Incoming Freshmen Information

Unless we have parental permission, we will not release scores. If you would like a copy of your student’s exam scores you may contact Fenwick by fax or email, please do not call for this request. In addition, when faxing or emailing a request authorizing Fenwick to release your student’s exam results, please indicate where you would like the results sent. Please email Mrs. Cathy Kaszuba at ckaszuba@photographywaltz.com.

An application must be completed online. Fenwick uses FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment, an independent, outside provider to collect and analyze family financial data. The FACTS application process begins here. 

You may contact the Business Office, at tuitionassistance@photographywaltz.com.

Your student’s schedule will be published in Blackbaud in July. If you have any questions, you may contact Student Services at (708) 948-0341.

Freshman's curriculum is designed to challenge and engage all of our students. Most freshmen will take at least 6-7 academic courses during their first year at Fenwick, including English I, Environmental Science or Biology, a Math course, Theology I, and World Civilizations, and a World Language. To determine freshman course placements, academic departments use students' performance on various basic skills from the entrance exam to place students appropriately in College Prep and Honors courses. For example, students' English course placements are determined by students' entrance exam percentile scores in Reading Comprehension, Language, and Verbal Reasoning. For more information on Fenwick's curriculum, please explore our Curriculum Guide. 

No, in fact the curriculum is designed to offer courses that will challenge each student and his or her individual ability as they progress through high school. Typically, to move into an honors level course, the student will need to maintain an A average in that course throughout his/her freshman year and have an instructor recommendation. Check the Course Selection Guide for individual course prerequisites for moving into honors level courses at the sophomore level and beyond. Also, have your student discuss their intent with his or her counselor during their freshman year.

College Prep Environmental Science is a lab science course that meets five days per week to help reinforce key skills in scientific reasoning, computational thinking, and analysis to support students' success in future Science coursework at Fenwick. Students who take Environmental Science during their freshman year will take Biology as sophomores and may take 3-4 years of Science over the course of their four years. Students are also welcome to take Biology, Chemistry, or Physics over the summer -- these courses are regularly offered at Fenwick during the summer term. Further information regarding your student's freshman course placement in Environmental Science, Biology, Biology Honors, or Advanced Placement Biology will be included in your student's acceptance letter.

Students may choose from the following classes to fulfill their Expressive Arts requirement: Concert Band, Percussion Ensemble 1, String Orchestra, Treble or Bass Choir, Music Appreciation, Survey of Studio Art, or Theatre 1. All instrumental classes require experience playing an instrument. Students who would like to learn to play a band instrument may sign up for Beginning Band, but this class does not fulfill the Expressive Arts requirement and is counted as an elective credit. Please contact the Expressive Arts Department Chair with questions regarding Expressive Arts classes.

There is a four-year language requirement at Fenwick High School. We offer French, German, Italian, Latin, and Spanish. Many of the languages provide an Honors/AP track at the higher levels. If your child has been taking a language course in grammar school, we encourage him/her to sit for the World Languages placement exam, which is offered in April. Please look for a communication sent from our Admissions team for more information regarding the dates and times for the placement test. Please feel free to contact the World Languages department chair, Samantha Carraher, should you have any questions (scarraher@photographywaltz.com).

If your student did not qualify for Honors Math based on data from the entrance exam and you think he/she may qualify after completing more of their 8th grade math curriculum, students can take a placement test in May. All decisions are made by our Math Department chair. 

If your student has been recommended to take summer courses, you must enroll him or her in the summer school courses indicated on the acceptance letter. Registration is completed online here. Beyond that, Fenwick offers summer enrichment courses in which any student may sign up if he/she chooses to do so. Summer school registration is due by Monday, Apr. 8 to receive an early bird discount and Friday, May 24 for final registration.

Information on athletics and summer camps can be obtained by contacting the Athletic Department or Athletic Director, Scott Thies (sthies@photographywaltz.com) at (708) 948-0343 or (708) 948-0314. We also encourage each family to check out our Athletics section on our website. Tryouts for fall sports will most likely occur before school starts, so watch the calendar and our website for upcoming notices as well as Parent/Student Resource Boards in Blackbaud.

There will be future mailings with the school calendar, reminders of upcoming events, and schedules. Typically, there is one per summer month. If you have not received any mailings by July, please contact our Director of Student Data, Michael Collins (mcollins@photographywaltz.com) to confirm your mailing address.

