Park Forest is a village of about 26,500 35 miles south of downtown Chicago. Park Forest has a mix of commercial, industrial and residential development, including Park Place Industrial Park and The Centre of Park Forest, which includes the Marshall Fields and Sears stores. Recreational opportunities include a village-run golf course, and the Park Forest Tennis & Health Club, also municipally run. Grade school-aged children attend districts 162, 163, 194 and 201U, while secondary students go to Rich East High School, district 227. (See below for details on schools).

Transportation needs are served by area highways (I-57, I-80, I-294/Tri-State Tollway, I-94/Calumet Expwy.), and major local roads (Western Ave., Lincoln Hwy.). Commuter service to downtown is provided by the Metra Electric Line (ME). Travel time to the downtown Chicago station is about 60 minutes. Local bus service is available from PACE. The RTA Travel Info. Number is 1-800-972-7000.

Village Hall: 708-748-1112 NICOR: 708-756-5100.

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

Fire Dept. For emergencies, 911. Otherwise, 708-748-4700

Police Dept.: 911 for emergencies. Otherwise, 708-748-5606

Public Library: 400 Lakewood Blvd. 708-748-3731

South Suburban Hospital: 708-799-8000 Christ Hospital & Medical Center: 708-425-8000

Olympia Fields Hospital: 708-747-4000 Ingalls Hospital: 708-333-2300

300 Sauk Trail

Park Forest, IL 60466

708-747-2600

School System Statistics: See table below.

District-Wide Programs: Computer Literacy, Tutoring, Counseling, Summer School, Special Education, Art Instruction, Music Instruction, P.E. Classes, Hot Lunch Program, Sports, Extra-Curricular Activities, Foreign Language.

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

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

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

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

Honors/AP Courses: Math, Science, English, Foreign Language, Social Science, History.

Special Needs: Physically Handicapped, Learning Disabled, Mildly/Moderately Retarded, Emotionally Disturbed, Behavior Disordered, Hearing-Impaired, Sight-Impaired, Gifted students. Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Tutoring, Counseling provided.

Extracurricular: Sports, School Clubs.

District Schools (Park Forest only):

Rich East High. Sauk Trail at Westwood, Park Forest, IL 60466, 708-748-5800.

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

1742 Dixie Hwy.

Crete, IL 60417

708-672-2670

School System Statistics: See table below.

District-Wide Programs: Gifted Program, Special Education, Art Instruction, Music Instruction, P.E. Classes, Extra-Curricular Activities, Sports, Band, Orchestra, Learning Centers, Computer Literacy, Hot Lunch Program, Foreign Language, Counseling, Summer School, Tutoring (Remedial, Chapter 1), Early Childhood, PTA, Preschool Screening, English as a Second Language (ESL).

Features: Library, Cafeteria, Music Room/Area, Art Room/Area, Outdoor Stadium/Arena (High School), Gym(s), Computer(s)/Computer Lab(s), Auditorium/Stage, Outdoor Playground (Grades K-4).

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

Curriculum/Courses (High School): Math, Science, English, Social Studies, Art, Music, P.E., Library, Vocational Education.

Curriculum (Elementary): Math, Science, English, Social Studies, Art, Music, P.E., Library.

Extras: Hot Lunch, Field Trips, Transportation.

Special Needs: Gifted students. Some services provided through the Special Education Cooperative of South Cook County (SPEED).

Extracurricular (Middle/High School): Sports, Orchestra, Band, School Clubs.

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

District Schools (Park Forest grade schools only):

Crete-Monee High. 760 W. Exchange St., Crete, IL 60417, 708-672-2600.

Crete-Monee Middle. 1500 Sangamon St., Crete, IL 60417, 708-672-2700.

Balmoral Elementary. 1124 W. Crete-Monee Rd., Crete, IL 60417, 708-672-2643.

Talala Elementary. 430 Talala St., Park Forest, IL 60466, 708-672-2659

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

School System Statistics: See table below.

District-Wide Programs: Tutoring (After-school for any student & during school day for at-risk students), Computer Literacy, Remedial Reading, Hot Lunch Program, Special Education, P.E. Classes, Art Instruction, Music Instruction, Counseling, Early Childhood, Preschool Screening, Band, English as a Second Language (ESL).

Features: Gym(s), Music Room/Area, Art Room/Area, Library, Auditorium/Stage, Computer(s)/Computer Lab(s), Cafeteria, Outdoor Playground (Grades K-5).

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

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

Extras: Hot Lunch, Field Trips, Transportation.

Special Needs: Tutoring provided.

Extracurricular (Junior High): Sports, Band.

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

District Schools (Park Forest only):

Forest Trail Junior High. 215 Wilson St., Park Forest, IL 60466, 708-481-2920.

Algonquin Elementary. 170 Algonquin St., Park Forest, IL 60466, 708-748-0210.

Blackhawk Elementary. 130 Blackhawk Dr., Park Forest, IL 60466, 708-748-3322.

Mohawk Elementary. 301 Mohawk St., Park Forest, IL 60466, 708-748-6274.

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

210 Illinois St.

Park Forest, IL 60466

708-748-0100

School System Statistics: See table below.

District-Wide Programs: Hot Lunch Program, Gifted Program, Special Education, Counseling, Extra-Curricular Activities, Sports, Computer Literacy, Band, Chorus, Art Instruction, Music Instruction, P.E. Classes, PTA, Early Childhood, Tutoring (Remedial Reading), Before/After-school Care, Preschool Screening, English as a Second Language (ESL).

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

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

PreK/K Materials: Children's Books, Musical Instruments, Construction Toys.

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

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

Special Needs: Gifted students. Speech Therapy, Counseling provided.

Extracurricular: Band, Chorus, Sports, School Clubs.

IGAP Test Scores (Average): See table below.

District Schools (Park Forest grade schools only):

O.W. Huth Middle School. 3718 213th. Pl., Matteson, IL 60443, 708-748-0470

Indiana Elementary. 165 Indiana St., Park Forest, IL 60466, 708-747-5300

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.

200 Park Forest

Park Forest, IL 60466

708-748-2005

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

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

Adult Classes/Leagues/Activities: Tennis, Fitness, Golf, Dance, Arts & Crafts, Sign Language, Hatha Yoga, Women's Self-Defense, Pet Obedience Training, Volleyball, Basketball, Swimming.

Senior Adult Classes/Clubs/Services/Programs: Trips.

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

Special Services: Adapted Materials, Remedial Help, Adapted Equipment, Member of South Suburban Special Recreation Association (SRA), 708-481-2390.