Homewood-Flossmoor High School (H-F) is a comprehensive public high school in Flossmoor, Illinois. The district encompasses nearly 11.5 square miles drawing students from Homewood, Flossmoor, Chicago Heights, Glenwood, Hazel Crest, and Olympia Fields. A three-time U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Award Winner (1983, 1996, 2002), Homewood-Flossmoor continues to be ranked nationally, including as one of America’s Best High Schools by U.S. News & World Report in 2020.
As of the 2021-2022 school year, the makeup of the student body was 71.5% African American, 14.6% White, 8.4% Hispanic, 0.7% Asian, and 4.8% from two or more races. H-F has a 94% Graduation Rate.
H-F has a robust Advanced Placement program (25 AP courses in 2017–18); a five-course Project Lead the Way STEM program; and a Media, Visual & Performing Arts Academy (MVP). In 2012–13, it became the first public high school in Chicago's suburbs to earn the International Baccalaureate World School status.
The campus consists of a North* and South Building. The South Building contains a number of sub-buildings each assigned a letter, and includes the school's radio station (WHFH) 88.5 FM Flossmoor, television station VTV, science labs, a swimming pool, a music building, gymnasium and an auditorium. An ice rink is also located on the campus, owned by the local park district.
In 2014, H-F took part in a multimillion-dollar ($26,070,000 contract) renovation of the North Building on campus. The renovations included a new 200-meter track containing four full-sized basketball, volleyball, and badminton courts in the center of the track. The 9,000-sq. ft. facility also contains cardio and training equipment. Additionally, a 50-yard indoor turf has expanded the playing and practice season for a variety of field sports and activities, including football, soccer, field hockey, baseball and marching band. The project was finished in late spring 2014. In 2015, H-F was awarded a Gold LEED Award for outstanding environmental practices in the construction of this addition. In 2019, the school began the first phase of its Fine Arts Expansion Project, which created a new music wing and black box theater, in addition to renovated visual arts classrooms. The project was completed in October 2020.
History
Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School site opened in 1959 with enrollment at 1,170 students. There were 51 classrooms, which included 10 English classes, 10 Social Science, eight Science, six Mathematics, five Foreign Language, three Physical Education, one Homemaking, three Industrial Arts, two Art, and three Music classes. A cafeteria, library and administrative area were also included.
By 1965, the school's population had nearly doubled and additional buildings were added: Auditorium (1965), G Building (1966) and E Building (1966). As growth continued, it became apparent that a major new facility was needed, and in 1971, the North Building and fieldhouse opened when the student population topped 4,000.
Following a decade of preparation and fiscal planning, in 1995 a $25 million renovation and addition program was completed: all classrooms and offices were wired for internet access; a music wing was added, providing student practice and performance; a Technology Center and numerous labs to offer computer assisted instruction were completed; the Mall Building, located mid-campus near the football field and field house, was expanded, modernized and staffed, providing athletic training and rehabilitation of student athletes; a new Olympic sized aqua-center was opened; 14 tennis courts were added; and the student-run WHFH radio and TV stations were modernized.
In 1989, football coach John Wrenn proposed District 233 adopt a mandatory drug-testing policy similar to one at two Lafayette, Indiana high schools, where a recent landmark court case decision allowed the creation of such programs. H-F became the first high school in Illinois to require mandatory random drug testing for its student athletes.
In 1996, up to 20,000 people gathered on the school lawn to hear President Bill Clinton deliver a speech on education during his 1996 reelection campaign.
In addition to being named a Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education three times, the school has received Department of Education Technology Award twice. In 1995, the school's technology plan was named one of the five best in the nation. In spring 2013, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization granted IB World School status to Homewood-Flossmoor. H-F now joins the exclusive company of approximately 3,000 IB World Schools that dot the globe across 138 countries.