Friends of Aces Academy - DuPage

08/01/2026

💚 We're Ready... Are You?

Today is the final day to register and start classes with ACES in September in our Academic Academy (Tuesday-Thursday) programs. Registrations after today will enter during our fall enrollment window in mid-October.

Over the past month, we've shared our classrooms.

Our philosophy.

Our families.

Our teachers.

Our story.

Now we'd love to learn yours.

If you've been wondering whether ACES is the right place for your family...

This is your invitation.

📅 Registration for a September Academic Academy start closes tonight at midnight.

Mini Academy registration remains open through August 15, with only a handful of available seats remaining.

Come pull up a chair. We've been waiting for you! 💚

Call or text the campus nearest you to start the conversation:
DuPage Campus: 630.945.4378
Kendall Campus: 630.945.5028

Together We Learn Better.

07/22/2026

🌍 One More Piece to Our Puzzle... Could It Be YOU?

As we prepare for another incredible school year at ACES, we're excited to share that our incredible teaching team is almost complete!

Now we're looking for one exceptional educator to help bring our beloved FUNdamentals program to life through the wonder of history and geography.

We're seeking a teacher who loves helping children discover the people, places, cultures, and stories that shape our world.

Position Details:

📍 Kendall Campus (Montgomery) – Thursdays

📍 DuPage Campus (Warrenville) – Tuesdays

Grades 1–8 in our multi-age, relationship-based learning community.

This opportunity is flexible!

✨ It can be filled by two educators—one at each campus—who collaborate on planning.

OR

✨ It can be the perfect role for one teacher who enjoys the advantage of "prepping once and teaching twice" at two wonderful campuses.

If you're passionate about making history come alive, inspiring curiosity about the world, and building meaningful relationships with students, we'd love to connect with you.

At ACES, we believe the best learning happens when children are known, encouraged, and inspired—and we're looking for someone who shares that vision.

Come pull up a chair. We've been hoping you'd join us.

📧 To learn more or express your interest, contact us at [email protected]

We can't wait to meet you. 💚
Together We Learn Better.

07/14/2026

We're Growing... and There May Be a Place for You Here.

As our ACES community continues to grow, we're looking for a few exceptional people to grow with us.

We're currently seeking educators who believe that relationships come before rigor, curiosity fuels learning, and every child deserves to be known, encouraged, and celebrated.

We're especially interested in connecting with:

🍎 Early Childhood Educators (PreK–2)

📚 Primary Grade Teachers (Grades 1–3)

🌍 Middle Grade Teachers (Grades 5–8)

We're also looking for passionate educators with experience or special interests in:

✍️ Writing

🗺️ History & Geography

🎨 Creative electives, clubs, and enrichment classes

…and we're always excited to meet outstanding teaching assistants and substitute teachers who share our heart for whole-child education.

At ACES, we aren't simply building classrooms.

We're building a community where children are known, parents are partners, and educators are valued.

If you're looking for more than just a teaching position—if you're searching for a place where your gifts, creativity, and love for children can truly flourish—we'd love to meet you.

Come pull up a chair. We've been hoping you'd join us.

📧 Tell us about yourself at [email protected]

We can't wait to hear your story.

