The school opened in 1940 as South Shore High School at 7626 South Constance Avenue. During its first 20 years, the student body was predominantly White and consisted primarily of students living in the South Shore community. By the late 1950s, the community began to experience an increase in the population of
African American residents. South Shore High School, which was built to accommodate a total of 2,000 students, by 1964 had become overcrowded. The
Chicago Board of Education decided either an addition or a new school was needed to relieve the overcrowding. Plans to construct an addition to the school were announced in 1965. Construction of the addition at 75th street and Constance Avenue began in April 1966. The extension was to cost $2.5 million and was to be completed by 1967, but plans were revised several times, reaching a budget of $4.1 million. Contractor for the extension was Mercury Builders of
Oak Park, Illinois. Ground-breaking took place in 1966 and the project was completed in August 1969. The new addition opened for students on September 6, 1969.
Small schools (2001–2011) Beginning in 2001, the expanded school campus, located at 7527–7627 South Constance Avenue was divided into four small specialized high schools: the
School of Entrepreneurship, the
School of the Arts, the
School of Leadership, and the
School of Technology. The small school concept continued until 2009, when the Chicago Board of Education decided to phase out the four schools; this was completed at the end of the 2010–11 school year.
School of Leadership After the small schools were phased out, the extension building was demolished in early 2012. The remaining students were moved into the South Shore High School of Leadership, which was housed in the original campus at 7627 South Constance Avenue beginning with the 2011–2012 school year. At the same time, the district had opened a new high school at 1955 East 75th Street. The latter was a selective enrollment magnet school designed to attract students from all areas of the city. The School of Leadership on Constance Avenue was closed at the end of the 2013–2014 school year, having been replaced by the new magnet high school on 75th Street.
South Shore International College Prep South Shore International College Prep High School, at 1955 East 75th Street, opened for the 2011–2012 school year two blocks northeast of the original South Shore High School campus and adjacent to Rosenblum Park. South Shore International College Prep is a selective enrollment magnet school that accepts students from throughout the city of Chicago. The school uses the same team name (Tars) and colors (kelly green and royal blue) as the former South Shore High School ==Other information==