Grace Lutheran School

7300 Division Street

River Forest, IL 60305

22 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on December 11, 2024

Grace has been a game changer for our family in every aspect! We feared our daughter switching schools in 7th grade as that can be a rough year with all the emotional changes and academics increasingly growing, however we couldn’t be happier with our decision. Our daughter has made amazing friends and everybody was extremely friendly and welcoming right away. She is also being challenged academically in ways we always wished for her. Our son started PK this year as well and I was skeptical as he has been home with me since birth, but Mrs. Brayton, Ms. GL and the rest of the staff have been outstanding, not only are they helping our son thrive academically but they care for him as though he is family. He absolutely loves being at school with his friends and the Grace staff. Everybody is extremely supportive, understanding and always available and willing to help in any way possible. They are also big on teaching independence and preparing our children for independent growth while never failing to make clear that there is always somebody available to help if needed. If you’re thinking Grace, DO IT, you won’t regret it for one second!
Submitted by parent on December 10, 2024

We absolutely are thrilled with our 4th grader starting Grace this year! The academics are rigorous, and our child is being challenged in the best way possible with a curriculum that sparks curiosity and critical thinking. The school fosters an amazing sense of diversity, and it's wonderful to see our child learning from classmates of different backgrounds and cultures. There’s also a fantastic range of extracurricular activities, from sports to music and more, giving our child the opportunity to explore new interests. Above all, the school truly feels like a family—caring, supportive, and dedicated to each child’s success. We couldn't be happier with our decision!
Submitted by parent on April 05, 2023

My experience with this school has been wonderful. There is a great sense of community at Grace. Everyone is very involved and treat each other great, it’s a like a family. My child loves going to Grace, there is a lot of attention placed on each child by the teachers. I like that the classrooms are not over populated and there is more one on one attention given if needed. My child is thriving here at Grace and it makes us happy. I would definitely recommend this school.
Submitted by parent on February 28, 2023

My son has been at Grace since he was 3. We are now starting to think about life after Grace, and feel 100% confident that any high school he chooses will welcome him and that he’s well-prepared academically. But, more importantly, Grace is our family. Such a beautiful community of kids and parents. My son’s friends are great kids and so kind. Cannot rate Grace high enough!
Submitted by parent on February 03, 2023

Grace School's differentiated instruction allowed one of my kids to move ahead in math and reading. They've also given personalized support to my other kid who struggled with reading and another who struggled with adhd. I'm sure this is why Grace School's test scores are so impressive. I love that they offer no-cut sports starting in third grade. All three of my kids see themselves as athletes thanks to these programs. Music opportunities abound too. Above all, Grace is a place that cultivates their faith and character. We are so thankful for Grace School!
Submitted by parent on December 01, 2022

Best decision we ever made for our kids and our family as a whole!
Submitted by parent on December 01, 2022

Community is the strong feature of this school. The academics are classical and delivery could use some updating. In our experience an under performing teacher was given too much flexibility to negatively impact students. Ask tough questions about continuity between teachers, standards, school values in practice, and classroom management practices.
Submitted by parent on December 01, 2022

This is our 2nd year at Grace Lutheran School, and we could not be more happy here.The leadership of the school is authentic and at the top of their game, and the community is positive and supportive. The classroom sizes are great for my young kids so they get the support and help that they need and want. The teachers are very communicative thus far about how our children are doing, and they genuinely care about my children and their success and love of learning. We love being at Grace Lutheran School and highly recommend It!
Submitted by parent on August 18, 2022

We relocated to Illinois and decided to tour Grace Lutheran School in March. We were told by the admissions director that first grade seats were available for the upcoming school year. We decided to apply for admission since there were seats available and paid $51.50 for the admission application fee. We were never given the opportunity to complete the admission process and we do not know why.During the school tour, I was told by the admission's director that our son would be scheduled for a student visit, where he would spend time in the classroom during a school day, and an assessment. My husband & I were going to be scheduled for a parent interview as well.Our son was scheduled for an assessment only on May 5th. After the assessment, the first grade teacher told me that there was a waiting list for first grade. Of course, we were told by the admission's director prior to paying the application fee that seats were available for first grade.I would also like to note that the assessment setting was uncomfortable for our son. The first grade teacher did inform me that parents are required to stay in the lobby during the assessment so that she may get a better glimpse of the student while they are separated from their parent. I should have said No.Not every child is the same. Some children may be comfortable in this type of situation and others, like our son, may not be. Our son toured the school once. He was uncomfortable and nervous because he was alone, in a classroom with someone he was not familiar with. Parents should be allowed to remain outside the classroom.I emailed the admission's director on June 4th to inquire about where we were in the admission's process. I never received a response. I checked the admission application portal to see if there was a note or letter regarding the admission process. Nothing was updated. The student visit and parent interview were never scheduled. Our son's assessment from May 5th wasn't documented in the application portal.On June 22nd, I emailed the principal and admission's director to detail our experience with the admissions process and to request a refund for the admission application fee. We would have never applied to this school had we been informed prior that there was a waiting list for first grade. I never received a response.We are thankful for the experience because it showed my husband and I that this particular school, although close to our home, was not the best option for our child.
Submitted by parent on January 04, 2021

