School Name

Tuesday, August 18 (Orientation Day 1) - 7:45 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Students will spend the day moving through their orientation schedule in groups. Each rotation will help students get acquainted with DePaul Prep and provide important information for the school year. Rotations include technology, counseling, information from the Deans, school photos, team building, schedules and school calendar, and a school tour. 

• Student Check In: 7:15 - 7:45 a.m.
• All students should be dropped off and picked up in the SOUTH parking lot. 
  • Students walking or biking should enter the building through the SOUTH entrance. 
• Students should be in full uniform:
  • Navy, white, or light blue DePaul Prep polo
  • Khaki or navy uniform pants
  • Any DePaul Prep-approved outerwear must be removed for school photos
• Students should bring their charged iPad and Apple Pencil.
• For lunch, students may buy food from the dining hall or bring lunch from home. To purchase lunch, funds must be preloaded onto the student's MyMealTime account.

Wednesday, August 19 (Orientation Day 2) - 7:45 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Students will walk through an abbreviated class schedule to meet their teachers. After class schedules, students will attend “Club Fair” to explore the different clubs, student organizations, and academic teams DePaul has to offer. After lunch, students will meet with their FRESH Foundation advisory groups and transition to Ramlympics for some fun afternoon team building!

• Student Check In: 7:15 - 7:45 a.m.
• Any students arriving via car should be dropped off and picked up at the SOUTH entrance.
  • Students walking or biking can enter the building through the south or north Entrance.
• Students should arrive in their full uniform, but bring a change of clothes for Ramlympics.
  • Attire for Ramlympics:
    • Wear designated team color (to be shared on Orientation Day 1)
    • Shorts, sweatpants, leggings, t-shirts, and tank tops are acceptable for this day
    • Athletic Shoes
    • No midriff-baring tops, sandals, or inappropriate-length shorts should be worn
• Students should bring a fully charged iPad + Apple pencil, water bottle, and sunscreen.

Tuesday, August 18, 7:45 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

• Student Check In: 7:15 - 7:45 a.m. 
• All students should be dropped off and picked up in the SOUTH parking lot. 
  • Students walking or biking can enter the building through the SOUTH entrance.
• Students should arrive in their full uniform:
  • Navy, white, or light blue DePaul Prep polo
  • Khaki or navy uniform pants
• Students should bring their charged iPad and Apple Pencil.
• For lunch, students may buy food from the dining hall or bring lunch from home. To purchase lunch, funds must be preloaded onto the student's MyMealTime account.

Planner 

• Option 1: DePaul Prep Physical Planner
• Option 2: DePaul Prep Digital Planner (accessed through Google Docs on iPad)

We have observed that completing daily homework for multiple classes on time is the biggest change that many ninth graders experience, compared to their eighth grade academic responsibilities. We believe that our students are fully capable of submitting work on time and being prepared for each class. To that end, we do not accept late work for credit. 

Before the school year starts, we encourage parents and guardians to speak with their child about their homework and study routines, as well as their routines for tracking deadlines. During the first few weeks of school, we also encourage you to speak with your child about their upcoming assignment deadlines and ask to see their homework planner. 

Binder System

During Orientation, students will receive a binder that includes a folder for each course, as well as a three-hole pencil case. This binder system is designed to help students keep materials organized and ensure they always have the supplies needed for class. 

We have observed that organization is a challenge many ninth graders face as they transition to high school. Managing materials across multiple classes and within a block schedule requires students to develop new habits and routines. We believe that our students are fully capable of staying organized and taking responsibility for their materials, and this binder system is designed to support that growth.

A one-time "9th grade Materials and Planner Fee" of $25 will be added to your FACTS account to cover the cost of these materials.

If additional course-specific materials are required, those items will be listed in the teacher's syllabus and communicated at the beginning of the school year.

