Larger numbers of students in the incoming freshman class,  a new outdoor learning classroom and security procedures characterize the beginning of the 2017-18 school year.

Admissions

The Class of 2021 is U-High’s largest ever with 164 incoming freshmen, 58 of whom are new to Lab.

This is also the first week for five new sophomores and two new juniors, according to Karen Duncan, assistant director of admissions.

Of the freshmen new to Lab, 59 percent are female and 41 percent are male, and 51 percent are from Chicago, with 42 percent from the suburbs or Indiana, and the remaining 7 percent from other states, including New Mexico, New York, Colorado and Michigan.

The new freshmen represent an even split between private and public middle schools, according to Ms. Duncan.

Construction

For the first time in at least three years, confusing detours and endless hammering won’t greet students — no construction projects are leftover from the summer, and nothing significant is planned for the school year, according to Director Charlie Abelmann.

“For the first time in years there has been no construction inside the building this summer — which is wonderful,” Ana Campos, dean of students, said.

No significant construction was completed inside the building, but a new lower school playground and outdoor classroom were built, according to Dr. Abelmann.

While the idea was mainly from lower school teachers, the space will be open to the whole school, science department head Daniel Calleri said.

The science department is “interested in having a space that is as natural as you can get while also being fenced in,” he said.

Security

Security procedures will remain relatively unchanged from last year, according to Robyn Roland, a safety and security supervisor.

All people entering the school are required to show their IDs upon entering, and students must also show both their IDs and lanyards when entering buildings.

If the student does not have either an ID or lanyard, he or she will be issued temporary identification and his or her name written down and sent to the dean of students, along with the list of all other students who forgot their ID or lanyard that morning.