- St. Ferdinand Catholic School welcomes 156 students in grades preK-8 in a nurturing environment with rigorous standards-based curricula.
- St. Ferdinand has large classrooms with small class sizes, and a focus on individualized learning. Our maximum class size is about 40% smaller than Chicago Public Schools.
- Student to Teacher Ratios 7:1 (Pre-K 3 and 4); 9:1 (K-8); 18:1 grades 1-8.
- Diversity: Our students hail from more than 20 ZIP codes, making St. Ferdinand a “destination school” for families seeking a high-quality education. The school is a vital part of our large city-block campus. Student population is made up of approximately 40% Latinx, 40% Polish and the remaining 20% of students are mixed race, or other White, Black or Asian.
- Faculty with Advanced Degrees: more than 50% of our talented teachers have earned or are pursuing advanced degrees. The average number of years of service for faculty members is 7.4 years.
- STEM: St. Ferdinand recognizes the need to adapt to an ever-changing world. Being able to use technology effectively and responsibly gives our students an advantage as they continue throughout school years and beyond. Tablets and Chromebooks are integrated into lessons starting in preschool, making for a rich classroom experience.
- Enrichment/Extracurriculars: the school creates a nurturing environment with a focus on the students’ well-rounded, social and emotional characteristics. St. Ferdinand offers students many enrichment options including clubs and athletics.
- Ferdinand offers a highly inclusive learning environment. Teachers provide onsite inclusion services such as Title I, which aims to improve the academic achievement of disadvantaged students; students that qualify for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and academic coaching services. Approximately 20% of our students receive inclusion services in a school year.
- Financial Aid: A family’s finances shouldn’t be a factor in their child getting a high-quality Catholic education. Approximately 30% of students receive need-based financial assistance.
- High School Transitions: St. Ferdinand helps students and their parents through the high school admissions process. Graduates go on to attend top Chicago-area Catholic, independent and selective–enrollment public high schools. Acceptance rates for our eighth-grade graduates at their top choice of public or private high schools was very high in 2020.