Parent Resources

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the website for John Hersey High School.  Hersey is an exemplary school that incorporates outstanding instruction with noteworthy student results.  Approximately 95% of our graduates enroll in post-secondary instruction at colleges, universities or technical schools.  According to the ACT, Hersey graduates meet all four benchmarks (English, Reading, Math and Science Reasoning) at a rate that is over twice the attainment in the rest of the state.  We offer 23 Advanced Placement courses, with an exam pass rate over 82%.  This academic focus demonstrates why our graduates are accepted at the most prestigious universities in the country.  Last year, our seniors earned scholarships that exceeded $1.5 million.  We have repeatedly been named in Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report for distinction among America’s best high schools. 

Located in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Hersey is a public four-year high school that offers high quality academic programs, and is always looking for new ways to meet the needs of our students and community.  This year we began offering Mandarin as one of our world languages, and programs such as Project Lead The Way and College Marketing and Accounting help prepare students for future careers.   The Freedom Box Project helps students understand that all issues should be considered from a multi-dimensional perspective.

Hersey is also recognized for its outstanding co-curricular and extracurricular programs.  The area of Fine and Performing Arts has received much recognition.
The Hersey Marching Huskies won the University of Illinois’ Governor’s Trophy in 2009.  The Symphonic Band has been accepted to the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival, Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic (where bands from across the nation are selected to perform), and gave an international performance at the Festival Des Anches DAzur in June, 2009, at this prestigious French music festival. 

Along with the band, our outstanding choir has garnered numerous recognitions, and the high profile On Stage and Ladies First show choirs celebrate their award winning performances every year.  Hersey produces a Children’s Theatre play yearly, adding to the excellence of our Drama Department.

In addition, the John Hersey Robotics Team competes every year in the BattleBots program.  In April of this year, the Hersey Robotics Team was sent to California for the first televised edition of BattleBotsIQ.  We came home with "Mr. Plow" winning 4th place in the nation.

Of course, athletics involves well over 1,000 students every year.  We are members of The Mid-Suburban League (MSL) East Division and the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), which governs most interscholastic athletic and competitive activities in the state.  Teams from Hersey are fielded in almost every sport and winning conference championships is not unusual.  In addition to athletics, our students compete in IHSA sponsored speech and debate programs, and our award winning journalism program sends students to national competitions every year.

We are proud to house two programs for students with special needs.  The Deaf and Hard of Hearing population at John Hersey is one of the largest in the area.  We also have a group of disabled students who have been housed on our campus since 2006.  They have added awareness to the rest of our student body and have enriched our activities by holding Special Olympics competitions at our school.

The heart of Hersey is demonstrated throughout the year.  Hundreds of students participate in Service Over Self programs.  Every year we hold a schoolwide food drive which supplies those in need with much welcomed foodstuffs.  In addition, we hold blood drives, coat drives, and most recently raised thousands of dollars to fight childhood cancer.

It is difficult to include everything that occurs on a daily basis at John Hersey High School that makes it such a special place.  Students are engaged and respected, as is the outstanding and committed staff.  We are joined by five other District 214 schools, and are proud to be part of such a dynamic organization.  Through our collective efforts, students will be well prepared to assume their role as members of our community after they graduate, and we are dedicated to their continued success both while in high school and after graduation. 


Dr. Tina Cantrell
Principal, John Hersey High School
847.718.4810
tina.cantrell@d214.org