Muchin College Prep is a public four-year charterhigh school located in the Chicago Loop in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is a part of the Noble Network of Charter Schools. It is named for Allan and Elaine Muchin. Mr. Muchin is Chairman Emeritus of Katten Muchin and Rosenman LLP. Muchin College Prep was founded in 2009 by Kimberly Neal, Tanesia Simmons, Jonas Cleaves, and Lauren Craft. The Founding Principal, Kimberly Neal, led the school until 2015. The science labs at Muchin were also funded by Michael and Karyn Lutz, and Baxter International has been an active partner, contributing to the growth of the science labs and providing career exploration programs as well as scholarships for Muchin alumni. The school's students come from over 50 zip codes in Chicago and employs a staff from across the country, including veteran teachers. Muchin has earned a 1+ school rating since 2014 when Chicago Public Schools began issuing such ratings. Additionally, Muchin's standardized test scores have consistently ranked among the top ten non-selective enrollment schools in Chicago. Based on 2017-2018 school year data, Muchin earned an SQRP total score of a 4.7, making the school the top 9th-12th grade only high school in Chicago. The school uses a computerized lottery system on GoCPS.com for admission. All students who have graduated from Muchin were accepted to 2-year or 4-year colleges and universities. Currently, more than 67% of the school's first-generation college students are on track to graduate.
Distinguished Teacher Program
In May 2019, The Noble Network of Charter Schools announced the first 20 recipients of its newly created Distinguished Teacher program. The purpose of the Distinguished Teacher program is to identify, recognize, and reward a select group of Noble teachers who have achieved exceptional results for students at Noble for at least three years and during that time have exemplified the five key questions laid out in the Distinguished Teacher framework. Prior to being selected, candidates participated in a rigorous application process that began in January 2019, where they first submitted their written narratives along with a portfolio that included comprehensive data. Finalists then participated in classroom observations and debriefs, student surveys, a panel interview, and reference checks. Among other benefits, those who are selected to be a Distinguished Teacher receive an annual bonus of $10,000, will help facilitate professional development experiences across the Noble Network as well as participate in the selection of future Distinguished Teachers. Two teachers from Muchin College Prep were chosen to be 2018-2019 Distinguished Teachers: Rachel Hercule - English teacher, and Megan Smeeding -Social Studies teacher.
