Bell Elementary School

Bateman Elementary is so lucky to have a phenomenal Principal & Assistant Principal team who care about the community and each student. The teachers on the whole are excellent and challenge their students. Bateman is one of only eight schools in CPS that offer a dual language program, which is an incredible asset. The parent involvement is fairly high, but definitely could improve. We love Bateman!

Our experience was poor. Teaching was not challenging enough for my kids and while the majority of teachers were nice, my kids were bored and didn’t grow as much as they should have. Leadership made concerning remarks about how it should be easier to suspend or expel students, which is concerning in itself. There were few behavior situations that were not handled well by the leadership and started to get into retaliatory behavior. Overall did not feel welcoming, inclusive, or open to improvement.

We pulled our son out of a private school after bullying went unchecked and we placed him in Hamilton. It was the best decision we ever made. Not only is he excelling academically and socially but also emotionally. The school teaches (preventative) conflict resolution using proven coping tools like deep breathing and reflection forms. In fact, my 11-year old son now encourages me to use deep breathing:)

Jahn has been fantastic! The teachers have been universally great, and both of my kids are thriving academically. An underrated gem of a neighborhood school.

If you’re looking for a welcoming, inclusive community where your child will have personalized attention from teachers who care about your child, then Pilgrim is definitely the school for you. We were not happy at our previous CPS school. Our daughter wasn’t happy, she felt ignored, the focus on timed tests (in 1st grade!) made her anxious and she started to not like school. Since we moved to Pilgrim, she has absolutely thrived. Her love for learning is due to the amazing teachers at Pilgrim. She’s a straight A student, scoring in the 90th+ percentile in both reading and math. She’s in her 8th grade year and Mrs. Andreen works one on one with each student to prepare them for the high school application process. She’s been a lifesaver! Our younger daughter loves her teacher as well. I love the care and support she has provided to my youngest and as parents we love the fact that we can communicate easily with teachers. They are very supportive and responsive (which was not our experience at CPS). It is also by far the most affordable private school option. There’s no way we could have afforded the other private options on the north side. Pilgrim’s like a hidden gem. I can’t say enough good things about our tiny but mighty school community!

Queen of Angels was a wonderful choice for our son's elementary education. We sent our son to Q of A for Kindergarten and couldn't be happier with the decision. Each of his teachers has been supportive, communicative, encouraging, and thoughtful in their approach to the students' education and our son has grown more than we could have expected. The entire staff at Q of A has been incredibly welcoming, warm, and supportive. The infectious kindness of the staff can be reflected in how sweet and kind the students act toward each other. Q of A offers an incredible environment for kids. The after-school enrichment programs are also top-notch and far-reaching; the kids will never lack for choice of activities. The families are involved and welcoming. Q of A definitely feels like a big family that is always open to new members. The administration is very open and communicative and we have never been concerned for our son's safety as Q of A. Queen of Angels was the best kindergarten decision for our son's educational and emotional growth. We are thrilled with what Q of A has been able to offer our son. We would recommend Queen of Angels to anyone looking for a warm and friendly place for their child and family to grown and learn.