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About Us

About us

Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy is a selective enrollment academic center and high school located in the Historic Pullman District.  We offer a rigorous academic program consisting of Honors, Advanced Placement, and Dual Credit course offerings. Our school embraces a Proficiency-Based Learning (PBL) approach, where students actively engage in real-world and personally meaningful learning experiences to acquire knowledge and skills. This method emphasizes critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication as students work over extended periods to address complex questions or challenges.

 
In addition to Proficiency-Based Learning, we integrate principles that ensure instruction, assessment, grading, and academic reporting are based on students demonstrating their mastery of expected knowledge and skills. This approach guarantees that learners progress upon achieving proficiency, tailoring education to individual needs and promoting deeper understanding.
 
By combining these methodologies, our school fosters an environment where students not only learn content but also apply their learning in practical contexts, preparing them for success in higher education, careers, and beyond.
 
We also develop students beyond the classroom through seminars, clubs, athletics, community service and international travel.  These experiences combined create a holistic environment in which our students learn to thrive.

 

The B's of Brooks:

  • Be a Problem Solver
  • Be Socially Conscious and Responsive
  • Be Global
  • Be Creative and Innovative
  • Be a Critical Thinker and Reader
  • Be an Effective Communicator
  • Be Intelligent
  • Be Adaptive and Agile
  • Be Collaborative
  • Be Confident
  • Be Ethical, Honest, and Just
  • Be Relentless
  • Be Healthy
  • Be Yourself
  • Be Courageous
  • Be Better
  • BE BROOKS

…within the classroom

Chicago Sun-Times Top 50 Illinois High Schools (#36), 2014

U.S. News and World Report Gold Medal School, 2013

U.S. News and World Report Top 100 Magnet Schools Nationwide, 2013

U.S. News and World Report Top 25 High Schools Statewide (#13), 2013

Chicago Tribune Top 50 High Schools Chicagoland, 2012

Chicago Magazine Top 5 High Schools Chicago, 2012

...beyond the classroom

Our students spend:  afterschool participating and competing within various clubs, sports, and academic teams; Spring Break abroad traveling the globe to places such as Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Holland, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland; and summers taking advantage of a variety of enrichment opportunities that occur throughout the city, state, and country.

Mission

Our mission is to ensure each student learns at high levels.

Vision

Our vision is to be the school of choice in the city of Chicago.

Motto

Be Brooks!

Mascot

American Bald Eagle

School Colors

Royal Blue and White