Niles Central High School
Phone: 847-626-3121
Fax: 847-626-3080

Niles Central Philosophy

The philosophy of Niles Central is based on the “Circle of Courage.” The “Circle of Courage” is a strength based approach that focuses on “four universal growth needs of all children: belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity.”

Belonging:	Creating and maintaining appropriate relationships with adults and peers.
Mastery:	Becoming competent in all aspects of one’s life
Independence:	An individual’s ability to make decisions, solve problems, and take responsibility for one’s actions.
Generosity:	Helping others or participating in something that benefits the whole community regardless of race, color, ethnicity, and/or creed.

Niles Central History

Since its beginning in 1971, Niles Central has been continually evolving to provide a quality special education program in order to address the intellectual, physical, emotional, and social needs of the young adults in District 219.

The program was originally housed in a storefront, later moving to the former Niles East High School building and then to its present-day location in the District 219 Administration building. At one time, the program operated two half-day sessions and only offered classes in basic academic skill areas. Today, Niles Central students can attend throughout a full academic day and have a greater choice of academic and elective classes available. Over the years, we’ve improved the staff-to-student ratio and enhanced the program with a variety of positive activities geared to promote social-emotional growth, which includes a staff of two full-time social workers and one full-time school psychologist. Whether our students transition back to their home high school building or graduate directly from Niles Central, we are continually fine-tuning our program to meet our students’ needs and reflect the goals of District 219 for all students.