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Oak Lawn School District 122 was organized in 1871. School board minutes from 1942 support this date as the minutes indicate the newly built Harnew School was dedicated to one of the founders of the district.
As early as 1903, a one-room school boasting an enrollment of 14, stood on the northwest corner of 95th Street and 64th (Ridgeland) Avenue.
In 1922, a modern two-room school, complete with electricity, was constructed about a half-block west of the one-room frame building. The district's first superintendent, Wiley Simmons, and his wife, Pearl, came to the area in 1925. Pearl taught grades one through four and Wiley taught grades five through eight. Simmons Middle School was named after the superintendent.
A meteoric population expansion began in 1949, resulting in the rapid addition of rooms to Simmons School and the construction of Columbus Manor, Dearborn Heights, and Lieb, and Harnew Elementary Schools.
In 1972, a bond issue was passed to raise funds to accommodate deteriorating buildings and split class sessions caused by serious overcrowding. Additions were made to all five schools. Enrollment began to decline in 1973, from more than 3,300 to the present day enrollment of 2,300 students, which is more in line with what the buildings can accommodate.
In 1979, the district established a preschool for three- and four-year-olds. It was one of the first in the state and began functioning 10 years before Illinois established a preschool program for children at risk of academic failure.
In 2000, renovation and expansion began at Harnew school. This began the remodeling or replacement of all of the district schools. In 2003, Dearborn Heights school was torn down and replaced with a brand new school on the site named after the late mayor of Oak Lawn, Ernest Kolb. In 2006, a fully remodeled Lieb Elementary School and a brand new Columbus Manor Elementary school were dedicated. In 2008, the newly renovated and expanded Simmons Middle School will be dedicated.
Currently, District 122 employs 199 people, including classroom teachers, teaching specialists, principals, other administrators, and support personnel.
Special services are provided for students by two school psychologists, five social workers, five speech therapists, five instructional technology teachers, and teachers for our english language learners program (for foreign-speaking children). Special education and remedial reading also are provided for all children who are eligible.
District 122 includes sections of Oak Lawn, Bridgeview and Chicago Ridge, although approximately 80 percent of the district lies within Oak Lawn.
The community has much to offer, including a well-equipped hospital, public library, recreational facilities, a prosperous business community including the multi-million dollar Chicago Ridge Shopping Mall,— easy accessibility to forest preserves, organizations for young people, senior citizens and numerous civic organizations.
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