1221 E 54th St
Chicago, IL 60615

The Kenwood Academic Center was a fantastic place for our daughter. In addition to great academics, she got to perform at Symphony Hall with Jason Moran from the Kennedy Center and the Kenwood Marching Band. Truly a once in a lifetime experience. Staff and faculty have been very supportive!!!

Do not send your child to this school. The reputation Ray School has does not hold up to what it is today.Ignore the diversity you see on the playground. Ignore the Friends of Ray group. Ignore the Meet the Principal invites (DEFINITELY ignore this!)Instead imagine this: Imagine your child is slammed against a wall unprovoked by another child. Imagine your child being called racists names by another student. Imagine your child is jumped on school property at dismissal. Now imagine none of these children face any consequences and the victims have to look their attackers in the face the very next day. And the next day. And the next day. This is Ray. These are Ray stories. And one day it WILL be your child. There is a reason most decent families leave the school before middle school – it’s unsafe. Sadly the safety issues are now starting as young as second grade. And many of the parents are just as culpable as the principal who ignores the problem. None of them care until something happens to their child. I admit I was one of those parents, but at least I’m speaking out about it. The reviews on Great Schools do not reflect even 1% of what happens at Ray. Most parents take their children and leave quietly, doing a huge disservice to the children left behind. Very few are willing to stand up to the culture, to the principal, to other parents. I doubt my review will turn most people away from this school. White parents espousing Ray as a “good school” is hard to ignore in a school system where most schools are failing and reading and math scores are woefully behind. But if I can reach just one family, if I can save just one child from enduring what my child and many others have endured at Ray, I will feel I have done something more than look the other way like most Ray parents. Keep looking. Ray is not where you want to send your child. Your child deserves better.