Schools

The Bronzeville Lighthouse Charter School specializes in the infusion of arts into the curriculum, providing students with an engaging, rich, and challenging academic experience that fosters student success and academic gain. The school's curriculum series include Open Court Reading, Saxon Math, FOSS Science, and Pearson's History and Geography.

Tutor Time offers before- and afterschool care, a daycare/preschool program (ages six weeks to five years), and summer camp.

Concordia Avondale Campus offers full- and part-time programs for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, as well as an after-school program for older kids. There are also numerous community programs for children and teens,
including martial arts, homework help, and art classes. The facility features a large indoor gym and two outdoor play lots. Teachers are highly qualified, and tuition is based on a sliding scale depending on family size and income.

Tutor Time offers before- and afterschool care, a daycare/preschool program (ages six weeks to five years), and summer camp.

DePaul University is the nation's largest Catholic institution of higher education and is the ninth largest private, not-for-profit university in the nation.

The YMCA, known for its solid, affordable, family-based recreation programs, offers afterschool activities, sports, and summer camps. Its programs include child care, preschool, Sears Family Nights, a Young Leaders' Club, a summer day camp, Bulls Basketball Camp, youth swim lessons, and a variety of sports programs for kids.

Facilities include an indoor swimming pool, a gymnasium, a running track, and a mini-golf course.

An initial registration fee of $150 is required.

Concordia Avondale Campus offers full- and part-time programs for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, as well as an after-school program for older kids. There are also numerous community programs for children and teens,
including martial arts, homework help, and art classes. The facility features a large indoor gym and two outdoor play lots. Teachers are highly qualified, and tuition is based on a sliding scale depending on family size and income.

The YMCA, known for its solid, affordable, family-based recreation programs, offers afterschool activities, sports, and summer camps.

Facilities include an indoor swimming pool, a gymnasium, a running track, and a mini-golf course.

An initial registration fee of $150 is required.

Like a virtual children's art museum, Artsonia is an online collection of kids' artwork from around the world. Kids can take the masterpieces they've created and upload them onto the website. Family and friends can then visit the artwork and participate in activities that allow them to take an active role in a child's art education, even if they live far away. There is no cost to participate, and Artsonia currently has artwork from children in over 100 countries.

There is no cost to participate and the site includes artwork from children in more than 100 countries. Artsonia is a young, Chicago-based company, and was recognized by the National Art Education Association (NAEA) in 2005 for its outstanding contribution to art education in the United States.

Homeschoolers can also find a variety of complete lesson plans created by art teachers. And many artsy gift items available for sale online.

These programs take place at the Hyde Park Art Center during the "traditional" school day, and are based on the homeschool philosophy of multi-generational education. Programs are offered when there is sufficient interest; to inquire about availability, contact the Director of Education at the Art Center.

Home Education Magazine offers free online newsletters, discussion boards, a networking list, and selections from the magazine, including articles, interviews, columnists, resources, reviews and more.

Mi Sol Montessori offers a Spanish immersion Montessori program for preschool and kindergarten children, plus an after-school immersion program for school-aged children.

Chalk Preschool features a 7,000 square foot building containing five classrooms and a unique 1,000 square foot indoor play area with individual activity stations.

In addition to the facility, daily outdoor play is within one block at the South Lakeview Play Lot. The facility is designed and maintained to enhance the learning opportunities for students.

Full- and half-day programs are offered two, three or five days a week for children ages two to five. Children do not need to be toilet trained. There are two teachers in each classroom holding degrees in Early Childhood or a related field, and faculty receive continuing education and training to promote on-going professional development.

The preschool program at the JCYS Lakeview Family Center nurtures children's intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development.

While the curriculum is based on Jewish holidays and concepts, the school welcomes children of all backgrounds, and JCYS is one of the few preschools that admits children who have yet to transition from diapers; the attitude toward everything from potty training to social development is very individualized.

Program offerings are Tue/Thu, Mon/Wed/Fri, and Mon-Friday. Children can attend either a half-day or full-day program.

Snacks and hot lunches are provided daily; a cold cereal breakfast is offered to children arriving prior to 8:15am.

JCYS also hosts summer day camps for children ages two to five, and children going into kindergarten through 4th grade. See web site for details.

Founded 30 years ago by parents with a deep desire to be active in their children's first school experience, Families Together Cooperative Nursery School is made up of parents and a teaching staff who strive to create a child-centered, play-oriented, developmentally appropriate environment for two to six year-old children.

Tutor Time offers before- and afterschool care, a daycare/preschool program (ages six weeks to five years), and summer camp.

Tutor Time offers before- and afterschool care, a daycare/preschool program (ages six weeks to five years), and summer camp.

Calhoun North offers a Math and Science Magnet Program that incorporates innovative uses of technology.

Calhoun North offers a Math and Science Magnet Program that incorporates innovative uses of technology.

One of the largest junior high school buildings in the nation, Unity Junior High School functions a bit like a group of several smaller schools that all happen to share the same roof.

It also hosts the Latino Book & Family Festival in Chicago each year.

St. Patrick High School is home to the St. Patrick Performing Arts Center, which stages several family-friendly productions every year.

Lansing Christian School offers a comprehensive Christian educational program for students in grades K-8. Students come from a variety of economic backgrounds, church affiliations, and cultures and become leaders who assume positions of responsibility within their churches, communities, and professions.

Produced by a publisher of education guides, Peterson's has a database of about 1,400 private secondary schools. The descriptions are comprehensive, well-fleshed out, and often include links to the schools' own web sites.

The website also includes materials and tips for seeking financial aid and preparing for standardized tests, and advice for parents.

A school directory that lays out in clear, easy-to-understand fashion all the public schools in the state. Not only does it provide brief profiles of each, it enables you to compare salient features of one school against another.

The force behind this website, GreatSchools, Inc, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing the best, most comprehensive information about schools. Its mission is to not only help parents choose schools for their children, but to help parents and community members understand, support, and improve public schools in particular.

For each school, the site includes class size, test scores, demographics, and teacher qualifications. What we like best are the tools, which allow you to refine your own search for the right school. It lets you look by district, type (charter, public, private), and specialty (gifted, special needs). We're slightly less enthusiastic about the service articles, which address various ways of coping with problems parents might encounter along the way. Topics include "Homework Horrors," and "How to Choose the Right School for Your Child." You're likely to still be looking for the answers after you've finished reading these.

There's only so much detail the site can go into in describing each school. It's not clear, for instance, how involved the parent body is, nor how effectively particular programs are implemented. (And the site that can figure out how to do that is a truly great one.) But if you're just beginning the search for a school and need an overview, you might want to start here.

The Chicago Academy for the Arts' mission is to prepare young artists for life through rigorous academic education and professional arts training. Students choose from six disciplines - Dance, Music, Musical Theatre, Theatre, Visual Arts, and Media Arts - to study in addition to college preparatory classes in English, mathematics, foreign language, science, and history. Admissions are based on an audition/portfolio, ISEE entrance exam scores, and a written application.

Blair serves children ages three to six, the majority of whom have multiple disabilities. All teachers at Blair are certified by the Illinois Board of Education as "highly qualified" special education teachers, and most hold special certificates.