Daily file illustration by Meher Yeda
The Foster School opened in the 5th Ward in 1905. It became a magnet school in 1967, and the 5th Ward school lost its neighborhood school. Since then, community activists have pushed to bring a neighborhood school back.
Evanston’s 5th Ward hasn’t had its own neighborhood school in more than 50 years.
But on March 14, after decades of activism, Evanston/Skokie School District 65’s Board of Education voted to approve the construction of a K-8 school in Evanston’s 5th Ward. The Daily took a look back at the history of closures, committees and community activism leading up to this decision.
Email: avivabechky2025@u.northwestern.edu
Twitter: @avivabechky
Related Stories:
— Community members pack historic District 65 school board meeting to establish 5th Ward school
— Over 50 years since Foster School: Community members continue push to reintroduce a 5th Ward public neighborhood school
— In Focus: Fifth Ward residents advocate for neighborhood school in historical building