G N I G N E L L HA C & G N I R I P INS N E R D L I H C D GIFTE
OUR MISSION
Quest Academy provides gifted children with a challenging curriculum and a nurturing environment. Our program emphasizes sound character along with scholarship and creativity in both the academics and the arts. The Quest Community values the individuality of each child and encourages each to strive for personal excellence.
WHY QUEST ACADEMY? Because children are gifted 100 percent of the time, Quest Academy is gifted education 100 percent of the time. Quest Academy is singularly focused in delivering on its mission of providing a superior, differentiated educational experience for your children.
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Quest Academy education is grounded in the liberal arts with equal emphasis on the sciences, arts, and humanities. teachers have the passion and expertise necessary to successfully teach and connect with gifted children.
Parents choose Quest Academy— and keep their children here— on the basis of results: superior academic preparation and personal growth.
• Quest
• Quest
offers a variety of extracurricular programs and activities along with no-cut sports.
• Quest
Academy is a community built on lifelong learning, acceptance of cultural and ethnic diversity, and family activities during and after school.
• The
parallel curriculum of Quest Academy— character education—is evidenced daily.
• Quest
Academy provides a physically and emotionally safe environment fostering a culture where it is normal to study and excel.
• The
curriculum is based on “Understanding by Design” and is differentiated for each student.
• The
Board of Trustees safeguards the Quest Academy mission; is responsible for ensuring the founding vision of Quest continues to flourish; and has a strategic focus on the future.
BELIEF STATEMENTS
WE BELIEVE THIS ABOUT GIFTEDNESS • Giftedness
is exceptional intellectual, physical, creative, and/or affective capacity that can be transformed into extraordinary ability.
• Giftedness
is domain specific – it may occur predominantly in one or more domains, such as mathematics, science, the arts, or language– but can be enhanced in all domains.
• Giftedness
is best identified and cultivated by means of thorough and multifaceted assessment.
• Giftedness
may involve asynchronous development and does not preclude exceptionalities.
• Giftedness
is best nurtured by an environment that provides continuous intellectual stimulation and creative engagement within a community of likeminded peers and supportive adults.
WE BELIEVE THIS ABOUT LEARNING • Learning
is a critical process to growth and development.
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Learning is integral to a healthy and productive life.
• Learning
requires taking risks, challenging one’s ideas and beliefs, and putting forth effort.
• Learning
is most effective when it involves the intellectual, social, physical, emotional, and creative domains.
• Learning
can be catalyzed by competition, but must be measured relative to the self.
WE BELIEVE THIS ABOUT TEACHING GIFTED STUDENTS • Curriculum
that first emphasizes conceptual understandings and applications facilitates the subsequent successful retention of discrete knowledge and specific skills.
• Assessment
that is differentiated and involves ongoing and meaningful feedback facilitates the learning process.
• Learning
environments that provide interaction with other gifted students promote intellectual stimulation and healthy socialization.
• Learning
experiences that involve challenge, problem-solving, and reflection ensure greater student engagement and intellectual risk-taking.
• The
most effective teachers have expertise in gifted education and can differentiate curriculum, assessment, learning environments and learning experiences.
CLASSROOMS
Engaging Welcoming Productive Discoveries
QUEST CLASSROOMS
QUEST CLASSROOMS At Quest, your child can discover the excitement of learning surrounded by motivated peers who love learning. Since 1982, Quest has been meeting the social, emotional, and academic needs of gifted children. Our specially designed curriculum, combined with an outstanding faculty, provides gifted children with a truly unique learning environment. We have created an environment where students are encouraged to dream and use their imaginations; where understanding teachers, who love working with gifted children, nurture and highlight students’ interests, strengths, and abilities; where students feel comfortable surrounded by enthusiastic peers.
