Foundations for School Success

The private elementary and middle schools in the CLEF community build lifelong learners through rigorous academics, character development, and the Christian faith. Small classes enable students to receive a high level of individualized attention. Each school is a supportive community for students and their parents.

In elementary school, the curriculum encourages students’ natural curiosity and further develops the basic building blocks for learning. Students learn about the Christian faith as they develop life skills.

The middle-school curriculum is oriented toward more advanced critical thinking and leadership skills. In seventh and eighth grade, instruction is especially geared to prepare students for success in Chicago’s selective-enrollment high schools.

All CLEF-supported private elementary schools in Chicago also offer Christian middle school options through eighth grade. Walther Christian Academy in Melrose Park has a middle school program accepting students in grades six through eight. At Walther the integration of the middle school into the high school program allows students to take advanced math and science courses and students transition easily into the high school setting.

In 2017, Walther Christian Academy opened a middle school serving grades six through eight focused on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education. In collaboration with Concordia University Chicago, CLEF funded the development of a curriculum based on the newest standards in science education, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). At Walther the integration of the middle school into the high school program allows students to take advanced math and science courses and students transition easily into the high school setting.

Click on the logos below to learn more about CLEF-funded schools, or use our find a school search tool to locate a Lutheran elementary school near you.