The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in English language arts. The lowest is 44% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hawthorn Middle School South
Hawthorn Middle School South is a regular public middle school in Vernon Hills serving grades six through eight. The school enrolls about 640 students across its three grades, with a fairly balanced enrollment by grade. The student body is diverse: roughly four in ten students are White, just over one-quarter are Hispanic, about one-quarter are Asian, and smaller shares identify as Black, multiracial, or other backgrounds.
The school was part of a major district building program that ran through the early 2020s. Middle School South underwent renovations and additions as part of a voter-approved bond package, so the facility has benefited from recent investment. The district extended its school day starting in 2023-24, affecting instructional time and family scheduling. All these conditions shape the school environment, though data on discipline, staffing levels, and attendance were not available.
On state testing, the school shows a mixed picture. In English language arts, grade-six performance is above average at just under 60 percent proficiency, and grade eight is stronger at about 64 percent proficiency. Grade seven sits lower at roughly 50 percent. In mathematics, the picture is weaker across the board. Grade six is at about 47 percent proficiency, grade seven at roughly 46 percent, and grade eight drops to about 38 percent proficiency. Science testing is reported only for grade eight, where roughly 55 percent of students meet proficiency. Across all grades and subjects, the school's overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint when compared to other districts in Lake County.
The pattern suggests students struggle more with math than with reading and language arts, and that proficiency tends to decline as students move from sixth to eighth grade, particularly in mathematics. A parent may want to look into what support the school offers in math, what the curriculum approach is, and how the school addresses the grade-to-grade decline.
Vernon Hills itself is a suburban village built largely in planned phases from the 1950s onward, with the heaviest growth in the 1970s and 1980s. The community is known regionally for major retail anchors like Hawthorn Mall and Mellody Farm, alongside residential subdivisions. It is car-dependent outside of a few emerging walkable districts. Hawthorn Mall is undergoing a major redevelopment into a mixed-use Main Street-style district called Hawthorn Row, with restaurants, retail, and luxury apartments replacing older retail and parking. This reflects the village's ongoing evolution, though daily life still depends heavily on driving.
Home values in the 60061 zip code are in the mid-range for the Chicago area, and rental costs are moderate relative to home prices. Employment centers include technology and logistics companies like CDW and Zebra Technologies, packaging giant Tetra Pak, and retail operations. The area has Metra commuter rail access to Chicago and Pace bus service.
State assessment data for elementary grades were not available, likely because Illinois does not report test results for grades below grade six at the school level. No free-or-reduced-price-lunch rate, English learner count, or special education enrollment was reported in the data, so a parent seeking that demographic context should contact the school directly.
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