Northside Catholic Academy

7318 North Oakley Avenue

Chicago, IL 60645

8 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on August 22, 2023

The teachers and administrative staff care deeply about the school and students. My child has flourished in this environment. There is a strong community and lots of opportunities to get to know other families.
Submitted by parent on July 19, 2019

The First years were great but since the new Principal took over the school has gone downhill fast. I should have removed my kid earlier but wanted all my kids to finish at the same school. Big mistake. The school has suffered greatly with the new people. So many families are leaving. This school is an embarrassment to the Archdiocese now. It exemplifies everything Catholic schools should not be: a place for bullies to thrive, a mediocre (at best) education, unhealthy competition among parents (who are willing to scapegoat other unpopular kids to save their own kids reputations), racist, school run by an unqualified Pricipal and VIce Principal. It is sad to see such a great school go so bad in such a short period of time. Save your money. Go elsewhere if you want a happy, well educated, well rounded child.
Submitted by parent on May 21, 2019

Under the previous principal we loved NCA and would do anything to support it - we would give time, talent and treasure until it hurt. The new principal's imperious attitude and lack of communication skills has damaged a once awesome school. It's all anyone talks about and some serious damage control needs to happen.
Submitted by parent on October 10, 2018

Our first 4 years at NCA were incredible. The last 3 were a nightmare to the point of having to change schools. I can only align this with the administration change. I think this is evident by the mass exodus of teachers. There is no longer any discipline. (One kid walked up & cut a teacher's hair in the middle school, and nothing happened. This wonderful teacher is gone, the student is still there participating in all activities.)
Submitted by parent on July 09, 2018

I was very impressed with the teacher/ parent communication and community. The children love their school and classmates. I’ve tour a ton of schools all over the city and nothing compares to the community you will find here and academics. Everyone looks out for one another. It’s a very special place.
Submitted by parent on February 02, 2016

NCA has a solid community of adults in and out of the school. I am regularly impressed by the level of involvement. Teachers genuinely care about their students' success and invest in them. The school has had a mix of senior teachers and younger teachers, but all have significant classroom experience. Academics are emphasized and seem rigorous, though not onerous. Having kids recently graduated and still in school, I have seen the curriculum evolve a bit, especially after Common Core. I never considered the school to be overly heavy on homework, though each teacher and student is going to experience it differently.The school offers a variety of after school programs, ranging from sports to academic-oriented enrichment programs. What is offered depends in part on who is available to help coach or mentor and sports seems to be more available than other activities. In terms of academic subjects, core subjects are rounded out with offerings of music and arts. The schools are also increasing computer availability, with a goal of 1:1 ratio in the near future. Overall, I have seen the school get better each of the last 9 years and feel like it is one of the best options for families in Rogers Park, West Ridge Edgewater, and Uptown. I don't mind paying the tuition and when times were tough in our household, we were able to get tuition help through the school.
Submitted by other on January 29, 2016

My daughter entered as a second grader. Was held back without ANY warning to repeat second grade. Now in fourth, she is the object of torment by her peers because she looks, acts and IS older than her classmates. Now we're having to look at other options to repair the mental damage that could have been prevented had teachers been honest with us the first year she was here; not given blatant mistruth about her progress to our faces in teacher meetings. Never send your child here. They are pompous, full of themselves, and too concerned about money to care the damage they do to kids, as long as they meet or exceed enrollment.
Submitted by parent on November 01, 2010

My son who is a junior in high school graduated from this middle school and my daughter is finishing her last year in 8th grade at NCA. My son says that NCA really prepared him for a college prep high school. The language arts classes were especially good at preparing him for his writing and english classes. The math curriculum is bettter, but still a bit weak. My daughter has really benefited from the class size of somewhere between 18 and 25. NCA is great academically, but the community is what makes NCA stand above the rest.