Perez Elementary School

We moved our child from a so called 9/10 on great schools to Jungman STEM Magnet and could not be happier! Jungman provides a challenging academic setting, incredible STEM and Media classes, and whole child social/emotional support. In 7th grade our kid got to take Algebra which is more common only in larger Academic Center schools! Jungman has new STEM equipment that is being used by the students all the time like 3D printers, laser cutters, as well as a full broadcasting studio with green screens. I also appreciate their large cluster program which has helped my child stand up for the needs and rights of her friends. Moving schools wasn’t easy for my daughter but the warmth of the administration and teachers solidified our choice. In February 2025 Jungman won the prestigious Merit Award given by Magnet Schools of America. Jungman is one of only nine CPS magnet schools to have been named a 2025 School of Excellence or Distinction for their exemplary commitment to upholding academic standards and implementing innovative programming that fosters academic growth among students.So yes, schedule a tour at Jungman and see for yourself if it’s a good fit for your child. We took a leap of faith and landed in the perfect spot for us!

My autistic son, with an IEP, recently graduated from Pre-K at Smyth's. We had an excellent experience at this school. I loved. Ms. Young, Ms Molitor and Ms Hall are the best teachers. Ms Muller is amazing with kids. My son loves her. The school offers an excellent Pre-K program .Thespeech therapist, occupational therapist, case manager and staff are all amazing. They all showed how much they really care about the students.

This school is teaching the per-k transgender stuff. They seem to celebrate everything but GOD. Do not trust them. They are the problem.

"It’s a school that does nothing in situations involving bullying. Good teachers, but a terrible principal."

Our introduction to the school is from Claudia, who is a factotum for the school, does all the things. She took her time walking us through the school and culture. She spoke from experience as a former parent with 3 children there, including a set of twins. We have a set of twins at the school. It was important to us that the school/teacher(s) understood the nuances with twins in a classroom. The anecdotes from the teachers' observations are fascinating. Only someone with a true child-centered needs approach could observe and make the modifications necessary. As a trivial example, Twin A would follow where Twin B would choose to go play/learn. By allowing modifying and letting Twin B to go first, the twins developed their own sense of space and group of friends.With a small school comes a sense of community, which is a value that we appreciate. I can't say enough great things about the school, the caring teachers, community and sense of belonging.We are more than happy with our decision, we are incredibly thankful to have had 2 spots in the Pre-K age 3 classroom. Classroom sizes are under 20. The pedagogy includes experiential learning. and "Montessori vibe" that fosters independence and curiosity for learning. My son was allowed the space to warm up to being in a classroom environment for the first time to the point that within a few weeks he seemed like a totally different child. There is engagement with the parents and teachers. While the school is Catholic, parent(s) are not expected to be of a certain religion or of one at all. The dual language approach is unique and science backed; it's a natural way to learn and also a sure way to not just give the child a life long skillset, but develops their growing brains.A very real comment: having a school uniform makes it easy for us as parents to get them dressed throughout the school year.