Upper School

#14 Private High School in Illinois

Pursuing Excellence in All We Do

Our Upper School provides a supportive, values-aligned community where all students have access to robust programs that help them realize and fulfill their potential.

By the time they graduate, Hilltoppers are:
- Secure in their abilities
- Disciplined in their thinking
- Creative in their collaboration
- Compassionate toward others
- Dedicated to achieving their goals

To provide a holistic education, we combine high academic standards with expectations for involvement in the arts and sports in an environment where it is just as important to learn from failure as it is to flourish.

Nearly 100% of our graduates matriculate to their desired college or university to cultivate their interests, pursue meaningful careers, and make a positive impact on the world.

“When my kids go to college, they will be fully prepared. And when they get out into the world, they will be able to write well, fend for themselves, and advocate for themselves.”

Current EA Parent

Academic Excellence

Our traditional liberal arts curriculum ensures students are proficient in English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, World Languages, Fine Arts, Computer Science, and Athletics.

Innovative Upper School offerings empower students to pursue their specialized interests and delve further into subject areas.

January Term

An opportunity for students to expand their intellectual curiosity and geographic horizons by choosing a travel experience, studying a subject that sparks their interest, or investigating a career with an internship.
2023 January Term Program Guide

The Hilltop Capstone Project

Seniors have the opportunity to design their own curriculum that touches on one or more subject areas to answer their own essential question. All students in this program interact regularly with an Upper School teacher who serves as the Hilltop Coordinator.

Upper School Program Guide

Our 2023-2024 US Program Guide provides departmental philosophies along with descriptions of courses. This information, combined with support from faculty advisors and parents, helps students make choices that take full advantage of an EA education.

J-Term is a transformational program allows Upper School students to engage in unique, immersive classes designed to fulfill Elgin Academy’s mission of Inspiring students to become our creative, courageous, and compassionate future.

"My experience SCUBA diving in Belize during January Term introduced me to a new lifelong passion and sparked a compassion for our environment. I learned that I am capable of overcoming obstacles and doing more in my life."Ethan Moore '20, Elgin Academy Alumni

Innovative Student Schedule

Our unique schedule for Upper School students is geared to optimize learning and strengthen the personalized experience for our students both in and out of the classroom.

Students attend four classes (not the usual six) each day with 30-minute breaks between classes to allow for much needed downtime to absorb and reflect on the content of the previous class. This time also allows for club and class meetings, meetings with teachers for additional help and instruction, and socializing with fellow classmates outside of class. While school is in session five days per week, the daily schedule is on a seven-day rotation with classes meeting on varying days and varying times of the day.

View Sample US Schedule

“I really like how they do the classes. So many per day with group work time and lab time. Longer class periods are built into the schedule. This gives the kids time to focus on the topics. They have time to absorb it more if they are working on it in the class more.”

Current EA Parent

Our unique schedule for Upper School students allows time in the day for club and class meetings, meetings with teachers for additional help and instruction, and socializing with fellow classmates.

Advising and College Counseling

Our individualized advising and college counseling programs ensure students identify their goals and develop a comprehensive academic and co-curricular plan that ultimately enables them to pursue the colleges and universities that best match their needs, interests and aspirations.

Advisory Program

When students enter the Upper School they are assigned an advisor that stays with them through graduation. Advisors play a key role in helping students navigate the complexities of being successful academically while also leading vibrant, active lives outside of the classroom.

Advisors seek to identify the goals, strengths and growth areas for each student, meeting with them and their parents to shape a class schedule each year.

Advisors seek to create a climate in which each student feels welcome to share personal successes, struggles, and/or concerns and offer guidance when appropriate. Upper School advisory groups represent the diversity of interests and backgrounds within the Elgin Academy community.

College Counseling

College counselors work with students and their families to evaluate potential colleges and careers. The college search officially commences for students in February of their junior year during the College Night event with an in-depth overview of the application process. Junior year students also begin attending weekly workshops focused on the application-related tasks such as the application process, essay writing, and testing timelines. These workshops continue into their senior year.

The college counseling process is very individualized.

Counselors meet with each student and family to develop key criteria for their search, discuss college visits, and develop plans for testing, summer experiences and senior curriculum.

Upper School Profile

College counselors serve as advocates, empowering students to drive their own college search as well as develop vital decision making and communication skills.

Fine Arts

Students in Fine Arts courses develop lifelong awareness and appreciation for the arts and the importance of the contribution the arts have made for the betterment of our world.Fine Arts courses at Elgin Academy are process-oriented, not product-oriented. We offer multi-cultural experiences, as well as the opportunity for students to explore who they are and to develop critical thinking skills in an active and vital learning environment. Courses are offered in a variety of visual, performing, and media arts, allowing students to explore their creative options or more fully develop an artistic passion.

We provide a safe environment where students are comfortable taking risks for their own personal growth.

Each year the Theatre department produces two full-length extracurricular productions - one play and one musical - in the Upper School.

Theatre

Students engage in creative and collaborative ventures while exploring acting, directing, script writing, set production, costuming, sound, lighting, etc.

Students work both individually and collaboratively in a supportive environment.

International Thespian Society

This group honors high school students for outstanding work in theater. Membership is granted for the performance of meritorious work in theater arts through participation in productions.

Music

The music program encourages students to develop an understanding, appreciation, and love of music by giving them the tools to express themselves musically in meaningful and enjoyable ways.

