261 Howard Ave
Hillside, IL 60162

i currently go to this school, so this is just my honest experience. it’s not some chaotic place where fights are happening all the time. it’s a regular public high school in the chicago suburbs. you’re not going to get anything fancy, but it’s also not as bad as some reviews make it seem. i’m going to try and format this in a way to find what people may be looking for, so bare with me pleaswsecurity is pretty strict. you go through metal detectors every morning, and your bag goes through an x-ray, usual high school stuff.yes, some students smoke in the bathrooms, and sometimes bathrooms get locked because of it, but there are multiple bathrooms so it’s not really a huge issue during the day.teachers really depend on who you get. some are actually really good and care about helping you, and some are just okay. from the teachers i’ve had so far, i’ve been able to learn what i needed, and i’ve had a few that stood out in a good way.the school is structured, but does need improvement. passing periods are 5 mins, and staff do enforce rules, especially with tardies. if you keep being late, there are consequences, so they do take it seriously.lunch is decent for a public school. it’s not amazing, but it’s not bad either. like we be getting wings and pizza and even panda express-type meals, they serve cultural foods too sometimes! the lunch staff aren’t rude, they just get overwhelmed sometimes.the school does have support if you need it. counselors, social workers, and a psychologist are available, and from what i’ve seen, they actually try to help students. the special education staff also seem like they care and put in effort, which i find very important, but they do need MORE special education teachers/assistants in my opinion.fights happen sometimes, but not every day. the environment isn’t hostile. there are always going to be students who don’t care about school, but that’s normal anywhere and doesn’t stop you from doing well if you try.classes are decent, especially if you take honors or ap. there are also college and career options like dual enrollment, and programs like cosmetology and barbering with transportation provided.there are also activities like national honor society and njrotc if you want to be involved.it’s just a normal public high school. it has good and bad parts, these 2014 reviews make it sound like it’s hell.

Hillside Elementary School, Illinois has failed to provide a safe and structured learning environment. A student with a well-documented history of severe behavioral issues has been placed in a general education classroom without warning to the teachers. This student refuses to follow instructions, becomes aggressive when asked to complete classwork, and has violently damaged school property on countless occasions. The lack of transparency from the school put both the students and teachers in a harmful situation, leaving them traumatized.No teacher or student should be subjected to such disruptive and dangerous behavior. Placing a student with severe behavioral disorder in a regular classroom without proper support is irresponsible and may even violate legal protections for students and staff. Hillside Elementary, Hillside, IL must take immediate action to ensure a safe learning environment for all.