Basic Info | Our District

The four schools that make up Elmwood Park Community Unit School District 401 serve the residents of Elmwood Park, Ill., a Near West suburb of Chicago with a population of about 25,000.

Governed by a seven-member elected Board of Education, District 401 provides a comprehensive, standards-based public education to students in pre-kindergarten (PK) through 12th grade.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Leah Gauthier is in charge of administration and daily operations.

Featuring award-winning facilities and a pupil/teacher ratio of 16:1 for elementary students and 19:1 for high school students, District 401 is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for all students.

Our final total enrollment for 2021-22 was 2,826 students.* This includes:

  • 671 students at John Mills (PK-5)
  • 519 students at Elmwood (K-5)
  • 675 students at Elm (6-8)
  • 961 students at EPHS (9-12 & post-12 transition)

*PLEASE NOTE: All enrollment figures were current as of the final day of school, May 26, 2022. EPHS figures included eight students enrolled in post-12 transition.

The District is here to provide the necessary resources and supports for academic success and social learning. Together, these resources and supports make District 401 a place where the phrase "An Invitation to Opportunity" encapsulates everything we do for our students.

District Map

The District Office is located at 8201 W. Fullerton inside Elmwood Park High School.

Our Mission & Vision

As a unit district in a suburban community with a small-town feel, District 401 strives as its mission to cultivate the following: 

  • Individualized social-emotional learning processes
  • Rigorous academics fostering inquisitive minds prepared for critical thinking
  • Active, engaged partnerships with the community and parents
  • Innovative uses of 21st century technologies for teaching and learning

Our efforts to achieve this mission are guided by the District's vision statement: to inspire minds in the pursuit of excellence.

Our Schools

District 401 students attend the following schools:*

With 203 full-time teachers, our District has a pupil/teacher ratio of 16:1 at the elementary school level and 19:1 at the high school level. Our pupil/administrator ratio is 132:1. The District's average class size is 24 students per class.

One hundred percent of our teachers have been evaluated as excellent or proficient by an administrator or other evaluator trained in performance evaluations. A total of 68.6 percent have a master's degree or higher.

Additional statistical information about our schools, students and teachers is available in the State Report Cards section of the District 401 website and on the State Report Card page of each of our school websites. See also District 401 at a Glance on this website.

*PLEASE NOTE: All enrollment figures were current as of the final day of classes for the 2021-22 school year (May 26, 2022). EPHS figures include eight students enrolled in post-high school transition.

Our Academics

District 401's curriculum is fully aligned with the Illinois State Board of Education's Illinois Learning Standards and with the Common Core State Standards. 

We provide instruction in the core academic subjects of English, mathematics, science and social studies — including opportunities at the high school level to take AP and honors courses.

Our students also receive instruction in physical education and health, and they may pursue electives in middle school and high school that include courses in art, foreign language and music. In addition, high school students have an array of business courses to choose from.

Also at the high school level, students may take dual-credit classes from Triton College in almost 20 different subject areas, including automotive technology, criminal justice, engineering technology, fashion merchandising and nursing.

Our high school has a four-year graduation rate of 79.9 percent and a five-year graduation rate of 87 percent.

Additional statistical information about the academic performance of our students is available in the State Report Cards section of the District 401 website and on the State Report Card page of each of our school websites. See also District 401 at a Glance on this website.

Our Support Services

The District's support programs include instruction for English learners, assistance for students with reading difficulties, services for special education students and accommodations for Section 504 students. 

Our libraries offer digital and hard-copy resources for doing class projects, developing research skills and cultivating the lifelong habit of reading for knowledge and pleasure.

Elmwood Park High School's counseling office provides students with individualized guidance on college and career options.

To ensure the well-being of our students, each school has a nurse and at least one social worker. All schools follow a strict security protocol for allowing visitors into their buildings. 

Student nutritional needs are met by Aramark, which provides comprehensive food services to the District. These services include free or reduced breakfast and lunch for qualifying students.

Bus transportation is provided to students who qualify under the guidelines stipulated by the Board of Education in the District Policy Manual.

Our Athletics Program

Beginning with intramural sports clubs at the elementary school level, our students have many opportunities to participate in athletics, where they learn valuable lessons about teamwork, perseverance and discipline. 

Elm Middle School competes in the Leyden-Norwood Athletic Conference. The Cougars field boys and girls teams in basketball, cross country, soccer, softball and volleyball. The athletics program also features a cheerleading team and pom-pon squad

EPHS belongs to the Illinois High School Association, and the Tigers compete in the Metro Suburban Conference.

The high school program features boys and girls teams in basketball, cross country, soccer, track and field, and volleyball; boys teams in baseball, football, golf and wrestling; girls teams in softball, tennis and pom-pons; and coed participation in cheerleading and athletic training.

Our Clubs and Student Activities

Outside of sports, our students have many opportunities to develop their extracurricular interests, including the chance to participate in our vibrant musical and visual arts programs.

At the high school level, students may also participate in the theater program, which features a fall play, a spring musical and a student-produced winter sketch-comedy show.

Our schools also feature many student organizations and activities, including art clubs, STEM clubs, student media, student councils, robotics (an award-winning program at the middle school), Scholastic Bowl (middle school), DECA (a high school business club that consistently wins state and national awards), Virtual Enterprise International (another award-winning high school business club) and honor societies at the middle school and high school levels.

For More Information

We invite you to learn more about our District and schools by contacting us with your questions, consulting our District Policy Manual, downloading our student handbooks, visiting the pages listed in the section below or clicking the links located in the left-hand column of this page.