Homeschool Partnership

Because Wheaton Academy believes in parental involvement in education, we are pleased to partner with families who have chosen to use a homeschool model.

We love partnering with homeschooling families! Historically, about 20% of our student body has previous homeschooling experience. We encourage homeschooling families to consider a variety of classes from Wheaton Academy to create a personalized mix of experiences that meet individual student and family needs. Please read our guidelines below.

Guidelines

In addition to its role of nurturing students, Wheaton Academy endeavors to support the area churches and families who are committed to Christian education. To this end, Wheaton Academy has adopted the following guidelines for developing a working relationship with interested homeschooling families:

Homeschool Curriculum

The homeschooling family will be expected to provide an education mandated by the Illinois Department of Education for all courses studied at home. For partnership students who choose not to participate in co-curricular activities at Wheaton Academy, curriculum approval is not required.

Co-Curricular Participation

Wheaton Academy partnership students are both permitted and encouraged to become active participants in Wheaton Academy’s community. Students are welcome to get involved in our co-curricular activities such as athletics, banquets, Homecoming Week, fine arts, and other ongoing events. In order for partnership students to participate in co-curricular activities, they must be enrolled in five approved classes, including at least one class through Wheaton Academy. These five classes can be a combination of classes offered at Wheaton Academy and through the homeschool curriculum. Our Student Services Office is responsible for approving homeschool curriculum. Families are required to submit the Registration of Supervised Partnership Classes form for approval prior to participating in any Wheaton Academy co-curricular activity. Wheaton Academy requires parents to monitor homeschool class progress. If, at any point, a student’s grade falls below a “C”, the parents are required to report the grade to the Student Services Office. Partnership students who wish to participate in athletics and any non-athletic IHSA co-curricular activity will be expected to meet the eligibility requirements of the IHSA.

Class Availability and Prerequisite Requirements

In an effort to ensure individualized attention and quality instruction for our student body, Wheaton Academy closely monitors class capacity.

Full-time Wheaton Academy students are given first priority in the class selection process. Some classes may have limited capacity, and availability is determined by the Student Services Office. Some classes at Wheaton Academy require prerequisite coursework. Partnership students must demonstrate, through a homeschool transcript, that all prerequisites have been met prior to enrolling in a specific class. In some cases, a placement test may be required before class registration occurs.

Diploma Eligibility

Partnership students are not candidates for a Wheaton Academy diploma, but may participate in the graduation ceremony. Prior to their senior year, partnership students can apply to become full-time students. If accepted, these students will receive a Wheaton Academy diploma.

Increasing Course load & Transitioning to Full-Time Status

All partnership students who wish to increase their course load OR become a full-time student must submit a written request to the Wheaton Academy Admissions Office. The Admissions Office will work with the Student Services Office to determine if there is space available, and if the student would be a good candidate for an increased course load. Wheaton Academy reserves the right to decline a family’s request for an increased course load at Wheaton Academy. Discipline and other behavioral factors could impact this decision.

Family Alignment

All partnership families who wish to enroll at Wheaton Academy must review the Wheaton Academy’s Admissions Guide. Partnership parents, students, and families are required to abide by the same standards as our full-time families.

This includes, but is not limited to, items outlined in the Student Handbook, Student Expectations, and Parent Expectations. For a copy of these documents, please refer the Wheaton Academy website. If, at any point, a family is no longer in alignment with the philosophies of the school, Wheaton Academy reserves the right to re-evaluate the family’s enrollment status.

Next Steps

We support your family’s commitment to homeschooling and look forward to partnering with you and your student! Please reach out to our Admissions Office at 630-562-7501 if you have further questions.