Visual Arts

The Upper School Visual Arts Department offers a wide range of classes covering art history and three and two-dimensional opportunities. Art classes have been developed for the student who chooses to experience a visual art class as well as for those students planning to pursue a more in-depth study in art. Art may be taken for one semester or as a sequential study for four years.

Videography

The Videography program teaches the art and craft of filmmaking, explores the history and theory of film and video, and provides intensive hands-on experience utilizing the latest technology in media production. There are two videography classes offered in the Upper School: Introduction to Videography and Advanced Videography.

The fine arts classes at Elgin Academy exemplify the promise of active learning. Our classes are process oriented as we work towards presenting the final presentation, performance, or piece of art.

Through the fine arts curriculum at Elgin Academy, students become better creators, collaborators, and communicators.

World Language

By mastering the World Language skills expected by colleges and universities, students gain a new understanding of the concepts of language and learn about other cultures.

Elgin Academy 's World Languages Department offers classical and modern languages. Students can choose to study French, Spanish, or Latin in Upper School.

Students gain a broad understanding of the linguistic and cultural heritage in the language they choose to study.

The study of a world language is a progressive experience and implies the progressive acquisition of linguistic skills. In the Classical languages, the skill of reading the target language is emphasized. In modern languages, four skills are thoroughly learned: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. In addition, the grammatical and structural concepts of English are reinforced by instruction in world languages.

Athletics

The Athletic Program at Elgin Academy is designed to enhance the student experience by providing multiple opportunities for active learning in competitive environments.

Athletics at Elgin Academy serve as an extension of the classroom, where students work together to accomplish goals and overcome challenges. We value athletic participation, where coaches teach and reinforce the importance of sportsmanship, leadership, hard work, commitment, and dedication to something bigger than themselves. It is this focus in addition to the overall learning atmosphere that better sets our students up for success in the future.

Senior Noelle Lanton and Sophomore Addison Lanton, pictured above with Coach Perez, are the 2022 1A State Tennis Doubles Champions. This is a first in the 183-year history of Elgin Academy.

Fall Sports

Girls Tennis
Girls Volleyball
Co-Ed Golf
Co-Ed Cross Country
Strength and Conditioning

Winter Sports

Boys Basketball
Girls Basketball

Spring Sports

Boys Tennis
Boys Baseball
Girls Soccer
Co-Ed Track and Field

Student Clubs, Organizations, and Activities

The Upper School experience offers students a variety of opportunities to develop leadership skills, pursue passions, and serve others. EA’s clubs and organizations geared toward encouraging and developing student interests and talent. They are student driven and the specific offerings change each year.

2022-2023 Student Clubs

Student Council
Athletic Council
Service - PADS
Environmental Club
The Cupola - Student Newspaper
Gaming Club
Movie Club
Prom Committee
Service - Soup Kitchen

Yearbook
Stock Market Club
Math Club
Latin Club
Music Club
Scholastic Bowl
Health and Technology Club
House Activities

At the beginning of each year club leaders run club and activities fair for students to learn about the offerings and sign up.

Honors and Awards

The EA experience provides several opportunities for students to challenge themselves and aspire to excellence.

Cum Laude Society

A national academic honor society whose membership is based solely on grade point average. Each spring the top 10% of the junior class and the top 20% of the senior class is admitted to the society.

National Honor Society

Each year during the Second Semester, all students in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher are invited to apply for membership in this national organization. Membership is determined by a faculty committee and is based on each student's achievement in and commitment to Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character.

International Thespian Society

This group honors high school students for outstanding work in theater. Membership is granted for the performance of meritorious work in theater arts through participation in productions.

Ora L. Pelton, III Award & Mother Daughter Award

Each year at Elgin Academy’s Commencement Ceremony a male graduate is presented the Ora L. Pelton, III award and a female graduate is presented the Mother Daughter Award. The winners of these awards are students who best typifies the ideas and character of Elgin Academy. They must maintain a definite scholastic standard and have a well-balanced interest in school activities.

Meet Our Upper School Faculty & Staff

“We found some wonderful teachers who were caring, engaging, and personalized. You know those once-in-a-lifetime teachers you get? At EA, we got them multiple times.”

Parent of an EA Graduate

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Doug Sept

Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs, Director of College Counseling

MS, University of Kentucky
BS, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Students must feel comfortable before they can learn. I expect my classroom to be an environment where students are allowed to take risks. I look for situations when I can look at a problem for the first time with students and model for them how to try and potentially fail in finding the right solution, only to rebound and try new ideas.
-Doug Sept

Jorge Sanchez

Upper School Dean of Students, Upper School English

MA, University of Chicago
MFA, University of Michigan
BA, Loyola University Chicago

If a student fails to enjoy any piece of literature and minimally improves their writing, but manages to grow as a human being, I feel I have been successful. If a student masters every text and writes beautifully, but has not changed at all since the first day of school, I have failed.
-Jorge Sanchez

Ashley Anderson

College Counselor, Upper School English & History

BS, Missouri State University

It is upon the fundamentals of reading, writing, listening, and speaking that we find access to the good, the beautiful, and the true. Personal invitation for intentional practice of these skills is at the core of my mission as a teacher. Each student in my care is encouraged to create with authenticity, explore complex ideas, ask thoughtful questions, discover joy in learning, and strive for excellence.
- Ashley Anderson

Anna Przybylski

Upper School Administrative Assistant & Registrar

Mother Teresa said: "Do little things with a big heart." My role as registrar / administrative assistant is to assist students, faculty and staff, in addition to maintenance of student records and files. It’s a pleasure to be a part of the Elgin Academy family and an even greater pleasure to help them everyday.
- Anna Przybylski