Guerin Prep School, a Catholic college preparatory high school in River Grove, Illinois, operated from 2004 until it closed in 2020. The school carried on the legacy of Mother Theodore Guerin, its namesake, and left a distinct mark on the community.
Guerin Prep gave students a well-rounded education that emphasized academic achievement, spiritual growth, and personal development. Small class sizes and a range of advanced placement courses helped students get ready for college life.
Even though Guerin Prep has closed its doors, its influence continues through a strong alumni network. Many former students say the supportive atmosphere and dedicated teachers played a big part in shaping their futures and core values.
Overview of Guerin Prep School
For more than 70 years, Guerin College Preparatory High School served the Chicago area as a Catholic educational institution. The school blended academic rigor with values-based learning rooted in Catholic tradition.
History and Founding
Mother Theodore Guerin High School opened in 1962, named for Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, foundress of the Sisters of Providence. The Sisters of Providence started the school as an all-girls Catholic high school in River Grove, Illinois.
In 2004, the school merged with Holy Cross High School, which had been all-boys, and became Guerin College Preparatory High School. This merger brought together both schools’ Catholic traditions and created a co-ed environment.
The school operated under the Archdiocese of Chicago but kept independent governance through its board of directors. Over the years, Guerin Prep earned a reputation for educational excellence in Cook County.
Mission and Values
Guerin Prep focused on providing a Catholic education that developed students intellectually, spiritually, and socially. The school pushed for critical thinking and ethical choices rooted in Catholic values.
Core values included:
- Faith: Weaving Catholic teachings throughout the curriculum
- Excellence: Setting high academic expectations
- Service: Inspiring students to help their communities
- Leadership: Shaping responsible citizens and future leaders
Students had to complete service hours and could join in spiritual opportunities like retreats, liturgies, and prayer services. Small class sizes allowed teachers to give each student more attention.
Location and Community
You’d find Guerin Prep at 8001 West Belmont Avenue in River Grove, Illinois—a suburb about 12 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. The campus included modern classrooms, athletic fields, and spaces for performances.
Families from all over Cook County and nearby areas sent their kids here. Many students came from Chicago’s northwest side and the surrounding suburbs.
Guerin Prep built strong ties with local parishes, businesses, and community groups. These partnerships gave students chances for internships, service, and community engagement.
With major highways nearby, the school was easy to reach for families across the Chicago area. Its central spot in River Grove helped create a student body with a wide mix of backgrounds and neighborhoods.
Academic Programs
Guerin Prep School delivered a thorough educational experience, aiming to prepare students for college and whatever comes next. The program combined challenging academics with personal attention to help every student reach their potential.
Curriculum Highlights
Guerin Prep offered a balanced curriculum covering core subjects and electives. Students took math, science, English, social studies, and foreign languages. The average class had about 18 students, which kept things personal.
Advanced Placement (AP) courses included:
- AP Calculus
- AP Biology
- AP English Literature
- AP U.S. History
- AP Spanish
Students could also dive into specialized programs in the fine arts, technology, and STEM fields. Honors courses started as early as freshman year, and students advanced based on performance and teacher recommendations.
College Preparatory Focus
Guerin Prep built its academic program with college readiness at the forefront. The school celebrated a 98% college acceptance rate, with graduates heading to top universities across the country.
College counselors began working with students in sophomore year to create personalized plans. Each student got support with:
- Choosing courses that fit their college plans
- Preparing for standardized tests
- Applying to colleges
- Finding scholarships
The school hosted college fairs and campus visits regularly. A four-year advisory program matched students with faculty mentors who kept an eye on academic progress and offered support during the college application process.
Support for Junior High Students
Guerin Prep also reached out to junior high students in grades 7-8, offering a bridge to high school and meeting the specific needs of middle schoolers.
Junior high students followed a structured curriculum that built strong basics in core subjects. Teachers put extra focus on study habits and organizational skills—essentials for high school success.
The transition program brought orientation events, shadow days, and mentoring from older students. Academic support included:
- After-school homework help
- Small group tutoring
- Study skills workshops
- Summer enrichment programs
Parents got regular progress updates and could reach out to teachers easily through the school’s online portal.
Student Life and Community
Guerin Prep School created a lively student experience that encouraged personal growth and community involvement. The school valued inclusivity and offered plenty of extracurriculars for students to discover their interests and build leadership skills.
Co-Education and Diversity
After 2004, Guerin Prep became a co-ed school, welcoming both boys and girls. That change led to a more balanced learning environment where everyone could thrive.
The student body was a mix of backgrounds—Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, and more. This diversity made classroom discussions and school activities richer and more interesting.
Administrators worked intentionally to make the atmosphere welcoming for all. The school held cultural celebrations throughout the year to honor different heritages and traditions.
Policies promoted respect and understanding across racial and gender lines, helping students get ready for life in a multicultural world.
Clubs and Activities
Guerin Prep had over 30 student organizations for just about every interest—student council, debate team, and cultural clubs, to name a few.
Boys and girls joined in athletic programs, competing in regional conferences. Sports teams often became a big source of school pride and brought the community together.
The drama club put on two major productions each year, giving creative students a chance to shine. These shows usually drew big crowds from the local area.
Service groups organized food drives, clean-ups, and fundraisers for local charities. Through these, students learned compassion and civic responsibility.
Academic clubs like math team and science olympiad offered more chances to learn outside the classroom. Students competed against other schools, building knowledge and school spirit along the way.
Athletics and Extracurriculars
Guerin Prep School gave students lots of ways to stay active and build team spirit through sports and extracurriculars. The school’s teams, known as the Gators, competed in several sports and inspired strong school pride.
Athletic Programs
The athletics department offered plenty of opportunities for competition. Boys basketball stood out as a premier program, with teams playing in conference and regional tournaments. Some Gators basketball players even continued their careers in college.
