University of Chicago and Schools

Schools outreach initiatives, charter schools, research results, teacher continuing ed opportunities

A service of the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference Schools Committee and the HPKCC website, www. hydepark.org.
Help support our work: Join the Conference!
Join the Schools Committee-contact chairman Homer Ashby.

See UC Gates schools and program and expanding charter school role;-- what are charter schools?, all about charters, relationship to the new clusters and Renaissance 2010. The University was given a large grant honoring and supporting, among other things, its work in community education and Chicago Public Schools-see University and Community.

See CAGL- the UC Service Center is teaming up with Chicago Academic Games League, a committee of the Conference.
See also in After School Programs and Civic Knowledge.

Some UC key research activity and results about schools and students' prospects, including determinants of dropping out.

Center for Urban School Improvement receives funds for after school media literacy and continuous intervention is critical

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" The ivory tower has been used often as a metaphor for universities: pristine, white, immune to what goes on round it, enclosing something precious and sealing it off from what surrounds it--creating a historical paradigm of retreat. Today the call to universities is to change this paradigm of retreat into a paradigm of engagement. Through research and teaching at the University of Chicago, our ultimate goal is to make great contributions to society, but we will not succeed in realizing that hope unless we engage the community around us in a productive way rather than steadily retreating to our own towers."
--Don Michael Randel, President, The University of Chicago.

The goals of the U of C schools according to Timothy Knowles in the May 26 U of C Chronicle: (1)" provide students with a rigorous college-preparation program," (2) "serve as sites of professional development for Chicago Public Schools teachers and instructional leaders, and" (3) play a vital role in community building in the neighborhoods where they are located. " And the enablement must be for the struggling as well as the gifted.

Knowles added in a article in the August 24, 2005 Sun-Times: "No other University in the country is taking on this level of commitment....We are saying we will own and operate schools and want to be held accountable." It will use the "teaching hospital model" in which students actually teach in the schools--10 to 15 in schools with a few hundred pupils--a high ratio of teachers. It's "an incredible opportunity to prove that kids on the South Side can learn at high levels."

Nonetheless, there is a good-news, bad-news story here: Funding, although growing dramatically, cannot keep pace so that all the growing number of students participating in the in the Neighborhood Schools Program can be paid. This program places students in 51 Chicago public schools.

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News, grants, et al.

National Institutes of Health has funded a four-part study of language learning among children.

The several programs of school research and support are being integrated in a new Urban Education Institute.

The Board of Trustees in spring 2008 gave the go ahead for planning and further fundraising for a renovation, expansion and reorganization of the Lab Schools. Part of this is to be able to attract more students nearby and from afar, take advantages of changes in pedagogy, fill in gaps in facilities, provide more financial aid, establish an early childhood center, and renovate the nursery schools.

Dell Foundation has added$2 m to the growing grants to the Center for Urban School Improvement and affiliates. This grant strengthens partner schools with profession development, coaching and consultation for leadership teams, customized support, and sharing of what's been learned. This network, formed in September 2005, now includes the U of C charter schools and ACE Technical Charter High Schools; four more are joining with several more (to 15 total) invited, all schools that share similar values. One purpose is to demonstrate all can learn at a high level. The values include commitment to rigorous intellectual work, instruction based on distributed leadership and evidence-based decision-making, professional community, integrated academic and social supports, partnerships with parents and communities, desire to really teach all.

The Graduate School of Business has scholarships available for students at Kenwood, Dyett and Hyde Park highs. Last year 9 students were given a total of $4,000. Goal in 2006 is to raise the minimum to $500. The program also hosts the "A Day as an MBA."

In August 2005 the University's Center for Urban School Improvement announced its largest grant ever from the MacArthur Foundation, $5 million. The money will endow the new UC and assisted charter schools, training for new CPS teachers, and research with an in-person and online video library on best practices.

CUS director Tim Knowles says,"No other University in the country is taking on this level of commitment....We are saying we will own and operate schools and want to be held accountable." CUSI will use the "teaching hospital model" in which students actually teach in the schools--10 to 15 in schools with a few hundred pupils--a high ratio of teachers. The Center has plans to set up a network of 20 schools citywide--5 its eventual charter elementary, middle and high schools and the rest new charter-like schools it will assist. This is in addition to the commitment to all the schools in CPS Area 15 and beyond.