Dismissal from school due to illness

Health Requirements  

1. Physical Exam Form
   Physicals must be completed within one year of the first day of school. The exam must be completed on the required Certificate of Child Health form with a completed immunization record.  PARENTS MUST COMPLETE AND SIGN THE HEALTH HISTORY SECTION OF THE FORM.  
    
2. Dental exams
   Dental exams must be completed on the Proof of School Dental Examination form. Dental exams are due by May 15, 2027, and must be completed within 18 months of that deadline. 
    
3. Eye Exams
   Eye exams are only required for students entering an Illinois school for the first time. If needed, please complete this form.
    
4. Action Plans
   If your student has asthma, diabetes, allergies, or seizures, the correct action form must be filled out and signed by your healthcare provider and uploaded to Magnus. A Prescription Medicine Form is also required. 
    
5. Prescription Medication Form 
   If your student will be receiving any medications while at school, a Medication Form must be filled out and signed by a healthcare provider and parent.  This form can be found on Magnus and is due yearly. It includes all prescription and over-the-counter medications. All medications are dispensed through the health office.  Students may not carry any medication except EpiPens, Inhalers, and Insulin. ANY MEDICATIONS FROM HOME MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE SCHOOL BY  PARENT/GUARDIAN IN THE CONTAINER APPROPRIATELY LABELED BY A PHARMACIST OR PHYSICIAN.

Sports Physicals 

Starting with the 2026-2027 academic year, members of the Class of 2030 will participate in a new program that provides school-issued iPads. Each member of the Class of 2030 will be issued a DePaul Prep iPad to use throughout their four years at the school.  Participation is mandatory, and personal iPads will not be permitted or supported.

iPad pick up will take place on August 4 and 5 from 8 am - 12 pm. All families must have the School-Owned iPad Loan Agreement form completed in order to pick up their school-issued iPad.  We require students to be present for iPad pickup, as they will need to access their DePaul Prep email. Please email help@depaulprep.org with any iPad pick-up questions or visit the Class of 2030 iPad section on the website.

Students in any summer program (FYSI, Diverse Learner Summer Program, or a summer school course) will pick up their school-issued iPad on the first day of the program. There is no need to attend iPad pickup in August, as they will already have their devices. 

Students are required to provide their own stylus. We recommend an Apple Pencil (USB-C or the 1st Generation). 

Students from the class of 2027, 2028, & 2029 are required to provide their own iPad for student use. 

For the 2026-2027 school year, we recommend the iPad 11 (A16), wifi only. Cellular data is not allowed.  The minimum requirements are 256GB of storage, a case with a keyboard, and a stylus. We also recommend an Apple Pencil (USB-C) and AppleCare+.

Purchases can be made from the Family Funded Apple Program. This link will direct you to the recommended purchases. Add the “Recommended Systems” to your cart first and edit as necessary. 

If purchasing a new iPad, we recommend waiting to set it up until after the Technology Team has installed Jamf School. This will save time for all parties involved.

Students should use their own personal email for their Apple Account on their iPads. 

Visit the Class of ‘27 - ‘29  iPads section of the website for more information. 
 

All new students are required to obtain a (free!) Chicago Public Library card, or have a library card in verifiable good standing on the first day of school. Incoming students will be provided with a Club 81 Chicago Public Library card that can be used to access CPL databases that exists separately from the card they obtain on their own. 

Morning bus transportation is available through the DePaul Prep bus service for an additional fee per semester.

Please Note: Morning bus transportation will not be provided on grade-level orientation days.

As we continue to prepare for the upcoming school year, our top priority is the health and safety of our students. The 2026-2027 morning bus transportation has been adjusted to accommodate public health and safety guidelines. Please be aware that with these guidelines and restrictions, our buses will not be able to accommodate all families and applicants. The current routes will be altered to pick up students who live furthest from campus. We have identified the following zip codes as areas that we cannot accommodate with our morning bus service: 60607, 60614, 60618, 60630, 60634, 60639, 60641, 60657, 60647, 60625, 60613.

