is the Fox River Valley’s preschool through grade 12 independent school
where taking learning personally
defines the collective ethos and covenant
that unites all students and teachers, parents and staff members, administrators and trustees.
Within intentionally small-scaled classrooms,
Elgin Academy students learn to be secure in themselves,
disciplined in their thinking,
creative in their collaboration,
compassionate toward others,
and dedicated in their efforts
as they contribute as thinkers and doers in school and the community.
Families from across Chicago’s northwestern suburbs and exurbs
find at Elgin Academy
a cherished oasis from the perceived impersonality
and over-scaled local public schools.
Elgin Academy students in every division
pursue active learning,
testing new ideas and securing trust with each other and their teachers
as they try out new pursuits, assume leadership roles, and take calculated intellectual risks
to see what resonates and moves them toward mastery.
Elgin Academy graduates make discerning college choices
based on not only prestige, but also personal fit,
and enroll at a diverse array of colleges and universities nationwide and worldwide,
equipped with the know-how and self-confidence that stems
from coming of age in this individually attuned community.
They go forth as productive, conscientious, and mindful young people
who continue to hone their understanding of world and self—
a lifelong process that stands as the abiding gift of their Elgin Academy education.