MacArthur, which has given the Center several grants in the past totaling $5.6 million, says "We are impressed with the University of Chicago's commitment to urban education. And the center is playing an important role in improving neighborhoods on the South Side." Noted also by the Sun-Times is that flagship North Kenwood-Oakland Charter School has consistently outperformed in citywide test averages, and the fifth grade has outperformed the state average in math.

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U. of C. plans middle school (to serve Donoghue and NKO grads, Grand Boulevard neighborhood)

Hyde Park Herald, September 19, 2007. By Nykeya Woods

The University of Chicago (U. of C.) is opening another public school next year, this one just northwest of Hyde Park. The proposed middle school would be the second run by the university for the area and would be housed at vacant Woodson South, 4414 S. Evans Ave.

"[The building] has an architecture that is perfectly suited for the middle school design that we already have in place at our North Kenwood-Oakland campus for sixth, seventh an eighth graders," said Linda Wing, deputy director of the university's Center for Urban School Improvement.

Wing said that after opening Donoghue Campus in 2005 and the Woodlawn Campus last year, U. of C. has a proven record with public school development. Chicago Public Schools approached the university this summer about creating a school design for the building as part of Renaissance 2010, Wing said. Renaissance 2010 is the city's ambitious plan to shutter a number of public schools deemed underperforming or failing, then reopening them with entirely new faculty and programming.

"The building is arranged so that there are clusters of classrooms, and they open up to a common area, with three clusters on each floor", Wing said.

The university will hold a meeting next Monday, Sept. 24, at Woodson South, Wing said, where parents and residents can learn about the proposal and its impact on the neighborhood. The university expects that students from Donoghue, the NOrth Kenwood-Oakland Charter School and community residents would fill Woodson, according to Wing. "Those clusters enable us to group middle school students into different interest groups where they take courses in different areas, in classes that re small but also still allow for interaction," Wing said.

"I want the community to come out and hear about the model and ask any question of the design team that they feel necessary," said Kim Davis-Ambrose, a facilitator for Woodson's Transitional Advisory Council (TAC). "Any question that they could think to possibly ask the University of Chicago, this is the time to do it."

TACs are groups of community stakeholders who give a recommendation to CPS Chief Arne Duncan about whether a proposed school is appropriate or not. Davis-Ambrose said that this community meeting is the last step in the approval process. "Once we have this community forum, the TAC wil get a vibe from the community of what they feel and if U. of C. would be good for the building," Davis-Ambrose said. Davis-Ambrose said that another team had proposed an alternative design to the university's, but they dropped out of the proposal race.

between 25 and 50 slots will be open to the community--an ample number given demand, according to Davis-Ambrose. "I'm getting information that there aren't a large amount of kids to fill those spots within the community," Ambrose-Davis said. When the design is picked, it will open in 2008...

 

President Zimmer says why UC engagement with public schools is important

Herald (in Oct. 23 2006 interview): Why is it important for the university to work with Chicago Public Schools through charter schools and scholarships:
Zimmer: The work the university does with Chicago Public Schools is two fold. It is connected directly to that larger academic purpose. Second, it provides a means of access to students who generally come from less affluent families. All universities play an important role in this country in terms of bringing families and bringing students from less financially advantaged situations into a more mainstream economic situation. That is a piece of and a positive goal of the university system in this country. Top

School of Social Service Administration holds Community Schooling Conference 2005.

By Joanne Howard. From the Summer 2005 Conference Reporter

Did you know the School of Social Service Administration (SSA) at the University of Chicago had a Community Schools Program? SSA has been actively engaged in helping to make K-12 education in Chicago better. With the leadership of University President Don Randel, Dean Jean Marsh of SSA, and a sizable contribution from James and Judith Dimon, civic leaders, and long-term advocates for school reform, the University of Chicago is making its mark on education in Chicago.

SSA held an all-day conference in July to promote the community schools concept. "Community Schooling: It's a Process, not a Program" discussed the essential supports and processes of community schooling. The program was attended by principals, representatives of community-based organizations, resource coordinators, technical assistance providers, and funding organizations. The conference was coordinated by the watchful eyes of Sarah Duncan, Coordinator, and April Porter, Associate Coordinator of the Community Schools Program at SSA.

The concept of community schooling brings together the academic and social supports needed to ensure that all students succeed by offering programs before, during, and after the school day for students and their families. The programs are designed to support the academic program at a school to expand the services offered within the community. Programs offered at each school vary, but most Community schools in Chicago offer some combination of academic enrichment activities for students, adult education and English as a Second Language classes, student and adult technology training, art activities, recreation and health services.