“Quest gave me self-confidence, because here I could be myself.” — Quest Academy alumnus
PRESCHOOL & PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM : 3 AND 4 YEAR OLDS
We provide our youngest students with a developmentally appropriate program, a nurturing staff and a stimulating environment that is physically and emotionally safe. PRESCHOOL AT QUEST ACADEMY FOR THREES
For little ones turning three by September 1st, our program offers an environment full of learning through exploration, discovery and play. Children have the opportunity to be with each other Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until Noon. Their day is complete with math concepts, social interaction and language arts. Children participate in art, Spanish, music, drama, library and science; all taught by a specialist in their field. Our three-year-olds run tirelessly and play games in a full-sized gym they have all to themselves. Our teachers introduce vocabulary related to concepts presented in the classroom. Children learn topics through simulated experiences. Teachers set the stage for the real world to come inside their classrooms. Maximum class size is 18 and student teacher ratio is 6:1 Quest offers a part-time, five days per week preschool program for three year olds. Preschool students will have the option of participating in a “stay and play� program from Noon-3:30 p.m. (limited availability). We dismiss at 2:45 p.m. on Wednesdays in accordance with the school-wide schedule. Preschool students can participate in Extended Day on a case by case basis. This program runs from the school-wide dismissal time until 6:00 p.m. PRE-KINDERGARTEN AT QUEST ACADEMY FOR FOURS
Children who are four by September 1st are eligible for our Pre-Kindergarten class. This environment is full of learning through exploration, discovery and play. Children have the opportunity to be with each other Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 2:45 p.m. (or 3:30 p.m. for children with older siblings at Quest). Their day is complete with math concepts, a language arts program, social interaction and more. Children participate in art, Spanish, music, drama, physical education and science; all taught by a specialist in their field. Appropriate content vocabulary is introduced and thematic units are presented throughout the year. From cycles to the rainforest, children enjoy the vast topics to be explored without boundaries. Our Pre-Kindergarten classroom has been described as an ever-changing museum where children can become a consumer of information. Realistic explorations are key to students becoming fully immersed and gaining understanding. Maximum class size is 21 and the student teacher ratio is 7:1 Pre-Kindergarten students are also able to participate in our Extended Day program. This program runs from the school-wide dismissal time until 6:00 p.m.
CLASSROOMS
LOWER SCHOOL : KINDERGARTEN – GRADE 5
The Lower School Program balances a rigorous, traditional academic curriculum with innovative, often lighthearted teaching strategies like dramatic readings, hands-on projects, and multidisciplinary themes that bring arts and academics together. THE PRIMARY GRADES: KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SECOND GRADE
Learning continues to be exploratory and inquiry-based by design. Larger concepts and essential questions become the driving force by which students and teachers are guided. Kindergarten takes children to new learning opportunities. Students will be part of the learning process through questioning and discovery. While discovery is powerful, understanding the discovery process and being able to share what has been learned is knowledge that can be communicated. Students continue to push through their perfectionism and become more comfortable taking a risk and accepting failure as a learning experience. First Grade comes alive when students are guided through the research process. From Explorers to Oceans to Vikings, first graders become immersed in their development of research questions and the fact-finding process. First Grade mathematicians are found in flexible groups based on prior knowledge, pace, and ability. Second Graders will take their research and expand their experience through music, art, and drama. Technology now plays out in becoming the showcase of learning. Through application of Microsoft Word tools, students are able to effectively communicate their research through tri-fold brochures. THE INTERMEDIATE GRADES : THIRD THROUGH FIFTH GRADES
In Third Grade the social studies curriculum comes alive with a Renaissance Fair, study of Ancient America, our neighbors to the North (Canada), and our very own amazing Chicago. Each of these areas of study is enriched through connections in drama, art, foreign language, and music. Third Graders join the world of outdoor education with an overnight excursion at Camp Edwards. Fourth Graders have more than one name at any point in the school year. From an actual Pioneer to playing a role in the Revolutionary War days, simulation is how the authentic study of history is realized. Math lessons continue to be differentiated based on students’ instructional level and pace at which concepts are mastered. And the year is not complete until a three-day, two-night outdoor education trip to the Indiana Dunes. Fifth Grade equals creative writing. By this time at Quest, students have been prepared to expand their skills to an intense writing program. Between chapters, students travel in wagons across the Oregon Trail, experience life as a pioneer, and answer roll call for either the North or the South as a soldier in the Civil War. If appropriate, some students may participate in middle school math curriculum with their fifth grade peers. Taking advantage of the winter season, fifth and sixth graders join together for a tobogganing outing.
CLASSROOMS
MIDDLE SCHOOL : GRADES 6 – 8
Quest’s Middle School program piques the interest of the young adolescent through exciting elective classes, an enthusiastic, approachable faculty that enjoys young teens, interesting field trips and frequent opportunity for performance in concerts, plays, and musicals. MIDDLE SCHOOL : SIXTH THROUGH EIGHTH GRADES
Our Middle School is departmentalized. There are three math groups per grade level, and two levels for each language arts/social studies, foreign language, and science. Students interact with the faculty and each other creating an open and inviting learning environment where students thrive. Math groups are determined annually through a combination of end of year test, Measures of Academic Progress (MAPs) scores, classwork, teacher recommendation, and previous coursework. Courses offered are Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry. In some rare cases, students who are exceptionally gifted in math will be advanced into Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, and/or Calculus in small groups. Language arts and social studies (LASS) are combined. Language arts, in large part, is driven through the social studies curriculum. Fifth and sixth graders join in an immigration simulation. Politics, economics, culture, geography, and the U.S. Constitution are just a few of the strands studied in LASS class. Our students use a high school writing rubric published by ERB (independent school testing service). Students learn the art of debating through extensive preparation and by understanding both sides of the issue. Students will debate in class and some years participate in an online debate. Sixth Graders participate in a grade level history fair. Seventh and Eighth Graders alternate between science fair and history fair. Quest has traditionally had about 30% of entries qualify for regional fairs and about ½ of those will advance to state competition. When students enter Sixth Grade, they are assigned to a middle school faculty member for an advisory group. This group consists of about 8 to 12 students who stay together for three years. Advisory meets every day for 30 minutes. During these meetings, faculty members lead discussions about organizational skills, social and emotional issues, age appropriate communication skills, and other pertinent middle school topics.
