Mayor Lightfoot, CPS and Ald. Quinn Celebrate Opening of New, State-Of-The-Art High School on City’s Southwest Side Ahead of the First Day of School on Aug. 30

Chicago - Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Chicago Public Schools Interim CEO Dr. Jose Torres, Alderman Marty Quinn (13th Ward), and CPS leadership today joined community members at a ribbon-cutting celebration for the new and improved selective enrollment school, John Hancock High School, located on the Southwest side of the city. The 173,000 sq. ft. high school opens its doors to students on Monday, August 30, and can accommodate more than 1,000 students.

"This celebration serves as an important investment in the long-term success and bright futures of our students from the Southwest Side," said Mayor Lightfoot. "I, alongside Alderman Quinn, Dr. Jose Torres, and members of the community are beyond proud to deliver new, modern facilities and educational resources to support these students and their families just in time for the first day of school."

The new state-of-the-art high school replaces the previous Hancock High School and includes 28 standard classrooms, diverse learning classrooms, two computer labs, four suites for subjects such as science, music, art, and health. In addition, the campus includes rooms for extracurricular activities where students can dance, practice sports and fitness, a gymnatorium, library, media center, theatre, elevators for accessibility, and extra support spaces.

“We are excited to welcome back students at Hancock High School and schools across the city for the new school year, which begins on Monday, August 30,” said Dr. Torres, CPS Interim CEO. “This state-of-the-art high school offers students the opportunity to expand their interests and develop a foundation for future success.”

“Ongoing investments in our schools are a sign of what’s to come for our students everywhere," said Alderman Quinn. "With high-quality academics and a comfortable learning environment, we have invested in the students of Hancock, their education, their hopes, and their dreams.”

Additional educational investments on the Southwest Side include plans to move Sor Juana into the former Hancock School building. CPS will work with the Alderman and the Southwest Education advisory committee to finalize details. CPS will discuss the reuse of the existing Sor Juana building with stakeholders while addressing the need for additional capacity for Early Childhood.

Hancock’s new building joins the ultra-modern Englewood STEM High School as a recent example of the district’s commitment to investing in equal access to high-quality education and resources for all students. CPS will continue to prioritize equity and improving students’ educational experiences in future investments.

Chicago Public Schools serves 361,000 students in 644 schools. It is the nation’s third-largest school district.

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