The University is engaged in a holistic approach to improving Chicago schools by helping to train school practitioners and conducting research on issues relevant to policy makers. For additional information on SSA, please visit their web site at www.ssa.uchicago.edu.

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New Committee on Education formed at U of C, uses South Side Schools as research source and beneficiary

New Committee on Education a two way street with schools, communities

From the March 16 2006 Chronicle. By William Harms

New Committee on Education will build exchange of effective ideas

The University's new Committee on Education, which will pioneer an effort to build an exchange of teaching methods and ideas between school practitioners and education researchers, has been established as part of the Division of Social Sciences [Chair Stephen Raudenbush].....

The Committee will promote interdisciplinary exchange among scholars whose research focuses on education. The Committee will sponsor an ongoing workshop on education, administer training grants in educational research and foster connections among education-related programs in existing departments and schools- including the SSA's Community Schools Program, the Urban Teacher Education Program, and courses in educational psychology, educational sociology, economics of education, social work and educational policy.

At the same time, the Committee will promote discourse between scholars and educational practitioners involved in the University's Urban Education Initiative (UEI). The aim is advance scholarship on schooling while supporting UFEI's commitment to reflective practice. A vigorous fund-raising effort will support this effort. This...create[s] an opportunity to develop a unique and exciting approach to educational scholarship that will gain national recognition and bring credit to the University, Raudenbush said.

The Center for Urban School Improvement.. charter schools provide and excellent opportunity for researchers to to learn about effective practices...."At Donoghue School... entering student literacy scores were significantly below grade level," he said. "The principal decided to give all of the students five hours of literacy work each day. This is something that could not have happened in a conventional school setting." As a result of this intervention, the students' literacy skills improved dramatically [from 2 of 50 at grade level to 26 after 3 months].

Traditional education research looks at conventional practices in the classroom and not at innovations such as this intervention that can have significant impact, Raudenbush said. [He] said the committee will study what works effectively among disadvantaged student in Chicago and accordingly suggest ways to improve teaching and learning in schools across the city and around the country. R... will work with others on a monograph titled The Chicago Model for Urban Schools Part I: Primary Schools, which will document effective practices in the charter schools in order to disseminate successful practices....

Students can again earn a masters in teaching and CPS teaching certificate K-9 at the same time.

The University long had a pioneering and highly successful School of Education, forming part of the University's reputation as the "teacher of teachers." Initial head was John Dewey, for whom the Laboratory Schools were built. Another noted head was Claude Reavis. In the 1990s the University Administration felt there were problems with the program and decided to go in different directions in its research, training and outreach programs and structure. As these have grown enormously, the current administration has decided to move back toward a structured program, a Committee on Education, intended to recruit students young through mid-career to advance their understanding and skills in pedagogy and the field of education at Chicago.

Charles Lewis and wife (?) Penny Bender Sebring of the Lewis-Sebring family foundation have given the University $5 million for the Committee on Education endowed chair and endowed heads the Urban School Initiative and its other components, Consortium on Chicago School Research and Center for Urban School Improvement.

Stephen Raudenbush, a leading scholar on advanced ethnology of research into education and devoted to improving urban schools, will be the Lewis-Sebring Chair in Education and Professor in Sociology. His wife, a noted education analyst, passed away before she could join the Committee.

The approach and structure is interdisciplinary, bringing together faculty from many departments an schools on common projects. An initial focus is, What are the most critical issues and social fabric affecting urban schools and how can these be effectively understood and solutions found and applied? Improved measurement and interpretation of performance is a major focus of Raudenbush.

Actually, the Committee is the first of its kind in terms of research breadth to address to goal of interdisciplinarity. Faculty come from economics, psychology, public policy, human development, math, social service, and sociology. One object is to create a joint monograph pointing the way to improved quality of public education--the kind of study that, Raudenbush said, is not coming out of the education schools, or indeed anywhere else. The charter schools will of course be an integral part of this South Side based research process.

