FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about Admissions, Academics, School Services & Programs, and Religious Affiliations
Find answers to common questions about Admissions, Academics, School Services & Programs, and Religious Affiliations
Admissions Process
When should I apply?
Registration for the following school year opens during Lutheran Schools Weeks in March. The cost of registration is heavily discounted for this week only and registration will continue to increase up until the first day of school. Current students are given priority to reserve spaces and new students who register for a spot in March will be allotted available spots beginning in April. Families are strongly encouraged to complete pre-registration before the last day of school but may continue to enroll over the summer pending available space. New students may also be admitted mid-year depending on available space in the classroom.
What do I need to enroll?
All new students must submit a copy of their birth certificate and a current physical, dental, and eye exam in order to enroll at Grace. Families must also pay a registration fee for each child they plan to enroll. Registration fees are $50 per student until July 31. August registrations are considered late registration. Any child that registers during August or after the start of the school year will be charged a $75/child registration fee.
How much will I have to pay?
Grace Christian Academy charges monthly tuition using an online billing system. The full cost to educate one child at Grace is $6200 per year however all families receive financial subsidies to reduce their costs. Additional Grace tuition assistance is based on family size, the number of children you wish to enroll, and your income. Other assistance may be available through the state of Illinois DHS Action for Children program. Financial Aid and DHS Action for Children applications are available online or in the school office.
What is DHS Action for Children?
The DHS Action for Children program provides assistance to low-income parents that are working or in-school and are seeking quality childcare programs to look after their kids while they are at work. Grace Christian Academy is a recognized provider for DHS meaning children in our early childcare classrooms can receive full-day coverage from DHS if you qualify while children ages 6-12 can receive partial day coverage that offsets your costs for extended-care.
How can I arrange an academic consultation?
Please reach out to our office to schedule a consultation and see the school. We can be reached by phone at 773-762-1234 x4. or email our Director of Admissions, Hilda Morales, at Hmorales@gcachicago.org
Registration for the following school year opens during Lutheran Schools Weeks in March. The cost of registration is heavily discounted for this week only and registration will continue to increase up until the first day of school. Current students are given priority to reserve spaces and new students who register for a spot in March will be allotted available spots beginning in April. Families are strongly encouraged to complete pre-registration before the last day of school but may continue to enroll over the summer pending available space. New students may also be admitted mid-year depending on available space in the classroom.
What do I need to enroll?
All new students must submit a copy of their birth certificate and a current physical, dental, and eye exam in order to enroll at Grace. Families must also pay a registration fee for each child they plan to enroll. Registration fees are $50 per student until July 31. August registrations are considered late registration. Any child that registers during August or after the start of the school year will be charged a $75/child registration fee.
How much will I have to pay?
Grace Christian Academy charges monthly tuition using an online billing system. The full cost to educate one child at Grace is $6200 per year however all families receive financial subsidies to reduce their costs. Additional Grace tuition assistance is based on family size, the number of children you wish to enroll, and your income. Other assistance may be available through the state of Illinois DHS Action for Children program. Financial Aid and DHS Action for Children applications are available online or in the school office.
What is DHS Action for Children?
The DHS Action for Children program provides assistance to low-income parents that are working or in-school and are seeking quality childcare programs to look after their kids while they are at work. Grace Christian Academy is a recognized provider for DHS meaning children in our early childcare classrooms can receive full-day coverage from DHS if you qualify while children ages 6-12 can receive partial day coverage that offsets your costs for extended-care.
How can I arrange an academic consultation?
Please reach out to our office to schedule a consultation and see the school. We can be reached by phone at 773-762-1234 x4. or email our Director of Admissions, Hilda Morales, at Hmorales@gcachicago.org
Academics
Does Grace follow state and national standards?
Grace uses Common Core standards to ground our curriculum, much like you would see in any public school in Illinois. The use of MAPs testing monitors students’ growth and progress over the school year. However, teachers often incorporate their own creative and engaging activities and lessons to support student learning as opposed to always teaching directly from a textbook. Science and cultural research projects, speeches, writing assignments, artwork, and a range of other projects encourage our students to not just memorize facts but to put their skills to work.
Are any of the classes taught in Spanish?
Grace does not provide instruction in Spanish. One of the goals of our school is to improve each student’s English literacy and fluency so all classroom instruction is done in English. This does not mean you will not hear Spanish in our school. Both Pre-School classrooms are taught by bilingual teachers and the school aide is also bilingual in order to repeat instructions in Spanish so that our youngest students receive extra support in the process of strengthening their English skills.
Is tutoring available?
Grace currently offers Title 1 tutoring through Rocket Learning, a tutoring company which provides small group tutoring sessions to students who are referred to receive the services. These tutoring sessions occur during the school day during times when students will not miss other essential lessons. Also, many classroom teachers will make themselves available before or after school to work with a student who needs extra help.
Where do students typically go for high school?
We encourage students to consider high school options that will continue to challenge them academically and grow them spiritually. Grace currently has alumni at Christian and Catholic schools including Walther Christian, Cristo Rey, Hope, and Our Lady of Tepeyac High Schools, Charter schools including Chicago Bulls, Rauner, and Golder High schools, as well as the CPS selective enrollment school Lane Tech, military prep schools, and other neighborhood public high schools.
