Nettelhorst School

It first opened in 1892. For many decades Nettelhorst had a good reputation. In the 1950s its reputation began to decline.[3] Around 2000 few Lake View parents enrolled their children in Nettelhorst and the school had low test scores.[4] Children from other Chicago elementary schools that had too many students had been sent to Nettelhorst instead.[3]

In 2001 parent Jacqueline Edelberg met with principal Susan Kurland.[4] Edelberg desired to enroll her children in a neighborhood elementary school instead of doing so at a private school, going into a magnet school application process, and/or moving to the suburbs. Kurland asked Edelberg what it would take for her to place her children in Nettelhorst. After Kurland accepted Edelberg's demands, Edelberg established a parental group,[5] "Roscoe Eight", for the purpose of improving Nettelhorst; it was named after a playlot on Roscoe Street.[3] The parental group advertised Nettelhorst, beautified the campus, and organized committees to address specific aspects of the school. Parents personally painted corridors of the school.[5]

By 2003 CPS chose Nettelhorst to become a "community school" in an effort to lure families back to CPS, and a community enrichment class program called Jane's Place, as part of a partnership with the Jane Addams Hull House Association, opened at Nettelhorst.[6]

By 2009 families moved to Nettelhorst's attendance zone for the express purpose of enrolling their children there, and the school's academic performance had improved significantly.[3] Edelberg and Kurland later wrote a book about her experiences, titled How to Walk to School. The authors argued that the manner of grassroot-style fundraising and activism for Nettelhorst may be used to improve other American schools.[7]

In 2011 the school had 632 students.[4] In 2010 31% of the students were classified as low income. In 2001 77% of the students were low income.[8] In 2003 it had 380 students.[6]

In 2010 86% of Nettelhorst students were at or above the Illinois academic standard level. In 2001 35% were at or above that level.[8]

The school includes a cafeteria that uses a French bistro theme along with a kitchen designed by Nate Berkus; the kitchen had a cost of $130,000.[8]

One classroom has a 1940 mural done by Ethel Spears and commissioned by the Works Progress Administration, Horses from Literature. The Chicago Board of Education had the mural restored in 1996.[9]

Students zoned to Nettelhorst are also zoned to Lake View High School.[10][11]

• Nettelhorst School