If your zip code is not listed, a seat for your student is not guaranteed, and only 1-2 pick up locations will be on each route at a designated time. Please fill out the bus application by July 17, 2026, if you are interested in utilizing our morning bus transportation. 

You will be notified by August 5 if we are able to accommodate your student and their scheduled pickup time and location.

*Additionally, if you or someone you know is interested in driving a student bus in the mornings, please contact Tom Kleinschmidt, Director of Admissions. Stipend provided.

DePaul Prep uniforms are ordered through Tommy Hilfiger

WWW.GLOBALSCHOOLWEAR.COM

Partner School Code:

DEPA01

SIZES TO FIT EVERYONE

Tommy Hilfiger offers Regular, Plus, Husky, Tall, Slim, and Custom options. Parents looking for custom fits or sizes not offered on the Tommy Hilfiger website should contact Customer Service at (877) 825-2860 or email customerservice@globalschoolwear.com. Have our Partner School Code handy and ready. 

ACCEPTABLE  SCHOOL ATTIRE

FEMALES  

• Clean white button-down dress shirt, long or short sleeves with school logo, fully buttoned OR white, lake blue, or navy blue DePaul College Prep polo shirt, including dri-fit.
• Blazer is optional (see Tommy Hilfiger’s website).
• Khaki/navy blue docker-style pants (chinos) purchased from the DePaul College Prep section of the Tommy Hilfiger website. 
• Uniform khaki/navy blue shorts from Tommy Hilfiger are acceptable attire in warm weather or August-September and April-May. 
• Yoga-wear, form-fitting pants, jeggings, leggings, and sweatpants are not allowed; no elastic or tight-fitting cuffs on the ankle. 
• Hair must be neat, clean, and professional.
  • Hair color must be a natural color only (blonde, brunette, black, auburn). 
• Excessive jewelry is not allowed to be worn in the building during school hours. 

MALES 

• Clean white button-down dress shirt, long or short sleeves with school logo, fully buttoned OR white, lake blue, or navy blue DePaul College Prep polo shirt, including dri-fit.
• Blazer is optional (See Tommy Hilfiger’s website).
• Navy or Khaki docker-style pants (chinos) purchased from the DePaul Prep section of the Tommy Hilfiger website.
• Uniform khaki shorts from Tommy Hilfiger are acceptable attire in warm weather or August-September and April-May.
• Hair must be neat, clean, and professional.
  • Hair color must be a natural color (blonde, brunette, black, auburn). 
  • Males must be cleanly shaven on a daily basis in school. Sideburns must be neatly groomed and no longer than the middle of the ear. Beards and mustaches are not permitted. 
• One piece of jewelry, such as a ring or necklace, is allowed to be worn in the building during school hours. 

ALL Students

• All uniforms must be purchased from the Tommy Hilfiger website.
• Acceptable outerwear during the school day include the navy and grey crew neck sweatshirts (DePaul Prep Spirit Shop), ecru half zip crew sweatshirt (DePaul Prep Spirit Shop), rugby shirt (DePaul Prep Spirit Shop), cardigan sweaters (DePaul Prep Tommy Hilfiger Shop), and the gray or navy quarter zip fleece jacket (DePaul Prep Tommy Hilfiger Shop). A DePaul College Prep polo or shirt must be worn under all outerwear. All outerwear must be official DePaul College Prep apparel from either Tommy Hilfiger, the DePaul College Prep Spirit Shop, or athletic team shop. Items purchased from the spirit shop or athletic team shop may only be worn on Friday Spirit days.
• A school-issued DePaul College Prep ID card on the school-issued lanyard must be visibly displayed around the neck at all times.  
  • Freshmen - Red Lanyard 
  • Sophomores - Lake Blue Lanyard 
  • Juniors - Gray Lanyard 
  • Seniors - Navy Lanyard. Seniors may also wear a lanyard of their choice (must be school-appropriate and may not be of another Chicago High School). 
• The waist of the pants must be above the waistline and pants must extend to the ankles. 
• Socks must be worn at all times in school. 
• Shoes
  • Dress shoes 
  • Gym shoes 
  • Boots (no combat, cowboy, high heels, etc.) 
  • All footwear must cover the toes and heel (i.e. no open-toe shoes or slip-ons) 

