The Best Private Schools in Harwood Heights, Illinois
Discover 3 exceptional private schools in Harwood Heights. Find the perfect educational environment for your child with our comprehensive reviews and ratings.
School Overview
Top-Rated Private Schools
Resurrection College Prep High School
Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools
Resurrection College Prep is a highly-regarded all-girls Catholic high school serving the northwest Chicago suburbs including Harwood Heights. The school offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum with strong STEM programs, extensive fine arts opportunities, and competitive athletic teams. With a 100-year legacy of educational excellence, Resurrection provides small class sizes, dedicated faculty, and comprehensive college counseling. The campus features modern science labs, performing arts spaces, and athletic facilities. Parents consistently praise the supportive community and strong academic outcomes.
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St. John Berchmans School
Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools
St. John Berchmans School serves families in Harwood Heights and surrounding areas with a comprehensive elementary education program from preschool through 8th grade. The school provides a strong academic foundation with emphasis on Catholic values, character development, and community service. The curriculum includes advanced mathematics, science, language arts, and technology integration. Students benefit from small class sizes, dedicated teachers, and a safe, nurturing environment. The school features modern classrooms, science labs, and athletic facilities, with graduates consistently accepted into top Chicago-area high schools.
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St. Patrick High School
Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools
St. Patrick High School is an all-boys Catholic institution serving Harwood Heights and surrounding northwest Chicago communities. The school offers a comprehensive college preparatory program with specialized academies in STEM, business, and fine arts. With over 160 years of educational tradition, St. Patrick provides strong academic rigor combined with character formation and leadership development. The campus includes state-of-the-art science and technology labs, athletic facilities, and performing arts spaces. The school maintains high college acceptance rates and offers extensive extracurricular opportunities.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about private schools in Harwood Heights, Illinois
What are the main private school options available for families residing in Harwood Heights, Illinois?
Harwood Heights itself is a small, residential village, so most of its highly-regarded private schools are actually located in the immediate surrounding Chicago neighborhoods. The most prominent options include Resurrection College Prep High School (all-girls, Chicago), St. Patrick High School (all-boys, Chicago), and St. John Berchmans School (co-ed K-8, Chicago). Many Harwood Heights families also consider other nearby Catholic and independent schools in Norridge, Park Ridge, and the broader Northwest Side. While there are few schools within the village's exact borders, its excellent location provides access to a wide network of institutions just minutes away.
How does the Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship Program impact private school tuition for Harwood Heights families?
The Illinois Invest in Kids Act Tax Credit Scholarship Program is a significant financial consideration for Illinois families. It provides need-based scholarships for students to attend private schools, including those like St. Patrick or Resurrection. Eligibility is based on household income (up to 300% of the federal poverty level). Harwood Heights parents should apply for these scholarships through a qualified Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) as soon as applications open, typically in January, as funds are limited. This program can substantially reduce the annual tuition, which for the local high schools often ranges from $12,000 to $16,000.
What unique academic or extracurricular programs are emphasized by the top private schools serving the Harwood Heights community?
Schools in this area often leverage their Chicago proximity for unique programs. Resurrection College Prep has a strong STEM focus with a robotics team and partnerships with local universities. St. Patrick High School is known for its acclaimed music program and extensive AP course offerings. St. John Berchmans, as an elementary school, emphasizes a faith-based curriculum with strong foundational academics and community service. A common thread among these schools is a commitment to college preparatory academics, with high college acceptance rates to Illinois and Midwestern universities, alongside robust athletics and arts programs that compete in Chicago-area leagues.
What is the typical enrollment process and timeline for private high schools like Resurrection and St. Patrick for a Harwood Heights student?
The process for these archdiocesan high schools begins in the fall of a student's 8th grade year. Key steps include: attending open houses (usually September-October), taking the High School Placement Test (HSPT) in November or December, submitting an application by mid-December, and then receiving acceptance notifications in late January or February. For Harwood Heights residents, it's important to note that these schools draw from a wide geographic area, so applying early is advised. Many schools also require a shadow day for the prospective student. Registration and tuition agreements are typically finalized in the spring.
How do private school options for Harwood Heights families compare to the local public school district, Ridgewood High School District 234?
This is a key local consideration. Harwood Heights students are zoned for Ridgewood High School (a public school in Norridge), which is consistently highly rated. The choice often comes down to educational philosophy and specific needs. Private options like Resurrection and St. Patrick offer single-gender education, a specific religious foundation, and typically smaller average class sizes. Ridgewood High School offers a tuition-free, co-ed education with a diverse curriculum and extensive extracurriculars. Many families in the area value having both a strong public option and several prestigious private choices within a very short commute, allowing them to select the best fit for their child's learning style and family values.
Private Education Insights
Exploring Private Boarding Schools: A Harwood Heights Parent's Guide to Excellence
For many families in Harwood Heights, the search for the right educational environment often begins close to home. We are fortunate to have excellent local private day schools like Resurrection College Prep High School, St. Patrick High School, and St. John Berchmans School, each offering strong academics and community-focused values. However, as your child enters their high school years, you might begin to consider a broader spectrum of options to find the perfect fit for their unique needs, talents, and aspirations. This is where the concept of private boarding schools enters the conversation for many Harwood Heights parents. While it may seem like a significant step, exploring boarding schools can be a strategic consideration for providing a transformative educational experience that extends far beyond the classroom.
The idea of a boarding school often conjures images of distant, isolated campuses, but the reality for Illinois families is much more accessible and varied. Several prestigious private boarding schools are located within a few hours' drive of Harwood Heights, in cities like Chicago, Lake Forest, or even across the border in Wisconsin. This proximity means your child can enjoy the immersive, 24/7 learning community of a boarding environment while remaining close enough for regular weekend visits, family events, and holidays. The structured residential life at these schools fosters incredible independence, time-management skills, and deep, lasting friendships, all within a supportive and supervised framework. For a student passionate about a specialized field like STEM, the arts, or competitive athletics, a boarding school can offer facilities, faculty expertise, and peer collaboration that are difficult to replicate locally.
Choosing between a local day school and a private boarding school is a deeply personal family decision. It involves honest conversations about your child’s readiness for greater responsibility and their specific academic or extracurricular goals. The process also requires practical planning. Fortunately, our location in the Chicago metropolitan area provides immense resources for this exploration. Many boarding schools host regional information sessions in the city, and educational consultants familiar with both local Chicago-area schools and national boarding options are readily available to guide Harwood Heights families. Financial planning is also a key part of the discussion, as boarding schools offer substantial need-based financial aid and merit scholarships, making them more accessible than many families initially assume.
Ultimately, the choice is about finding the environment where your child will thrive. The strong foundation provided by our local Harwood Heights institutions is invaluable. Yet, for some students, the next logical step in their educational journey might be a private boarding school that aligns perfectly with their growing ambitions. It’s not about replacing our community, but about thoughtfully extending it to include a campus that becomes a second home—a place designed to challenge, nurture, and prepare them for college and life beyond. We encourage parents to view boarding schools not as a distant alternative, but as another viable option in the rich tapestry of private education available to families right here in our region.
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