FAQs

• Our pre-kindergarten is designed for children who will be 3-years old by September 1, 2021.
• Our junior kindergarten is designed for children who will be 4-years old by September 1, 2021.

• Sacred Heart’s preschool campus is located at 5649 N. Sheridan Road – just off Lake Shore Drive at Hollywood Avenue and Sheridan Road at St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church.

• The preschool includes four newly-renovated classrooms, a sensory exploration room, administrative space and a nurse's office, as well as a full-sized gymnasium for daily gross motor activities. An outdoor playground is directly adjacent to the preschool.
• Ample parking is available for easy drop-off and pick-up. Parking is located in a private lot near the preschool entrance.

For the 2021-22 academic year:

• Both the pre-kindergarten and junior kindergarten meet five days a week
• Parents can choose between a half-day schedule (8:30- 11:30 am) or a full-day schedule (8:30 am - 3 pm).
• An optional extended day program is available until 6 pm each day. An optional summer program, with a daily schedule that mirrors the school year, will also be offered.
• Families can take advantage of an early morning drop-off beginning at 7:30 am at no additional charge.

About 40 children are enrolled in our preschool.

• Yes! Enrolling in our preschool is the first step in a seamless Sacred Heart education that will take your child through 8th grade. No further admission process is required.

• Yes! Senior kindergarten brings together children from both our junior kindergarten and other excellent preschools across Chicago. Located on our SK-8 campus, senior kindergarten expands so that additional seats are available for new families. All families are warmly welcomed into our admissions process, whether or not they have attended our junior kindergarten.
• If your child is currently enrolled in another preschool community, but you are interested in Sacred Heart for SK, be sure to explore our option for Early Decision. We anticipate SK will initially be filled through a combination of children applying via Early Decision and children moving up from our JK program.

• Sacred Heart is committed to our school families. Affiliated applicants (siblings of current students and children of Sacred Heart employees) are given preference among qualified candidates. Children and grandchildren of Sacred Heart Network alumni also receive careful consideration. All applicants, regardless of affiliation, must qualify for admission.

• We seek to enroll new families who are interested in the full Sacred Heart educational experience through 8th grade. In order to be considered for admission to preschool, prospective parents new to Sacred Heart are encouraged to join a Virtual Admissions Information Session to learn about the Sacred Heart Network, mission and academic program, PK - 8th grade. Preference is given to those families who demonstrate a commitment to Sacred Heart education beyond the preschool.

For the 2020-21 admissions season, we will be transitioning from our traditional on-campus assessments to informal virtual meetings via Zoom. You and your child will meet with a Sacred Heart representative for a brief 15-30 minute conference. You will have an opportunity to share information about your child's development, and your child will engage in simple, age-appropriate play activities. You may be asked to help facilitate some activities.

Some important details:

• Children and parents should anticipate a relaxed, unpressured experience.
• Pre-kindergarten applicants meet with Holly DePalma, Director of the preschool, and junior kindergarten applicants meet with a member of the Admissions Team.
• Children often find it easier to engage in activities when only one parent joins them in the conference. 
• All of our assessments are age-appropriate and developmentally-focused, centering on every-day play activities with puzzles, manipulatives, art materials, and word and number games.

• Tuition assistance is available to qualifying families, PreK-Grade 8. About 20% of students attend Sacred Heart with the help of tuition assistance. Please visit the Tuition and Tuition Assistance page of our website to learn more.

• Apply by December 4, 2020.
• Should you miss the initial application date, please call the Admissions Office. Naturally, we are happy to accept applications as long as spaces are available.

• We welcome families of all faiths. 40% of our students are from Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist families.
• 30% of our students are children of color.
• 25% of our students enroll with the support of tuition assistance.
• Parents and students hail from 30 different countries and 20 different languages are spoken in our students' homes.