Grace has been an incredible fit for our family. We are in our second year at Grace, with three students enrolled. The teachers and staff are amazing, the extracurricular activities (which are on hiatus because of Covid), are fantastic. The community is so welcoming and tight-knit. Even though we started when our oldest was in the upper elementary grades, we never once were made to feel like outsiders. I could sing Grace's praises all day long.
Submitted by parent on November 02, 2020

We couldn't be happier with our experience at Grace. This is our fourth year there and we look forward to many more!
Submitted by parent on October 22, 2020

We have been at grace for 9 years and have 3 kids at Grace. We have fallen in love with the community that has been created there and even with an upcoming move, we have factored in staying at Grace with our decisions about schooling because we feel it is the right place for our children.
Submitted by parent on January 02, 2019

I love this school so much more every year. Grace has really become a cornerstone of our lives. The school contributes so much more to our family than just an exceptional education. We found our village. Grace offers opportunities to feed your whole family. My husband & I have found fast friends with similar interests. There are so many events that help parents be better parents. Faith based social opportunities, family fun nights, a community of people who have become more like family.
Submitted by parent on January 01, 2019

I currently have two kids in high school who attended Grace Lutheran School from Junior Kindergarten through 8th grade. Both have come out well prepared for high school, which is a common theme I’ve heard over the years from other parents whose kids have attended Grace. We liked that Grace had a diverse student body from a wide variety of zip codes. The staff is made up of dedicated and talented teachers, many of whom come back after retirement and volunteer at the school. The music instruction is fantastic and there are a variety of athletic offerings that give students of all skill levels the opportunity to participate and compete in a supportive environment. Our family felt an overwhelming sense of community at Grace that was fostered by involved parents combined with the support of school faculty, staff and Grace Church itself. If you’re considering a private school education for your child, do yourself a favor and check out Grace, you won’t be disappointed.
Submitted by parent on June 20, 2018

The junior high instructors are effective and the main reason to stay there. Not all activities are open to all the students, bells for example, is not open to all students and the selection criteria for students to play in bells is not transparent and not known. Children are regularly taken out of their main course subjects to rehearse for plays, and for choir, even though they also have choir twice per week. The choir hours are at best high end baby-sitting or at worse a waste of your student's precious time and your heard-earned money. If you ask your child at the end of every year to tell you what they have learned after 1 year of choir, they will not be able to say anything. Children put on excellent plays, and Christmas services, but at the expense of their academic time and on your money which gives one the feeling that they are used to justify the existence of staff that would otherwise have very little to do. Room parents dictate when classroom parties take place and very often these parties occur in the place of hard core subjects. There is obviously too little meaningful evaluation of all the instructors and staff. If you are already in the school, you need to stay on top of what your child needs to learn and teach him or her independently. Children do well because they and their parents do not leave their learning in the hands of the school. I do not trust Grace Lutheran School to manage my children's time and my money in an effective manner.
Submitted by parent on February 09, 2018

Our three kids love going to school here everyday. The school does a fantastic job of making sure they balance strong academics with music, art and social development. There is a religious basis to the education, but as non church members, we feel welcome and never have felt excluded. The teachers and staff are all kind and empathetic. Since it's a very small school, all the parents are acquainted, making bullying a non existent problem. Our kids are PK, SK and 4th Grade, but we know many that have graduated and are doing very well. High academic achievement in HS and beyond is likely with the foundation that Grace puts in place. Happy we moved into a poor quality school district and found Grace! So far, wouldn't do it again any other way.
Submitted by parent on June 18, 2013

Our daughter had difficulty with school and this school is the sole reason she succeeded. Everyone put forth an effort to find ways to help her. Her learning disability was not an obvious one. If we had not gone to this school I believe she would not be so successful today. This school is loving, has high academic standards and is all about the children. As a teacher in a public school district, I could not have been happier with Grace Lutheran School. We were not members of the church, but were treated like family. I would recommend this school to anyone who wants a good education for their child and does not wish to go the public route. Our daughter is thriving in college and on the Deans List.
Submitted by teacher on May 24, 2013

Grace School is a caring community where my daughters have flourished. Their teachers know them deeply and care about their intellectual, social, and spiritual developement. The opportunities abound -- plays, insturmental music, after school and summer classes, and more. The new principal is impressive as well. We are so thankful for this school!
Submitted by parent on February 13, 2013

My 2 children are graduates of Grace; they were well prepared for high school. Once in high school they both took all honors and AP classes to the highest level and are now in college with one majoring in pre-med and the other pursuing a master's in business. Beyond the academic success they are achieving, I feel they were taught to pursue social justice and volunteer causes and are committed to making a difference in their field.
Submitted by parent on September 12, 2011

My son has been attending Grace Lutheran for several years now. We are not members of this, or any, church. We have always been made to feel more than welcome, and very comfortable. We have been invited to many parties and outings both in the school year and during the summer break. Even the kids in my son s class that are not really friends are all very respectful to each other and quite kind in my experience. I have found the individual attention, the small class size and the academics to be excellent. Foreign language is taught in all grades, starting in kindergarten (perhaps even JK and preschool). Art and music are integral to the curriculum. For example, they have artists of the week, where a single master is discussed in many of the classes, the decade the artist lived, the culture lived in, where they can incorporate art they do. Junior Orchestra is offered beginning in the first grade. There is plenty of recess breaks for the children, currently my son gets at least two longer recess breaks along with a shorter 10 minute break every day. There are no letter grades given individual assessments review the progress the individual child has made.