This has been a typical Chicago spring from my perspective. A few days to tease us and let us think the weather is getting warmer, then rain, and a cool front, and we need the sweaters and jackets again.
This is the time of year when we see a lot of families of potential new students touring the campus, investigating the possibility of enrolling their children here. Several former students are in this group, along with many others who are following up on a recommendation from families of current students. The top reason given by parents of new students for enrolling at Midwestern Christian Academy is the school's distinctively Christian identity, aligning with a foundation based on the Christian gospel and a commitment to instruction which integrates Biblical truth into every subject area.
The other top reason given by parents looking to enroll their children here is the reputation the school has earned for academic excellence. We hear this from prospective parents who show up to enroll their children, but we also hear it from administrators and admissions staff of the high schools which recruit the members of our eighth grade class, most of whom come to our campus personally to speak with our graduates and encourage their enrollment. Our test scores help us see what our students achieve but it's nice to hear from prospective parents and peers, too.
The Iowa Test of Basic Skills
At the end of every school year, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) is our assessment of expected student outcomes when it comes to our academic program. While most families seek enrollment for their children here because of the Christian emphasis and atmosphere, there is an expectation that our academic program will operate at a high standard, and that students will demonstrate a high level of proficiency in core subjects like English Language Arts and mathematics.
There are some things that we can almost always predict when it comes to our test scores.
The majority of our students, over two thirds of them, score in the top two quartiles in core subjects. Our average scores fall between the 67th and 73rd percentile. We have had some entire classes score right at the 90th percentile in one or two subject areas. With the addition of Purposeful Design mathematics back in 2018, we saw our math scores improve each year.
The longer a student is at MCA, the better they will score on the ITBS. We spot check the scores every year, and this has been a reliable prediction over the past eight years.
The reason for strong academic performance here is easy to discern. We have a staff of well qualified teachers when it comes to instructional skills. We use curriculum materials that have a proven track record of success. And we have designed a curriculum that supports our ability to provide high school level coursework in Algebra 1, Physical Science and English/Language Arts for eighth graders to better prepare them for high school, and provide them with more options.
Accreditation
"Accredited schools are excellent schools, and excellent schools seek accreditation."
Accreditation is a mark of excellence. It is the recognition that a school meets or exceeds a specific set of standards which measure the quality of a school's entire operation, from being faithful to its mission and purpose, to the standards and quality of its educational program, and in Christian schools, the level of commitment to its Christian identity.
MCA is fully accredited by a commission established in the states of the North Central region of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). ACSI accreditation is a recognized commission by all fifty state boards of education, and provides dual accreditation with several other recognized commissions, including Cognia, Middle States, and North Central-CASI.
Our most recent accreditation has been extended through December of 2027.
Not all private schools are accredited. In fact, depending on the school's affiliation and relationship with a private school organization, or a religious denomination, only about a third of the private schools nationally are fully accredited. We were very pleased by the accreditation team's evaluation of MCA which commended our school for its Christian emphasis and atmosphere, and its academic excellence.
End of the School Year Activities
The Spring Concert, which will involve all students, is May 21.
We have 24 eighth grade students who are graduating this spring. They will be touring Washington, DC at the end of this month, which is always an exciting event. In the fall, they will be scattering across the city to high schools like the academic academy at Lane Tech, Timothy Christian, Chicago Hope Academy, Walther Christian, Rickover Naval Academy, St. Patricks, DePaul Prep, Instrinsic, Schurz, Taft and I hope I didn't leave one out.
There are several students who are in the running for Valedictorian and Salutatorian. One of the unique aspects of eighth grade is that each student has to write a speech, as if they were going to be the valedictorian of the class.
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