Friday, March 27, 2015

Lecture: Equity and High Quality Education for Urban Students on April 14 -- CHANGE in LOCATION

Generation All has invited Dr. Pedro Noguera, professor of education at New York University, to discuss the importance of equity to achieve deeper learning outcomes for all students. Dr. Noguera will address this challenge by drawing lessons from schools here and worldwide where higher standards and the necessary supports, resources, and learning opportunities to achieve them are already in place. 

This free event will be held at Wells Community Academy High School (936 N. Ashland) on Tuesday, April 14 from 4pm to 6:30pm. For more information and to RSVP, click here

CPS will be advertising a Safe Passage RFP on March 30, 2015

The Office of Safety and Security of Chicago Public Schools will be advertising a Safe Passage Request for Proposals on Monday, March 30, 2015. This RFP is for Safe Passage services at elementary schools and high schools.

Organizations interested in submitting a proposal must submit it no later than Tuesday, April 14, 2015 at 2:00 pm. Late proposals will not be accepted.

The RFP can be viewed here: http://www.csc.cps.k12.il.us/purchasing/open_to_the_public.html

2015 National Conference of the Network for Public Education at the Drake Hotel, April 25-26

The Network for Public Education is hosting its 2015 national conference at the Drake Hotel on April 25-26.

Featured speakers include Yong Zhao, Diane Ravitch, Lily Eskelson Garcia, Randi Weingarten and Chicago’s own Karen Lewis and Jitu Brown; there are more than forty dynamic and informative panels. 

For a list of panelists and workshops, see: http://www.networkforpubliceducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/All-Panels-Panelists-Mar25-with-links.pdf


For more information and to register, see: http://www.networkforpubliceducation.org/2015-national-conference-chicago/

Monday, March 23, 2015

March HPKCAC meeting to be held at Ray Elementary School

Our March CAC meeting will be held in the cafeteria of Ray Elementary School (5631 S. Kimbark Avenue) on Wednesday, March 25 at 6:00pm. (Enter through the southernmost doors on Kimbark.)

A tour of the school will be given at 5:30.

Hope to see you there!

Friday, March 20, 2015

Instructions for enrolling children in CPS preschool programs for 2015-2016

To enroll a child in a CPS preschool program ("Ready to Learn") for the 2015-2016 school year, you need to visit an application site to complete an application in person by May 1, 2015. Several different documents are required in order to complete the application. Please see this flyer for more information regarding the location of application sites, the documents required, and further steps involved.

There are also two preschool application fairs where you can complete an application -- on Saturday, April 18 and Saturday, April 25 from 10am - 1pm. Click here for more information.




Remaining opportunities for LSC training sessions this school year

There are 3 remaining citywide Local School Council (LSC) training sessions for the 2014-2015 school year:

1) Saturday, March 21, from 9am - 3pm at Foreman High School (3235 N. LeClaire Avenue)
Click here for the flyer in both English and in Spanish.

2) Saturday, April 18, from 8am - 2pm at Simeon Career Academy High School (8147 S. Vincennes Avenue)
Click here for the flyer in both English and in Spanish.

3) Saturday, April 25, from 9am - 3pm at Curie High School (4959 S. Archer Avenue)
Click here for the flyer in both English and Spanish.

RSVP is required in order to attend (see the flyers).

Free Spring Break Day Camp at Bright Star Church (April 6 - 10)

Bright Star Church (735 E. 44th Street) is offering a free day camp for children in Kindergarten through 8th grade during the week of CPS Spring Break (Monday, April 6 - Friday, April 10) from 10am - 2pm. Breakfast and lunch are provided.

Junior Achievement will present their financial literacy curriculum, which teaches children practical skills regarding money.

To register, turn in this consent form: http://www.brightstarcommunityoutreach.com/2015_SPRING_BREAK_Program_Consent_Form.pdf
or stop by Bright Star Church Monday - Friday, between 3pm and 4pm.


Click here for the flyer.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

6th Annual Woodlawn Community Summit on March 28

The Woodlawn Community Summit invites concerned neighbors, business owners, youth groups, elected officials, and community stakeholders to take action for long-term growth and sustainability at the 6th annual Woodlawn Community Summit, scheduled for Saturday, March 28, from 8am - 12:30pm. The Summit is sponsored by the South East Chicago Commission and will be held at the University of Chicago Social Service Administration (969 E. 60th Street).
 
This year’s Summit shines a spotlight on civic engagement, recognizing recent successful outcomes while acknowledging the need for new leaders and more volunteers.  This year more than 350 participants, leaders and stakeholders will be convene to turn information to action that directly benefits Chicago’s Woodlawn community.

Please RSVP and sign up for breakout sessions at: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/6th-annual-woodlawn-community-summit-tickets-15996215110


For more information, click here for the flyer.

Friday, March 13, 2015

The School Project: "Testing Season" Film and Panel Discussion on March 31

This 10-minute film explores the hot topic of high stakes school testing from the boycotts of 2013 to the implementation of the PARCC test rolling out this spring, and the grassroots movement to end "teaching to the test" in Illinois and around the country. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with community leaders, educators, and education experts, moderated by Linda Lenz of Catalyst Chicago.

When: Tuesday, March 31, 2015, 5:00pm - 6:30pm (doors open at 4:30pm)
Where: Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph Street

You can watch the film's trailer here: http://youtu.be/JM1ddULfdhU

This event is free and open to the public; RSVP required.
To register, click here.


