Original Research by School Decision on Cherry Hill Elem and Ec Center
Cherry Hill Elem and EC Center serves pre-kindergarten students in New Lenox, a southwest Chicago suburb in Will County. The school is part of New Lenox SD 122 and operates as a regular public school.
The school's enrollment is small, consisting entirely of pre-K children, which is typical for an early-childhood center. The student body is predominantly white, with meaningful representation of Hispanic students and smaller shares of students identifying as Black, multiracial, or Asian. Demographic data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility, English learners, and students with IEPs were not available, so families may want to inquire directly with the school about the full profile of student needs and support services.
State testing data do not apply to pre-K, so there are no academic performance metrics available for this school. This is by design; early-childhood education focuses on developmental readiness rather than standardized assessment. Parents seeking to understand Cherry Hill's instructional approach, curriculum focus, or teacher qualifications should engage directly with the school, as that detail falls outside the scope of publicly reported data.
The district is undergoing a significant change relevant to families with young children. The New Lenox SD 122 Board of Education has approved a transition from half-day to full-day kindergarten starting in the 2027-2028 school year, ending a long-standing half-day model. The district plans to use both Spencer Trail and Cherry Hill buildings to support the transition. For families with working parents, this shift removes a substantial childcare burden and expands instructional time. The change also reshapes how the district uses its buildings, a factor families often weigh when choosing where to live.
New Lenox itself is a quiet, family-oriented suburb with steady residential growth. The village leadership has explicitly rejected large-scale industrial development, concentrating commerce along U.S. Route 30 and maintaining a suburban, small-town feel. Housing values in the area are moderate and rising steadily. The Commons, a central civic space anchored by the library, village hall, and police department, hosts community events. Parks and trails, including the 21-mile Old Plank Road Trail, are abundant. The area is auto-oriented; walkability is limited outside the immediate Metra station area. Two Metra commuter-rail stations serve the community, offering access to Chicago.
For parents considering Cherry Hill, the key takeaway is that it is a pre-K-only facility in a growing, residential community with a strong track record of school investment, including the coming full-day kindergarten expansion. Early-childhood programs do not generate the same public data as K-12 schools, so parents will need to visit, speak with staff, and ask about teaching philosophy, class ratios, and developmental curricula to assess fit for their child.
See more original research from School Decision →