Lasalle Elementary Language Academy

LaSalle is one of the very few schools of excellence in Chicago. It has earned its reputation with consistent high results despite a recruiting process (Lottery) that does not select gifted students. The learning climate is amazing and teachers are competent, dedicated and caring. Each year, 100 % of the 8th graders graduate and a majority of them enroll in selective enrollment high schools. Parents are welcome and many volunteer in the school for recess and lunch duty. What more can you ask from a public school with 32 students per classroom?

LaSalle is one of the best schools I can imagine sending my kids to. I live in the Lincoln district but the diversity, parent involvement, quality education, excellent language program, dedicated teachers and quality community environment drew me to LaSalle. I cannot be happier. We are so lucky that both of our children attend LaSalle and get to grow up in an open-minded, caring, and academically rigorous environment.
--Submitted by a parent

Lasalle is not a school that focused on the children needs. Lasalle primary focus is testing high. If you're a parent who believes in mastering a subject before moving to the next. Lasalle has a horrible system for this plan. Lasalle usually do many things at one time. This scares me, because my child usually struggles with keeping up or maintaining the necessary materials needed because of this plan. Usually, I'm the one stressed beyond measures to keep my child at the level they think she should be at. For instance, within the last thirty thru sixty days. My child is expected to learn money, clocks, symmetry shapes, angles, number stories, adding, subtraction, counting by 5, 10's. She hasn't mastered most of this stuff, because they usally stay on it for a week and move on to something else. For God's sake, she's six years old and this is only the math we're speaking in terms of. Usually, the parents are required to fill the loop hole of their over stressed system. Because the teachers are never accountable for the rubric they've created. (Goldfigure) Talk about a system set up of corporate.
--Submitted by a parent

I went to LLA from 1994-2003. It was a wonderful place to grow up. After elementary school, I went to Whitney Young Magnet HS on the near west side and would come back to the Old Town Triangle area for teenage-oriented classes at the Second City Training Center in Piper's Alley. It's been almost a decade since I graduated, but I still look back on my time at Lasalle fondly.

I love LaSalle for all of the dedicated and caring teaching staff. I also love its diverse student body and great parental involvement. The is what makes LaSalle stand out from the rest. Excellent school that enriches the students in a positive manner.
--Submitted by a parent

This is my son't 2nd year at LaSalle. I felt incredibly fortunate when we got a call about his acceptance. I was thrilled that he would be attending a school that would challenge him. That said, I am hoping that my son can attend another school that would cater to his needs. He is not being challenged. I have spoken to his teachers about his academic level and while they were kind enough to listen to me, they basically told me point blank that they could not teach above grade level. I was incredibly disappointed. My child tells me that he does not enjoy school because it is boring. I don't think he is being challenged and inspired. I fear that his experience at school will make him dislike going school altogether. If you have an academically gifted child, my advice is to test him into a gifted school.
--Submitted by a parent

Lasalle is the most diverse in student and teachers. Each student learns a foreign language and is able to travel overseas to that country. It is a great school that teaches each student how to become a world citizen!
--Submitted by a parent

LaSalle has the most diverse group of students. Teachers that geniunely care about their education. This is not something that just happened overnight either. I attended LaSalle in the late 70's and through the early 80's. The bar was set a long time and rises every year and the students and staff more than rise up to meet it every year. Not to mention my daughter and I get a kick out the fact that she has class in the same classrooms as her Dad.
--Submitted by a parent

It's got great teachers, and a dedicated parent community.
--Submitted by a parent

LaSalle is an awesome school with great teachers, a great principal and vice principal, great speciality teams, awesome students, and wonderful parents. LaSalle knows that it takes parent/student/teachers working together to make the right learning environment. LaSalle is resourceful,enriching, improving, diverse, global, well-supported, changing, fun,aware, promoting health and respect. I would say I hate to brag but since they say that is what this is for....LaSalle is the 'place to be'.
--Submitted by a parent