Opened 1917 CEEB code 141122 Phone +1 773-535-9300 Average ACT scores 23.4 (2013) | School district Chicago Public Schools Principal Wayne J Bevis District Chicago Public Schools Color Gold | |
 | ||
School type Public Secondary Selective Enrolment Motto Our history guides our future. Address 6130 S Wolcott Ave, Chicago, IL 60636, USA Similar Whitney M Young Magnet H, Kenwood Academy High Sch, Gwendolyn Brooks Prep Sch, Curie Metropolit High Sch, Simeon Career Academy Profiles | ||
Coloring outside the lines by jessica pope at robert lindblom math science academy january 2015
Robert Lindblom Math & Science Academy High School (LMSA) (simply known as Lindblom) is a public 4-year selective enrollment high school located in the West Englewood neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. It's operated by the Chicago Public School system. The school, originally constructed in 1919 and named Lindblom Technical High School, is named for Robert Lindblom, a nineteenth-century Swedish–born trader on the Chicago Board of Trade. Designated for students intended to enter vocations in industrial and skilled trades, in the later 20th century, it developed curricula to prepare students for college and was known as Lindblom College Prep High School. On June 9, 2010 the Chicago City Council approved the designation of the Lindblom Building as a Chicago landmark by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks.
Contents
History
Originally named the Robert Lindblom Technical High School, the three-story building was designed by architect Arthur Hussander and completed in 1919. Lindblom was designed in a Beaux-Arts style and has a neo-classical façade with Roman columns. The building contains a 2,000-seat auditorium (with two balconies), two gymnasiums, a large study hall/ballroom on the third floor with a barrel-vaulted ceiling and large skylights, a swimming pool, and a greenhouse.
It first served a population with a high number of European immigrants and emphasized the importance of education in assimilation and advancement. As the number of industrial jobs declined following World War II and the job market changed, the school curricula were changed to emphasize preparation for college, to enable students to obtain degrees needed for the changing market. The school was renamed as Lindblom College Prep High School and has served the increasingly diverse student population.
In 2003, Lindblom underwent a two-year, $42 million renovation to upgrade systems and prepare the school as a site for concentration in math and science, as planned by the Chicago Public Schools. BauerLatoza Studio was hired to develop the entire project, which modernized the architecture, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. BauerLatoza Studio also designed new computer and science labs that were installed throughout the building. The grand reopening was held by the Lindblom Alumni Association and the Board of Education on October 14, 2005. The occasion featured alumna Cheryl Burton, a prominent TV journalist in Chicago, as the mistress of ceremonies. The school reopened in the fall of 2005 as Lindblom Math & Science Academy. It welcomed its first class of freshmen and the final class of Lindblom College Prep High School graduated in the spring of 2006.
Because of the poor reputation of the surrounding neighborhood, initially Lindblom Math & Science only had 25 prospective freshmen enrolled as of March 30, 2005, prior to its opening.
In December 2008, Lindblom received preliminary landmark status from the Commission on Chicago Landmarks. In June 2010, the Chicago City Council's Landmarks Committee approved the designation of the school as a city landmark, citing it as a "distinctive and exceptional example" of the Beaux Arts Style of architecture "with its monumental classical façade, light-colored masonry and symmetry."
Schedule
Lindblom Math & Science Academy is on a block schedule. Students have four classes per day: Three that last 100 minutes; one that lasts 50, and one 50-minute lunch period. This allows students to focus on depth over breadth. 100-minute classes meet two days a week, and 50 minute classes meet four days a week. The school offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses, by which students can earn college credit after successful completion of the course and an AP exam at the end of the school year.
Lindblom was the first high school in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to adopt a year round balanced schedule
Academics and Academic Center
Lindblom is one of the ten selective enrollment schools in the city of Chicago. The school as a selective enrollment school offers only Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) level courses. Lindblom added their Academic Center Middle school in 2008. Being one of only several other highschools in the city that offer an Academic Center in the highschool building.The Academic Center students are commonly referred to as Ackies. The first Graduating Ackie Class will be in 2014, having spent five or six years at Lindblom.
Baxter International
In October 2008, Lindblom became partners with Baxter International as part of its SCIENCE@WORK initiative. Baxter donated money to the schools for science education.
The objective of the Baxter Initiative is twofold. First, Baxter provides support for Lindblom's biotechnology courses. It also has contributed to the creation of the teacher professional development program, the Biotechnology Center of Excellence. Teachers from other Chicago high schools can attend professional development at Lindblom in order to create their own biotechnology programs. The initiative also provides support for Chicago's Renaissance 2010 program and the Illinois Institute of Technology's (IIT) Instructional Development System.
Activities and athletics
Lindblom competes in the Chicago Public League (CPL) and also is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). Lindblom offers a wide variety of sports and extra curricular activities for its students to participate in including football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, water polo, volleyball, cross country/track, swimming, golf, and bowling. The Lindblom Debate Team competes in the Chicago Debate League at both the high school and middle school levels. In the 2008–2009 school year, LMSA started its first Girls' Swim Team and Boys' Swim Team. That same year, Lindblom started its Water Polo team.