Melrose Park is a village of about 21,000 12 miles west of downtown Chicago. Several major industries, including Ford Motor Co., are located in the town's northwest side industrial park, and provide a tax base for the community. Recreational opportunities include the offerings of the Veterans and Memorial Park Districts (each serving parts of Melrose Park). Grade school-aged children attend schools in districts 83, 84, 84.5, 87, 88, and 89, while secondary students go to Proviso East, district 209, in Maywood. (See below for details on schools).

Transportation needs are served by area highways (I-290/Eisenhower Expwy.), and major local roads (Mannheim Rd., Lake St.). Commuter service to downtown is provided by Metra. Travel time to the downtown Chicago station is about 25 minutes. Local bus service is available from PACE. The RTA Travel Info. Number is 1-800-972-7000.

Village Hall: 708-343-4000 NICOR: 708-547-6400

Commonwealth Edison: 1-800-334-7661 Ameritech (Phone): 1-800-942-8163

Fire Dept. For emergencies, 708-344-2121 Otherwise, 708-344-8409

Police Dept.: For emergencies, 708-344-2124. Otherwise, 708-344-1210

Public Library: 801 N. Broadway. 708-343-3391

Loyola University Medical Center: 708-216-9000 Oak Park Hospital: 708-383-9300

Westlake Community Hospital: 708-681-3000

All IGAP Test Scores are from the '97/'98 school year).

897 S. 1st. Ave.

Maywood, IL 60153

708-344-7000

School System Statistics: 2 schools in district. 9th. - 12th. grades. 4,207 students enrolled. 257 classroom teachers. Student/Teacher Ratio - 18.6:1. 40.5% of teachers with a Bachelor's Degree only. 59.5% of teachers with a Graduate Degree. Per Pupil Cost - $9,683.

District-Wide Programs: English as a Second Language (ESL), Hot Lunch Program, P.E. Classes, Special Education, Foreign Language, PTA, Extra-Curricular Activities, Sports, Computer Literacy, Art Instruction, Music Instruction, Band, Orchestra, Chorus, Summer School, Counseling, Tutoring.

IGAP Test Scores (Average): Tenth Grade Reading - 162. Tenth Grade Writing - 24.4. Tenth Grade Math - 204. Eleventh Grade Science - N/A. Eleventh Grade Social Studies - N/A. Composite ACT - 17.7. High School Graduation Rate - 66.6%.

Accreditation: Yes. State Department of Education, Regional Accrediting Agency.

Features: Gym(s), Computer(s)/Computer Lab(s), Library, Music Room/Area, Cafeteria, Outdoor Stadium/Arena, Art Room/Area, Auditorium/Stage, Labs for Science, Foreign Language, Reading & Writing.

Personnel: Teachers in academic curriculum areas, plus Art, Music, P.E., Guidance, Social Work, Vocational Education, Special Education, Library.

Academic Performance: IGAP Test Scores (Average): 10th Grade Reading - 185. 10th Grade Math - 213. 10th Grade Writing - 25.6. 11th Grade Science - 220. 11th Grade Social Studies - 209. Composite ACT - 18.0. High School Graduation Rate - 73.7%.

Curriculum: Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, Art, Music, P.E., Foreign Language, Vocational Education.

Extras: Hot Lunch, Field Trips, Transportation.

Special Needs: Learning Disabled, Behavior Disordered students. Speech Therapy, Counseling provided.

Extracurricular: Sports, Theater/Drama, Orchestra, Band, Chorus, School Clubs.

Proviso East High School. 807 S. 1st. Ave., Maywood, IL 60153, 708-344-7000

All IGAP Test Scores are from the '97/'98 school year).

School System Statistics: 4 schools in district. K - 8th. grades. 2,621 students enrolled. 186 classroom teachers. Student/Teacher Ratio - 18.4:1. 54.2% of teachers with a Bachelor's Degree only. 45.8% of teachers with a Graduate Degree. Per Pupil Cost - $7,272.

District-Wide Programs: English as a Second Language (ESL), Hot Lunch Program, Special Education, P.E. Classes, Art Instruction, Music Instruction.

IGAP Test Scores (Average): Third Grade Reading - 251. Third Grade Math - 262. Third Grade Writing - 18.6. Fourth Grade Science - 253. Fourth Grade Social Studies - 267. Sixth Grade Reading - 231. Sixth Grade Math - 285. Sixth Grade Writing - 23.1. Seventh Grade Science - 241. Seventh Grade Social Studies - 263. Eighth Grade Reading - 207. Eighth Grade Math - 261. Eighth Grade Writing - 26.0.

Features: Gym(s), Music Room/Area, Art Room/Area, Computer(s)/Computer Lab(s), Library, Auditorium/Stage, Outdoor Playground, Cafeteria.

Personnel: Teachers in academic curriculum areas, plus Special Education, P.E., Art, Music, Library.

Curriculum: Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, P.E., Art, Music.

Extras: Hot Lunch, Field Trips, Transportation.

Special Needs: Mildly/Moderately Retarded students.

Mannheim Middle School. 2600 Hyde Park Ave., Northlake, IL 60164, 708-455-5020.

Scott Elementary. 2250 Scott St., Melrose Park, IL 60160, 708-455-4818

All IGAP Test Scores are from the '97/'98 school year).

640 Eastern Ave.

Bellwood, IL 60104

708-344-9344

School System Statistics: See table below.

