Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School

www.op97.org

947 Students

Middle School 6th - 8th

School Overview

Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School, located in Oak Park, Illinois, serves as a vibrant educational hub for students in grades 6 through 8. As part of Oak Park Elementary School District 97, the school is deeply integrated into a community known for its strong commitment to public education, diversity, and the arts. The school is named in honor of the renowned poet and Pulitzer Prize winner Gwendolyn Brooks, a legacy that the school seeks to uphold by fostering an environment that encourages intellectual curiosity, creative expression, and social responsibility among its student body.

Academically, the school offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to prepare students for the rigors of high school while addressing their developmental needs during the middle school years. Beyond the classroom, Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School emphasizes a holistic approach to student growth, offering a wide array of extracurricular activities, including athletics, music programs, and various student-led clubs. By balancing academic rigor with a supportive social-emotional framework, the school aims to cultivate well-rounded, thoughtful citizens who are prepared to contribute positively to their local and global communities.

947

Total Students

74.0

Full-Time Teachers

12.8

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School
Demographic	Student Count
White	433
Hispanic	170
Black	187
Asian	24
Two or More	118
Pacific Islander	1

White
433 (46.4%)
Black
187 (20.0%)
Hispanic
170 (18.2%)
Two or More
118 (12.6%)
Asian
24 (2.6%)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.1%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Middle School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Oak Park ESD 97
Phone:	(708)524-3050
Website:	http://www.op97.org
Grade Range:	6th - 8th
Total Students:	947
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	74.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	12.8
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes participating without using any Provision or the CEO
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 6 301

Grade 7 315

Grade 8 331