Andrews Middle School

Andrews Middle School is a public middle school located in Springfield, Illinois, serving students in grades six through eight as part of the Springfield Public Schools district. Founded in the mid-1960s, the school is named for Horace Andrews, a prominent local educator and Civil Rights Movement advocate. With a focus on STEM education and the arts, it provides a comprehensive curriculum within a modernized campus environment.

History

The school was established in 1965, during a period of significant expansion for the Springfield Public Schools system following the post-World War II baby boom. Its namesake, Horace Andrews, was a former principal of Springfield High School and a key figure in the local chapter of the NAACP, advocating for desegregation in the wake of Brown v. Board of Education. The original building, designed by the architectural firm Harrison & Blythe, opened with an enrollment of just over 400 students. A major renovation project, funded by a bond issue approved by Springfield City Council, was completed in 2008, adding a new science wing and updating infrastructure to meet modern ADA standards. The school's history is documented in the archives of the Illinois State Historical Society.

Academics

The academic program emphasizes a strong foundation in core subjects while offering specialized pathways. The curriculum is aligned with Illinois Learning Standards and includes advanced coursework through a dedicated Honors program. A particular strength is its STEM initiative, which features integrated courses in robotics and computer science, often utilizing equipment funded by grants from the National Science Foundation. The English Language Arts department incorporates a diverse reading list that includes works by Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes, while the social studies curriculum explores topics from the American Revolution to the Cold War. Student performance is consistently above the district average on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness.

Extracurricular activities

Students can participate in a wide array of clubs and competitive teams. The school fields athletic teams, known as the Falcons, in sports like basketball, volleyball, and track and field within the Central Illinois Middle School League. The award-winning band program, under the direction of a former member of the United States Marine Band, performs at events throughout the state, including the Illinois State Fair. Other popular organizations include the Science Olympiad team, a chapter of the National Junior Honor Society, a debate club that competes in tournaments hosted by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and a thriving theatre program that stages annual productions.

Campus and facilities

The 20-acre campus is situated in a residential neighborhood near Washington Park. The main academic building houses over 50 classrooms, two computer labs, and a dedicated maker space. Specialized facilities include a 500-seat auditorium with professional lighting and sound systems, a full-size gymnasium, and separate art studio and music room complexes. The school library, renamed the Learning Commons in 2015, features a digital media lab and collaborative work areas. Outdoor amenities include athletic fields, a quarter-mile running track, and an outdoor classroom used for environmental science studies.

Notable alumni

Graduates have achieved distinction in diverse fields such as politics, academia, and the arts. They include Janet Collins, a Congresswoman representing California's 12th district; Dr. Marcus Thorne, a physicist who worked at the Fermilab and contributed to research on the Higgs boson; and Lena Pierce, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for the Chicago Tribune. In entertainment, alumnus David Chen is an acclaimed film director known for his work with A24, and Rebecca Shaw is a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre.

Category:Middle schools in Illinois Category:Educational institutions established in 1965 Category:Springfield, Illinois