Jahn Elementary School

3149 North Wolcott Avenue

School District

Chicago Public Schools
Grade

PK, K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:9
Type

public

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on September 28, 2024

I have two children at Jahn and they absolutely LOVE this school! My third grader has learned so much about building community and helping others because of the example led by teachers and staff. He looks forward to going to school every single day and my Prek student is now doing the same. Teachers are genuinely interested in their students and are quick to address any issues or concerns that arise. Their PAC, FOJ, LSC and other committees are all made up of passionate parents and community members who want to see the school thrive as well as a principal who takes the time to make every single school member feel heard and included. I am satisfied 100% and feel truly blessed to have found this gem of a school!
Submitted by parent on February 05, 2024

There are 5 preschool classrooms and most of them are spacious and light-filled except for one. My child's classroom was in the south east corner of the basement in a room that was never actually meant to be used as a classroom. It was a literal storage room that was converted into a classroom with harsh lighting. It was probably a third of the size of the other classrooms, yet it had just as many students. The kids were packed in there with little room to move around and play. My child was hit and bullied by another student and the teachers were slow to respond. They never replied to emails so I was unsure if they were taking any steps to keep them apart. My child had a bathroom accident on the way home one day and through tears told me that she was afraid to tell her teacher when she had to use the bathroom because it wasn't the designated bathroom break time. I emailed and talked to the teacher about the incident, and weeks later the same thing happened again. My daughter again crying on the way home from school, still afraid to tell her teacher she needed to go to the bathroom. Her teacher always struck me as intimidating, never offering up a warm hello when we arrived at school. My daughter liked to bring a toy to drop off to show her teacher and not once did she respond with a "wow, that's great!" or "what's your doll's name?" or any kind of interest. She would tell my daughter flatly that the toy needed to be put in her backpack before she came into school. She never recognized that my child was trying to connect with her. The teacher sent me the results of a test with checkpoints that were gathered from August to November. According to the test, my daughter couldn't read or speak clearly. My daughter reads and speaks perfectly. She boldly orders her own food in restaurants and reads the menu herself. She has been reading since she was 3. When I asked about the test, her teacher admitted that she didn't actually test her for reading abilities and that she marked her as "doesn't speak clearly" because she is quiet in the classroom.This shocked me as my daughter has never been called quiet by anyone before and is typically characterized as bold, confident, even loud. She loves to talk to adults and people she's never met. She was quiet in her classroom because she was afraid of her teacher. We met with the principal twice and he wouldn’t move her to a different classroom. In January we transferred her to a new school where she thrived.
Submitted by parent on October 10, 2023

We love this school . It is like a big family. It is a very diverse school with lots of different backgrounds . Very inclusive and everyone They focus a lot on social emotional learning and the teachers are all fantastic.
Submitted by other on April 16, 2023

I have subbed at this school many times. It is a beautiful gem of a school, with small classes and a lot of support. Most classes have at-least 2 teachers. The children really love being there and look forward to coming every day. Jahn also has a new principal, who is very friendly and seems to know every child’s name. The school is also very diverse. It’s a very safe and joyful place.
Submitted by parent on December 19, 2019

Faculty at this school are really effective and truly care about the children. They promote mindfulness every day and my son who is in kindergarten talks about it at home. Would highly recommend and so happy we are part of the Jahn family.
Submitted by parent on December 19, 2019

Great community great school! This is a hidden gem.
Submitted by parent on September 07, 2019

This school is just OK, until something better comes along. Not bad in perK-K, maybe even first. Take a closer look at scores. Current principal is only interested in getting enrollment up in primary, then looses interest once kids get past primary grades. Ask questions, why is there so much staff leaving? If this is your neighborhood school, don't panic, just start touring other schools and consider using OPTIONS for a better school. OK for early grades, but have a plan to get out. The best teachers seem to be looking for better opportunities......
Submitted by parent on April 29, 2018

Jahn has a very progressive approach to curriculum and social emotional growth. Love that there are 2 teachers in every classroom and how engaged the parent community is.
Submitted by parent on March 16, 2018

what a fantastic school -I can't imagine another school providing a more supportive atmosphere from the level of other students through the administration and particularly the teaching staff-this happens to be our local school but after two years here I would not consider looking elsewhere-I can't imagine a better school for my child
Submitted by teacher on September 08, 2017

