W.R. Harper High School

school profile

Harper High School, a Chicago public school located on the city's South Side and serving the West Englewood neighborhood, was founded in 1911 and is named after William Rainey Harper, a noted educator, biblical scholar and university president. Harper draws a primarily African American population of approximately 700 students. Harper is a leading participant in the small schools movement within CPS. After successfully completing Freshman Academy their first year, students are invited to select one of six small school tracks, each of which is tied to an Education-To-Career (ETC) program combining academic studies and job skills training. Harper's six small school programs and ETC clusters focus on:

    * Academy of Business and Entrepreneurship (AOBE)
    * Communications Education Technology for Success (COMETS)
    * Construction Technology Academy (CTA)
    * Foods Academy Connecting Education to Success (FACETS)
    * International Language and Career Academy (ILCA)
    * Successful Writing Arts Team (SWAT)

Approximately 85% of Harper's students participate in this integrated curriculum model combining classroom instruction with real world career experiences. Students who elect not to join a small school continue with a general high school curriculum.


Copyright © W.R. Harper High School • 6520 South Wood Street • Chicago, IL 60636 • Tel: (773) 535-9150 • Fax: (773) 535-9090