Grace uses Common Core standards to ground our curriculum, much like you would see in any public school in Illinois. The use of MAPs testing monitors students’ growth and progress over the school year. However, teachers often incorporate their own creative and engaging activities and lessons to support student learning as opposed to always teaching directly from a textbook. Science and cultural research projects, speeches, writing assignments, artwork, and a range of other projects encourage our students to not just memorize facts but to put their skills to work.
Are any of the classes taught in Spanish?
Grace does not provide instruction in Spanish. One of the goals of our school is to improve each student’s English literacy and fluency so all classroom instruction is done in English. This does not mean you will not hear Spanish in our school. Both Pre-School classrooms are taught by bilingual teachers and the school aide is also bilingual in order to repeat instructions in Spanish so that our youngest students receive extra support in the process of strengthening their English skills.
Is tutoring available?
Grace currently offers Title 1 tutoring through Rocket Learning, a tutoring company which provides small group tutoring sessions to students who are referred to receive the services. These tutoring sessions occur during the school day during times when students will not miss other essential lessons. Also, many classroom teachers will make themselves available before or after school to work with a student who needs extra help.
Where do students typically go for high school?
We encourage students to consider high school options that will continue to challenge them academically and grow them spiritually. Grace currently has alumni at Christian and Catholic schools including Walther Christian, Cristo Rey, Hope, and Our Lady of Tepeyac High Schools, Charter schools including Chicago Bulls, Rauner, and Golder High schools, as well as the CPS selective enrollment school Lane Tech, military prep schools, and other neighborhood public high schools.
School Services and Programs
Does Grace provide lunch for its students?
Grace is a provider of the National Hot Lunch Program and serves a daily, cold breakfast option and a daily hot lunch to any student who enrolls in the program. Students may receive breakfast and lunch for free, at reduced rates, or for full price depending on household income. You may opt for your children to automatically receive food each day or you can choose to select a limited number of days for the upcoming month off of a monthly menu calendar. Families can also choose to send lunch everyday with their child.
Are there activities available for students before or after school?
Grace offers before and after care for any student Pre-K through 8th Grade beginning at 7:00 AM until the start of the school day at 8:30 AM and again after school from 3:30 PM until 6:00 PM. An hourly charge applies to any full or partial hours that your child stays. Sports, drama and other clubs are also available depending on your child’s grade. Please see extracurriculars for more details!
Grace is a provider of the National Hot Lunch Program and serves a daily, cold breakfast option and a daily hot lunch to any student who enrolls in the program. Students may receive breakfast and lunch for free, at reduced rates, or for full price depending on household income. You may opt for your children to automatically receive food each day or you can choose to select a limited number of days for the upcoming month off of a monthly menu calendar. Families can also choose to send lunch everyday with their child.
Are there activities available for students before or after school?
Grace offers before and after care for any student Pre-K through 8th Grade beginning at 7:00 AM until the start of the school day at 8:30 AM and again after school from 3:30 PM until 6:00 PM. An hourly charge applies to any full or partial hours that your child stays. Sports, drama and other clubs are also available depending on your child’s grade. Please see extracurriculars for more details!
Religious Affiliations
What will my child learn about God?
At Grace, we believe that religious instruction is very important. Each day our students learn about Jesus and His love for us through Bible verses, songs and prayers. On Wednesdays at 8:45 AM, the entire school gathers for Chapel, held at Grace Lutheran Church (across the street from the school). Parents are encouraged to join us. As a school of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS), we follow its teaching and tenets. This Apostle’s creed is a summary of what we believe:
“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.”
Why do I see “Grace Lutheran School” on some of the items from the school?
BOTH Grace Lutheran School and Grace Christian Academy are correct. In 2010, Grace received permission to also be known as Grace Christian Academy. Because our school has been in operation for over 100 years, it is possible you will still see and hear people refer to our school by either name. At Grace our commitment has always been to provide a quality Christian education in a safe and caring environment to as many children as possible. Unfortunately, we have discovered many people in today's world are unfamiliar with the word "Lutheran" so a decision was made to make our name more understandable for those around us.
Do you have to be Lutheran to attend Grace?
Grace welcomes children and families from many different creeds and faiths. However, teaching the Christian faith is part of who we are and all students are expected to attend weekly chapel services and participate in religious instruction.
At Grace, we believe that religious instruction is very important. Each day our students learn about Jesus and His love for us through Bible verses, songs and prayers. On Wednesdays at 8:45 AM, the entire school gathers for Chapel, held at Grace Lutheran Church (across the street from the school). Parents are encouraged to join us. As a school of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS), we follow its teaching and tenets. This Apostle’s creed is a summary of what we believe:
“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.”
Why do I see “Grace Lutheran School” on some of the items from the school?
BOTH Grace Lutheran School and Grace Christian Academy are correct. In 2010, Grace received permission to also be known as Grace Christian Academy. Because our school has been in operation for over 100 years, it is possible you will still see and hear people refer to our school by either name. At Grace our commitment has always been to provide a quality Christian education in a safe and caring environment to as many children as possible. Unfortunately, we have discovered many people in today's world are unfamiliar with the word "Lutheran" so a decision was made to make our name more understandable for those around us.
Do you have to be Lutheran to attend Grace?
Grace welcomes children and families from many different creeds and faiths. However, teaching the Christian faith is part of who we are and all students are expected to attend weekly chapel services and participate in religious instruction.