High School

Pekin Community High School (PCHS), District 303, operates a comprehensive four-year secondary education program accredited by the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges. At PCHS, students can choose from over 125 different academic courses and more than 45 career-oriented courses.

Teaching faculty at PCHS are student-centered and well trained in their respective fields. Well over 50% of the teaching faculty have a Master’s degree. Students benefit from quality instruction and achievement – the Prairie State Achievement Exam shows the majority of PCHS students meet or exceed Illinois State Standards. In fact, PCHS is one of the few schools in the area to provide summer instruction for students trying to get ahead or catch up on their studies.

Students can choose from a wide variety of elective coursework including four foreign languages, Java programming, Psychology, Advanced Biology, Music Theory and a variety of others. College Prep students will find a variety of Advanced Placement and Dual Credit courses, which allow them to earn college credit while still in high school. Our College Prep coursework prepares students for entrance into selective universities.

Through its vocational center, PCHS gives students the opportunity to achieve certification in programs such as Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), CISCO Networking, A++ Computer Repair and Child Development Assistant (CDA). Students also have opportunities for extended campus at Caterpillar, Inc., ATS, Morton Metalcraft and other area businesses.

PCHS has approximately one computer for every three students – an excellent ratio that shows the school’s commitment to staying current with technology. PCHS offers WebQuests – engaging, online learning activities. The state-of-the-art foreign language lab includes computers, headphones and recording devices so students get more practice speaking the foreign language. Various computer labs, complete with Internet access and printers, are available to students.

With the recent completion of a $16 million addition, the campus covers over 550,000 square feet and is considered one of the premier school facilities in the Midwest, including two large gyms and an Olympic-sized, 8-lane swimming pool. The PCHS football stadium has a seating capacity of 9,000 fans and is like no other high school’s stadium in the state. PCHS offers over 20 interscholastic sports and more than 25 other clubs and activities. They have garnered national recognition in band, choral music and speech/debate. The school is represented in many of the state competitions every year.