Edison Park Elementary School

Honestly, Edison Park feels like a pretty safe bet compared to a lot of other schools in the district. It’s a bit smaller than some of the massive CPS schools, so the nurses and staff actually seem to know the kids. Whenever there’s a bug going around, the communication is decent—I usually get an email pretty quickly so I can keep my kid home if I need to. The building is older, which is typical for the neighborhood, but it’s kept really clean and you don’t see the kind of maintenance neglect that pops up elsewhere. My only real gripe is that the recess area can get a bit chaotic and I wish the kids got more movement breaks during the long winter months, but overall the wellness culture is solid and they aren't dismissive when you bring up health concerns.

My kids have been at Edison Park for a few years now and honestly, the health side of things is pretty solid. The school is always clean when I'm there for pick-up, and you don't get that 'dusty gym' smell you find in some older CPS buildings. They’re super strict about the 24-hour fever-free rule, which can be a pain when you're scrambling for childcare, but it definitely keeps the seasonal bugs from wiping out the whole classroom. Communication from the office is usually good if something like strep or pink eye is going around, though I wish the nurse was there every single day instead of being split between buildings. Overall, it feels like a safe, healthy spot for the kids.