SPIRIT WEAR FRIDAYS

• Uniform bottoms and shoes must be worn.
• Allowed Spirit Wear:
  • DePaul Prep hooded sweatshirts and apparel from Spirit Shop and Team/Club Shops.
  • DePaul Prep Athletic jerseys.
• Uniform bottoms and shoes must be worn.
• A DePaul College Prep polo or shirt must be worn under all outerwear.
• School IDs must be worn.

The following are Unacceptable Dress and prohibited from being worn in school:

• Nose and lip piercings
• Hats
• Headgear – including headphones, headsets, earphones, or earbuds (except for study hall) 
• Sunglasses
• Visible Tattoos
• Visible chains, medals, medallions

NOTE: The expectation is that students will arrive at school dressed per the dress code and stay in dress code until the end of the school day, unless they are changing for a school-sponsored activity. Decisions on dress code matters are at the sole discretion of the Deans of Students. Students who violate this policy may be refused admission to class or asked to call home for the uniform item to be delivered to school.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION UNIFORMS

Students taking Physical Education classes are expected to be in their PE uniform during class. PE uniforms can be purchased through Tommy Hilfiger.

PE CLASSES FOR THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR

Our plan is to begin the school year outdoors on the turf field through early November, then transition to the gymnasium at the Gordon Tech Campus from late November through April.

If you have any questions regarding uniforms, please contact Dean Melisa Simpson-Lord.

Logging in to Schoology

Schoology is our Learning Management System (LMS). Students and parents can locate current course progress and information, as well as announcements for the school, student courses, and clubs on Schoology. Schoology is where your student’s courses, current grades, and current assignments can be monitored in real time.

Schoology requires specific codes for parents to create linked accounts. These codes are available in Blackbaud by logging in as a parent, selecting your child, selecting “Contact Card”, and finding the code under the “General Information” area. 

Once found, you can use your child’s access code to create a parent account linked to their student profile

• If you already have a Schoology login for another student, please log in and use your new student’s access code within the instructions to add them to your account.
• If your child’s previous school used Schoology, you will have to request that they delete your account before your email can be used under DePaul Prep’s Schoology domain.

For any issues, please contact Mr. Mitchell Baum, Director of Data Management & Scheduling. 

All DePaul Prep student emails are accessed through Gmail and follow the same naming convention: studentfirstname.studentlastname AT depaulprep DOT org. All hyphens and apostrophes have been removed.

The initial password for all incoming freshmen and transfer students is depaul2026. 

When you first log in, change your password for security. Check your school email frequently and remember to respond to teachers and administrators in a timely manner.

My MealTime Online

We encourage cashless transactions whenever possible. You can add money to your student’s meal account online through My MealTime. A 4.9% fee is charged by the third party/bank. To avoid the fee, an account balance can be established in advance by check made out to Quest Food Services, and delivered to school. Purchases will be debited against that account balance. 

NEW PARENTS should set up an online account using your student’s “Quest/Meal Time Number”, which is their student ID #. Student IDs can then be scanned to purchase items in the cafeteria. Balances at the end of the year will be transferred to the following school year. 

Please contact Quest after Monday, August 10, if you have any dietary needs, questions, or concerns.

Visit our Food Services page for more information on setting up a My MealTime account online and learn about Quest Food Management.

Contact: Dan Copeland, Food Service Director 

Student IDs 

Freshmen and transfer students will take their ID photos on the first day of orientation and will receive a temporary ID to use for the first few weeks of school. Students will then receive updated IDs with pictures in the following weeks. 

All students must wear their IDs from the time they arrive at the school entrance doors in the morning until they leave the building for the day.