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Summary of some Education initiatives for Woodlawn, disclosed at public meeting July 2005: The University opened the SSA for Hyde Park High's summer program during school construction. The Urban Schools program has a large number of tutors assisting teachers in classrooms in Woodlawn and other nearby neighborhood schools. The University Schools Technology Initiative is wiring the schools. The Center for Urban Schools is meeting with and training with the teachers and principals of all Area 15 at Bret Harte. One of the next of several UC charter schools was virtually promised at that meeting to be in Woodlawn. The Harris Recreational Center may not be the only new venue for getting Woodlawn kids off the street--officials said they will revisit some old--and affordable--programs dropped along the way. Top

University celebrates successes of it CPS Scholars Program.

The program gives 5 full-tuition scholarships to 5 CPS outstanding graduates each year. It started with a 4-year grant from the Crown Foundation and is now a permanent supported program. Administrators say the success is partly due to steady improvement in the CPS product, which has increased the eligible pool, and partly the outstanding record of the selectees. CPS CEO Arne Duncan concurred. The number of applicants also has risen from 137 initially to 208 in spring 2006. A total of 20 have now been in the program and have excelled in the arts, mathematics, paleontology (working with Paul Sereno), urban teaching, film production, and public health. In addition to this program, the Collegiate Scholars program brings 150 outstanding CPS students to campus each year to prepare them for admission to leading universities.

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Area 15 instructors, administrators in intensive program by UC Center for Urban School Improvement to match Bret Harte's gains.

The 110 from 22 schools convened at Ray School July 13 to engage in literacy professional development in Area 15/Urban School Improvement Summer Leadership Institute Reading Essentials. Held up as example was Bret Harte's (1556 E. 56th St.) improvement in ISAT scores in the past 3 years from under 50 percent to nearly 70% meeting state standards. For this achievement, Harte has been named a "Rising Star" school by CPS.

In the workshop, every school was to develop its own literacy plan. The object was also for all the schools of the Area to be coached by USI and share professional development area wide, something that has not been done before. Local schools include Canter, Harte, Kozminski, Ray, Reavis, and Shoesmith. (Murray is in Area 17.) Harte principal Michael Keno attributes the school's improvement to the program developed by UCI.

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U of C Alumni Club of Chicago and Alumni for Public Schools partners with Austin Sexton Elementary School.

From the Chicago Fall 2007 Programs for Alumni: Over the past few months, the Alumni Club of Chicago has worked closely with Alumni for Public Schools (APS), in an effort to link University of Chicago alumni with volunteer opportunities in Chicago Public schools in the Hyde Park area. APS is a not-for-profit organization that facilitates partnerships between the Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago chapters of college and university associations, based on the school's needs and the club's resources.

Our Chicago Alumni Club has joined in partnership with Sexton Elementary School, 6020 S. Langley Avenue, Chicago, IL. Located just west of Cottage Grove and across the street from historic Washington Park, Sexton serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The school's proximity to the University of Chicago's Hyde Park campus and the abundance of volunteer opportunities for alumni make this partnership a natural fit. Alumni have already volunteered at Sexton's Family Reading Night, and tutored students in a Summer Literacy Camp targeted to first and second graders.

More events and activities are being planned for the 207-2008 school year, so we encourage you to become involved in this wonderful school community. For more information, please contact Carolyn Jannace, cmjannace@hotmail.com, or Oscar Anderson, oscarand@comcast.net. To learn more about Sexton Elementary, please visit http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/S/Sexton.html.

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Initiatives and programs

University of Chicago Summer Session for high school and undergraduate students /. June 18-Aug. 26--3, 4, 5, 7, 9 week sessions. Earn college credit in courses taught by distinguished faculty, choose from 16 ancient and modern languages including immersion option in Chinese or Arabic, dig fossils in Wyoming. work in the bio lab or argue a mock trial, explore culture in Chicago, and more! http://summer.uchicago.edu,
uc-summer@uchicago.edu including requests for catalogue, 773 702-6033.

MetroSquash is an after-school program in Henry Crown Fieldhouse that pairs homework help with heavy rounds of squash. The first urban squash program outside the Northeast, it stresses sportsmanship because players of the opposing team are in the same space. It builds relationships and the grades come up from the tutoring. Enthusiasm is key to getting in. Kozminski School's 5th grade is really into the program, sending 10 to 16 students. On weekends there are community service days and field trips to MSI, et al. They participated in the Illinois State Juniors tournament in Lake Forest and attended the Windy City Open, the largest squash tournament in North America.

