Our Mission
Northwest Institute for Contemporary Learning (N.I.C.L.) is a private, not-for-profit school operating in the Greater North Pulaski/North Austin Community of Chicago. Chartered by the State of Illinois, NICL operates two interlocking programs that reflect the character and needs of this community. The first program is the Preschool serving children between the ages of two and five years. The second is the Elementary School serving grades first through eighth.
Our Mission is to provide excellence in our programs for preschoolers and elementary students while fostering students intellectual, social, physical and moral development: to provide an environment that is conducive to learning (understanding that children learn by doing - moving from concrete, hands-on experiences to more abstract concept development). Our Mission priorities include: healthy balances for student-directed, teacher guided activities; time for students to work individually, in small and large groups, to provide a stable, safe healthy, comfortable, and culturally relevant environment.
Our Mission is to provide excellence in our programs for preschoolers and elementary students while fostering students intellectual, social, physical and moral development: to provide an environment that is conducive to learning (understanding that children learn by doing - moving from concrete, hands-on experiences to more abstract concept development). Our Mission priorities include: healthy balances for student-directed, teacher guided activities; time for students to work individually, in small and large groups, to provide a stable, safe healthy, comfortable, and culturally relevant environment.
Related Page: see Our Philosophy
The Preschool Program
The Preschool Program at NICL is a true educational experience that enhances the role of the family in the life of the child. The program is based upon principles of human growth and development that determine the curriculum and activities of the school. In this way, we have been able to arrive at a unique program that recognizes the individuality of each child's learning readiness and style.
The Elementary School Program
The Elementary School Program has an enrollment of over (125) children; the majority once attended NICL Preschool. Here the students are met on their own level with a challenge to attain excellence. To us, excellence is not limited to the attainment of grades alone, but extends in the areas of the student's emotional and social life. To ensure the latter, the Elementary School provides for parental involvement in the educational process. The school has a Parent's Alliance that acts in an advisory capacity to the educational program as well as providing concrete support to the school and to the community. Thus, the educational experience reflects the realities of the community in which the families live.
The Community Outreach Program
The Social Component of NICL is active in both school programs. Recognizing that families are subject to stress, the Social Service Component attempts to provide help in concrete ways. We have a program for individual, group, and family therapy that is poised to intervene when problems arise. The signal may come from the behavior of a child, who may be reacting to unique situations in the family. It may come from a parent reacting to the family or individual problems. The signal may also come from the community as it reflects the large variety of social problems flowing throughout urban communities.
The Greater North Pulaski- North Austin area is not an exception as a community. It is subject to many problems that are serious enough to warrant direct action. In response to widespread hunger in the city of Chicago, NICL operates a Food Pantry serving hot meals to those in need. From this community service, we were able to move in another related direction in response to a felt need for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program. This segment of the program is geared to families, women, and children who have been victims of fire, families with economic disasters, i.e. unemployment, battered women and children, evictions, demolishing of unlivable buildings and the homeless. In this program, comprehensive social services are offered to help the individual/family regain some stability. Services focus on counseling to determine the extent of need, transportation and referral to essential community services, such as Public Assistance, The Department of Children and Family Services, and similar agencies.
The Greater North Pulaski- North Austin area is not an exception as a community. It is subject to many problems that are serious enough to warrant direct action. In response to widespread hunger in the city of Chicago, NICL operates a Food Pantry serving hot meals to those in need. From this community service, we were able to move in another related direction in response to a felt need for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program. This segment of the program is geared to families, women, and children who have been victims of fire, families with economic disasters, i.e. unemployment, battered women and children, evictions, demolishing of unlivable buildings and the homeless. In this program, comprehensive social services are offered to help the individual/family regain some stability. Services focus on counseling to determine the extent of need, transportation and referral to essential community services, such as Public Assistance, The Department of Children and Family Services, and similar agencies.
A special program recently begun targets homeless emancipated minors in need of shelter. In this program, adolescents who are homeless and estranged from their families, receive a comprehensive package of social and health services to enable them to attain a capability to live independently in the community. Services include housing, meals, linkage for prenatal care if pregnant, linkage with Public Aid, Social Security, education and counseling. Housed in the NICL shelter, the program can accommodate input from many outside agencies who share a dream for this group of people. The binding element in NICL is Non-Sectarian Religion. We believe in supporting the values of brotherly love. Although we do not expect those we serve to believe in a specific way, our beliefs will be used as guidelines in the provisions of community services. We are adamant in our beliefs and will let our programs speak for us. This then is, “THE MISSION OF NORTHWEST INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY LEARNING, INC., a Non-Profit, Multi-purpose Community Agency.”