Village Leadership Academy (VLA)

Village Leadership Academy (VLA) is an independent kindergarten through 8th-grade school located in Chicago, IL. VLA offers a fresh new approach to teaching and learning that includes high academic standards, exposure to world history and geography, appreciation for cultural differences, the development of critical thinking and perspective-taking skills, and socially just decision making. Village Leadership Academy's goal is to prepare tomorrow's world leaders today.

Our Core Values are the most important underlying principles or beliefs based on our vision, goals, strategies, plans, policies, and actions. These values reveal what we strive for and give us our identity. Woven within these core values is the expectation that communication will occur in various ways across the community, including active listening and the free exchange of thoughts and ideas. We hold ourselves accountable and responsible for adhering to these core values as we seek to fulfill the vision and mission of Village Leadership Academy.

Community: We strive to develop a sense of unity within the school, community, nation, and world. Leadership – We seek to empower, nurture, and inspire individuals to be innovative and resourceful leaders within their spheres. Scholarship – We encourage intellectual curiosity, knowledge acquisition and dissemination, and expansion of educational practices for performance improvement. Responsibility – We hold ourselves accountable for carrying out our roles in an exemplary manner. Respect– We acknowledge and value each person's unique capabilities, knowledge, and potential for excellence. Empathy – We seek to understand the experiences and feelings of others and respond appropriately. Global Citizenship – We identify as members of a global community, recognizing that our actions have broad-based implications. Integrity – We operate in an ethical, fair, and reliable manner in our work and relationships.

Village Leadership Academy's highly skilled staff of educators engages students in an in-depth exploration of relevant high-interest content in math, science, reading, language arts, social science, physical development, health awareness, fine arts, world languages (Spanish), social, emotional development, technology, and leadership development. This content is clearly explained, illustrated, modeled, reinforced, and mastered with structured, guided, and independent practice. We provide a superior education grounded in real-world experiences that help our students develop knowledge, skills, productive habits, and critical intellect. The academy guides students in realizing their potential for academic excellence and supports them in gaining the skills necessary to transform and advance their community, nation, and world.

We want to see our society become one where the principles of social, political, and economic equity are a reality. We envision a society where people from all communities are equipped to address the social, political, and economic issues that confront them. We believe that children's education should reflect this vision. VLA will bring the experiences and skills of students into the learning process. Our students will respect all people's dignity while preserving their ethnic and cultural heritage and will engage in service-learning to reinforce classroom concepts. VLA will use our collective knowledge, best educational practices, relevant data, and regular assessment to shape our curriculum and instruction.