Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family

What Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family does

Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family is a private, tuition-based Catholic classical high school located in Lisle, Illinois, founded in 2015 with an inaugural class of 27 students. The school serves Catholic families seeking a rigorous, integrated education rooted in the classical liberal arts tradition and the truths of the Catholic faith, with enrollment spanning grades 9-12 and graduating classes from 2017 through 2024. It is officially recognized by the Diocese of Joliet and is a member of the Chesterton Schools Network, a national affiliation of like-minded classical Catholic schools. The school operates from a single leased campus (5205 Kingston Avenue) with approximately 12 employees, deliberately keeping overhead low by leasing space from existing churches.

The academic program combines humanities (literature, history, philosophy, theology taught via the Socratic seminar method), math and science, and fine arts, supplemented by daily Mass, a four-House System modeled on Oxford and Cambridge, athletics, and annual international pilgrimages. Students can earn concurrent college credits through a 2022 partnership with Franciscan University of Steubenville. The school received accreditation in 2025 and uses PlusPortals for parent/student communications and Parchment for transcript management. Its technology footprint is limited to these third-party platforms; there are no proprietary software products or AI/ML capabilities.

The business model is tuition-driven, with revenue supplemented by donations and an annual Fleur-de-Lis Gala fundraiser that drew nearly 600 guests in 2018. Pricing is not publicly disclosed but is explicitly positioned as affordable for middle- and working-class families, including single-income households, with sibling discounts and need-based tuition assistance. Marketing is primarily word-of-mouth driven through the Diocese, the Chesterton Schools Network, parent volunteers, and community events. Leadership includes co-founder and Board Chairman Brenie Bowles (also Vice President of the Chesterton Schools Network), Head of School Hugo Chong (appointed 2024), Executive Director Rachel Jurado, and Dean of Formation Fr. Ryan Adorjan.

Name

Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family

Legal name

Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family

Website

https://cathf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family is a private Catholic classical high school in Lisle, Illinois, serving Catholic families with a rigorous classical liberal arts curriculum, daily Mass, and House System, affiliated with the Diocese of Joliet and Chesterton Schools Network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Catholic Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Religious Organizations (8131)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

Keywords

• Classical Catholic education
• Private high school
• Secondary education services
• Faith-based education
• College preparatory curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Tuition is the primary revenue stream. The school is committed to keeping tuition low and affordable for Catholic families, with discounts for siblings and tuition assistance for demonstrated need. The school leases modest space from existing churches to minimize overhead costs.
2. Annual Fleur-de-Lis Gala Fundraiser: The school holds an annual gala (Fueur-de-Lis Gala) as its primary fundraising event to support scholarships and keep tuition affordable. In 2018, the gala drew a sold-out crowd of nearly 600 guests.
3. Donations and Charitable Giving: The school accepts donations through its Give Today page and relies on the generosity of donors to fund scholarships and school operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family is a private Catholic classical high school that delivers a four-year integrated curriculum in humanities, math & science, and fine arts to high-school-age students, paired with daily Mass, Socratic seminars, and a House System. The school sells enrollment slots directly to families and supplements core academics with athletics, pilgrimages, college and career advising, and concurrent college credit through Franciscan University of Steubenville.

Product overview

Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family is a Catholic classical high school offering a unified educational program combining rigorous academic curriculum with deep faith formation. The school provides humanities, math & science, and fine arts programs as its core academic modules, supplemented by a House System for character formation, athletics and clubs for student development, college and career advising services, and daily Mass with spiritual programs including pilgrimages. The institution operates as part of the Chesterton Schools Network, with approximately 27 students in its first year (2015) growing to a full high school program. Services include transcript ordering via Parchment and parent/student communications through PlusPortals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Classical Catholic High School Education