For information on Special Area classes, please see the “Departments” tab. In addition, our middle school staff is available for more detailed questions you may have.
CLASSROOMS
Students create music, works of art, and perform Students speak foreign languages Students participate in athletics through physical education and team sports Students explore science & technology, interpreted through engineering and the arts, all based in mathematical elements
DEPARTMENTS
DEPARTMENTS
Students explore math concepts, science, literature, and history
ART DRAMA LANGUAGE ARTS
CURRICULUM
MATHEMATICS MUSIC PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Quest Academy’s curriculum is pitched, at a minimum, one year above traditional grade level standards and is differentiated to accommodate students who may be working several levels beyond their chronological age. It combines traditional liberal arts content with innovative, inspiring teaching methods. Subject areas are interwoven through multidisciplinary projects and close collaboration among teachers. Our curriculum is based on the Understanding by Design model (Wiggins and McTighe) in which the desired outcomes (Understandings, Skills, and Knowledge) are determined first, the assessment criteria (evidence of understanding) are identified next, and the learning activities are designed last and on the basis of the first two.
Gifted children need instruction that is appropriately paced and material that is appropriately complex. Quest teachers are skilled in curriculum differentiation so that work is set at a sufficiently difficult level.
“The teachers teach you to think about things on deeper levels—to go beyond the facts.” — A Quest Academy alumnus reflecting on our faculty
SCIENCE SOCIAL STUDIES SPANISH STEAM
QUEST DEPARTMENTS
DRAMA
Our Preschool and Lower School drama program provides an important piece of a child’s development through the art of presentation. Acting, exploration, storytelling, and stage direction are just a few of the components of our drama classes. Students have the opportunity to perform, play different roles, and work together in a production that echoes what they may have learned in their classroom. Middle School drama advances acting and performing into script writing, study of the theatre, and production. Sixth and Seventh Graders perform in a “Scene Night” and Eighth Graders participate in all aspects of a musical production. “Scene Night” might bring back the days of Abbott and Costello or other stage favorites. Recent musicals have been Grease, Oklahoma, Beauty and the Beast, and Peter Pan. Several of our alumni have continued in prominent roles in high school productions and the theatre.
ART
The art department strives for a challenging, creative program that provides each student with a solid foundation through the development of creative production, art criticism, and art historical knowledge. Students have access to a wide variety of media and technical resources and equipment. The art department has built its program to be in alignment with the school mission as well as the art department’s curriculum map. Creativity is nurtured as well as challenged. Creative processes, solutions, and concepts are emphasized. Steps are taken to ensure students understand the step-by-step process of art in order to achieve growth during the finishing process. The art program integrates some projects with the core curriculum by working with classroom and subject area teachers during integrated projects. In the Fourth through Eighth Grade art program, students are exposed to a wide variety of media and techniques. Foundational skills and concepts are emphasized throughout the year. These include drawing, composition, color theory, types of perspective, art elements, and art principles. Students are provided with opportunities to explore two dimensional and three dimensional media, to write about art, and to learn about art from an historical and cultural perspective.