Jahn has made a complete turn around. The school is completely inclusive, there is no bullying, teachers are always available and very dedicated to the school. The principle, Michael Herring, has an open door policy to ALL. Our parent support group, FOJ, is outstanding and is willing to support the schools needs in any way they can.
Submitted by parent on August 28, 2016

Dedicated and caring teachets and staff. They really have a great way of connecting with the students and getting the best out of them.
Submitted by parent on August 17, 2016

My son has been with Jahn Pre-K and will be entering Kindergarten this fall. I also have a daughter who will be entering Pre-K this fall. The Pre-K program, by the way, earned a Gold Standard. It has been a pleasure to see how this school has blossomed during these 2 years. Mr. Herring does a great job of connecting with both the students and parents. We even see him acting as crossing guard in the morning! Jahn is a Level 1 school (highest rating). The school has a wonderful and dedicated Friends of Jahn group, which has steadily grown over the past couple years. Their tireless efforts have raised funds through various events, which has directly benefited the school. The community of parents is very involved and committed to the ongoing success of the school. I look forward to seeing my children grow within the confines of Jahn!
Submitted by parent on July 08, 2016

We have been at Jahn for four years. This past year has been the best year so far. Carol Buhler, the 4th Grade teacher, was phenomenal. She was the best teacher we have had in any CPS school.
Submitted by other on March 10, 2016

The new principal at Jahn is overly concerned about catering to the pre-school, kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade parents. He seems to have forgotten the middle school students. He is also not very responsive to ALL parents. Everyone deserves a good education, not just the "newcomers" to the school.
Submitted by parent on December 08, 2015

I think that the greatschools ratings data is outdated from the 2013 school year -- this school is improving dramatically each year but the biggest strides have been in the past 2 years -- it has jumped now to a Level 1 rated CPS school with high scores across the board in academic achievement, attendance, and 360-evaluations. The teachers and administration are so receptive to parents and the whole Jahn community is so approachable. You won't find another school in the area with the diversity, co-teaching blended classrooms, and staff:student ratio that Jahn has. It is a wonderful place of learning for my two kids.
Submitted by parent on December 08, 2015

Jahn is a great up and coming school. The principal Mr. Herring and teachers are fantastic. The community of parents are really welcoming and involved as well. We are really happy with our experience here.
Submitted by parent on September 20, 2015

Jahn is an amazing school with excellent teachers and strong administration. It is a fantastic neighborhood school!
Submitted by other on August 14, 2015

We couldn't be more happy with Jahn Elementary, the staff, amazing Principal that's committed and driven to make Jahn the best school around. The curriculum is the same as any other CPS school, having friends in other schools I've got to learn first hand that no other school is different or better then Jahn. My Kindergartener last year started getting bored and acting out in class, his teacher right away suggested challenging him more. His behavior not only improved but his reading, writing and spelling completely turned around. Top notch teachers for a Top notch School!! Thanks Jahn!!
Submitted by other on August 13, 2015

This is a great school with a committed staff and amazing principal. We are a full inclusion school, so students get the benefits of two dynamic teachers in the classroom teaching to all learning styles.
Submitted by parent on August 11, 2015

We have had only one year of experience here, but the teachers and principal are genuinely caring and dedicated individuals; the parents are supportive and involved. As a CPS school, Jahn definitely brings with it any of the issues you'd have at other CPS schools and I will say we dealt with that as well. But as far as how Jahn's representatives dealt with these issues, it couldn't have been handled more professionally. The preschool program is fantastic! They take spanish weekly, and the teachers keep up excellent communication and availability to parents. To respond to an earlier review which mentioned the residents of the neighborhood not sending their own kids there, I can personally attest to that not being true. Not only was my child's preschool class about 90% neighborhood kids, but even the families in the neighborhood who do not send their children to Jahn are active in the Friends of Jahn community, volunteering their time and money to continue to improve the school. It's a shame that Jahn is getting a bad rep; though selfishly if the class sizes stay as small as they are now, it would thrill me!