Walter S Christopher Elementary School
CPS choice · K-8
At a glance
93% of teachers stayed from one year to the next - above what's typical for CPS elementary schools (ISBE Report Card 2025). Family involvement was rated ‘Strong’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). 12% of students with IEPs spend most of the school day in general classrooms - below what's typical for CPS elementary schools. In 2025–26, 12 applications were recorded for 7 offers (GoCPS, 2025–26 school year - the most recent seat data SchoolNav has).
- Cultural fit
- Family involvement was rated ‘Strong’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). 53% of students were chronically absent in 2025 - above what's typical for CPS elementary schools (ISBE Report Card 2025).
- Academic performance
- The state's 2025 summative designation is Targeted - ISBE has identified the school for additional support (ISBE Report Card 2025).
- Social-emotional fit
- 12% of students with IEPs spend most of the school day in general classrooms - below what's typical for CPS elementary schools (ISBE Report Card 2025).
Computed from published data with its source and year on every clause - a description, never a grade.
Basics
CPS-published · verified Nov 2024
- Address
- 5042 S ARTESIAN AVE
- Neighborhood
- Gage Park
- Phone
- (773)535-9375
- Hours
- Unknown - not verified yet
- 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
- Unknown - the sources could not be checked. Ask on a tour.
- Sports
Basketball, Dance
From the school’s CPS profile, for the 2026-27 school year. Checked Sep 2026. Offerings change each year, so confirm on a tour.
- Climate survey
- Involved families
- Strong
- Supportive environment
- Weak
- Ambitious instruction
- Neutral
- Effective leaders
- Strong
- Collaborative teachers
- Neutral
- Safety (student-reported)
- Weak
- Overall organization
- 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
Teacher Safety, Student Peer Relationships, and School Safety are rated above the CPS average; Math Instruction, Quality of Student Discussion, and Collaborative Practices 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
42 ▼ below the CPS average (56)- Academic Press· students-reported50 ▬ about the CPS average (53)
- English Instruction· students-reported46 ▼ below the CPS average (59)
- Math Instruction· students-reported37 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Quality of Student Discussion· teachers-reported35 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
Supportive Environment
52 ▬ about the CPS average (51)- Academic Personalism· students-reported53 ▬ about the CPS average (51)
- Peer Support for Academic Work· students-reported54 ▬ about the CPS average (53)
- Safety· students-reported48 ▬ about the CPS average (48)
- Student-Teacher Trust· students-reported51 ▬ about the CPS average (50)
Collaborative Teachers
49 ▬ about the CPS average (52)- Collaborative Practices· teachers-reported40 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Collective Responsibility· teachers-reported45 ▬ about the CPS average (48)
- Quality Professional Development· teachers-reported63 ▲ above the CPS average (56)
- School Commitment· teachers-reported55 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Teacher-Teacher Trust· teachers-reported44 ▼ below the CPS average (51)
Effective Leaders
56 ▲ above the CPS average (52)- Instructional Leadership· teachers-reported57 ▬ about the CPS average (55)
- Program Coherence· teachers-reported54 ▬ about the CPS average (53)
- Teacher Influence· teachers-reported57 ▲ above the CPS average (52)
- Teacher-Principal Trust· teachers-reported56 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
Involved Families
51 ▬ about the CPS average (53)- Parent Influence on Decision Making in Schools· teachers-reported59 ▬ about the CPS average (57)
- Parent Involvement in School· teachers-reported48 ▬ about the CPS average (49)
- Teacher-Parent Trust· teachers-reported46 ▼ below the CPS average (52)
Supplemental measures
Additional survey topics UChicago reports outside the five core measures.
- Academic Engagement· students-reported51 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Classroom Disruptions· teachers-reported58 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Classroom Rigor· students-reported57 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- Course Clarity· students-reported51 ▬ about the CPS average (54)
- Emotional Health· students-reported65 ▲ above the CPS average (55)
- Human & Social Resources in the Community· students-reported43 ▼ below the CPS average (47)
- Innovation· teachers-reported45 ▼ below the CPS average (52)
- Inquiry-Based Science Instruction· students-reported65 ▲ above the CPS average (59)
- Parent Supportiveness· students-reported37 ▼ below the CPS average (48)
- Reflective Dialogue· teachers-reported44 ▼ below the CPS average (54)
- Rigorous Study Habits· students-reported49 ▬ about the CPS average (48)
- School Connectedness· students-reported55 ▬ about the CPS average (53)
- School Safety· students-reported65 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Socialization of New Teachers· teachers-reported39 ▼ below the CPS average (47)
- Student Peer Relationships· students-reported68 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Student Responsibility· teachers-reported38 ▼ below the CPS average (47)
- Teacher Safety· teachers-reported70 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
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 (1)
| Program | Entry grades | How seats are offered | Test required | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Open Enrollment (general program, seats by lottery) Open enrollment | K–8 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
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
- Tuesday, November 10, 2026 at 9:00 AM
- Tuesday, December 8, 2026 at 9:00 AM
- Tuesday, January 12, 2027 at 9:00 AM
CPS lists the date and time. Ask the school office where the meeting will be held.
Members for 2026 to 2028
- Katherine M Gallagher · Principal
- Sandra Rodriguez · Parent
- Brenda Ruiz · Parent
- Maggie Erickson · Parent
- Athanasia Theokas · Parent
- jenny diaz · Parent
- Lourdes Zuniga · Parent
- Miriam Alonso · Community member
- Sharon Graves · Community member
- Griselda Macedo-Garcia · Teacher
- Leonard D Waters · Teacher
- Benjamin Sanders · School staff (non-teaching)
- Cesar Gonzalez · 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.