Harlan High School, Chicago | Fees, Rankings, Address, Admission, Vacancies, Reviews & More

Dear Parents. Please read this before deciding to send your child to Harlan’s 7th and 8th grade Academic center. I am a parent. The curriculum sounds good on paper and even better in person, but after my child has been enrolled, I have discovered that it is a very disorganized program.
1. We were told during orientation that the students would have physical education each day. They were to have 20 weeks of in-class physical education and the remaining weeks would entail physical education in the gymnasium. After the 9th week of school, the physical education teacher quit. He has yet to be replaced and there are only 2 months left of school left. The school has placed minimal effort in trying to find a new physical education teacher, so therefore, the students do not have any form of exercise or physical let-out during their day.

2. The high school students and the 7th and 8th grade students share 3 classes together. The classes they share are spanish, physical science, and algebra. This would normally not be an issue , but the problem is that the high school students are very disruptive. There is lots of chatter, playing, and “getting kicked out of class” which causes lots of distractions in class for the students that have come there to learn.

3. The algebra teacher has been absent 28 times this school year already. That’s right, 28 times! When she is absent, her replacement is a security guard who reads a newspaper and does not teach any math. There is never any work that is left behind for students to do in her absence and there is a lot of horseplay that goes on during this time. In fact, whenever any teacher is absent, there is a security guard who “covers” the room with no assignments given for the students.

4. There is an extreme lack of homework assignments posted online. During orientation, we were told that homework assignments would be posted online. You have to cross your fingers to HOPE that assignments will be posted.

5. In my humble opinion, the physical science teacher, Mrs Driscoll, is below par for a teacher. She allows for a lot of horseplay in her classroom and has not been very effective in helping my child.

6/

I was so shy when I started at Harlan. But, I did enjoy the people that went there. I love talking to the people in the office. I just wish I wasn’t so shy. So, many important people came from this school. When I was going, they called me Tiny… Our class motto was The Greatest” Look at me now. I do wish the school was more into their students at the time I was there. I felt that they were not involved like they should have been, But, most of us may it. I am sure the school is so different now. I remember when CVS called us a small high school and that all we were known for is the beautiful young ladies going there. Well, we were!

My uncle went to this school and after completing his 4 years he join the Army. Wow so long ago, I wish the incoming class the best and ask question, even if your parents are apart of your life. This is your future. I was I had, I miss so much and so much I had to catch up on, because the school wasn’t doing what an absent parent should have been doing. But, hey I am the class of 1978 and I still look Blessed and I am one of the most intelligent person alive,,,,

Thank God for holding onto me so tight. Hello, Cynthia J. miss you lady.

Thank you for the memories,
LADYDAY777