his kindergarten teacher was referred to as an 'animal', and "hell" continued from there on. Hawthorne Academy has very few teachers /staff that aren't living in a bubble and will teach and treat every child equally. Principal and other admin /faculty will be too busy with fund raising, picture taken, and presenting this school to be a place for everyone to care what is going on with the less represented population. Bottomline. Donate $10,000 you'll likely have your voice heard & your own parking spot. Give the required you'll need to either leave or conform. A school where some "educators" & Staff are nestled in a quiet, small bubble, in both location and mind #Hawthorne is lacking the exposure needed to educate ALL students . Careful what you allow to enter your child's mind. Once it's there, it's difficult to find and erase. My child and I were poorly affected by Hawthorne Academy Chicago. There are great schools, maybe this one is great for you, but for me, for my son. This school has created HELL, pain, and many nights of tears, and anxiety. I don't wish to give bias or share anything that will hinder another from a place that may be a great fit for you, so I've omitted a few experiences, but, I must be very very honest when I say, be very careful where you place your children. Don't rely on rankings and smiling faces. Be present, listen, and advocate for your child no matter where you chose. Hawthorne Academy in Chicago Lakeview is just not the place I'd personally recommend.

My son has attended Hawthorne for 7 years. Contrary to what has been posted by a former parent, we…read morehave never experienced racial inequality at the school. It has a diverse student population with families whose ethnic roots span the globe. Each year the school has a fundraiser to provide programs in the arts that CPS has eliminated due to budget cutbacks. This fundraiser has silent auctions where parents bid as little or as much as they wish on goods and services. No pressure is put on parents to participate in this event. If someone wishes to bid $10,000 for a personal parking space in the school parking lot, ( and no..I am not that person ), I would thank them for providing enriching programs for the students that they wouldn't otherwise have. If a child has behavioral issues, there are specialists who can address the problem. A teacher's job, ( to state the obvious ) is to teach, and not allow a disruptive child to affect the quality of the education of the other 30 students in the class

Fantastic, diverse, IB program in a welcoming environment with a significant after school program…read moreoffering.

My sibling went here they did not do a good job at teaching him and they barely fixed any issues…read morehere.

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.