Chicago Theological Seminary Conference: "Selma at 50: Still Marching" on April 24-25

To be held on the CTS campus, "Selma at 50: Still Marching" will trace a thread through the legacy of civil rights activism to emerging contemporary activist movements focused on issues at the intersection of public theology, grassroots organizing, and serious scholarship. Participants will examine critical social issues (e.g. the systemic causes of oppression and violence, the prison industrial complex, immigration reform, living wage issues, militarized policing, etc.) and their effects on human society, and strategize on action that will inspire and engage the next generation of leaders.
The conference will include 2 keynote addresses, 2 themed-based panel discussions, and training as a tool for organizing in our communities. The training will be followed by topic-based working sessions pushing beyond analysis and digging deeper to create applicable solutions to the issues. Inclusive, structured dialogues will expand upon and clarify definitions of "civil rights" in our current climate, and unstructured social time will allow people to process and reflect on what they've heard and experienced during the event.
When: April 24-25, 2015
Where: Chicago Theological Seminary campus, 1407 E. 60th Street

For more information see: http://selma.ctschicago.edu/

Click here to register. (If high school students register in advance, they are admitted for free with valid student i.d.)

Dyett High Global Leadership and Green Technology High School Town Hall on March 24

Come participate in the continued development of the community's plan for the future of Dyett High School as an open-enrollment, CPS-operated school: The Dyett Global Leadership and Green Technology High School Plan.

Where: Kennicott Park, 4434 S. Lake Park Avenue
When: Tuesday, March 24, 2015 from 6pm-8pm

Click here for the flyer with more information.

Sponsored by the Coalition to Revitalize Dyett High School. Call (773) 548-7500 for more information or to RSVP.

The Campaign for Equitable Policing Presents An Open Forum on the Obama Presidential Library on March 18

The Campaign for Equitable Policing presents an open forum on the Obama Presidential Library and South Side Policing on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 from 6:30-8:00pm at the McCormick Tribune Lounge in the Reynolds Club (5706 S. University Avenue).

The focus of the forum is how the Obama Presidential Library would impact the behavior of the University of Chicago Police Department, a full-power force with jurisdiction over 6 square miles of the South Side, yet which falls short of typical standards of accountability. Come to learn more about the UCPD's history of jurisdiction expansion, the recent legislative work at the state level to bring it under public standards of transparency, and to discuss the ramifications of all this for the South Side. Light refreshments will be served.

If you have any questions, including accessibility questions and concerns, please contact Sofia Butnaru, at 786-216-2200 or sbutnaru@uchicago.edu 

Diversity Symposium at The Ancona School on Saturday, April 18

The Ancona School is thrilled to partner with the Center on Halsted and Gerber Hart Library for its 3rd annual Diversity Symposium on Saturday, April 18, 2015 from 8am - 3pm. This year's program will explore gender fluidity within the context of parenting and teaching. Workshops will challenge misconceptions, provide interpretations and offer practical context for participants surrounding work with gender conforming and non-conforming students.  


After a welcome coffee reception, the day will include a keynote, breakout sessions and lunch followed by a theatrical performance by About Face Theatre with a Q&A. Breakout sessions will include: 
Tickets may be purchased for $30 (general admission) or for $20 (students and educators) through the school's websitehttp://anconaschool.org/diversity-symposium/.
Please feel free to contact humanities teacher and Diversity Symposium Coordinator, Bill Singerman, at bsingerman@anconaschool.org with any questions. 

Last-minute call for volunteers at Kozminski today -- Friday, March 13

Chicago Cares will be building bookcases and painting, among other things, at Kozminski Community Academy (936 E. 54th Street) TODAY, March 13 from 9am - 2pm.

If you have some time today, please come on out!


Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Oppportunity to Present at UChicago Summer Teaching Institute

The 2015 UChicago Summer Teaching Institute (June 29 - July 3) requests submissions for curriculum presentations from K-12 educators. The topic is Inequality: Conditions, Consequences, Solutions, and possible presentation topics include (but are not limited to) hunger and food security, racism and other forms of discrimination, and the global economy. To apply, fill out the application form and send to oi-education@uchicago.edu by April 15

Free Arts Classes for Local Teens and Young Adults

The University of Chicago's Arts Program, Arts + Public Life, is offering free arts courses for local teens and young adults. The Urban Arts courses are committed to cultivating and sustaining social practices with particular historical significance to Chicago’s urban landscape. The first slate of courses, offered Spring 2015, will feature graffiti, DJing, and photography.

To be eligible, students must be between the ages of 14-25 and live within Chicago city limits. 

For more information, including a link to the application, see: https://arts.uchicago.edu/arts-public-life/arts-education/youth-programs/urban-arts-courses
The deadline for applications in March 15, 2015.

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Class and Contest in Nature Photography

Jackson Park Advisory Council will offer a class and contest in nature photography in April. Details are still in process but will include registration, submission of entries using any format from phone to professional camera, with 1st and 2nd place prizes, display in the Nancy Hays Gallery in the Jackson Park fieldhouse, and by the Hyde Park Herald, both print and online editions.

The program will start with an outdoor class, the first class taught by professional nature photographer Spencer Bibbs, who teaches photography and has worked on contract with the Herald.

The first class will be on April 4, 9 am at the Clarence Darrow Bridge, south of the Museum of Science and Industry. Children ages 10 and up are especially welcome to participate.


For more information, contact Louise McCurry at commissioner751@comcast.net.