Rondout Elementary School, Lake Forest College collect honors; ‘It ... solidifies our feelings about the quality of education that we provide’

By Daniel I. Dorfman

Lake County News-Sun • Published: Sep 26, 2023 at 1:29 pm

National recognition has come to two Lake Forest schools for their educational efforts.

In recent weeks, Lake Forest College received accolades from a series of national publications, while Rondout Elementary School was named a National Blue Ribbon School for 2023 by the U.S. Department of Education.

On Sept. 18, U.S. News & World Report selected LFC tops in the nation for social mobility, which ranks a college’s success in graduating students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, according to a posting on the college’s website.

U.S. News & World Report also ranked LFC 13th for best value for a national liberal arts college, jumping from sixteenth in 2022.

LFC was also recently ranked 13th on the New York Times list of Top Colleges With the Greatest Economic Diversity, and was 20th on a Forbes listing of Top 25 Private Colleges That Give Out Generous Financial Aid.

“We have been walking the walk and talking the talk for a very long time regarding social mobility and we have the outcomes to show for it,” LFC President Jill Baren wrote in an email. “The criteria used in the recent rankings are very connected to our mission and what people are seeking in a college education.”

Finally, the Wall Street Journal placed LFC 27th on its list of Best Colleges in the United States.

“The combination of the rigor of a liberal arts education with pragmatic and intentional career preparation is what people are seeking and getting at Lake Forest College,” Baren wrote.

LFC currently has an enrollment of just over 1,700 students. Baren said the school will look to build off the honors.

“We will continue to widen the path to the liberal arts,” she wrote. “We proved that a liberal arts education is synonymous with value and we will continue to build on that value proposition with signature programs that are always connected in meaningful ways to career outcomes.”

At another part of the age spectrum, Rondout Elementary School was one 20 Illinois schools and more than 350 nationwide receiving the Blue Ribbon honor.

“The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups,” according to a U.S. Department of Education statement.

Rondout was honored for its overall excellence.

“It just really solidifies our feelings about the quality of education that we provide for our students,” Rondout District 72 Superintendent Jenny Wojcik said in an interview. “We are very pleased and excited that we have been recognized for the work we have done for many years to create a learning environment that focuses on meeting the individual needs of students and looking at the whole child.”

Rondout serves unincorporated parts of Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, Green Oaks and Mettawa. There are 27 teachers and 150 students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The school is far smaller than many in its neighboring communities as there is one class per grade, with a range of 10 to 22 students, Wojcik said.

Wojcik noted her school offers a program where students can experience what it is like to be actively engaged in government by simulating the model of village government. Students take on tasks such as finance, parks and recreation and communications.

They also take advantage of its five acres of green space, replete with a garden, a turtle pond and a nature preserve that was recently restored with a wetland and woodland area.

“This simply validates and reinforce the programs we have in place, and the good work we do related to the individual needs of kids,” Wojcik said. “These can be difficult times for educators. It is very nice to have that recognition.”

Dorfman, Daniel I. “Rondout Elementary School, Lake Forest College Collect Honors; ‘It ... Solidifies Our Feelings about the Quality of Education That We Provide.’” Chicago Tribune, 26 Sept. 2023, http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/ct-lfr-schools-honored-tl-0927-20230926-7kysdbtijzfy3h26xxzl6apbrq-story.html

Rondout School District 72