Guerin Prep also had solid volleyball and softball programs, giving female athletes a chance to compete and represent the school.
Track and field was another highlight, with both boys and girls teams running in meets throughout the spring. Many Gators track athletes shined in sprints and relays.
Other sports included:
- Soccer
- Cross country
- Baseball
- Tennis
Gators Team Spirit
The Gators mascot became a sign of pride and determination for Guerin Prep’s athletic teams. Students packed the stands at games, creating a lively atmosphere.
Pep rallies before big games amped up excitement and brought the school together. Cheerleaders and team captains kept spirits high at these events.
The school honored athletes at an annual sports banquet, handing out awards like Most Valuable Player and Most Improved to those who earned them.
Green and gold, the school colors, showed up everywhere—from the campus to team uniforms—tying together academics and athletics.
Faith and Tradition
Faith stood at the heart of Guerin Prep School’s educational approach. Catholic values ran through every part of student life, and the Sisters of Providence offered spiritual guidance that shaped generations.
Catholic Identity
Guerin Prep kept strong ties to the Archdiocese of Chicago. Catholic teachings became part of the curriculum, so students got both academic and spiritual formation.
Students started each day with prayer and attended Mass regularly. Religious studies classes helped them understand Catholic theology and moral teachings.
The school marked liturgical seasons with special events and service projects. During Advent and Lent, students joined in reflection and acts of charity.
Service hours put Catholic social teaching into practice. Students helped out at local charities, hospitals, and food pantries, living out their faith through action.
Role of Sisters of Providence
The Sisters of Providence founded and led Guerin Prep School with real dedication. Their spirit of “breaking boundaries and creating hope” influenced the whole community.
Sister Mary Theodore Guerin, the school’s namesake, modeled the values students aimed to develop. Her persistence in education inspired everyone at the school.
The Sisters stayed active on campus into the 21st century, teaching, leading, and mentoring both students and staff.
Their educational philosophy combined academic rigor with character building. They believed in teaching the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—to prepare students for meaningful lives.
The Providence tradition focused on caring for the poor and marginalized, shaping service-learning programs that connected students with those in need.
Admissions and Enrollment
Guerin Prep School ran a structured admissions process to find students ready to thrive in its academic setting. The school balanced enrollment carefully, giving prospective students a real feel for campus life.
Application Process
The GPHS Enrollment Office managed the application process. Prospective students filled out application forms and sent in transcripts from previous schools. Standardized test scores were required, but admissions also looked at other factors.
Applicants needed two letters of recommendation, usually from teachers or administrators who could speak to their abilities and character.
Each student wrote a personal essay explaining why they wanted to attend Guerin Prep. This essay helped the admissions team get a sense of each applicant’s motivation and fit for the school.
The Enrollment Office set up interviews with applicants and their families, giving everyone a chance to ask questions and talk through concerns.
Enrollment Management
Guerin Prep managed enrollment to keep class sizes optimal—about 20-25 students per class, which let teachers give more attention to each student.
The GPHS Enrollment Office tracked demographic trends and retention rates to plan for future needs. This approach helped keep educational quality high and made it easier to plan for facilities and staffing.
Financial aid and scholarships played a big role in bringing in qualified students from all economic backgrounds.
The school kept its acceptance rate around 65-70%, balancing selectivity with a welcoming spirit. This made admissions competitive, but still open to well-prepared students.
Shadow Day Experience
At Guerin Prep, Shadow Day plays a big role in the admissions process. Prospective students come in for a full day and pair up with current students who have similar interests. Honestly, it’s a pretty hands-on way to see what the school’s about.
On Shadow Day, visitors jump into real classes, join in on discussions, and get a feel for the school’s daily flow. This kind of immersion lets them see firsthand what Guerin Prep expects academically and what the culture’s really like.
The experience usually looks like this:
- Going to 3 or 4 regular classes
- Grabbing lunch in the cafeteria with everyone else
- Meeting some coaches or club sponsors
- Checking out cool spaces like science labs or art studios
A lot of students say Shadow Day made a big difference in their decision to choose Guerin Prep. It definitely helps take the edge off when you’re thinking about starting at a new school.
The Enrollment Office asks both visitors and their student hosts for feedback so they can keep making Shadow Day better each year.
Notable Alumni and Regional Connections
Guerin College Preparatory High School, which provided over 60 years of Catholic education in River Grove, built some amazing connections across the globe through its far-reaching alumni network. While the school called the Chicago area home, its graduates carried the Guerin spirit to some pretty remarkable places.
Alumni Geographic Connections
Marin County – Several Guerin Prep graduates found their way to the stunning landscapes of California’s Marin County, bringing their Midwestern values and Catholic education to the West Coast. These alumni created professional networks throughout the San Francisco Bay Area while keeping their Guerin roots close to heart.
Jersey City – A small but mighty community of Guerin alumni settled in Jersey City, where they’ve made their mark in education, business, and community service across this vibrant New Jersey hub.
Italian Riviera – The school’s rich Italian-American heritage inspired many alumni to reconnect with their roots along Italy’s breathtaking coast, especially in:
These graduates became unofficial cultural ambassadors, creating beautiful bridges between their educational foundation and their ancestral homeland.
Connecticut – The charming Northeast, particularly Connecticut, became home to many Guerin Prep graduates who pursued higher education or career opportunities in the area, infusing New England communities with the values they developed at Guerin.
Historical Connections
Perhaps most moving are the stories of alumni who participated in pivotal historical moments, including the brave veterans who served during World War II. Some Guerin Prep community members took part in the D-Day landings and subsequent operations in Normandy, France. Their incredible courage and sacrifice perfectly embody the school’s commitment to values of bravery, service, and dedication to something greater than oneself.