Quantifiable outcome

• First graduating class started with 27 students in 2015; the school has grown and graduated multiple classes including Classes of 2017 through 2024.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Franciscan University of SteubenvillecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2022The Chesterton Schools Network entered a partnership with Franciscan University of Steubenville enabling junior and senior students at Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family to earn college credits on a Franciscan University transcript during their time at Chesterton. More details on costs, approved courses, and enrollment fees were to go live for rising juniors and seniors in June 2022. This provides a cost-effective way for students to earn transferable college credits.
• Diocese of JolietcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family is officially recognized as a Catholic high school affiliated with the Diocese of Joliet, under the guidance of Bishop R. Daniel Conlon (2018) and later Bishop Ronald Hicks. The school operates with daily Mass, all faculty and staff take an oath of loyalty to the Magisterium, and the school follows diocesan standards for Catholic education. The Diocese conferred the 2018 Fleur-de-Lis Award honoring its commitment to Catholic education.
• Chesterton Schools NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChesterton Academy of The Holy Family is a member of the Chesterton Schools Network, a national network of classical Catholic high schools named for G.K. Chesterton. The network provides the shared curriculum framework, brand identity, enrollment support, and peer school connections. The school benefits from network-wide events such as the Ball and Cross Invitational and joint pilgrimages.
• Chesterton Academy of DetroitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChesterton Academy of Detroit was one of the visiting schools at the Second Annual Ball and Cross Invitational hosted at Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family in Lisle in March 2022. This reflects the inter-school network collaboration within the Chesterton Schools Network.
• Chesterton Academy of the Immaculate HeartminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChesterton Academy of the Immaculate Heart was one of the visiting schools at the Second Annual Ball and Cross Invitational hosted at Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family in Lisle in March 2022.
• Chesterton Academy of MilwaukeeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChesterton Academy of Milwaukee was one of the visiting schools at the Second Annual Ball and Cross Invitational hosted at Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family in Lisle in March 2022.
• Chesterton Academy of the Sacred HeartminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChesterton Academy of the Sacred Heart was one of the visiting schools at the Second Annual Ball and Cross Invitational hosted at Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family in Lisle in March 2022.
• Mr. Brenie Bowles (Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family Co-founder & Chairman)coreOthersMr. Brenie Bowles is the co-founder of Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family and its current chairman of the Board of Directors. He also serves as the Vice President of the Chesterton Schools Network. His leadership has been central to the school's founding, growth, and affiliation with the Diocese of Joliet.
• Ignatius PressminorOthersFr. Joseph Fessio of Ignatius Press visited the school in October 2021, giving a well-attended talk on the theology of wine at The Carlisle in Lombard and visiting campus for a tour and senior literature class discussion on Charles Dickens' Great Expectations.
• Eagle Eye MinistriesminorOthersFr. Nathan Cromly, Founder and President of Eagle Eye Ministries, held an informal coffee and conversation with over a dozen Chesterton parents in October 2021, discussing topics including parental authority, fatherhood, and fighting destructive forces in the world.
• Harmel Academy of the TradesminorOthersHarmel Academy of the Trades in Michigan is listed on the school's College & Career Advising page as a Catholic trade school option for students exploring non-traditional post-secondary pathways.
• Kateri College of the Liberal and Practical ArtsminorOthersKateri College of the Liberal and Practical Arts is listed on the school's College & Career Advising page as a Catholic college option for students exploring post-secondary education.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Chesterton Academy of Detroit: A sister school within the Chesterton Schools Network that delivers the same classical Catholic high school curriculum, House System, and Socratic seminar model in Detroit. Most directly comparable peer because it shares the Network's curriculum, brand, and operational playbook.
• The Heights School: An independent Catholic classical boys' school in Potomac, Maryland, founded in 1969, offering a Great Books-based classical curriculum with house system, Socratic seminars, and daily Mass. A long-standing reference point for Catholic classical secondary education with a comparable educational philosophy.
• Chesterton Academy of Milwaukee: A Chesterton Schools Network member school in Milwaukee using the identical classical Catholic curriculum, House System, and concurrent enrollment structure. Peer because it operates the same model in a different Midwestern metro and shares curriculum, faculty resources, and events.
• Chesterton Academy of the Sacred Heart: Another Chesterton Schools Network high school, listed as a peer participant at the Ball and Cross Invitational hosted by Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family. Operates the same classical Catholic curriculum and House System under the Network umbrella.
• Hillsdale Academy: A private K-12 classical school in Hillsdale, Michigan, affiliated with Hillsdale College, offering a classical liberal arts curriculum emphasizing Western tradition. Comparable because it pursues a similar classical curriculum model, though it is non-Catholic.
• Chesterton Academy of the Immaculate Heart: Sister Chesterton Schools Network school participating in shared Network events such as the Ball and Cross Invitational. Delivers identical classical Catholic curriculum and is part of the same governance/affiliation structure.

Others

• Chesterton Schools Network: The parent network organization of which Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family is a member. Comparable because it sets the shared classical curriculum, branding, and operating standards, and includes the network-wide concurrent enrollment partnership with Franciscan University of Steubenville.

Broad incumbents

• Benet Academy: A Catholic Benedictine college-preparatory high school in Lisle, Illinois, located in the same town as Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family. Comparable because it competes for the same Catholic families in the Diocese of Joliet, though it offers a more traditional Catholic curriculum rather than a classical model.
• Marmion Academy: A Benedictine Catholic college-preparatory high school in Aurora, Illinois, serving the broader Catholic community in the Chicago suburbs. Comparable because it is a Catholic diocesan-affiliated high school in the same regional market targeting similar families.

Emerging players

• Kolbe Academy: A Catholic classical homeschool and online program based in Napa, California, serving K-12 students with a Great Books-aligned classical curriculum rooted in Catholic tradition. Comparable because it serves Catholic families seeking classical curriculum, but delivery is hybrid/online rather than on-campus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ChestertonAcademyofTheHolyFamily
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chestertonacademyoftheholyfamily

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family