Niles Township High School District 219 serves the communities of Skokie, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, and Niles.
Niles North and Niles West High Schools are public, four-year comprehensive high schools with a combined enrollment of more than 4,600 students.
Over 60 percent of students report that they speak a language other than English. More than 90 languages are spoken, with the most common being Urdu, Spanish, Assyrian and Arabic. Extracurricular programs help students expand their academic and social skills, meet new friends, and engage in positive experiences. There are 27 athletic teams and more than 90 clubs and activities in which students can participate.
Niles North Main Entrance
Our Schools
In the 2019 US News and World Report Best High Schools in the Nation ranking, Niles North was 49th in the state and Niles West was 50th in the state.
Niles West (8th) and Niles North (13th) were listed in Chicago Magazine’s issue of the Top Public High Schools in Cook County in 2018.
D219 was named to College Board’s annual AP Honor Roll for increasing access to AP exams and improving student performance. It validates the important work the district is doing to make our schools more equitable by advancing all of our students into more rigorous courses and by working to eliminate disproportionate enrollment in our classes by race.
The state-of-the-art Gymnasium at Niles West was dedicated by Olympic Gold Medalist Bart Conner (W’76)
Niles West Main Entrance
D219 was the first general education public high school district ever to be recognized as the #1 Fine and Performing Arts Education Program in the Nation by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Niles West:
* LEED-EB: O&M certified
* LEED for Schools Silver certified (classroom addition)
* LEED for Schools registered at Gold (Athletic Training Center)
Niles North:
* LEED Gold (Aquatics Center)
Our Students
- D219 Robotics has won five state championship titles
- Three D219 students were selected to attend the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). A Niles West student received a special award from the University of Arizona, including a $12,000 scholarship.
- The Niles West Debate Team was the runner-up at the National Speech and Debate Association’s National Championships. Over the past eight years, Debate Team members have been offered scholarships totaling almost $1.2 million
- Niles North students competed in National History Day in the website category.
- Niles West art students have been offered over $3.6 million in art scholarships.
- Over the last five years, D219 Dance Marathon has raised almost $500,000 for charity. Beneficiaries include Curt’s Cafe, A Better Life for Kids, Hope Jr., Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Daniel M. Horyn Foundation, and the Education Foundation.
- Niles West News was named an Online Pacemaker Finalist five times.
- The Niles North dance troupe is a three-time competitor at The National High School Dance Festival.
- The “Take One” vocal jazz group won the prestigious Downbeat Award for High School Outstanding Performance.
- The Relay for Life team has raised more than $1 million in the fight against cancer.
- Niles North business students qualified seven students for International Competition. Two students received first place in their written projects and the team received an Achievement award for their community service campaign (only two in state were given).
- A Niles North artist won a National Gold Medal in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition and was honored at Carnegie Hall.
- Students who accumulate 200 hours of community service receive a special recognition at commencement.
- More than 120 students and adults gave over 350 hours of community service to community partners in Niles Township during the second annual Wolf Pack Gives Back Community Service Day.
Our Faculty & Staff
- A Niles North teacher was awarded the Illinois Marketing Educator of the Year, and a North faculty member was named the US Robotics Teacher of the Year.
- The Niles West Counseling Department has received the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) designation, by implementing comprehensive, data-driven programs aligned with the criteria in the ASCA National Model to achieve improved student outcomes.
- A Niles West teacher was selected by the U.S. State Department for an English Language assignment in Pakistan and Turkey.
- D219 has had three Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching recipients.
- A Niles West teacher was accepted to the American Association of Physics Teachers/American Institute of Physics Master Teacher Policy Fellowship to engage K-12 classroom teachers as agents of change in physics education.
- A Niles North teacher received the Distinguished Secondary Teacher Award from Northwestern University.
Community Partnerships:
District 219 works closely with other government agencies, social services agencies, businesses and other partners in the Township.
One example is the annual Coming Together, a project that started in 2010 to spotlight the cultural diversity of our community. It is supported by institutions throughout Niles Township. Each year, over an eight-week period, Coming Together studies a different culture, with an emphasis on literacy. District 219 has been involved since the beginning and prides itself on facilitating this program within the community. In 2019, Coming Together celebrated Polish culture and highlighted Poland’s contributions to science, literature, arts, education and much more. Past cultures explored are: Asian-Indian, Filipino, Greek, Assyrian, Korean, Chinese, Latino/Hispanic, “Voices of Race” and Muslim American.
Skokie Public Library provides library cards to all our teachers.
The Education Foundation (Supporting the Students of Niles Township) provides education-related financial support to students in need. D219 provides administrative support for the Foundation.
D219's Education to Careers program invites local businesses and professionals to partner with our schools to provide meaningful career exploration experiences for our students.
Notable alumni:
Martin Chalfie, (E’65), Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2008
Bart Conner, (W’76), Olympic Gold Medalist
Judge Merrick Garland, (W’70), President Barack Obama’s nominee for Supreme Court Justice
Bob Horvitz, (E’64), Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine 2002
Jewell Loyd, (W’12), rising star of the WNBA’s Seattle Storm
Rashard Mendenhall, (W’05), NFL running back who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals, television writer
Marc Silverman (N’89), Radio Sportscaster and Co-Host of “The Waddle & Silvy Afternoon Show” on ESPN 1000 Chicago