The school a child attends can make a big impact — and these five Chicagoland schools are proving just that. Each is climbing in local and national rankings thanks to standout innovation, campus expansions, and bold, forward-thinking approaches to education.
They’re not just keeping up — they’re setting new standards, making them exciting choices for families seeking something exceptional.
It Takes a Village
- Address: 4930 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Chicago
- Contact: 312-432-0096
This private school network started in 2004 with just 47 students. Since then, It Takes a Village (ITAV) has grown into a vibrant community of schools and programs across Chicagoland with a focus on social justice principles.
The network purchased the former Hales Franciscan High School and moved its Village Leadership Academy for the 2024-25 academic year. Students now have more room to grow and a fresh start, thanks to a $12 million investment allowing the purchase and renovation of the 9.1 acre campus.
While the school’s location has changed, its commitment to social justice is as strong as ever. Students at ITAV earn a global education, with travels to locations like Kenya as well as hands-on service learning projects.
The new Bronzeville location serves grades K-8. Expansions for facilities to house early childhood education and high school students are planned for the future.
Hawthorne Scholastic Academy
- Address: 3319 N Clifton Ave, Chicago
- Contact: 773-534-5550
Over the last three years, Hawthorne Scholastic Academy has made exceptional progress in student academics and achievement.
While the academy has always scored highly, its recent level of academic achievement earned it a place among the National Blue Ribbon School winners last year. In 2024, more than 95% of its students met the threshold for the Illinois Assessment of Readiness, compared to the state’s roughly 28%.
Hawthorne Scholastic Academy was the only school in the Chicago Public Schools district to make the list in 2024.
And while academics are a top priority for this school, students also have access to many clubs, extracurriculars and opportunities with community partners.
The magnet school serves roughly 616 students in grades K-8 and uses a lottery system. There is no testing requirement for acceptance.
City Garden Waldorf School
- Address: 920 W. 19th St., Chicago
- Contact: 312-421-3050
City Garden Waldorf School recently expanded. Now, children as young as 2 can learn in a holistic environment centered on educating the whole child.
A Waldorf education is focused on more than just academics. Students are encouraged to deepen their creativity through imaginative play. Standardized testing is limited, teachers have more individual control over their lessons and children are encouraged to use the outdoors as a classroom at these schools.
Early childhood education in Waldorf schools also focuses on storytelling. Children are introduced to the wider world through the use of stories, myths and fables; the act of storytelling is meant to spark a love of language and other cultures in students.
Waldorf schools are rare across Chicagoland and City Garden is one of the only ones to focus solely on educating the youngest learners. The school offers four mixed age classrooms for students from ages 2 to 6.
Walter R. Sundling Junior High School
- Address: 1100 N. Smith St., Palatine
- Contact: 847-963-3700
Walter R. Sundling Junior High School, part of Palatine Community Consolidated School District 15, received a National Blue Ribbon Award in 2021 for its work toward closing achievement gaps.
The school was one of the first to train teachers for Culturally and Linguistically Responsive (CLR) Teaching, a change it says helps recognize disparity and increase teacher’s ability to validate and affirm students. The school is made up of a diverse community, and the changes to teaching help to engage all students.
Sundling has also been recognized by Illinois Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) for its use of a personalized tiered system of support and other strategies to make sure all students’ needs are met.
Sutherland Elementary School
- Address: 10015 South Leavitt St., Chicago
- Contact: 773-535-2580
Sutherland Elementary School is a K-8 school serving 628 students from its home in the Beverly neighborhood.
The neighborhood school is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, meaning its students receive a rigorous education rooted in the world around them. Sutherland students in grades 6-8 have the option to participate in the IB Middle Years Program, which uniquely prepares them for the rigorous IB high school program.
Sutherland’s academics have also been steadily improving. From 2021 to 2024, the school made significant gains on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness English Language Arts test. In 2021, about 18 percent of students met the testing expectations and less than one percent exceeded it. In 2024, around 38 percent of students met the threshold and 1.9 percent exceeded it.
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