Sacred Heart is a Catholic, but not a parish school. We are financially independent of the Archdiocese and governed by an independent Board of Trustees. With the blessing of the Archdiocese, we offer sacramental preparation for our Catholic students, but are free to chart our own course in terms of academics and curriculum.

Sacred Heart is also an independent school, receiving our academic accreditation from the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS), the regional arm of the National Association of Independent Schools. Independent schools are known for rigorous accreditation standards, expansive and challenging academic programs, a focus on faculty professional development and best practice, and low student/teacher ratios that ensure students receive personal attention and feel known and valued by their school community.

Sacred Heart draws on the best of both the Catholic and independent school traditions as we guide our students toward lives of purpose and meaning through an education that harnesses the power of both their minds and their hearts.
 

Sacred Heart's graduates have an enviable track record of admission into the area's finest high schools. Approximately 95% of Sacred Heart eighth graders are accepted by their first-choice high school, including Jesuit, independent and CPS selective enrollment high schools. Our High School Placement Counselor assists students and families through every step of the admissions process, focusing on identifying the best program for each student.

• Yes! Senior kindergarten brings together children from both our junior kindergarten and other excellent preschools across Chicago. Located on our SK-8 campus, senior kindergarten expands so that additional seats are available for new families. All families are warmly welcomed into our admissions process, whether or not they have attended our junior kindergarten.
• If your child is currently enrolled in another preschool community, but you are interested in Sacred Heart for SK, be sure to explore our option for Early Decision. We anticipate SK will initially be filled through a combination of children applying via Early Decision and children moving up from our JK program.

Students graduate from Sacred Heart at the close of 8th grade, so we are especially thoughtful in admitting new students at this level. New students who are accepted are most often from families moving to the Chicago area. Students transferring from other Sacred Heart Network schools are often strong candidates. Families wishing to apply for eighth grade must obtain a waiver from the Admissions Office.

For the 2020-21 admissions season, we will be transitioning from our traditional on-campus assessments to virtual assessments via Zoom. 

Whether in person or on-line, we understand that elementary school students can exhibit a range of skills. Two children of the same age can present different combinations of abilities, and both can be completely on track. What we hope to discover in our meetings with children is that they are growing in ways that will allow them to enter Sacred Heart ready to engage and flourish.

The length of the assessment varies by the age of the applicant, from about 30 minutes to two hours. Children applying to 1st - 3rd grade work one-on-one with a member of the Admissions Team on literacy and math activities. Applicants to 4th - 8th grade take a computer-based assessment, proctored by a member of the Admissions Team, focusing on reading and math. A writing sample is also required.

We may be able to waive the assessment for applicants who can provide standardized test scores from their current school or from a recognized testing agency.  Acceptable alternatives include: ERB (Educational Records Bureau), ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills), ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam), MAP (Measure of Academic Progress), Stanford Achievement Test, SSAT (Secondary School Admissions Test - Elementary School Level), and the TerraNova. Other testing may also be acceptable. Please check with Admissions Office to learn more.

The Admissions Committee looks at applicants holistically and evaluates multiple factors for admission. However, report cards play an important role, especially for children looking to enter upper grades. Successful candidates typically come to Sacred Heart with an above-average academic record and a history of positive classroom citizenship. An interested family with concerns about their child’s report card should always feel free to call the Director of Admissions for a confidential conversation prior to application.

The Admissions Office is responsible for gathering information about each applicant and family and presenting a completed applicant file to the Admissions Committee. The Admissions Committee — comprised of the Director of Admissions, the relevant Division Head and selected faculty —reviews each applicant file and makes a recommendation to the Head of Schools. The final authority to admit or deny an applicant rests solely with the Head of Schools.

Sacred Heart is firmly committed to our school families.  Siblings of current students, as well as children of Sacred Heart employees, are given preference for admission. Children and grandchildren of alumnae/i also receive careful consideration for admission, although acceptance is not automatic for any applicant. All applicants, regardless of affiliation, must qualify for admission.