Academic calendar
Quarter 2 2026-2027 runs Oct 24, 2026 – Jan 22, 2027. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Quarter 1 2026
- Quarter 2 2026-2027Relevant now
- Quarter 3 2027
- Quarter 4 2027
- Quarter 1 2027
- Quarter 2 2027-2028
- Quarter 3 2028
- Quarter 4 2028
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 11 of 11 terms
A
- ACers
- Students enrolled in the Whitney Young Academic Center, the school's selective enrollment middle school program for 7th and 8th graders.
B
- BSU
- Black Student Union, a student organization focused on the interests and culture of Black students.
D
- Dolphins
- The official mascot and collective term used by students to refer to the Whitney Young student body.
H
- HOSA
- Future Health Professionals (formerly Health Occupations Students of America), a club for students interested in medical careers.
L
- LASO
- Latin American Student Organization, a club celebrating Latin American culture and supporting Hispanic students.
N
- NHS
- National Honor Society, a nationwide organization for high-achieving students focused on scholarship, leadership, service, and character.
O
- Off-campus
- The practice of leaving the school grounds for lunch, a privilege typically reserved for upperclassmen to visit nearby restaurants in the Near West Side/Little Italy area.
S
- STUCO
- Student Council, the student government body responsible for organizing school-wide events and representing student interests.
T
- The Caf
- The school cafeteria located in the main building where breakfast and lunch are served.
W
- Whitney
- A common shorthand used by students and the community to refer to the school itself.
- WY
- The most frequent acronym used by students when writing or speaking about the school.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Arts Building
- The facility housing the school's music, drama, and visual arts departments, often officially referred to as the Michelle Obama School for the Performing Arts.
- blue_house_lunchroom
- Blue House Lunchroom
- Division
- The school's term for homeroom or advisory period where students receive announcements and complete administrative tasks.
- Entry Scanner
- The security checkpoints where students must scan their ID cards to gain entrance to the school buildings.
- gold_house_lunchroom
- Gold House Lunchroom
- Jackson Stop
- The Blue Line L-stop nearby that serves as the primary transit point for many commuting students.
- Late Start
- The school schedule convention, typically on Wednesdays, where the first period begins later in the morning to allow for staff professional development.
- Michelle Obama Athletic Complex
- The $4 million outdoor athletic facility featuring a track and artificial turf field, named after the former First Lady and alumna.
- PE Building
- The athletic facility located south of Jackson Boulevard that houses the gymnasiums and sports offices.
- The Bridge
- The iconic glass-enclosed pedestrian walkway that spans Jackson Boulevard, connecting the main academic building to the Arts and PE buildings.
- Ventra
- The CTA transit card used by students to commute to the urban campus via trains and buses.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Quarter 2 2026-2027 runs Oct 24, 2026 – Jan 22, 2027.
- How much campus context is included?
- 11 approved campus terms and 11 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.