Together We Learn Better 💚

07/03/2026

People sometimes ask me why I started ACES Academy.
The answer was never a business plan or a curriculum. It's a story.
Years ago, when our family began homeschooling, I discovered something I hadn't expected. Learning wasn't just about academics—it was about relationships. When children feel known, safe, understood, and genuinely cared for, they're more willing to take risks, ask questions, persevere through challenges, and discover the sheer joy of learning.
That realization changed the way I thought about education.
It also changed because of one of my greatest teachers—our daughter, Lily.
Today marks two years since Lily passed away. Many of the families who have been with ACES for years remember her well. For those who are newer to our community, I simply want to say that her life continues to shape so much of what I do.
Recently, a dear friend gave me a book that included this simple line:
"It might not make a lot of sense, but for anything to be good, truly good, there must be love in it."
When I read those words, I instantly thought, Yes. That's it.
That has always been the "why" behind ACES.
Not that learning should be easy.
Not that every day should be perfect.
But that education should begin with love and care about one another—with taking the time to truly know the children and families in front of us. To be curious about them. To understand their strengths, challenges, interests, and hopes.
Because when we lead with care instead of assumptions...
When we build connection before correction...
When children know they belong...
We simply become better at what we do.
The learning is richer.
The friendships are deeper.
The community is stronger.
Everyone benefits.
ACES Academy was never created to be just another educational program.
It was created to be a place where children are deeply known, where families are true partners, and where relationships matter as much as academics.
Thank you to every family who has trusted us with a piece of your child's story. It is a privilege we never take for granted.
And thank you, Lily, for continuing to remind me what matters most.
💛 Together We Learn Better

07/02/2026

06/26/2026

As both a longtime teacher and a wise (this sounds better than "old," n'est-ce pas?) homeschool mom, one of the greatest lessons I've learned is that learning doesn't only happen inside a classroom.

In fact, some of the most meaningful learning I've witnessed has happened everywhere else:

I've seen children learn perseverance while building a fort in the woods.

I've watched curiosity ignite during family road trips, museum visits, nature walks, and conversations around the dinner table.

I've seen confidence grow when a child finally masters a new skill because they had the time and space to pursue it at their own pace.

Over the past 35 years as an educator—any my years as a mom to many—I've come to believe that learning is not something we do only between certain hours of the day or within the walls of a school building.

Learning happens when we ask questions.

When we explore.

When we create.

When we serve others.

When we connect with people whose experiences are different from our own.

When we engage with the world around us.

This belief is one of the reasons I founded ACES Academy.

I wanted to create a learning community that recognized children (and teachers!) as whole people—unique individuals who each contribute to a shared learning experience--each one a crucial part of the system. A place where relationships matter, curiosity is encouraged, and learning extends beyond textbooks into real-world experiences and meaningful community connections.

Because education isn't about filling a bucket--It's about lighting a fire. (Thanks, Mr. Yeats!)

And once that spark is ignited, learning can happen anywhere.

— Jane

06/04/2026

☀️🌳 Summer Park Adventures Now Loading…🌳☀️

Looking for a fun, low-pressure way to connect with other homeschooling families this summer?

Join us for Summer Park Adventures, co-hosted by ACES Academy and the ACES Education Family Foundation! These weekly gatherings are a chance for children to play, explore, build friendships, and enjoy the outdoors while parents connect with a supportive homeschooling community.

Whether you’re part of the ACES family or just curious about homeschooling and alternative education options, we’d love to welcome you!

🍊 And for those who were with us this week… let’s just say there may have been a slightly unexpected abundance of oranges involved when I got to my car. 👀🍊🍊🍊

If you’re wondering what that’s all about, you’ll have to join us next week to become part of the joke! We have a feeling the legend of the extra oranges may continue…

📍 Weekly Summer Park Adventures
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Open to all homeschool families
🌞 Free to attend
📲 Sign up in the Brightwheel app (Comment SUMMER for the link)

Come make memories, meet new friends, and maybe even discover why two extra bags of oranges have suddenly become ACES-famous. 🍊😂

05/13/2026

One of the things families often notice first about ACES is our intentionally small group sizes.

And sometimes, especially in the older age groups, that can feel unfamiliar at first.
But what we’ve seen over and over again is this:

Small groups create space for real connection.
Students are known here.
Their voices matter.
Friendships form more naturally.
And relationships have room to grow deeply over time.

Many families come to ACES hoping their child will find “their people.”
What often surprises them is that meaningful community doesn’t always begin with large numbers.

Sometimes it begins with just a few students (and parents!) who are ready to grow together.

💛 Small group. Real connection.

📣 Early Bird Pricing ends May 31st and several classes are already full or nearly full for fall. Head to our website and click the red "Let's Get Started!" button to get connected!