Frequently Asked Questions
What is the tuition?
The 2010-2011 half-day tuition is $6,200; full day tuition is $7,400.
Do you offer financial aid?
Tuition assistance is available for families who qualify and varies based on need. All families must apply each year for the Tuition Assistance Program.
What is the age of admission?
Students entering school must have their birthday on or before September 1st of the current school year in order to be accepted into their corresponding grade. A child must independently and successfully use the toilet in order to attend preschool.
What is the application process and how do you select students for admission to Immaculate Conception School?
An application for admission, a $50.00 non-refundable fee, a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a copy of the child’s baptismal certificate (if applicable) must be submitted to the school office by January 31, 2011. A visit to the school will also be required as part of the admission process, and will be scheduled upon receipt of the application. The following qualifications will be considered in determining priority for admission: 1) children with a sibling currently enrolled at the school; 2) families who have been active, registered parishioners of Immaculate Conception or St. Joseph Church for at least 2 years; 3) families who are committed to continuing their child’s education at IC School through grade eight; 4) families who are registered parishioners of neighboring Catholic churches.
Additionally, students applying to preschool through eighth grades will be required to attend a preschool “play date” or for the older students, a “shadow day”. The preschool play date is scheduled for Friday, February 4, 2011. More information about the play date will become available in January. Shadow days for students applying to kindergarten through eighth grades will be scheduled on an individual basis throughout the months of January and February. Please contact the school office for further details.
What special programs do you offer?
Our curriculum offers a bi-weekly music and Spanish language program, a physical education program focused on physical development and wellness education, as well as a fine arts program that includes drama, visual arts, and multicultural music and dance performance. Piano instruction and band are also available. We also have computers and SMART Boards in every classroom, a library program, and an indoor and outdoor playground area.
What is your average class size?
The average class size for the 2010-2011 school year is 20. Each classroom is staffed with two teachers or one teacher and one teacher’s assistant.
Are your teachers certified?
All Immaculate Conception School teachers are certified to teach in Illinois as well as in the Archdiocese of Chicago. While all teachers have received their Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees from various universities, more than half have their Master’s degrees or are pursuing their Master’s in Education.
What extra-curricular programs do you offer?
The following programs are available after school hours for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade: Mad Science, French, Mandarin, Art, Ballet, Photography, Choir, Volleyball, Basketball, Baseball, Cross Country, Track, and Chess. Brownies, Girl Scouts, and Daisies programs are also available.
What are the hours of the school day?
Half day preschool runs from 8:10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.; full day school (preschool through 8th grade) runs from 8:10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Is there a before or after school program?
Yes, we offer before school care from 7:30 a.m. to 7:55 a.m.; after school care runs from either 2:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. or from 2:45 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Do you offer hot lunch?
Yes, we do offer hot lunch. It is $2.65 per meal, which includes milk. At least two menu choices are available daily.
What types of opportunities are there for parents to be involved in the school?
Parents have many opportunities to become involved. They can work directly with the teachers as a room parent, volunteer at the library, escort field trips, coach athletic teams, lead an arts presentation, or make a surprise visit to the class to read a book. Parent volunteers also assist the School Advisory Board in executing long-term plans for school facilities improvement and program development. In addition, the Parents’ Association has ample volunteer roles in community service, coordinating faith-building initiatives, and planning social and educational events for parents.
Is there a fundraising commitment?
Like most private schools, ICS looks to the time, talents and treasures of its families for additional support. Each family’s participation in ICS’s Annual Fund, fundraising activities, and our capital campaign is essential to continue our growth and achieve our goal of providing a high-quality, outstanding Catholic education for your child.
Do students wear uniforms?
Our students begin wearing uniforms at the kindergarten level. Children in preschool wear comfortable play clothes.
From what neighborhoods do you draw students?
In the 2010-2011 school year, students are drawn from over 20 zip codes and Catholic parishes. We attract families from a wide perimeter around the school – from such neighborhoods as the South Loop, West Loop, Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lincoln Square, Lakeview, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Ukrainian Village, and West Town.
What are your plans for expansion of the school facilities?
Immaculate Conception School currently has 332 students enrolled across eleven grades – PreK3 through 8th grade. A second floor addition to the ICS campus was completed in January 2008. The Middle School is scheduled to open in 2011 at the nearby Byrd School site.