Looking for a Good School in Chicago

There are horrible schools in Chicago and there are excellent ones. What you need to do is get hold of a CPS Choice Directory for 2006-07. The problem is that there is great competition for the better schools. There is an application process and lottery for what Chicago calls Magnet Schools. If your looking for nest fall the application period is now until 12/16. You can get an application on line. Here are the best schools: There are others too. Sometimes there are hidden jewels also...schools that are up and coming. Good Luck.

Alcott
Newberry
Hawthorne
Burley
Franklin Fine Arts
Stone
Blaine
Bell
Hamilton
LaSalle
Lincoln
Rogers

I would definitely tour the schools as another mom posted. When we were selling our house in Jeff Park, we looked at the scores of the local schools, I talked with friends that knew of Oriole, Onahan, Ebinger, Wildwood etc here in NW side of Chicago. We basically found a few schools we liked and then searched for a home in one of those areas. Our kids will be going to Onahan and we've heard lots of great things, lots of police and firemen in Chicago send their kids there.
Good luck, it is definitely an important decision.

A.
wahm of 2

The most recent issue of Chicago Magazine ranked Chicago and Chicago area schools both public and private. This is definitely a helpful guide for you. I am a teacher who has taught for several years in Chicago and the suburbs. Both have pros and cons, as do private schools. Utimately it depends on what you and your family is looking for and what your needs are. I live on the Northside of Chicago and plan on sending our two sons (who are currently 4 and 2) to the area public school, or one of the magnet public schools.

Hope this helps. Good luck on your search.

October's "Chicago" magazine featured the best chicago schools... there are many excellent public magnet schools. You can also check the CPS (Chic. Pub. Schools) website - they have ratings of each school and you can search for a good one near y our neighborhood.

Hi K.,

I would hook up with the "North Side Parents Network." I am not a member, but my husband and I attended their free Elementary School Fair last year, and they have another one coming up any day now. It was SO helpful. Look them up on the web. To go to the fair, you just have to sign up online.

There were reps there from public and private schools alike and it really helped us navigate the terrain and weigh our options. I would say don't rule out public school before you do a little research and make visits. We are going to send our kids to public school and that's our plan (as advised by our friends who did this before us!) If your neighborhood school doesn't thrill you, you can apply to schools all over the city. It's a lottery system (preference given to neighborhood families first though.) I agree with the other mom i've heard great thing about Bell. Also, Chicago magazine's most recent issue ranked the best public schools in the city.

At the NPN fair, we met a great rep from Chicago Public Schools who answered a million questions and gave us a phone book sized reference book that they put out with every single CPS school listed, and all of their stats, test scores, etc... That's also free but all of that info can be found on the CPS website too. Hope that helps!

Hi K.,
I have heard that Bell Elementary School is good. I have no first hand experience. You can check out this website for more info on Bell & other schools: http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/il/953
Hope this helps & good luck!
C.

K.:

Not sure if you have looked into Skokie, but they have an excellent reputation for thier schools (and parks!). That is why we moved here. It's close to downtown, northside and Evanston.

Good luck!

J.

Hi K.--From what I hear, the public schools where I live (north side of Chicago) are not so great. My husband teaches at a private schoo, Francis Parker, that's very good and is JK through 12. If you are looking into public schools I woudl say Evanston is probably a better bet, they have a good reputation for public schools as far as I know (Plus, you coudl continue yoru degree at Northwestern). If you end up settling on the north side of chicago, DePaul in Lincoln Park and Loyola university both have nursing programs, I believe.

I recommend picking up the latest issue of Chicago magazine which ranked the best public elementary schools in Chicago and suburbs as well as listing of the top private schools.