About the District
About Us
Dear Parents, Stakeholders, and Guests:
On behalf of the Board of Education of Chicago Ridge District 127.5, I would like to welcome you to our wonderful District. The District serves approximately 1,450 students from Pre-Kindergarten through Eighth Grade in two elementary schools (Ridge Lawn and Ridge Central) and one junior high school (Finley Junior High). The District serves a major portion of the Village of Chicago Ridge and a small part of the Village of Oak Lawn.
The District is proud of our diverse student population and how hard our students and staff work. For more information on the composition and academic performance of our District, I encourage you to visit the Illinois School Report Card. Upon completion of their K-8 education, most students attend Richards High School in Community High School District 218. The District is also a member of the Eisenhower Special Education Cooperative which assists the District in providing a continuum of services for all students.
The District offers a well-rounded educational program that assists students in developing the skills necessary to meet the educational and societal challenges they need to be prepared for the 21st Century. The Board of Education, administration, teachers, and support staff work closely together to meet the needs of our students. This was highlighted when the District was honored with the distinction of the National Blue Ribbon Award to Finley Jr. High School. Additionally, the District has been named a “Model School District” by Schoolwide Inc. for exemplary language arts instruction.
In the winter of 2022 the district crafted a 5-year Strategic Plan. Through this planning process, the District identified five key areas. The five areas are student needs, finance and buildings, curriculum and instruction, technology, and human resources/professional development. The District has continued to partner with all community members and staff to implement and monitor the plan annually. As we enter the third year of the Strategic Plan cycle, we will examine the strides we have made in the five areas and continue to look for growth opportunities..
District 127.5 welcomes stakeholder feedback/input and we want to hear from you. Please do not hesitate to contact any staff member with a question or suggestion.
Sincerely,
Dr. Adam J. Thorns
Superintendent of Schools