John F Kennedy High School
CPS choice · 9-12
At a glance
90% of teachers stayed from one year to the next - above what's typical for CPS high schools (ISBE Report Card 2025). On the 5Essentials survey, instruction was rated ‘Strong’, while school leadership and teacher collaboration were each rated ‘Weak’ (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). In 2021–22, 962 applications were recorded for 264 offers (GoCPS, 2021–22 school year - the most recent seat data SchoolNav has).
- Cultural fit
- 63% of students were chronically absent in 2025 - about what's typical for CPS high schools (ISBE Report Card 2025). Family involvement was rated ‘Neutral’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages).
- Academic fit
- 90% of teachers stayed from one year to the next - above what's typical for CPS high schools (ISBE Report Card 2025). On the 5Essentials survey, school leadership was rated ‘Weak’ and teacher collaboration was rated ‘Weak’ (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages).
- Social-emotional fit
- 47% of students with IEPs spend most of the school day in general classrooms - about what's typical for CPS high schools (ISBE Report Card 2025). There is 1 school counselor per 386 students.
Computed from published data with its source and year on every clause - a description, never a grade.
Basics
CPS-published · verified Nov 2024
- Address
- 6325 W 56TH ST
- Neighborhood
- Garfield Ridge
- Phone
- (773)535-2325
- Hours
- Unknown - not verified yet
- Website
- http://www.kennedy.cps.edu
- Before and after care
Supplemental care not found.
SchoolNav searched the school’s website and the main care providers’ pages in Sep 2026 and found no before or after care. Some programs are never posted online, so ask the school office or on a tour.
- Arts and creative
Drawing, Plays/Acting, Theater, Ethnic/Folk Dance, Student Art Club, Culinary Classes, Graphic Design, Student Music Club, Art Studio, Dance, Guitar, Media and Production Workshops, Musicals, Photography, Sewing, Talent Show, Web Design, Choir/Chorus, Drama, Mixed Media, Piano/Keyboard
From the school’s CPS profile, for the 2026-27 school year. Checked Sep 2026. Offerings change each year, so confirm on a tour.
- Sports
16” Softball, Bowling, Cheerleading, Exercise, Football, Girls' Basketball, Girls' Soccer, Girls' Volleyball, Pom-Pon, Wrestling, Boys' Baseball, Boys' Track, Chess, Girls' Softball, Girls' Water Polo, Yoga/Pilates, Baseball, Boys' Basketball, Boys' Volleyball, Conditioning and Fitness, Girls' Cross Country, Girls' Swimming, Basketball, Boys' Softball, Boys' Water Polo, Soccer, Boys' Cross Country, Boys' Swimming, Girls' Track, Softball, Volleyball, Flag football, Tennis, Golf, Lacrosse, Badminton
From the school’s CPS profile and its athletics pages, for the 2026-27 school year. Checked Sep 2026. Offerings change each year, so confirm on a tour.
- Climate survey
- Involved families
- Neutral
- Supportive environment
- Neutral
- Ambitious instruction
- Strong
- Effective leaders
- Weak
- Collaborative teachers
- Weak
- Safety (student-reported)
- Very Weak
- Overall organization
- Partially Organized
UChicago 5Essentials levels from the spring 2024 survey (CPS Progress Reports SY2425, verified 2026-09-25) - benchmarked categories relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages. A school can answer mostly positively and still rate below the benchmark typical.
5Essentials - the latest survey in detail
Human & Social Resources in the Community, Teacher Influence, and Teacher-Parent Trust are rated above the CPS average; Teacher Safety, School Safety, and Teacher-Teacher Trust are rated below it this year.
From the 2026 CPS 5Essentials survey (25-26). Scores are benchmarked 1–99 (not percentages) - higher is stronger, and each is shown against the CPS average that same year. This is a newer survey on a different benchmark than the component levels above, so the two aren’t directly comparable.
Show all measures ▸Hide measures ▾
Ambitious Instruction
59 ▬ about the CPS average (60)- Academic Press· students-reported57 ▬ about the CPS average (55)
- English Instruction· students-reported66 ▬ about the CPS average (65)
- Math Instruction· students-reported61 ▼ below the CPS average (69)
- Quality of Student Discussion· teachers-reported51 ▬ about the CPS average (50)
Supportive Environment
53 ▬ about the CPS average (56)- Expectations for Postsecondary Education· teachers-reported51 ▼ below the CPS average (56)
- Safety· students-reported40 ▼ below the CPS average (49)
- School-Wide Future Orientation· students-reported61 ▬ about the CPS average (62)
- Student-Teacher Trust· students-reported58 ▬ about the CPS average (56)
Collaborative Teachers
45 ▼ below the CPS average (52)- Collaborative Practices· teachers-reported57 ▼ below the CPS average (63)
- Collective Responsibility· teachers-reported40 ▼ below the CPS average (52)
- Quality Professional Development· teachers-reported52 ▬ about the CPS average (55)
- School Commitment· teachers-reported44 ▬ about the CPS average (43)
- Teacher-Teacher Trust· teachers-reported33 ▼ below the CPS average (49)
Effective Leaders
48 ▼ below the CPS average (52)- Instructional Leadership· teachers-reported50 ▼ below the CPS average (56)
- Program Coherence· teachers-reported49 ▬ about the CPS average (52)
- Teacher Influence· teachers-reported54 ▲ above the CPS average (50)
- Teacher-Principal Trust· teachers-reported38 ▼ below the CPS average (48)
Involved Families
52 ▬ about the CPS average (50)- Parent Influence on Decision Making in Schools· teachers-reported51 ▬ about the CPS average (53)
- Parent Involvement in School· teachers-reported52 ▬ about the CPS average (49)
- Teacher-Parent Trust· teachers-reported54 ▲ above the CPS average (50)
Supplemental measures
Additional survey topics UChicago reports outside the five core measures.
