Christian Life School

We could not be happier with CLS! Our principal is extremely fair-minded and really works with parents at problem solving. Also, the teachers seem to have a wonderful "common sense" approach to student life includeing homework load and deadlines. There is a sense of fun at the school which keeps our kids excited and happy to be there. It is a wonderful mix of academics and fun community spirit. Most of all, they do a fabulous job of keeping Christ at the center of the total education experience including dicipline, relationships, academic performance and sportsmanship. We are so blessed with our school!
—Submitted by a parent

Enrolling my son in 5th Grade at Christian Life School has turned out to be a wonderful decision. We love the school so much that we sold our home in order to move closer to the school. Although it has been an adjustment due to the lower academic standard in the school district we came from, we have found it to be a good year. My son has grown spiritually as a result of the godly leadership of the principal and the teachers and staff that he interacts with, as well as through the gospel message being woven into all areas of the curriculum. He has made some wonderful friends. He is being taught so many things that seemed lacking at his previous school such as, World History and Grammar. The schools offers excellent Math and Science curriculums as well. The art program at Christian Life School is great. A huge bonus for my son. I like the way that the staff handled some interpersonal issues that arose early on in the year. Gospel centered teaching and living and real care for the welfare of the children were clearly evident in the way things were resolved. Overall we have been very pleased and look forward to being at CLS through the end of high-school.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a graduate of Christian Life and I knew that I wanted my kids to have the same opportunity of a great education as I did. My kids are in the elementary program here and they are on a higher academic level than other kids who are the same age or one year above. They do an amazing job here with the students and I am glad that my sons are part of such an outstanding institution such as Christian Life School. I would recommend CLS to anybody looking for an excellent environment, with challenging academics, and a strong Christian foundation for their kids. I know how Christian Life School has been such a positive influence on my life, and I'm proud to say that it is a positive influence on the lives of my sons. CLS is, without a doubt, the best private Christian school in the area. It is well-rounded, challenging, friendly, and most of all, Christ-centered.
—Submitted by a parent

I have had to withdraw my daughter from Christian Life to move her to a more secure daycare facility. Although Christian Life has a swipe card security system at the school, the doors are only locked when school age children are in the school (from 8am-3pm everday) even though Early Education children are there prior to 8 and after 3. Over the summer, the doors are not locked at all. We've expressed our concern about this approach to security especially given the world we live in today and the director for early education has just outright ignored our concerns. I would never keep my daughter at a school where A) the school only wants to secure the bldg for children K-12 and not the daycare children, and B) where the director does not value feedback nor cares to address your concerns. There have been many things that I let go that went wrong during our experience at Christian Life however security is not something that should be taken lightly especially if convenience is given higher priority. It's just irresponsible. I am moving my daughter to a much more secure daycare facility and would not recommend anyone to send their children to Christian Life for Early education needs.
—Submitted by a parent

CLS is all about the students. The Academic programs available to students is outstanding. Students excel and teacher involvement is second to none. The principal is first rate, he truly cares about the kids and it shows his interactions with them. Parental involvement is higher than any other school that my children have attended. There is a lot to be said when a parent can be addressed by name by the principal and most of the teaching staff, what other school will you find that in. The music program is phenomenal. What can you say about a music program that can say that over 30% of the student population is involved in the Fine Arts Program? Although athletics is not the main focus, their sports teams have excelled year after year. This school is about teachers, students and parents that actually care about the education.
—Submitted by Jo, a parent

The quality of academic programs is fair, but hardly challenging. Due to budgetary issues and the need to do more to obtain funding for curriculum and curriculum supports, CLS falls short in providing ample selections for the student clientele it aims to serve. It's music programs are solid, offering a selection of choral, band, and orchestra; then, it also offers drama, but it does need to expand upon its art programs, computer technologies, and technical courses (CAD Drafting for example). In addition, there needs to be an increase of both after-school extracurricular activity and increased development in college career counseling and academic support. Special services need to be developed such as school counseling and school psychology services and real services (not lip service) given to children with special needs who require assistance from the school.
—Submitted by a parent

Overall, the quality of the academic programs is very high. Variety of extracurricular activities is relatively weak. Christian environment is outstanding. CLS is a great place to send your kids if you want them to learn in a Christian context. We would have continued sending our son there except that the commute from Illinois to Wisconsin was getting to be too much. Many parents send their kids from Illinois to Wisconsin, but transportation must be managed by the parents. The school is not very helpful to those outside the immediate area. Parental involvement is very high.
—Submitted by a parent