Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District 163

Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District 163
Address
242 S Orchard Dr Park Forest , Illinois, 60466 United States
District information
Type	Public
Grades	PreK–8[1]
NCES District ID	1730810[1]
Students and staff
Students	1,494[1]

Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District 163 (SD163) is a school district headquartered in Park Forest, Illinois.[2] It serves sections of Chicago Heights.

History

In 2016 the district had over 2,000 students.[3] In 2019 the district had 1,838 students.[4]

In 2019 a board member resigned but then remained on the school board, and there was a political controversy over the board's internal management.[4] In response to a board member using an SD163-issued charge card to pay for $5,000 of expenses, the board passed a policy regulating the cards.[5]

Curriculum

In 2019 SD163 and Chicago Arts Partnership in Education secured a $2.3 million grant to add arts education to the curriculum.[6]

Schools

SD163 decided to have its upper schools focus on particular concepts.[3]

Grades 6-8

• Michelle Obama School of Technology and the Arts
  • In 2016 the school received its current gymnasium with stage, eight additional classrooms, and a multipurpose room. Co-principal Cheryl L. Muench stated that Michelle Obama School had a "relaxed atmosphere".[3]

Grades 4-5

• Barack Obama School of Leadership and STEM

Grades Kindergarten to 3

• 21st Century Primary Center
• Blackhawk Primary Center
• Mohawk Primary Center

Preschool

• Algonquin Pre-Kindergarten Center

References

1. "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Park Forest SD 163". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
2. "Home". Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District 163. Retrieved 2021-07-11. 242 S. Orchard Drive Park Forest, Illinois IL 60466
3. Denk, Angela (2016-09-30). "Park Forest middle school unveils new classrooms, gymnasium". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
4. Slowik, Ted (2019-05-01). "Southland school district under fire for board vacancy issue: 'I've been part of some shady stuff. This rises to the top.'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
5. Slowik, Ted (2019-03-26). "Slowik: School board adopts new policy to address members' use of charge cards". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
6. Houlihan, Patty (2019-03-16). "$2.3M grant will help incorporate arts into all areas of education in Park Forest, Chicago Heights schools". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2021-07-11.

External links

• Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District 163