About Union Ridge School

Union Ridge is a nationally recognized, Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Founded in 1876, we are a one-school elementary district in Harwood Heights, Illinois. Union Ridge serves 660 students of diverse backgrounds from preschool through eighth grade.

The school district is recognized both state-wide and nationally for its innovative instructional practices and solid educational programs.

The majority of our students score in the top levels on standardized achievement tests and meet or exceed state standards on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT).

The small size and intimacy of Union Ridge affords students a unique learning experience. Small class sizes favor optimal participation, personal development and a sense of belonging. Kindergarten through Fifth Grade classes are self-contained other than for art, music and physical education. In sixth through eighth grades, instruction is departmentalized.

With the education of the individual child as the central focus, Union Ridge strives to provide a positive and encouraging educational climate in which each child builds a core body of knowledge, masters key skills and develops useful habits of study. This includes an understanding of the creative process and superior critical thinking abilities.

Since the District is small, all children live within walking distance of Union Ridge. We offer full-day kindergarten from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The school day for first through fifth grades is 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Middle school students attend school from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., except for a 9:00 a.m. Wednesday late start.

The K-8 curriculum includes advanced programs, gifted classes, and special needs support services allowing for the development of the whole child. All educational programs are designed to continuously meet the changing needs of students in our dynamic world.