- Academic Engagement· students-reported71 ▬ about the CPS average (70)
- Academic Personalism· students-reported55 ▬ about the CPS average (58)
- Classroom Disruptions· teachers-reported37 ▼ below the CPS average (42)
- Classroom Rigor· students-reported58 ▬ about the CPS average (57)
- Course Clarity· students-reported55 ▬ about the CPS average (54)
- Emotional Health· students-reported60 ▬ about the CPS average (57)
- Human & Social Resources in the Community· students-reported47 ▲ above the CPS average (38)
- Importance of High School for the Future· students-reported69 ▬ about the CPS average (67)
- Innovation· teachers-reported45 ▼ below the CPS average (56)
- Inquiry-Based Science Instruction· students-reported63 ▲ above the CPS average (59)
- Parent Supportiveness· students-reported44 ▬ about the CPS average (41)
- Reflective Dialogue· teachers-reported58 ▬ about the CPS average (61)
- Rigorous Study Habits· students-reported51 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- School Connectedness· students-reported55 ▬ about the CPS average (58)
- School Safety· students-reported40 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Socialization of New Teachers· teachers-reported40 ▬ about the CPS average (40)
- Student Peer Relationships· students-reported54 ▼ below the CPS average (65)
- Student Responsibility· teachers-reported37 ▬ about the CPS average (38)
- Teacher Safety· teachers-reported28 ▼ below the CPS average (48)
UChicago Consortium — the 2026 cycle (school year 25-26) is re-benchmarked to spring 2024 (SY25+); it is NOT level-comparable to the spring-2013-benchmarked component levels shown elsewhere.
Programs (3)
| Program | Entry grades | How seats are offered | Test required | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
General Education Neighborhood | 9 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
MYP Diploma Program IB Your child must take the HSAT to apply. No IB middle school is needed. CPS picks students by HSAT score and 7th-grade grades, with 35 bonus points for living in the school's area. | 9 | Point-based | Yes | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
Significantly Modified Curriculum w/ Moderate Supports (IEP) Special education | 9 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
Cutoff history
What it took to receive an initial offer here in each cycle CPS has published - by tier for Selective Enrollment, and on the citywide points line for points-based Choice programs. History is context - it can’t predict a future cutoff.
What is knowable right now
This cycle’s cutoffs are not published yet. CPS posts cutoff scores only after offers go out. The first 640-scale cutoffs will exist after offers go out in spring 2027.
CPS-published · verified Jul 2026
High school offers go out to every family on the same day: February 12, 2027.
CPS-published · verified Oct 2026
| Cycle | Min points | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 545 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| 2025-26 | 526.5 | CPS-published · verified Oct 2025 |
| 2024-25 | 560.5 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
Minimum point totals from CPS’s published initial offers - points-based Choice programs use one citywide points line (no tiers). Waitlist movement can lower what it actually took, and cutoffs move year to year. Within the current-test cycles above, the minimum has shifted by as much as 34 points from one cycle to the next - treat any single year as a snapshot, not a target.
Local School Council
CPS-published· verified Oct 2026The Local School Council is a group of parents, staff, and neighbors who help run this school. They vote on the budget and the school plan. Their meetings are open to the public, so you can go and listen.
Next meetings
- Monday, November 2, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Monday, December 7, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Monday, January 4, 2027 at 6:00 PM
CPS lists the date and time. Ask the school office where the meeting will be held.
Members for 2026 to 2028
- George Z Szkapiak · Principal
- Jody Acevedo · Parent
- Sarah Sachen · Parent
- Alejandra Martinez · Parent
- Jaime Martinez · Parent
- James Homan · Community member
- Joseph Salas · Community member
- John Surwillo · Teacher
- John Berkebile · Teacher
- Christine Gename · School staff (non-teaching)
- Melanie P Ragigoza · Student
CPS keeps the official list of council meetings and members. See the CPS council list.
Parent questions & conversation
What parents and people who know this school are asking, answering, and talking about - their own words, experiences and opinions rather than verified facts.
Parent notes on this school are visible to signed-in Chicago families. Sign in to read and ask.
SchoolNav is not affiliated with CPS. Details change - each fact above shows when it was last verified. Application decisions should always be confirmed in GoCPS.