DEPARTMENTS
QUEST DEPARTMENTS
STEAM
STEAM at Quest Academy encompasses Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics for all students from Preschool through Eighth Grade. Our youngest students explore learning through technology and investigate entry-level applications and interactive tools. The logic of programming is introduced through physical problem-solving exercises. Students in Kindergarten through Second Grade begin using entry-level programming such as code.org and design eventually through building 3D models using autoCAD software. Even in the lower grades students explore circuitry to experience electrical engineering, use logic for layered programming, and use publishing software. Beginning in Third Grade, multimedia platforms are applied, movie-making and presentation software is introduced, and collaboration through digital citizenship is understood. By the end of Fifth Grade, students will be able to use software that combines multiple elements to craft rich-media movies. Students will create and share an imaginary world for character interactions. Middle School students are given the freedom to explore paths of their choosing. With the help of a STEAM facilitator, students choose in-depth projects from computer science, robotics to aeronautics, programming micro-controllers like Arduino and Raspberry Pi, creating custom servers for Minecraft, crafting movies and audio projects using top-shelf editing software, and graphic design projects using many tools of the trade. By Eighth Grade, students are focused on putting the whole package together, pitching an original product, then creating the brand, a website, and possibly a runway for production. In addition to the STEAM curriculum, technology use in the classroom is expansive. SMARTBoards, iPads, MACs, Dell PCs and Chromebooks are just a few of the numerous resources students will have to create, learn and share. We have a 1:1 Chromebook program for Third through Eighth graders with most middle school assignments transmitted electronically.
DEPARTMENTS
QUEST DEPARTMENTS
MUSIC
Music at Quest starts with our Preschoolers. Rhythm and lyrics are explored along with variants of dynamics, pitch, and tempo. Songs to reinforce classroom activities and music to evoke emotions are part of music. Lower School students make connections from their cultural studies to music. They will learn about the keyboard, scales, and how sounds blend in a choir. Music classes meet twice per week and choir once a week. In third grade students play recorders and prepare for the Lower School Choir. In addition to the lower school choir, Fourth and Fifth Graders learn more about 20th Century music and composers while still forming connections between music and historical events. Middle School music is an eclectic study. From guitar to opera, students experience instruments and productions in a variety of musical venues. In Sixth Grade students learn guitar and in Seventh, keyboarding. Compositions are created and performed by students. Choirs for boys and girls are offered, along with an audition choir. A modern day Madrigal Fest is presented in full costume and set design. Our Middle School has three choir groups (includes students in grades 6 through 8) - Bella Voce (girls, 39 members), Benton Street Boys (37 members) and Chamber Choir (25 members). All three choir’s earned the rating of 1 (the highest rating) at the Illinois Grade School Music Association Regional and State Contests.
Above left: Benton Street Boys Choir. Above right: Madrigal Fest
DEPARTMENTS
QUEST DEPARTMENTS
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
All students have physical education in our full-size gymnasium or outdoors, weather permitting. Emphasis is placed on physical fitness and mental, emotional, and moral wellness, as well as the ethics and challenges of winning and losing in the competitive arena. Students participate in team sports and build their individual physical fitness. Students work to improve strength, endurance, and flexibility. Intramurals are offered for boys and girls in Fifth through Eighth Grade. Our Athletic Director organizes teams and creates a schedule of games with other similar independent schools in the area. Sports offered are boys and girls soccer, track, cross country, volleyball, and basketball. We have a “no-cut� policy which teaches students to be accepting, tolerant, and part of team comprised of a variety of talents and abilities.
DEPARTMENTS
QUEST DEPARTMENTS
SCIENCE
Science is presented as a way of thinking and problemsolving that can be applied to real life and academia. Science is based on principals that aid in explaining world phenomena. Students discover science at Quest and experience discovery as an ongoing process. Preschool attends science class twice monthly and Pre-Kindergarten twice per week. Lower School’s primary science instruction is through the Science Department. Students attend Science classes three days per week. Middle School science is about how to think. Students in middle school study biology, earth science and introductory physical science. With numerous disciplines coming together in science such as math, Latin (binomial nomenclature), research & writing (science fair preparation), and communication skills, students advance the scientific method to a higher level. Through intensive labs and debating ethics of science, moral vs. technology controversies equip students with the ability to think and speak intellectually about science in our world today.
WORLD LANGUAGE
Starting in Preschool, our students study Spanish language and culture. Language instruction builds into Middle School language immersion. Preschool Spanish introduces foreign language through songs to introduce and reinforce vocabulary. Lower School Spanish builds vocabulary and language development. The Spanish culture is introduced through learning about its community, geography, food, music, and exploring other areas where Spanish is spoken. Middle School Spanish skills in speaking, understanding, reading, and writing Spanish are continued through immersion.
DEPARTMENTS
QUEST DEPARTMENTS
MATHEMATICS
Our Lower School uses the Everyday Mathematics Curriculum developed by the University of Chicago. This math program lends itself to differentiation and enrichment. Flexible grouping is one technique used by classroom teachers at each grade level. This strategy allows teachers to group students based on instructional level, pace, and pre-assessment tools. There are about three math groups for each grade level in Middle School. Placement is determined through teacher recommendations, MAP scores, and placement tests. Generally, students begin Pre-Algebra in Sixth Grade. Pace and placements for Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry sequences are based on individual student abilities and feeder high school programs.
LANGUAGE ARTS
Reading, Writing, Grammar, and Spelling are all specializations of our Lower School teachers. Our special area teachers also have appropriate expectations of students as language arts is present in nearly all activities. Teachers differentiate language arts activities within their classrooms through MAP testing and student work. In Middle School, the language arts becomes a major component of all other areas. It is most closely integrated with the Social Studies curriculum. Language arts and social studies are taught in blocks of 45 minutes and meet approximately eight times per week. While grade level classes are separated into two groups per grade level, classes have numerous opportunities to work together as a grade level and have also participated in online learning opportunities with other gifted students.
DEPARTMENTS
QUEST DEPARTMENTS
SOCIAL STUDIES
Lower School students are active participants in their social studies curriculum. From formulating research questions to recreating a piece of history through a musical, social studies comes alive. Students become a part of history through simulation of historical roles and situations. Your child may enter Quest as a student, but will soon be a Viking aboard a ship, experience Native American cultures, be an Ancient American making clay cooking pieces, a Pilgrim traveling on the Mayflower, a pioneer in a covered wagon on the Oregon Trail, or immigrating through Ellis Island. Middle School students extend social studies through investigation of past events that have shaped our world today. Based on the facts, students begin to develop their interpretation of documents that govern our country’s legal system. By understanding the circumstances from which we have emerged as a world today, students can form well-educated opinions and engage in intelligent discussions about history, current events, and future decisions.
DEPARTMENTS
ADMISSIONS
ADMISSIONS
The best education, for the gifted child.
ADMISSION PROCESS The admission procedure at Quest has been developed to ensure that the mission and curriculum of Quest Academy are well - matched to the individual needs of each child. Evaluating a child to determine whether he or she is a good candidate for our accelerated and challenging program is a multi-dimensional process which includes completion of a lengthy parent questionnaire, teacher recommendations, a review of the child’s school transcripts, direct observation during the child’s classroom visit, and administration of a standardized intelligence test or screening measure. The Admission Committee uses all of the information gathered to determine whether your child would be well served by Quest’s program.
As you begin to consider Quest for your child, we strongly recommend that you visit us. Group and individual tours are offered throughout the year. On the tour you will not only have the opportunity to view the school while it is in session, but also have your specific questions and/or concerns addressed. The tour offers you an opportunity to get a feel for the Quest experience, to meet faculty and students, and discuss next steps.
Tours are arranged through the Admissions Office. Please call to schedule a day and time that is convenient for you.
Contact our Admissions Office by phone or email:
847.202.8035 ext.438 admission@questacademy.org
WELCOME
We inspire creativity, value curiosity, and enrich the lives of gifted children. Thank you for including Quest Academy as you search for an independent school for your gifted child. By discovering Quest Academy, you have opened an opportunity to offer your child with an inspiring and enriching learning environment that is truly exceptional in the Greater Chicago area. I am pleased to acquaint you with Quest Academy during your exciting exploration of the education that will best serve your child’s critical preschool through eighth grade years.
Through the admission process, you will understand Quest’s philosophy of gifted education. You will observe the joy and passion our students and teachers share as they uncover learning as a community. In preschool, you will see students learning both academic and social skills through exploration and play. In lower school, students engage in learning through reenacting significant people and events of the past to fully grasp the social-cultural, historical, and even financial impact of the cultures and people they study. In middle school, students enjoy immersion in the STEAM curriculum – where they infuse 21st century applications, imagination, analysis, innovation and integrated learning.
Quest Academy is an incredible school experience where teachers love to teach and students love to learn.
On behalf of Quest Academy, I invite you to visit our community in action. I will guide you through the admission process and help you determine if Quest would provide the learning environment that best serves your child and family.
I look forward to meeting your family.
Khalek Kirkland, Ed.D. Head of School
ADMISSION PROCESS
PRESCHOOL & PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS The
admission process for entry into our Early Childhood Education Program is designed to assess your child’s social, developmental and intellectual readiness for the program to which you are applying. STEPS FOR ADMISSION: 1 Request for Information 2 R egister for a Tour 3 Submit an Online Application; application fee of $50.00 Age
Requirements for Year of Entry: Preschool: 3 years old by September 1st (must use toilet independently by the first day of school) Pre-Kindergarten: 4 years old by September 1st
4 Register and attend a Playdate with your child
An application must be submitted prior to attending a Playdate to better understand your child and family. 5 Screening and parent interview with the Director of Admission 6 Submit a Teacher Recommendation
Quest Academy admits qualified students of any race, color, nationality, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, or physical or mental handicap (775 ILCS 5/1-102(A) to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities available to all students at Quest Academy. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, nationality, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, or physical or mental handicap in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarships and other school administered programs. Further, Quest Academy does not deny admissions to its programs to students who lack documentation of their immigration status or legal presence in the United States (Plyler v. doe, 457.U.S. 202 (1982).
Contact our Admissions Office by phone or email:
847.202.8035 ext.438 admission@questacademy.org
ADMISSION PROCESS
ADMISSION PROCESS
KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE
The admission process for entry to K – 8 has been developed to ensure that the mission and curriculum of Quest Academy are well matched to the applicant and family. Evaluating a child to determine whether he or she is a good candidate for our accelerated program is a multidimensional process. The Admission Committee uses all of the information gathered to determine whether the child would be well served by Quest’s program. STEPS FOR ADMISSION: 1 Request for Information 2 Register for a Tour and/or Open House 3 Submit an Online Application; application fee of $50.00
We must receive an application prior to IQ assessment on campus. Age Requirements for Year of Entry: Kindergarten: 5 years old by September 1st
Request Teacher Recommendations and Transcripts Please give teachers plenty of time to complete these recommendations no earlier than November (to give them time to get to know your child) but before January 15, 2016. Recommendation forms can be found on our website Application Process page. 4
5
Schedule an appointment for your child to take the WISC IV/V Assessment Appointments are available on campus on Wednesdays or Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. There is a testing fee of $500. We will contact you to schedule an appointment once we receive the online application and fee.
To find out more about the Wechsler IQ Assessment, visit the Educational Testing page on our website.
For Off-Campus Testing:
You may make arrangements with an off-campus licensed psychologist of your choice. Please refer to our Psychologist Referral List located on our Application Process website page.
Please print and sign the Release Form and submit to the psychologist. The testing results and narrative report must be submitted to the Admission Office directly from the psychologist.
Contact our Admissions Office by phone or email:
847.202.8035 ext.438 admission@questacademy.org
ADMISSION PROCESS
ADMISSION PROCESS
KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE (CONTINUED)
6 Schedule a Parent Interview with the Director of Admission
7
The parent interview is a half-hour meeting. This is an opportunity for you to ask questions and for the Admission Committee to learn more about your child and family. Schedule a Student Visit This is an opportunity for your child to experience “a day in a life� at Quest. Applicants to Grades 1-8 are invited for a two-day visit and Kindergarten applicants visit for one full day in a classroom at their current grade level so they may be evaluated in comparison with their peers.
Quest Academy admits qualified students of any race, color, nationality, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, or physical or mental handicap (775 ILCS 5/1-102(A) to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities available to all students at Quest Academy. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, nationality, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, or physical or mental handicap in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarships and other school administered programs. Further, Quest Academy does not deny admissions to its programs to students who lack documentation of their immigration status or legal presence in the United States (Plyler v. doe, 457.U.S. 202 (1982).
Contact our Admissions Office by phone or email:
847.202.8035 ext.438 admission@questacademy.org
ADMISSION PROCESS
What becomes of a Quest graduate? Student highlights Outstanding Achievements
HIGHLIGHTS & ACHIEVEMENTS
HIGHLIGHTS & ACHIEVEMENTS
The Quest family
QUEST FAQ’S HISTORY
Quest Academy was founded in 1982 to provide an appropriate learning environment for gifted children whose educational needs were not being well served by their current schools. Quest opened its doors with eleven students and two faculty members. Quest has drawn from communities as far east as Evanston; as far west as Woodstock; to the north as far as Richmond; and to the south as far as Naperville. CLASS SIZE
Small class sizes ensure that each child receives the differentiated curriculum that he or she needs. OVERALL STUDENT-TO-FACULTY RATIO
Currently at Quest Academy, there is 1 faculty member for every 7 students. HIGH SCHOOL PLACEMENT
Many Quest graduates attend their local public high schools, regularly securing placement in Honors and Advanced Placement classes. Quest students who choose to continue in independent schools earn admission into the most selective high schools such as the Illinois Math & Science Academy, Loyola Academy, St. Viator High School, Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart, Lake Forest Academy, St. Ignatius College Prep, University of Chicago Lab School, and Carmel Catholic High School. Students have also chosen prestigious boarding schools including Cranbrook (MI), Culver Academies and Phillips Exeter Academy (NH). FINANCIAL AID
Financial assistance is available to Quest students with demonstrated need. We utilize the National Association of Independent Schools, School and Student Service for Financial Aid.
QUEST ACADEMY GRADUATE PROFILE
The Quest Academy Graduate: •
Demonstrates personal integrity.
•
Cultivates a habit of community involvement.
•
Seeks to understand the beliefs and values of other cultures.
•
Pursues academic challenge, takes intellectual risks, and sees setbacks as growth opportunities.
•
Strives to live in a healthy manner.
•
Embraces the liberal arts and sciences.
•
Finds exhilaration in learning.
The average number of years enrolled at Quest Academy by a graduate is 6.8
Where Quest Academy graduates attend high school:* 20% District 211/214/220 High Schools 21% Stevenson High School 3% Illinois Math & Science Academy (IMSA) 19% Other Public High Schools 38% Private or College Preparatory
The Quest Academy graduate over the past three years has achieved the following academic benchmarks upon completion of high school: •
A composite SAT score of 2207.5
•
An average composite score of 33.3 on the ACT.
• Admissions
to a highly selective college or university including: University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Harvard University, Georgetown University, Washington University in St. Louis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dartmouth College, University of Michigan, Miami University of Ohio, DePauw University, Yale University, Princeton University, and Stanford University.
Over the past three years, Quest Academy graduating classes have achieved an average 18 percent designation as National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists or finalists.
* Rolling tour year average—Classes of 2013, 2014, 2015 2016.
Due to rounding, overall percentage exceeds 100
GRADUATE PROFILE
QUEST ACADEMY STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS
Quest Academy Eighth Grade students have achieved the following benchmarks: •
An average* composite SAT**score of 1084 and ACT** score of 21.4
• An
average 92th percentile on MAP Reading with more than half of those students at the 95th percentile or higher as compared to ninth graders.
• An
average of 97th percentile on MAP Math with one third of those students at the 95th percentile or higher as compared to ninth graders.
• An
average of 94th percentile on MAP Language Usage with more than half of those students at the 95th percentile or higher as compared to ninth graders.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
5th– 8th grade students participating in the following extra-curricular activities: basketball, soccer, cross country, volleyball, math competitions, journalism, band, and Scholastic Bowl.
Grade
Students Enrolled
Number Participating in 1 Activity
Percentage
Number Participating in 2 Activities
Percentage
5th
24
22
92%
10
45%
6th
27
21
78%
13
48%
7th
31
30
97%
27
87%
8th
34
29
85%
23
68%
Total
116
102
88%
73
63%
* Averages are based on past three years’ scores with the exception of MAP. (2009-10 is our first year of using this tool.) ** SAT scores include 7th and 8th graders; ACT scores include 6th, 7th, and 8th graders
STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS
QUEST ACADEMY ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
SCIENCE FAIR *
2016 • 21 students qualified for Regional Fair. We placed second in our division. Ten students qualified for the State Fair. Four students won Best in Category, four students received Best In Category Awards, three received special awards, and three received Broadcom MASTERS Awards. • Ten students attended the State Fair, receiving 8 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze awards. • At The State Fair, were awarded two Best in Category awards, one in computer science and one engineering. One students won a special award for engineering. 2014 •
18 students qualified for Regional Fair.
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T hree students qualified for the State Fair, receiving 2 gold and 1 silver awards.
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Two students were invited to present at the National Science Teachers Association Convention and one student qualified for Broadcom MASTERS.
MATH COMPETITIONS •
I n Illinois Math League, two 6th grade students place 15th in the state, and their team placed 4th. Individually 7th grade students placed 9th, 14th, and 30th in the state; the team placed 4th in the state. Individually an 8th grade student placed 25th in the state, the team placed 13th in the state.
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I n National Math Counts, our team placed third in the region and participated at the state competition.
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I n the 2016 Latin School Math Competition, the Quest Academy 8th grade team placed fourth, 7th grade team placed second, and 6th grade team placed first.
• Illinois Math League - All middle school students participated in the Illinois Math League contest. An eighth grade student received the third highest score in Illinois, a seventh grade student placed fifth in the state, and a sixth grade student got a perfect score (one of four students in Illinois).
HISTORY FAIR * •
2015 Summary: 16 Regional Finalists, 10 State Qualifiers, 2 National Qualifiers
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2013 Summary: 15 Regional Finalists, 12 State Qualifiers
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2011 Summary: 25 Regional Finalists, 16 State Qualifiers, 7 National Qualifiers
* Quest Academy Middle School students participate in Science and History Fairs on alternate years.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATION
Quest Academy’s strength lies in its enthusiastic, dedicated, and highly qualified faculty, staff and administrators. All faculty and administrators hold current membership in the National Association for Gifted Children and the Illinois Association for Gifted Children. LEADERSHIP TEAM
FACULTY
Khalek Kirkland Head of School
Meredith Haynes Admission Office
Deanna Armentrout Lower School Drama
B.A., Morehouse College M.A., FordhamUniversity Ed.D., Fordham University M.S., New York University
B.S., Pacific Union College M.S., University of Redlands
B.F.A., University of Detroit M.F.A., Purdue University M.F.A., University of Texas
Phil Igyarto Director of IT Support Services
Deborah Chen Director of Finance & Operations
B.S., Northeastern Illinois University
B.A., Mount Holyoke College M.A., Webster University
Nick Iodice Director of Facilities
Laurie DeSimone Director of Development
Miranda Kennedy Accounting and Payroll Manager
B.A., San Diego State University
B.B.A., Robert Morris University
Lisa Diones Lower School Head Lower School Science
Phyllis Perry Receptionist
B.A., Northeastern Illinois University M.Ed., National Louis University
Sharon Rockhill Director of Information & Communication
Terri Wallace Middle School Head
B.S., California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo M.B.A., Pepperdine University
B.A., Dillard University M.A., The University of Vermont Ph.D., Purdue University
Ernesto Tecpanecatl Maintenance Manager
SUPPORT STAFF
Lauren Zelman Afternoon Receptionist
Trisha Angle Extended Day Program Director B.A., York University
Trish Cohn 2nd Grade B.S., Western Illinois University Cert., Northwestern University*
Andrea Dotoli Middle School Drama B.A., University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Deedy Esslinger All School Assistant B.S., University of Iowa
Jen Fabsik Middle School Language Arts & Social Studies B.S. Northwestern University M.S. Ed. Northwestern University
Kristin Fiore Kindergarten B.A., Eastern Illinois University M.A., Roosevelt University
Brian Frank Middle School Math B.S., Illinois State University M.A., Roosevelt University
Donna Halverson Assistant to the Head of School Extra-Curricular Coordinator
Arturo Garcia STEM Technology B.S., Pomona College
“Above all things, Quest taught me how to think creatively. To this day, I excel in all of my endeavors and at all the many challenges that life presents me because of the way Quest Academy trained me to think and problem solve.” — Craig Stubing, Class of ‘02
* Master
o f S c i e n c e i n E d u c a t i o n P r o g r a m A d v a n c e d T e a c h i n g C e r t i fi c a t e P r o g r a m : T h e G i f t e d
FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATION
FACULTY continued
Krista Genovese Pre-Kindergarten
Becky Leff 4th Grade
B.A., Tufts University M.S., Columbia College
B.M., Eastman School of Music M.Ed., DePaul University M.M., Northwestern University
Cathy Gruzinsky 3rd Grade B.S., Illinois State University
Annabel Hasty Lower School Music B.S., University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign M.S., University of Massachusetts, Lowell
Hether Hoffmann Middle School Art B.F.A., University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee M.F.A., University of Kansas
Angela Howe Middle School Math B.S., Western Michigan University M.A., University of Northern Iowa
Brenda Jurewicz 4th Grade B.S., Northland College M.A.T., National-Louis University
Cynthia Kirsh Kindergarten B.A. Northern Illinois University
Lisa Kropp Middle School Spanish B.A., Indiana University M.A., Northern Illinois University
Cindy Larsen 1st Grade B.A., National-Louis University Cert., Northwestern University*
Bernice Lau-Paredes 2nd Grade B.S., DePaul University M.Ed., National-Louis University
Drew Shilhanek Middle School Language Arts & Social Studies B.A., William Penn College Cert., Northwestern University*
Laura Nadeau Librarian
Tanya Soares Preschool Assistant
B.A., Bates College M.A.T., National-Louis University
B.S., Bombay University, India
Jacque Negus Middle School Music B.S., Ball State University M.A., University of Miami
Anais Oliver Lower School Spanish B.A. Judson University
Jeff Oremland Preschool & Early Childhood Science
Rosanne Spanola Preschool Assistant B.S., DePaul University
Nate Stoffregen Middle School Science B.S., Augustana College Cert., Northwestern University*
Denise Swanson Pre-Kindergarten Assistant B.A., University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
B.M.A., University of Michigan M.Ed., University of New Orleans
Cindy Riess 3rd Grade B.S., Bucknell University M.S., National-Louis University Cert., Northwestern University*
Jeff Ryder Athletic Director & Coach Physical Education B.A., San Diego State University
Beth Sala Lower School Art B.A., University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh M.A., Art Institute of Chicago
Louise Schenck Physical Education B.A., University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign M.A., Northern Illinois University
Heidi Senetra-Bass 5th Grade B.S., Wright State University
* Master
o f S c i e n c e i n E d u c a t i o n P r o g r a m A d v a n c e d T e a c h i n g C e r t i fi c a t e P r o g r a m : T h e G i f t e d
FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATION