A+ on the Southwest Side: Evergreen Academy Wins National Honor for 6th Straight Year — Plus New Development Headed to McKinley Park

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Mckinley Park · June 19, 2026

McKinley Park is ending the week on a high note, with a major academic milestone and a fresh wave of neighborhood growth making headlines on the Southwest Side.

Evergreen Academy Middle School is celebrating a remarkable achievement this June: the school has earned the prestigious national Schools to Watch designation for the sixth consecutive time. The National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform recognized Evergreen with a ceremony and live music performances — a fitting tribute to a school that has consistently set the bar for academic excellence in Chicago. For families in McKinley Park, it's a powerful reminder that world-class education is happening right here on the block.

Meanwhile, the neighborhood's development momentum continues to build. The Chicago City Council's Zoning Committee took up a rezoning request this week that would green-light a new mixed-use development in McKinley Park — the latest sign that investors and residents alike are doubling down on the Southwest Side's future. Combined with recent residential projects already in the pipeline along Archer Avenue, McKinley Park is clearly a neighborhood on the rise. Whether you're the parent of a future Evergreen scholar or a neighbor excited about what's coming next, there's every reason to stay plugged in. Follow the latest at mckinleypark.news.

Sources:
1. https://mckinleypark.news/news/education-families-news
2. https://www.thedailyline.com/chicago-city-council-zoning-committee-preview-june-2026-building-construction-code-update-developments-mckinley-park-avondale