Goudy Elementary Chicago: What Parents Want To Know First
- 01. What Is Goudy Elementary Chicago?
- 02. Why School Culture Matters at Goudy
- 03. Key Facts at a Glance
- 04. Demographics and Inclusion
- 05. Curriculum and Technology Integration
- 06. Staff Stability and Professional Growth
- 07. Community Engagement and Student Outcomes
- 08. Implications for Marist Education Leaders in Latin America
What Is Goudy Elementary Chicago?
Goudy Elementary Chicago-officially William C. Goudy Technology Academy-is a public PK-8 school at 5120 N Winthrop Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, within Chicago Public Schools District 299. It serves approximately 489-554 students with a 16.8 student-to-teacher ratio and is consistently ranked among Uptown's top public elementary schools for test performance normalized for family income.
Why School Culture Matters at Goudy
Goudy demonstrates why school culture matters by sustaining low staff turnover, 100% special education inclusion, and a community motto-"Love lives here"-that guides daily practice. Assistant Principal Bill Yeh, who has served 13 years (including 5 as an 8th-grade teacher), credits continuity and shared values for the school's dramatic turnaround from a 1988 label as "the worst school in America" to an "Out-Performer" today.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Official Name | William C. Goudy Technology Academy |
| Grades | Pre-K through 8 |
| Address | 5120 N Winthrop Ave, Chicago, IL 60640 |
| Phone | 534-2480 |
| Enrollment (2025-26) | ~489 students |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 16.8:1 |
| Diversity Score | 40.0/40.0 (maximum) |
| Languages Spoken | 46+ languages |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | ~86% |
| GreatSchools Rating | 6/10 (test scores exceed income-adjusted expectations by 12.3 points) |
Demographics and Inclusion
Goudy's student body reflects Chicago's multicultural fabric, with at least 46 different languages spoken and nearly half the students classified as English Language Learners. The school achieved 100% SPED integration in partnership with the Gust Foundation, placing students with IEPs in general education classrooms alongside a co-teaching model that benefits all learners.
- Highest possible diversity score: 40.0/40.0 (three+ ethnicities each ≥15% of enrollment)
- ~86% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, yet test performance exceeds income-based expectations
- Two-thirds of each 8th-grade cohort attended Goudy since kindergarten, indicating strong retention
Curriculum and Technology Integration
Goudy operates a standardized curriculum with bi-weekly lesson-plan reviews to maintain pacing and assessment consistency, while encouraging teacher creativity within that framework. Technology is central: every classroom has a SmartBoard or Smart TV, grades 5-8 receive school-provided iPads, and a 1:1 Chromebook program is rolling out for K-4.
- Adopt shared bi-weekly lesson plans for cross-grade coherence and feedback
- Maintain grade-level teaching teams to reduce reinvention and build expertise
- Deploy 1:1 devices (iPads for 5-8; Chromebooks for K-4) with embedded digital literacy
- Integrate special education via co-teaching and accommodations on each floor
- Run annual Professional Learning Communities (e.g., Fair Isn't Always Equal) for differentiated instruction
Staff Stability and Professional Growth
Staff continuity is a defining strength: one pre-K assistant retired after serving since 1977, and Assistant Principal Yeh has been at Goudy for 13 years. This stability supports a "happy school" culture where teachers stay because they want to-and because the culture they built reinforces belonging and purpose.
Each year, ten teachers complete six days of Gust Foundation training on inclusion practices, and the school recently spent ~three years rewriting all IEPs to finalize 100% inclusion. Leadership actively seeks teacher and parent input before adopting new curriculum, ensuring shared ownership of educational rigor.
Community Engagement and Student Outcomes
Goudy cultivates community engagement through monthly school papers, STEM reading nights, pre-K fashion shows, and theater performances that invite families into the learning process. In a demonstrated crisis response, staff raised nearly $4,000 in three days for a family displaced by an electrical fire-embodying the ethos "the kids always come first".
On standardized assessments, Goudy students exceed income-adjusted expectations by an average of 12.3 points in Reading/Language Arts, with 3rd and 5th graders earning A-level scores per SchoolSparrow metrics. This performance underscores how measurable impact emerges from culture, consistency, and inclusion rather than selective enrollment.
Implications for Marist Education Leaders in Latin America
While Goudy is not a Marist school, its values-driven culture-stability, inclusion, and shared mission-parallels core Marist pedagogy centered on presence, simplicity, and family spirit. For school administrators in Brazil and Latin America, Goudy's model shows how holistic education aligned with mission can lift outcomes even in high-poverty contexts.
Practical takeaways for Marist leadership include investing in teacher longevity, institutionalizing co-teaching for inclusion, and formalizing family engagement rituals that make "love lives here" operational rather than aspirational.
What are the most common questions about Goudy Elementary Chicago What Parents Want To Know First?
Is Goudy a Marist or Catholic School?
No. Goudy Technology Academy is a public Chicago Public Schools school (PK-8), not a Marist or Catholic institution. Marist education in Chicago is represented by Marist High School (4200 W 115th St), a private Catholic co-ed preparatory school operated by the Marist Brothers since 1963.
What Grades Does Goudy Serve?
Goudy serves Pre-K through 8th grade as a K-8 academy within CPS District 299.
Where Is Goudy Located and What Are the Boundaries?
Goudy is at 5120 N Winthrop Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, between Sheridan Ave. and North Broadway, with attendance boundaries including Uptown and Edgewater east of Broadway. As an option school, families outside the boundary may apply.
How Do I Contact Goudy?
Call 534-2480 or visit the school website at goudy.cps.edu.
