Lake View Academy

Specialties

The Academy addresses the multiple problems that have led our students to fall between the cracks in other Chicago area high schools and eventually drop out or get pushed out of those schools. The school aims to provide a flexible curriculum and a chance to explore career and college options while challenging students to become mature, socially responsible young adults.

We offer an accredited diploma to young people who have fallen through the cracks in other high schools. We aim to share the message of Christ’s love by taking a holistic approach to education. We stress the importance of integrity in all aspects of life. Community-​building skills and healthy life choices are emphasized. Our small size fosters a strong student-​faculty relationship and allows for individualized curriculum when needed.

History

Established in 1972.

A group of Chicago teenagers asked a local pastor to start a different kind of high school. At first, he said «no». Eventually, with their persistence, they managed to convince the pastor that they were serious — they really needed an alternative. They were not reaching their goals in the local public schools, and they believed they would be able to do so in the safe and supportive community they had discovered in the church. And so, in 1972, the members of Lake View Presbyterian Church agreed to open Lake View Academy.