In this session, parents will learn about the variety of elementary schools in Chicago, including neighborhood, magnet, magnet cluster, gifted, classical, and more. You will understand how the application, selection, and acceptance process works and learn about schools you may have never heard of that could be a great fit for your student

This session was recorded with Grace Lee Sawin of Chicago School GPS in October 2025. CPS changes the deadlines frequently. Please check go.cps.edu for updates. 

About our Presenter

Our presenter is Grace Lee Sawin of Chicago School GPS. A long time partner of NPN, and a self-described “Tiger Mom Lite”, Grace has always felt that the most important role of a parent is to provide the best possible education for her children by putting in all the time and research required to successfully make that happen.  Little did she know HOW MUCH time and research she would have to do in order to get her daughters into a sought-after private Montessori for preschool, then into a well-regarded selective enrollment elementary program followed by a top selective enrollment high school and to an Ivy League university.  Throughout the years, Grace has seen the school choice landscape change in Chicago with more options for all types of students.  She thrives on uncovering these nuggets of wisdom and “hidden” info that others simply don’t have time to discover.  She also is excited to share that info with you as she firmly believes a great education is a right, not a privilege.  It just so happens in the City of Chicago, it’s a “right” that takes an inordinate amount of research.