District-Wide Programs: Hot Lunch Program, Early Childhood, Art Instruction, Music Instruction, P.E. Classes, Gifted Program, Summer School, Special Education, Preschool Screening, Extra-Curricular Activities, Sports, Chorus, Counseling, PTA, English as a Second Language (ESL).

Features: Auditorium/Stage, Gym(s), Handicapped Accessible, Library, Music Room/Area, Art Room/Area, Cafeteria.

Personnel: Teachers in academic curriculum areas, plus Music, P.E., Special Education, Gifted/Talented, Library, Social Work, Guidance, Art.

Curriculum: Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, Art, Music, P.E., Library.

Extras: Hot Lunch, Field Trips, Transportation, Summer School.

Extracurricular: Sports, Chorus, Orchestra, Band, School Clubs.

IGAP Test Scores (Average): See IGAP Scores Tables below.

District Schools (Melrose Park grade schools only):

Roosevelt Junior High. 25th. Ave. & Oak St., Bellwood, IL 60104, 708-544-3318.

Grant Elementary. 1300 N. 34th. St., Melrose Park, IL 60160, 708-343-0410.

All IGAP Test Scores are from the '97/'98 school year).

1133 S. 8th. Ave.

Maywood, IL 60153

708-450-2000

School System Statistics: See table below.

District-Wide Programs: English as a Second Language (ESL), Hot Lunch Program, P.E. Classes, Special Education, Gifted Program, Band, Music Instruction, Art Instruction, Summer School.

Features: Gym(s), Computer(s)/Computer Lab(s), Music Room/Area, Art Room/Area, Library, Outdoor Playground, Auditorium/Stage, Cafeteria.

Personnel: Teachers in academic curriculum areas, plus P.E., Special Education, Art, Music, Library.

Curriculum: Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, Art, Music, P.E.

Extras: Hot Lunch, Field Trips, Transportation, Before School Care, After School Care.

Extracurricular: Sports, School Clubs, Chorus, Scouts.

IGAP Test Scores (Average): See IGAP Scores Tables below.

Jane Addams Elementary. 910 Division St., Melrose Park, IL 60160, 708-450-2023.

Melrose Park Elementary. 1715 W. Lake St., Melrose Park, IL 60160, 708-450-2042.

Stevenson Elementary. 1630 20th. Ave., Melrose Park, IL 60160, 708-450-2053.

Editor's Note: Annual tuition quoted in this table is for one child, Full-day Kindergarten (if available)/Grades 1-8 for Elementary Schools and Grades 9-12 for High Schools. For Catholic Schools, annual tuition quoted is for parishioners. For other denominations, annual tuition quoted is for members (whenever there is a difference between member/nonmember tuition). Any school with an asterisk (*) offers before- and/or after-school care. While we make a reasonable effort to maintain accuracy, we don't guarantee that all information is correct.

Editor's Note: Tuition quoted is the weekly rate for full-time care. Codes in parenthesis: I for Infant, T for Toddler, 2 for Age 2, P for Preschool (Ages 2-5 or 3-5), K for Kindergarten, SA for school-age. For part-time preschool programs (2, 3, or 5 mornings or afternoons per week), the tuition quoted is monthly, with 2x, 3x, or 5x in parenthesis to indicate the number of days per week for each program. While we make a reasonable effort to maintain accuracy, we don't guarantee that all information is correct. For any categories that are blank, please call the center for that information.

700 Speechley

Hillside, IL 60162

708-547-3900

Equipment/Physical Features: Outdoor Playground(s), Computer(s), Gym(s), Swimming Pool(s), Tennis Court(s), Ice Rink(s), Sports Fields.

Parent/Tot & Children's Classes/Leagues/Camps: Reading/Stories, Computers, Arts & Crafts, Cooking, Music, Ballet, Dance, Basketball, Soccer, Karate, Hockey, Boxing, Gymnastics, Swimming, Tennis, Baseball, Softball.

Adult Classes/Leagues/Activities: Fitness, Dance, Basketball, Pet Obedience Training, Volleyball, Swimming, Tennis, Softball.

Senior Adult Classes/Clubs/Services/Programs: Men's Group, Women's Group

Special Needs: Physically Handicapped, Developmentally Delayed, Hearing-Impaired, Sight-Impaired.

Special Services: Adapted Materials, Remedial Help, Adapted Equipment.

Other Services: Preschool.

800 N. 17th. Ave.

Melrose Park, IL 60160

708-343-5270

Equipment/Physical Features: Outdoor Playground(s), Gym(s), Sports Fields, Tennis Court(s), Swimming Pool(s).

Parent/Tot & Children's Classes/Leagues/Camps: Music, Dance, Ballet, Gymnastics, Arts & Crafts, Cooking, Hockey, Basketball, Tae Kwon Do, Self-Defense, Swimming, Baseball.

Adult Classes/Leagues/Activities: Fitness, Swimming, Tae Kwon Do, Self-Defense, Arts & Crafts, Basketball, Pet Obedience Training, Tennis, Racquetball.

Senior Adult Classes/Clubs/Services/Programs: Men's Group, Women's Group, Trips, Tours, Fitness.

Special Needs: Physically Handicapped, Developmentally Delayed, Hearing-Impaired, Sight-Impaired.

Special Services: Adapted Materials, Remedial Help, Adapted Equipment.

Other Services: Preschool, Babysitting.

Note: All areas East of 25th. Avenue are within the Veterans Park District boundaries. Other Melrose Park Residents are served by Memorial Park District.