You may contact our school nurse, Mrs. Donna Pape (dpape@photographywaltz.com) at 708-386-0127 ext 170. Up-to-date records are due by the start of the upcoming school year.

Yes. The list will be broken down into books for Honors and College Prep courses. Please check our website starting in mid-June for this information. Books will need to be purchased and read by the start of school in August. Assessments on the novels will occur in the first week of school.

An information sheet on the Northside, Southside and Train Station bus routes will be included in the summer mailing. Fenwick offers school bus transportation from the Burlington Northern line (pick up in Riverside, drop-off in Berwyn) and the Union Pacific West line (pick up and drop off a Lake/Marian station in Oak Park). Our North Side bus route services students on the Northwest Side of Chicago, going as far north as Foster. Our South Side bus route services students on the Southwest Side of Chicago, going as far south as 63rd Street. Please see our Transportation and Parking page for more information.

All students must have their own iPad.

Students are required to have an iPad. Our program is tailored to using texts and applications that are most effective on iPads. Students may bring laptops to school, however, laptops and personal smartphones will not be allowed on the Fenwick Wi-Fi network.

It is recommended that you purchase a Current Generation (10th as of Feb 2025) or later with a minimum of 256 GB of memory. The minimum iPadOS that is recommended is v17. It is also recommended that your iPad have a hard case to protect it from damage.

All iPads come with a power adapter and a Dock Connector to a USB cable. An Apple Pencil or other stylus and/or keyboard is recommended.

No, the iPads will be required throughout the school day and sharing will significantly limit the effectiveness of the program. However, books and apps may be purchased on an iTunes account that shares content across devices.

The Tech department will need information from the Student iPads for Fenwick WiFi connectivity to be established. An email is sent out in June with directions on how to provide this information.

Classroom use will vary by subject. The iPad replaces many textbooks in the classroom, serving as a simulation platform for science classes and acting as a student's primary interface to email and web activity.

During Freshman Orientation, while the student is setting up their iPads for the Fenwick Wi-Fi, a class will be given about using Fenwick approved apps as well as Schoology.

Apps are available for purchase through the App Store, which comes standard as part of the Apple environment. Students will be given a list of apps that they must load on their iPad. Fenwick will have a list of required apps per subject, which will vary in price. Many of the apps we intend to use are available at no cost, e.g. calculators. For information on electronic books, please see the information sent to you over the summer.

No. However, Fenwick is working hard to move to electronic books in all areas. This rollout will take several years and is dependent on teachers, availability of e-texts, etc.

Students may use hardcover books if they prefer. However, the iPad will be required for other classroom activities (e.g. simulations, web access, etc.).

Yes, calculators are required for math and science. Familiarity with a calculator is paramount to ACT/SAT performance and math and science testing, iPad use for ACT/SAT testing is not allowed.

The iPad, like their cell phone, are expensive electronic items are should not be unattended. We recommend that you download the app "Find my iPhone" and install it on the iPad. If the iPad is ever lost or stolen, this application allows messages to be sent to the device, an alarm to sound, and a map to show the location of the device. To prevent damage, students should be mindful of how they carry and store the device. Also, a case of the student's choice is recommended.

If your iPad is damaged, an Apple Store can fix the iPad for a fee. If the iPad is lost or stolen, we can help track the device if it is in the school and it is on. Once the device leaves the school, we have no way of tracking the device. Find My iPad is a highly recommended app to install and turn on.

Printing to school copiers from an iPad is available. Students should check their Fenwick email for instructions on printing from their iPad.

Maintaining the iPad and charging the iPad is the responsibility of the student. Failure to come to school with a charged iPad may result in an inability to participate in classroom activities. Consequences will vary from class to class.

Students should be sure their iPads are fully charged each day when they come to school. However, there are electrical plugs in the entryway and throughout the school if needed.

Students will not be able to back up their files to the Fenwick network from the iPad. There are several cloud storage apps which students may use to back up their documents, e.g. iCloud or Google Drive.

Since iPads are personal property, students can customize their desktop experience and application folder environment. It is suggested that students customize their device to suit both their home and school needs (i.e. folders for subjects, page for personal use, etc.).