CICS - Northtown Campus | Chicago, IL (For STEM)

About CICS - Northtown Campus

CICS Northtown Academy is a premier public charter high school located in Chicago, Illinois, serving grades 9-12. The school is one of the top 10 of all the Chicago Public Schools systems and has about 900 students with a good student teacher ratio of about 16:1. It’s a school known for its rigorous college prep curriculum, with 45% AP participation, so students can take advanced coursework and exams. The student body is culturally diverse with 86% of the students being minorities. In addition, CICS Northtown Academy offers continuous support for standardized tests like the SAT, with a proficiency rate of 9% in Mathematics and 15% in Reading. The school offers essential resources to students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, with an estimated funding of approximately $16,200 per pupil. Today, the school is recognized as one of the best schools to provide a safe, inclusive environment that focuses on academic growth and prepares students for post-secondary opportunities, and it is one of the best high schools in Illinois.

Academic Performance

Subject Proficiency

Mathematics 9%

Reading 15%

State average proficiency is 9% in Math and 15% in Reading.

55

Full-time Teachers

15 : 1

Student-Teacher Ratio

3

Teachers In First Or Second Year (yrs)

843

Total Students

$66456

Avg. Teacher Salary

Student Demographics

White 14.23%

Asian 15.66%

Hispanic 61.21%

Black 6.52%

Two+ Races 0.83%

Native Am. 0.47%

White

14.23%

Asian

15.66%

Hispanic

61.21%

Black

6.52%

Two+ Races

0.83%

Native Am.

0.47%

Gender Distribution

Total Students: 843

46.14%

389 Female

53.86%

454 Male

Student Population

843 Students

With a student-teacher ratio of 15 : 1

Minority Enrollment

25%

Percentage of minority students

Students per Counselor

210 : 1

Student to counselor ratio

CICS - Northtown Campus Contact Information

Address

3900 W Peterson Ave, Chicago, IL, 60659

View on Map

Phone

(773) 478-3655

Call Now

Website

http://www.chicagointl.org/campuses/northtown.html

Recent News & Updates

New Playground Name

We are so excited to announce the name of our new playground! Following a school-wide and Robinson community vote we narrowed a large list of names down to four. Since our students will be using the playground on a daily basis, we gave them the final vote! 476.....

School Timings

Regular School Hours

All Grades: 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM

Early Dismissal Days

Dismissal Time: 12:15 PM

Note: Doors open at 7:45 AM for student arrival. Please refer to the school calendar for specific early dismissal dates.

After School Activities

Information coming soon

School Session Dates

September to June

School session starts in September 1st week and ends in June 3rd week. For exact dates, please contact the school.

Remarkable Alumni

Being Updated

Map

Latest News

CICS Northtown Academy opened its doors for the 2025-2026 school year on August 18 and offered a Back to School Night on September 9 and New Student Orientation on August 5 to support families. The school was named #10 best high school in Illinois by Niche and one of Chicago’s top high schools, and a senior was selected as a 2024 Chicago Cubs Scholar, receiving a $20,000 award and Cubs College Prep mentoring. CICS Northtown students also received academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs, which connect underrepresented students with colleges across the country.

FAQ

Q1. Are there chances to be a leader at CICS - Northtown Campus?

Ans. Yes, student council and team-based activities help students learn how to be leaders.

Q2. How does CICS - Northtown Campus help students get ready for their careers?

Ans. CICS - Northtown Campus helps students explore and plan their careers by giving them advice, internships, and programs that connect them with career exploration and planning.

Q3. Are college entrance exams conducted here?

Ans. Students can take the SAT and ACT tests on-site or through programs that work together.

Q4. Are students allowed to go to cultural and arts events?

Ans. Yes, CICS - Northtown Campus encourages students to be creative by offering programs in music, theater, and the visual arts.

Q5. What can students do to get help with their homework?

Ans. Tutoring, advice, and counseling help students figure things out and do well in school.

Games & Extracurricular Activities

Sports

Soccer Club Grades 1-3 | Mon/Wed 3:30-4:30pm
Basketball Grades 2-4 | Tue/Thu 3:30-4:45pm
Track & Field Grades 3-5 | Fri 3:30-5:00pm

Arts

Art Club Grades K-2 | Mon 3:00-4:00pm
Drama Club Grades 3-5 | Wed 3:30-5:00pm
Choir Grades 2-5 | Thu 3:15-4:15pm

Clubs

Chess Club Grades 2-5 | Fri 3:15-4:15pm
Garden Club All Grades | Tue 3:15-4:00pm
Robotics Club Grades 3-5 | Thu 3:30-5:00pm

Note: Schedules may change during school holidays. Please contact School for exact Schedule.

Summer Suggested Reading

Horn Book Selections

Vocabulary.com +3 Horn Book +3 What to Read to Your Kids +3

ML

Maggie Lou, Firefox

by Arnolda Dufour Bowes

PS

The Puppets of Spelhorst

by Kate DiCamillo

MLV

The Mona Lisa Vanishes

by Nicholas Day

Vocabulary.com Top Picks

Penguin Random House +10 Vocabulary.com +10 Wikipedia +10

F

Frindle

by Andrew Clements

WR

The Wild Robot

by Peter Brown

JGP

James and the Giant Peach

by Roald Dahl

Penguin Random House Features

Horn Book +2 Penguin Random House +2 The Guardian +2

SLB

The Secret Language of Birds

by Lynne Kelly

S

The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels

by Beth Lincoln

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