The school's boundaries are the City of Chicago on the North, Torrence Avenue on the West, the Indiana state line on the East, and the Little Calumet River to the South.

[9] Due to growth in the Calumet City–Lansing area, Thornton Fractional South High School was opened in 1959.

North competes in the South Suburban Conference and is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), the body which governs most sports and competitive activities in the state.

The school sponsors interscholastic teams for male and female students in badminton, baseball, basketball, bowling, cheerleading, cross country, dance team, football, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track, volleyball, and wrestling.

Some of these have won Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Championships in the past, such as the Drama Club.