The CSI runs the North Kenwood/Oakland Charter School (founded 1998) at 1119 E. 46th (former Shakespeare School). The purpose of the school is serve as professional development for public schools and enhance teaching practices. And it's in the thick of the Mid South Initiative of CPS. The latter is expanding to have two classrooms per grade and it likely to establish, at closed nearby St. Anselm School, a separate middle school for its soon-to-graduate 6th graders. The University is considering siting for its next charter school, anywhere from 29th to 67th, the Dan Ryan to the Lake. One possibility is Donoghue on 37th, where many new residents will be moving in and there is no school. See more below.

Neighborhood Schools Program: Getting UC tutors/student volunteers into your school- 773 834-1935, or getting students, faculty et al from your school into volunteer opportunities or paid projects through the University Service Center - 773 753-GIVE

Among the University's first programs was Special Programs/College Prep, which started in the late 1960s. (http://chronicle.uchicago.eum/941208/unitedway.shtml). Coach Larry Hawkins formed mentored an African high school team in test-taking and precollegiate preparation. Carol Mosely Braun was on the team. 773 702-8288.

Also, there are 5 full tuition scholarships per year to qualified CPS graduate in the UC Scholarship Programs

The University of Chicago's expanded Center for Urban School Improvement/Center for Urban Schools and Consortium for School Improvement Research have announced an expanded program for direct school curricular help and establishment of interns in schools, students on campus programs, and UC scholarships for CPS students.
This includes the New Teachers Network with online and much other support for South Side teachers in their first two years. 773 834-1081. Top

The University has replaced its renowned Education department with a series of programs and internships. For example, a pilot Urban Teacher Education Program (under the Center for School Improvement) uses the hospital teaching mentorship model, currently with 10 4th-year college students. After their work, including at the North Kenwood/Oakland charter school, the students will earn their Illinois teacher certificate. One of the goal is find how to break the cycle of an 80% rate of teacher failure during the first 5 years out. "Teach for America" has not had great success in training-for-success those new to teaching, says CSI Exec. Director Tim Knowles, who helped found Teach for America. CIS uses the successes of the U of C's famous Core and Great Books programs-immersion in complete texts rather than learning by sampling original snippets or secondary texts. The class work and tutorials also draws heavily on social sciences fieldwork and hospital teaching rounds models and incorporates classwork, research and discussion on the background and current dynamics of teaching, classrooms, and social/community matrix of American education. Experience includes after school and small-group literacy tutoring. The second year is heavy on clinical fieldwork and teaching, with much feedback from students on what and who are working out. The objective is a set of training strategies that are replicable and scalable. 773 834-1837 or 834-1416.

Urban School Improvement Network
Dell Foundation has added$2 m to the growing grants to the Center for Urban School Improvement and affiliates. This grant strengthens partner schools with profession development, coaching and consultation for leadership teams, customized support, and sharing of what's been learned. This network, formed in September 2005, now includes the U of C charter schools and ACE Technical Charter High Schools; four more are joining with several more (to 15 total) invited, all schools that share similar values. One purpose is to demonstrate all can learn at a high level. The values include commitment to rigorous intellectual work, instruction based on distributed leadership and evidence-based decision-making, professional community, integrated academic and social supports, partnerships with parents and communities, desire to really teach all.

Meanwhile, the University's Center for Human Potential at the Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy has been funded by the Tribune-McCormick Foundation to test whether classroom-based interventions that target improvements in young children's emotional and behavioral adjustment (preschool readiness) also improve their language skills and academic achievement.

The Center for Infant Studies invites children 0-5 and their parents and siblings to participate in research projects. 773 702-2246.

Consortium on Chicago School Research. See also Chapin Hall Center for Children, School of Social Service Administration.

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And UC mathematicians/ U of C School Mathematics Project (773 702-1130) will be working with colleagues on a new national math an science curriculum under the National Science Foundation. UC will house one of the Centers for Mathematics Curriculum. Part of the program is to foster graduate training, leaders, and issuance of papers. The Mathematics Project has long been active in local schools. Top Related outreach includes Seminars for Elementary Specialists and Mathematics Educators and Math Prof. Sally's Young Scholars Program (773 702-7389) , Summer Institute for the Development of Mathematics Teachers in Chicago Middle Schools,
Center for Elementary Mathematics and Science Education/Seminar for Elementary Specialists and Mathematics and Science Educators ( 773 702-7389).
Polk Bros. k-8 teachers in UC Math Teacher Program (773 553-6236)

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The Space Explorers of the Kavli Institute brings inner city kids along from elementary to advanced careers with 100 percent success. 773 702-8288.

