Glenbrook North High School

Glenbrook North High School is located in Northbrook, Illinois, a suburb north of Chicago. The school is noted for its academic achievement and in 2003 received national attention over a hazing incident. Glenbrook North High School belongs to Northfield Township High School District 225 along with its sister high school, Glenbrook South High School.

Overview and history

Approximately 2,000 students attend Glenbrook North High School (grades 9-12) each year. The school celebrated its 50th anniversary during the 2003-2004 academic year. The school was built to serve the residents of the towns of Northbrook and Glenview. Since there was not a local high school at the time, students often had to pay to attend classes in other areas. In 1962, due to overcrowding, its sister school Glenbrook South High School was built. Most Glenbrook North High School students go on to attend college (usually over 95% of graduates each year).

Related Topics:
2003 - 2004 - Glenview - 1962

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Presidential visit

In 1997 President Bill Clinton traveled to Glenbrook North High School and spoke on the importance of a internationally competitive American educational system. At the time Glenbrook North High School students were participating in an international mathematics and science study sponsored by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. President Clinton also made reference to the students, who achieved very high scores in the study, in his 1997 State of the Union speech.

Related Topics:
1997 - Bill Clinton - International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement - State of the Union

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Other notable events

Besides academic success, Glenbrook North High School has received attention for other circumstances as well.

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• In 1986, motion picture director and writer John Hughes, a 1968 graduate of Glenbrook North High School, used the campus for location shooting of the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off. A familiar scene of the campus is when Ferris Bueller, played by Matthew Broderick, picks up Sloane Peterson, played by Mia Sara. The scene was shot in front of the Glenbrook North High School performing arts building. While some think the 1985 film The Breakfast Club was also filmed inside the school, it, as well as interior shots for Ferris, was filmed at Maine North High School.
• During the summer of 2001, Glenbrook North High School made a brief appearance in the news. In a July 6th letter to parents of Glenbrook North High School students from school officials, it was announced a Glenbrook North High School science teacher would undergo sexual reassignment surgery. The female teacher at the time had been teaching at the school for seven years. The letter stated the teacher would be returning as a male in the fall. Realizing the controversy of the issue, school officials deemed the matter to be a personal one and vowed not to allow it to interfere with classroom activities. School administrators, parents and students maintained an atmosphere of respect which allowed the teacher to return to work with few difficulties.