University of Chicago Laboratory Schools facts for kids
The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools (often called Lab or U-High) is a private school in Chicago, Illinois. It's connected to the University of Chicago. This school teaches students from pre-school all the way through 12th grade. Many families who send their children here are also connected to the university.
Quick facts for kids University of ChicagoLaboratory Schools |
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1362 E. 59th St.
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| Coordinates | 41°47′19″N 87°35′38″W / 41.7886°N 87.5940°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private Secondary |
| Established | 1896 |
| Founder | John Dewey |
| Director | Victoria Jueds |
| Grades | Nursery (age 3)–12 |
| Number of students | 2,161 (2018–19) |
| Mascot | Maroons |
| Nickname | Lab, Lab schools, U-High (high school only) |
| Newspaper | U-High Midway |
| Yearbook | U-Highlights Yearbook |
| Tuition | 2024-25: Nursery, Half Day - $29,334 Nursery, Full Day-Grade 5 - $40,686 Grades 6-8 - $42,834 Grades 9-12 - $44,592 Tuition for children of University of Chicago faculty and staff is half of listed amounts. |
Contents
School History and Purpose
The Laboratory Schools were started in 1896 by John Dewey. He was a famous American educator. The school began in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago.
Dewey wanted to create a new kind of school. It would connect learning from kindergarten all the way to university. The school was like a "laboratory" for testing new ideas about education. Dewey believed in learning by doing and exploring.
His wife, Alice Dewey, also helped a lot with the school's early development. John Dewey wrote about her important contributions in his book How We Think.
Exploring the School Campus
The Laboratory Schools have two main campuses. The Historic Campus is at 1362 East 59th Street. It covers two city blocks. This campus is known for its beautiful Modern Gothic style buildings.
It houses students from grades 3 through 12. There are about 1,200 students here. The campus has five connected buildings. These include Blaine Hall (built in 1903) and Gordon Parks Arts Hall (built in 2015). This newer hall has 100 classrooms. There are also two gyms for students to use.
In September 2013, Lab opened Earl Shapiro Hall. This building is on the new Early Childhood Campus. It is located at 5800 S. Stony Island Avenue. This campus is home to about 625 younger children. These are students in nursery school through second grade.
Students and Learning
The school has about 2,203 students in total. They range from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12.
The school is divided into different sections. These include Nursery School, Primary School, Lower School, Middle School, and High School. Many students start in nursery school and stay until they graduate from high school. The school has a low student-to-teacher ratio of 8:1. This means there are usually 8 students for every teacher.
The high school, called U-High, offers many different classes. There are over 150 courses available. All classes prepare students for college. More than 30 of these are Advanced Placement (AP) or Advanced Topic courses. These are like college-level classes. High school students can also take classes at the University of Chicago for free. About 20 students do this each year. The school has four libraries with over 110,000 books.
Fun Extracurricular Activities
High school students can choose from over 40 different clubs and activities. The school's math, science, and Model UN teams often win state titles. Model UN is a club where students pretend to be delegates from different countries. They discuss global issues.
The school newspaper, The U-High Midway, and the yearbook, U-Highlights, win many awards. The arts magazine, Renaissance, also earns awards. Other popular activities include theater, student council, and debate. The Model UN team is known as one of the best in the nation. The Debate Team has also won many national tournaments.
Students can also join the Maroon Key Society. These students are chosen by teachers. They act as ambassadors for the school. They give tours to alumni, new students, and other visitors.
Sometimes, student achievements make national news. For example, in 1990, a student named Matthew Headrick won a big science competition. The governor even declared a "Matthew Headrick Day." The Chicago Tribune newspaper said that at Lab, being on the math team "can actually enhance one's social status." The Finance Club was started in 2015. It has over $100,000 to invest.
School Athletics
Lab Schools have strong sports teams. The boys soccer team won the IHSA 1A state championship in 2019.
The girls tennis team won the IHSA 1A state championship in 2019. This was the first state championship for a U-High girls team. They won again in 2021 and 2023.
The boys tennis team won the 1A state championship in 2018 and again in 2024. This made the 2023-24 school year special. Both the girls and boys tennis teams won state championships in the same year.
Notable Alumni and People
Amazing Teachers
Many teachers at Lab Schools have received special awards. Eight Lab teachers have won Chicago's famous Golden Apple Award. This is more than from any other school in the city.
Teachers Mima Maxey and Marjorie Fay taught Latin at Lab in the 1930s. Their way of teaching Latin was very new for the time. They focused on reading without strict grammar rules.
Vivian Paley was an author and teacher. She spent most of her career at Lab. She won a MacArthur “genius” award. She also received the Erikson Institute Award for Service to Children.
The Sutherland Award for Excellence in Children's Literature is a special award. It is named after Zena Sutherland, a former University of Chicago faculty member. This award is unique because students choose the winning book.
Lab teachers also helped create the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project. This project developed math textbooks. These include the well-known Everyday Mathematics books for elementary students.
Blue Balliett is an author. She wrote popular children's mysteries like Chasing Vermeer. Her experiences teaching students at Lab inspired her books.