Other large UC projects include the fast-growing Collegiate Scholars Program that brings CPS students on campus from 9th grade, the CPS scholarship admissions program, and the study of CPS students in colleges. In the former, 1000 applied in 2003 for 78 positions. 12 Hyde Park and Bronzeville students are currently enrolled. The total was 55, taking classes from top UC faculty. This program, in its 2nd year, is largely funded by the Crown Foundation. (http://chronicle.uchicago.edu/040527/collegiate-scholars.shtml) 773 702-2239.
And College Bridge 773 702-8803.

This program is really taking off. 600 apply each year for the 60 openings. Community service, extra curricular's etc. counts in selection as almost all have excellent grades. The first class, formed in 2003, is in 2006 ready to take off for college (half have applied for U of C). Demystifying education--helping them see how far they can go. [The kids are heading to the best colleges and universities in the country.]

Cultivating Tomorrow's Artists- teaching about humanity through arts curriculum and performance opportunities. InsideOut, Fall 2007.

"The Collegiate Scholars Program has always been there for me," says budding filmmaker Jose Choto, quick to credit the supportive environment of the enrichment program he has participated in while in high school.

Since 2003, the University of Chicago has welcomed over 250 talented young people from Chicago public high schools in the Collegiate Scholars Program. This unique college preparatory program brings students together with dedicated faculty members to learn about literature, mathematics, science, social sciences, and writing.

Fifty ninth-graders who have distinguished themselves are selected each year to participate in this free three-year enrichment program designed to help public school students gain admission to and succeed at the best institutions of higher education in the United states. Collegiate Scholars take advanced academic classes taught primarily by University of Chicago faculty members during the school year and the summer. They and their parents also get a head start on the college search process.

"The program, however, is not only about Chicago-style math and science," says program director Kim Ransom. "The arts curriculum and performance opportunities are a great vehicle for teaching Collegiate Scholars about life and humanity. Those who pursue careers in the arts can really benefit from the exposure and connections the program provides."

Along with their academic classes, Collegiate Scholars are exposed to a wide range of artistic endeavors both on campus and in the community. In recent years, they have seen the well-regarded production of August Wilson's Fences at Court Theatre, and they have visited contemporary visual art exhibits at the Renaissance Society. Partnerships with local cultural organizations are set to expand in the coming years, as Ransom is interested in working with the Hyde Park Art Center and the Little Black Pearl Art and Design Center in North Kenwood.

The city of Chicago is also a terrific resource. Individual student have linked with such artistic groups as Young Chicago Authors and the ETA Creative Arts Foundation, and groups often travel to see free performances by world-renowned musicals in Grant and Millennium Parks. All of these programs work together, Ransom notes. "The arts and culture are a very important part of our mission to prepare students for admission and success at selective colleges. This component serves as a tool to engage students in critically thinking about humanity. It broadens their perspectives on their own lives and the ways they can engage with the world around them."

Police and Fire full tuition scholarships. 773 702-8656. Top

CUIP. The Chicago Public Schools/University of Chicago Internet Project (CUIP) (founder Astrophysicist Don York) scored a coup in 2003-2004 when CUIP helped Wadsworth School (Woodlawn) 5th graders, teacher Meredith Jones, create an award-winning website for the Chicago White Sox! Wadsworth was the first-place winner, and Jerry Reinsdorf presented the $1,000 award. (The whole school also gets to attend and be honored at a game.) Since 1996, The major goal of CUIP has been integrating internet resources successfully into classroom curriculums--jump-starting use of technology as a teaching and learning tool--in 26 schools in Woodlawn, HPK, and north Kenwood/Oakland, giving inner city public schools kids the same advantages as those in private or suburban schools, according to UC Director of Neighborhood Affairs and Director of the Neighborhood Schools Program Duel Richardson as quoted in the University Chronicle. Benjamin Lorch is CUIP Managing Director. The program sends 450 UC students into the 26 schools. Especially praised for success of the Wadsworth project were past and present principals and teachers. CUIP maintains a digital library in conjunction with Regenstein Library. The 2004 May tournament/expo drew 600 school students.

In 2005, Price Elementary produced a website on the value of water while Woodlawn Community were among those at the penultimate Internet Fair at King High. Staff includes Man. