Our History and Mission.

Cornerstone Academy opened its doors in 1994, in the Chicago Austin neighborhood, as a response to the staggering 70% high school dropout rate of the time. In 2000, we moved to the new Cornerstone Center on the Near North Side of Chicago where we shared a space with other not-for-profit organizations that supported our students: Young Life, which provides after-school programming, camping, and Bible studies; Cornerstone Children’s Learning Center, which provides Work Study internships; and LaSalle Street Church, which provides pastoral leadership and care. Most recently, in 2021, we relocated to Oak Park to establish a centralized location for serving both city and near-West side students. In a sense, we’ve come back to our roots.

Our mission is to provide a supportive Christian education for students who may benefit from personalized attention as they work toward a high school diploma while developing tools for self-sufficiency and a Christian life ethic.

Our values.

  1. Recognize that each student is a valuable individual with unique physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual needs.

  2. Create an optimal physical environment conducive to learning for socially, economically, and/or educationally vulnerable students through:

    • Small school, small classes and individualized instruction

    • Safe and comfortable learning spaces

    • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion through celebrating and welcoming persons of every race, gender, and economic status

  3. Promote academic growth through the constant assessment and elimination of gaps in students’ needs, and through individualized teaching materials and styles.

  4. Foster personal growth and life-long learning through ongoing practices and role-modeling:

    • Cooperative partnerships between students, families, and the school

    • Practicing mutual respect between students and staff to promote enhanced self-esteem

    • Student career development to promote an enhanced sense of personal success

    • Guiding students in the development of Christlike character and a Christian ethic

    • Prioritize professional development for staff to develop strong role models of life-long learning

      Jim Wilkes
      Cofounder, Principal, and Teacher

      NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

      It is the policy of Cornerstone Academy to maintain a school environment that is free from discrimination and to conduct its educational practices, admission policies, hiring, and other school-administrative programs on the basis of an individual’s qualifications and abilities. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, or disability. 

      BULLYING POLICY

      As a school, we take bullying and its impact seriously. Bullying of any form is not tolerated in our school, whether carried out by a child or an adult. Staff, students, and parents/guardians will be made aware of the school's position on bullying. Bullying behavior is unacceptable in any form.  

      105ILCS 75/15

      Name Calling, Ruff Housing,  has the effect of disrupting the orderly operation of the school. Bullying can take many forms, including slurs, rumors, jokes, innuendos, demeaning comments, drawing cartoons, pranks, gestures, physical attacks, threats, or other written, oral, or physical actions. “Intentional acts” refers to the individual’s choice to engage in the act rather than the ultimate impact of the action(s).

Making a Complaint; Enforcement

Students are encouraged to promptly report claims or incidences of bullying, harassment, or any other prohibited conduct to the Teacher or Principal. 

The Principal will use reasonable measures to inform staff members and students of this policy, such as, by including it in the appropriate handbooks and posting it at the school.


Investigation

Upon receiving a report of bullying or harassment, the School will investigate the allegations contained in such a report. The School will promptly notify the parents or guardians of all students involved in the alleged incident(s) of bullying and/or harassment and will advise the parents or guardians of the students involved of the resources available to the students, including involving their treating therapist and administrative contact.

The School will make all reasonable efforts to complete the investigation within 10 days after the date the report of the incident of bullying or harassment was received, taking into consideration additional relevant information received during the investigation concerning the reported incident.


Through the course of its investigation, the School will involve appropriate school support personnel and other staff persons with knowledge, experience, and training on bullying investigation as deemed appropriate.


The School will also make information concerning the status of the investigation available to the parents of all students involved in such investigation. The parents or guardians of the students involved shall have the opportunity to meet with the teacher or Principal. administrator to discuss the investigation, any findings resulting from the investigation, and any actions taken to address the reported bullying or harassment.


Jeffrey Fields, Principal, jfields@cornerstonechicago.org (312) 600-0953