Wells Community Academy High School
Royal Blue
Silver
William H. Wells Community Academy High School is public 4–year high school located in the West Town neighborhood on the Near Northwest Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Wells is a part of the Chicago Public Schools system. Wells serves grades 9 through 12. Wells is named after former superintendent of Chicago Public Schools William H. Wells.
Currently, Wells serves a large section of the inner and central areas of Chicago, with its attendance boundaries reaching as far north as Webster Avenue, as far south as 16th Street, as far east as Lake Michigan, and as far west as Sacramento Boulevard. This area includes sections of West Town, Bucktown, the Chicago Loop, the Near North Side, and the Near West Side.[4]
History
Wells was established in William Harvey Wells's honor approximately a year after his death in 1886. The current building opened in 1935 on the site of the original school with extra ground at the north. Originally, the city of Chicago planned for Wells to open as a junior high school in 1930; construction of the school was delayed.[5] Wells enrollment was predominately white from its opening until the late 1960s. By 1972, most of the schools' population was considered low-income and majority of the African-American population were residents of the Cabrini-Green Homes public housing project. The school demographic was 71% Hispanic and 20% African-American by 1982. In 2005, Wells served as a receiving school for students zoned to Austin High School when the school board decided to phase out Austin.[6]
Wells Fight Song
Wells High, we raise our voice to thee. Wells High, you have our loyalty, fighting and always striving, to bring to you a victory. So we'll say... Wells High, to you we pledge our hearts, to you we will be true. Fight on and keep our colors flying, silver and royal blue.
Demographics
As of the 2023–2024 school year, 53.9% of Wells's student body is Hispanic, 34.8% is African-American, 9.7% White, 0.4% Asian, and 1.1% Other. Low-income students make up 76% of Wells's student body.[7] Wells has a 73% graduation rate.[citation needed]
Small schools
Wells includes 3 Smaller Learning Communities:
- Law & Public Safety Academy (LPSA)
- Fine Arts Academy
- Gaming Academy
Other Information
Principal
In October 2013, Rituparna Raichoudhuri was named as principal of the school, succeeding Ernesto Matias. Raichoudhuri served as resident principal during the 2012–13 school year, and previously served in the office of performance management at Chicago Public Schools, and as a teacher in California.[8]
Athletics
Wells competes in the Chicago Public League (CPL) and is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). Wells sports teams are nicknamed raiders. The boys' basketball team won the public league championship in 1936–37. The boys' soccer team were regional champions in 2008–09, and the girls' team were regional champions in 2011–12.[9]
Extra-curricular activities
- Chess
- GSA
- Soccer
- Cheerleading
- Volleyball
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Softball
- Track & Field
- National Honor's Society (NHS)
- JROTC
- ROTC
Feeder patterns
K-8 schools which feed into Wells include Andersen, Burr, Columbus, Chopin, Jenner, Lozano, Mitchell, Ogden K-8, Otis, Peabody, Pritzker, and Talcott.[10][11]
Notable alumni
- Curtis Mayfield – R&B/funk singer, songwriter
- Jerry Butler – singer, politician
- Michael Rooker – Actor
- Ramsey Lewis – Musician
References
- ^ "CPS School Listings - CPS.edu".
- ^ "High School Code Search". College Board. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
- ^ Chicago Public Schools: Wells
- ^ "West/Central/South High Schools". Chicago Public Schools. May 17, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
- ^ Wells Academy High School
- ^ NEWS & POLITICS, The trials of a neighborhood high school, Wells Community Academy in West Town has disadvantaged students, many unhelpful parents, a bad reputation, charters nibbling at its enrollment—and some rare successes. Can it survive?, by Steve Bogira, May 6, 2014
- ^ "CPS : Find a school : Find a School". cps.edu. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
- ^ "Wells Staff List - CPS.edu".
- ^ IHSA Chicago (Wells)
- ^ "Elem Near North, West, and Central". Chicago Public Schools. 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
- ^ "HS North/Near North." Chicago Public Schools. 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
External links
- Official website
- v
- t
- e
- Ogden International School (K–8 zoned, high school unzoned)
- Disney II (magnet)
- Harlan (9–12 zoned, 7–8 unzoned)
- Kelvyn Park (7–12 zoned)
- Kenwood (9–12 zoned, 7–8 unzoned)
- Lane Tech (alternative)
- Lindblom Math & Science (alternative)
- Morgan Park (9–12 zoned, 7–8 unzoned)
high schools
- Amundsen
- Austin
- Back of the Yards
- Bogan
- Bowen
- Chicago Vocational (9–11 zoned)
- Clemente
- Corliss
- Curie (9–10 zoned)
- Dyett
- Farragut
- Fenger
- Foreman
- Gage Park
- Hancock (attendance zone phasing out)
- Hirsch
- Hubbard
- Hyde Park
- Juarez
- Julian
- Kelly
- Kennedy
- Lake View
- Lincoln Park
- Manley
- Marshall
- Mather
- Orr
- Phillips
- Richards
- Roosevelt
- Schurz
- Senn
- Steinmetz
- Sullivan
- Taft
- Tilden
- Washington
- Wells
high schools
- Agricultural Sciences
- Alcott College Prep
- Brooks College Prep
- Chicago Academy
- Clark Magnet
- Crane Medical Prep
- DeVry Advantage
- Dunbar Vocational
- Jones College Prep
- King College Prep
- Northside College Prep
- Payton College Prep
- Prosser Career Academy
- Raby School for Community and Environment
- Simeon Career Academy
- South Shore Int'l College Preparatory
- Uplift Community High School
- Von Steuben Metro Science
- Westinghouse College Prep
- Young Magnet
- Chicago Excel Academy
- Chicago High School for the Arts
- Chicago Technology Academy
affiliated with CPS
- Air Force Academy High School
- Carver Military Academy
- Chicago Military Academy
- Marine Leadership Academy at Ames
- Phoenix Military Academy
- Rickover Naval Academy
K–8/PK–8 schools
- Bell
- Clinton
- Arthur Dixon
- Nettelhorst
- Pritzker
- Sutherland
K–8/PK–8 schools
- Calumet
- Chicago High
- Chicago Talent
- Cooley
- DuSable
- Englewood Tech
- Flower Vocational
- Harper
- Harrison Tech
- Hope
- Las Casas Occupational
- McKinley
- Near North
- Robeson
- '63 Boycott
- Central Standard: On Education
- Cooley High
- The Curators of Dixon School
- Educating Esmé
- Saving Barbara Sizemore
- The School Project
- 2019 strike
- Administrative hearing of William McAndrew
- CEO/superintendent
- Chicago Annenberg Challenge
- Chicago Board of Education
- Chicago Public High School League
- Chicago Public Schools boycott
- Chicago Teachers Federation
- Chicago Teachers Union
- Communities In Schools of Chicago
- Distance education in 1937
- Local School Councils
- Renaissance 2010