La Lumiere School

We believe that education involves the intentional formation of the entire person. And that’s a lofty endeavor. It starts with encountering every one of our students as individuals, each with a unique set of gifts and the same inherent worth. From that foundation, our size and culture enable us to forge unparalleled bonds — between classmates but also with faculty members — creating a learning environment where thriving is inevitable.

Here, you are known. You’re challenged. You fail. You flourish. And you belong. Lakers go forth from our wooded campus having grown in character, scholarship, and faith, which is to say they leave here more complete, authentic versions of themselves. La Lumiere is a boarding and day school for grades 9-12, located an hour outside of Chicago in La Porte, Indiana. Our close-knit community is a rich mosaic of exceptional students, all with the common goal of becoming the best version of themselves. At La Lumiere, we meet our students exactly where they are in order to provide them with the specific tools and opportunities they need to grow as individuals.

The core of our mission is to nurture and develop the whole person in an academically challenging environment that promotes active engagement and personal responsibility. Our liberal arts curriculum provides a foundation in English literature and composition, mathematics, social and physical sciences, world languages, theology, ethics, and the creative arts, with a special emphasis on critical thinking and the mastery of oral and written communication. Our academic program provides La Lumiere graduates with a distinct advantage over most of their peers: they are trained to think critically, articulate clearly, and take action confidently—with a solid awareness of morals and values.

We believe that the arts have intrinsic human value. Our program offers an emphasis on creativity and is accessible to students at all levels. We prioritize an interdisciplinary approach to the arts, forging connections between the arts and other subjects. Our English courses equip students to read critically, write clearly, speak effectively, and create thoughtfully. Students encounter powerful texts, write often both to discover and to present discoveries, and participate in a literary community committed to asking good questions of texts and to growing in analytical skills.

The Theology department is dedicated to introducing students to and cultivating them in the intellectual and practical aspects of religious belief and philosophical reflection. This is accomplished by training them to engage critically and charitably with a wide array of religious and philosophical views on reality, ethics, God, and human nature.

The Social Science department is committed to teaching students more than just the dominant versions of events. We encourage students to think critically about history in order to foster students’ understanding of diverse cultural perspectives across different time periods. Through differentiated instruction and project based learning, students connect with history beyond the facts and figures. We value knowledge of the past as a way to comprehend the present and future. The Mathematics department prides itself in its diversity and experience, and response to the needs of our students. Throughout their time at La Lumiere, students will develop a relationship with math faculty that promotes both self-advocacy and self-reliance. Each course focuses on problem solving and critical thinking and prepares students for any field of study.

The Science department encourages students to explore their world at every scale, from microscopic to intergalactic. We strive to provide our students with a wide array of valuable educational experiences, providing hands-on laboratory activities whenever practical in order to complement learning through other course activities. We believe that a solid foundation in the natural sciences provides our students with the tools they will need to think critically and evaluate issues logically as they prepare for the future. The World Language department is committed to developing proficiency in our target languages and to cultivating interest in their respective cultures. The skills of listening, reading, writing, and speaking are consistently practiced in our language courses.

The character traits and abilities that make for a good life cannot be developed in an academic program alone. They come also from skills and habits instilled outside the classroom. That is why co-curricular activities are a crucial, required dimension of La Lumiere School. They enhance each student’s education, strengthen relationships with teachers, and deepen the community bond.

The La Lumiere prefect system challenges 10 student leaders each year to serve their school through significant contributions in all areas of the school community, including student life, admissions, community service, spiritual life, residential life, and the overall quality of the school experience. These leaders oversee councils of selected students and together establish a full range of student ownership and involvement. All prefects uphold the motto and vision of the school and what it stands for in word, action, and deed.