Central Middle School

Welcome to Central Middle School – Home of the Twisters! Central serves approximately 750 students living in the communities of Tinley Park, Oak Forest and Orland Park. Central is a very busy place where students are actively engaged in a variety of learning activities – all with a focus on excellence.

Our school is organized into teams of students and teachers to provide a nurturing environment and exciting opportunities for learning and personal growth. We offer a challenging and integrated program that strongly supports our students’ academic, physical, social and emotional development.

During a student’s three years at Central, students build a strong foundation in Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies and Physical Education in preparation for high school. In their advisory, students participate in activities and discussions about making good decisions and developing positive relationships with others. This includes developing strategies in bullying prevention, and problem solving.

Our students explore interests and careers through Encore classes, such as Art, Band, Choir, Communications, Family and Consumer Sciences, and STEAM.

We offer numerous extracurricular clubs including Science Club, Art Club, Animal Club, Game Board Club, Cooking Club, and Morning Intramurals.   

You may have seen our award-winning band at local parades, our students volunteering at local events, or our students’ art work on display in the community. Our school community benefits greatly by the partnerships we have established with parents and community members and institutions. We know that Central Middle School is central to the lives of our students, families, and communities.

Our building was designed specifically to support adolescent needs. Our grade-level pods have fully-equipped science labs and large classrooms, along with modules in our Encore classrooms supporting a variety of hands-on learning opportunities. Our Fitness center with cardio and fitness equipment supports our Fitness is Central curriculum.

This beautiful mural graces the halls of Central Middle School. It was painted by Amy Heitman, former art teacher in the school district. The mural is a gift from the Larry Anderson Memorial Fund.

Mr. Anderson served as Central’s Principal for twenty years until his retirement in 2003. His family wanted to make a donation to Central in his memory. The mural represents Mr. Anderson’s belief that Central Middle School was the place where students from the elementary schools joined together for the next important phase of their schooling. The entire District 146 family celebrates this mural as a symbol of Principal Larry Anderson’s legacy!