St Matthias School

4910 North Claremont Avenue

Chicago, IL 60625

24 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on January 26, 2025

Our family has been with the St. Matthias School for 6 years and I can't say enough about it! From the moment my oldest began the 2-year old Little Wonders Program, we were welcomed by the teachers, administration and fellow parents. My kids have benefited from the small class sizes, the IB curriculum & the compassionate teachers. Teachers like Mrs. Contreras (Prek) have instilled foundational skills to foster and develop emotional well-being. If you are looking for a welcoming community, outstanding education, small class sizes, and reasonable tuition cost, you have found the place!
Submitted by parent on January 22, 2025

I have 3 children at St. Matthias currently, between preschool and 4th grade. Each of my children is happy to go to school, has strong social connections, teachers that know them both academically as well as knows them as individuals, has teachers that truly are passionate about helping children learn and grow as well as are excellent communicators and partners with parents, and while St. Matthias is a Catholic school, they are welcoming to people from all faiths. Each year we have been a SMS family, I have watched my children grow academically, socially, and in their faith, and we are grateful to be a part of this school community.
Submitted by parent on January 21, 2025

St. Matthias School truly stands out in the vibrant Chicago Catholic school landscape. The school envelopes its students and families in a warm and welcoming atmosphere fostering a nurturing learning environment and a strong sense of community.One of the most impressive aspects of St. Matthias is its commitment to academic excellence. The school boasts a rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum that challenges students to think critically, develop research skills, and become global citizens. This challenging program, combined with small class sizes, allows for personalized attention and ensures that every student receives the support they need to thrive.The results speak for themselves. St. Matthias consistently achieves high test scores, demonstrating the effectiveness of its academic engagement and the dedication of its students. However, the school's success extends far beyond academic achievements. St. Matthias cultivates a truly inclusive and supportive environment where every student feels valued and respected. The diverse student body and the school's commitment to fostering a sense of belonging create a vibrant and enriching learning experience for all. I'd highly recommend St. Matthias to any family.
Submitted by parent on October 07, 2024

St. Matthias School (SMS) in 3 bullets:-Upstanding Catholic Values-Exceptional and Comprehensive Education-Welcoming and Diverse CommunityDetails:We are a new family at SMS for the 2024/25 school year, where my 4yo daughter started Pre-K in late Aug. My daughter’s mother and I are no longer together, and we co-parent from separate homes, so I thought it might be challenging to fit in, but that was not the case at all. We were genuinely welcomed by everyone and never once felt like we were being judged.There is a special atmosphere of respect, unity and operational proficiency at the highest level that can be observed across the school and church staff, older students, experienced families, and even new families like us, who quickly become integrated. The caring, personal attention is truly remarkable, from our daughter’s teachers, Mrs. Contreras and Ms. Figueroa, to the principal, Mrs. Pacholski, to the church leaders, Father Jason and Father Michael.There is diversity of families from different backgrounds who authentically come together based on their shared values, all of which creates an amazing community that goes beyond the walls of the school and church.St. Matthias is not for those parents who want to completely outsource their child’s education. At SMS, the educators highlight the critical role parents play in the holistic development of their child and establish reasonable parental involvement as a key component of the core curriculum.My expectations continue to be exceeded in all respects.There is a true sense of pride to be a part of the SMS family rooted in the reasons above, which are not based on status, but refreshingly humble and honest. Go Mustangs!
Submitted by parent on April 17, 2024

We moved from CPS during the pandemic and we haven't looked back. We found a wonderful and supportive community, and an amazing school both from an academic perspective, and a social and emotional perspective.St. Matthias is home.
Submitted by parent on April 13, 2024

Our son joined the school in Kindergarten & has had a wonderful experience. We found the community to be very welcoming and easily settled in. Academically, my son has improved in both years with his reading improving leaps and bounds. Teachers & staff are engaged and caring. Dropping my son off in the morning is always a happy experience, with lots of smiling faces seen along the route to school. Highly recommended.
Submitted by parent on April 12, 2024

Love this school. Three of our four kids are enrolled in the school and I cannot say enough about St. Matthias! Amazing teachers, great community & the IB educations something no other school in the area offers.
Submitted by parent on April 12, 2024

We have had a very positive experience with St Matthias School. We have been there since Pre-K 3, all through the pandemic and plan to remain through Eight grade. Our child is happy, has a great group of friends from many ethnic groups and has always had a great rapport with her teachers.
Submitted by other on April 12, 2024

This school was a great elementary school for our family! We truly enjoy the staff and family community while at SMS. One big plus is that they support IEP's/504's, title 1 programs, and also a school counselor. After touring other schools we realized a lot of other Archdiocese schools do not have resources like SMS has. During our time at SMS, we enjoyed the family community gathers. There are tons of opportunities to get involved and meet other families.
Submitted by parent on April 11, 2024

A mandated number of service hours are required of parents. Any hours not completed are charged financially at well over the cost of minimum wage employment. Most opportunities are during the school day, which is unrealistic for working families.More frequently, messages that are communicated are negative and recommend ‘consequences at home’. Improvement does not result in positive praise.For the amount of money put into the school, I don’t see it put into the kids.
Submitted by parent on May 20, 2022

St Matthias has been a wonderful school experience for our 2 boys. Raising kids takes a village and we have found a loving, supportive community here. I believe the curriculum has prepared them to succeed in high school. My older son now attends a selective enrollment high school and had a great freshman year. Lots of opportunities to get involved and meet other families. Everyone living in the area with young kids should take a tour and see what St Matthias is all about!
Submitted by parent on February 17, 2022

This school is a joke. My child has attended this school for years and its progressively gotten worse over the years. If your looking for a educational program based on your income this is the school for you. This is a privilege based school my child has endured bulling and raciest remarks not only by his peers but by the staff. This has been my experience at St. Matthias and I do not wish it on any other parent.
Submitted by parent on December 07, 2020

The school is a joke. The financial clout of parents is the only consideration, therein those with money are treated like royalty. The turnover with teachers is an annual occurrence, and there are teachers currently working there that don't have any degree in education. I honestly don't understand how the Archdiocese of Chicago allows a school as poorly run as this to remain open.
Submitted by parent on July 21, 2020

The school lacks in quality curriculum, administration, and instructors.
Submitted by parent on February 28, 2020

The school and parent groups are a wonderful community. My daughter is happy and is doing fantastic. We are huge fans of the IB program and see the benefits of a world view style of learning. So far, all our teachers have been great.
Submitted by parent on February 13, 2020

We have been a part of St. Matthias for many years. Our children have been happy, have made good friends and have done well academically, as well as have gotten a good foundation in our Catholic faith. The community is amazing - parents and students alike!
Submitted by parent on February 12, 2020

I can’t imagine a better school for our daughter. It combines strong academics and a caring community to prepare students to be leaders.
Submitted by parent on February 11, 2020

Scale 1-10 / 10 perfect Thank you
Submitted by parent on February 11, 2020

St Matthias exemplifies global values inherent to an international baccalaureate education, while maintaining a small town feel. The entire staff knows and greets my primary age children regularly and I feel confident they are well cared for. The school's commitment to diversity is very thorough and they've never hesitated to work with us financially to ensure we're able to afford the tuition and fees.
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2019

So far, so good! Great, in fact!!