State of the School
It is with a heavy heart that we announce that the current school year, our 185th, will be the final year of Elgin Academy. Despite the tremendous efforts of the Board, school leadership and other dedicated community members to find a path forward, we have recently determined that our model of an independent Preschool through 12th grade school is no longer sustainable in Elgin. The Board of Trustees has voted that the school will close at the end of the 2023-2024 school year.
We understand that with this sad news there will be many questions. We have created a Frequently Asked Questions document in anticipation of some of those questions. In the FAQ you can learn more about the challenging landscape independent schools are facing, the strategic discussions the Board of Trustees has engaged in, and efforts they have made over the last decade to try to develop a financially sustainable path for our beloved school. In addition, the FAQ shares more specific details for current families and Alumni.
For now, we resolve to remain focused on giving our students the Elgin Academy experience that they love and that you expect. We will continue to work diligently in service of our mission to inspire students to become our creative, courageous and compassionate future. We will do so by preserving our close-knit community built on a culture of trust, respect and compassion, by observing cherished EA events and traditions right through graduation, and by staying in the moment and allowing your children to keep on learning, doing, and being who they are—Elgin Academy Hilltoppers. We owe nothing less to our students, to our faculty and staff, to the over 5000 EA graduates, and to the thousands of parents who have given their time, resources, and love to honor this great institution and its remarkable history.
Updates
![School Fair & Prospective School Information]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1699548597/elgin/zrmrieughipmidln6wgk/SoS600x400.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1699548597/elgin/zrmrieughipmidln6wgk/SoS600x400.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1699548597/elgin/zrmrieughipmidln6wgk/SoS600x400.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1699548597/elgin/zrmrieughipmidln6wgk/SoS600x400.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1699548597/elgin/zrmrieughipmidln6wgk/SoS600x400.jpg","width":1250}])
Thank you to the many EA families who attended the School Fair this past weekend. With over 45 schools represented we hope this was a good opportunity to have face-to-face conversations with admissions representatives and learn more about the schools.
Moving forward we have created a prospective school information page on EA's website for families to visit to learn about upcoming open houses, testing, and shadow days. We have asked all the schools who attended the Fair to keep us updated on their upcoming Admissions Events. Please feel free to reach out to Bonita Goist in the EA Admissions office if you have any questions or would like help with your search.
You can find admission event details for the following school on the Prospective School Information page of our website.
- St. John's Northwestern - open house on December 15th
- Westminster Christian School - preview night on February 5th or April 15th
- Wolcott College Prep - in-person coffee and tour on December 14th and Virtual "Coffee" Zoom on January 17th
- Harvest Christian Academy - online informational session on December 13th
- Montessori Pathways School - open house on March 2nd, April 6th, or May 4th
- Saint Viator High School - exam for current 8th graders on December 9th, shadow day and tour information
- Lake Forest Country Day School - open house on January 23rd and March 6th
- St. Edward Central Catholic High School - tours and visit day information
- St. Francis High School - entrance exam on December 12th
Elgin Academy will be offering the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) on Saturday, December 16th. The ISEE is often but not always required when applying to independent schools. Families should not feel like they have to register their students for the ISEE unless they believe it will be required at any of the schools where their child may be applying.
To register to take the ISEE Exam:
- Log in at: https://iseeonline.
erblearn.org/ - On the left side of the screen select the green box "create an account"
- Set up a parent account
- Add each of the students who will be registering for the ISEE
- The student's testing level is determined by the grade to which they are applying
- On the "Find a Test" screen enter the following event code in the far right column 5LKMDTGW
- The test date that appears should be December 16, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.
- Click "Register" and follow the prompts to pay for and complete the registration
- The fee per on-site test is $155
- Registration will close on December 13th at 11:59 p.m.
- Parents may select to have your student's test scores sent to other schools. To determine if you want to do this, review the ISEE FAQ sheet.
Check-in starts at 8:30 am and testing will end between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. (upper divisions will take longer). Students will be allowed to use phones prior to the essay section (the last part of the test) to notify parents of specific pick-up times. Students should bring a snack and a water bottle. They can bring reading material in case they finish a section of the test early. Phones need to be off and stored away. If you have any questions, contact Bonita Goist at bgoist@elginacademy.org.
ABC News aired a story on Channel 7 and both the Daily Herald and the Chicago Tribune published articles about Elgin Academy.
Here are the links in case you missed them:
![Parent Webinar Recording]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1699974808/elgin/abxzb9np7byue5a7amvo/Screenshotparentvideo.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1699974808/elgin/abxzb9np7byue5a7amvo/Screenshotparentvideo.png","width":328}])
A video recording of the parent webinar that took place on Wednesday, November 8th has been posted on the State of the School page of our website. If you missed the webinar please take some time to view the recording.
Please don’t hesitate to email your questions to stateoftheschool@elginacademy.org. We are eager to be in conversation with you, so that we can provide information that we hope will support and sustain you as we all navigate this transition for our families.
Questions
Please don’t hesitate to email your questions. We are eager to be in conversation with you, so that we can provide information that we hope will support and sustain you as we all navigate this transition for our families.
Media Contact
Bonita Goist
Communications Office bgoist@elginacademy.org
847-695-0300 x 243