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Traditional schools, built on a factory model that emphasize homogeneity and compliance, will not cut it. There is a growing need for a redesigned and redefined high school experience. UCA seeks to meet this need and more, but for a radically different reason.
Community Integration
We integrate learning and doing within our community. When learning is used to build up the people and institutions in our midst, real flourishing can happen.
Chicago as Classroom
Chicago is a world-class city, rich with educational resources. Graduates will leave UCA as experienced city explorers, having traveled with teachers and classmates to various destinations in the area for Learning Expeditions.
Self-Knowledge
We believe that in order for students to have hope and a future, their education ought to help them achieve confidence and clarity about their gifts and potential vocation. It is essential for our school to help students identify strengths and passions, and personalize the learning process.
Knowing God, Knowing Self
Who is God? Who am I? How has God created me to serve? UCA students will develop the language to help them answer these questions. Curriculum, internships, and daily school life all serve to help students graduate with confidence and clarity.
Authentic Work
All students are capable of beautiful, complex, well-crafted work. Learning at UCA goes beyond tests and quizzes to encompass fieldwork, community projects, and other meaningful pursuits.
Not just busy work.
Traditional tests and quizzes, while useful, only demonstrate a fraction of what students can do. UCA students will apply learning toward creating work that has practical relevance to the community.
Collaboration
Students and teachers are co-designers of curriculum. This means that student input is not just helpful for a robust curriculum; it is absolutely necessary. Together, we can emphasize high performing teams over individual superstars.
Collaboration Requires Culture
Deep collaboration between student and teachers does not happen by accident. From developing curriculum to nurturing spiritual life to creating clubs, collaboration is part of our identity. Excellence in education requires everyone to have an authentic voice in the process.
Servant Leadership
Students must be given the opportunity to hone their gifts and use them for the good of others. They will have meaningful opportunities to do this while in high school, connecting their faith and learning. We see service as a natural result of strong education.
For Each Other
All of life at UCA is meant to reflect our deep desire to follow the example of Jesus, who came to serve those in his midst. The trajectory of our curriculum and daily practice will give students practice in using their gifts for the good of others.
Heart, Mind, & Hands
UCA takes a holistic approach to education, ensuring curriculum that addresses the loving, thinking, and doing nature of our students.
Full Spectrum
UCA's curriculum encompasses history, literature, STEM, the arts, and a focus on wellness. UCA teachers and students learn in such a way that all parts of us are activated. Hearts. Minds. Hands.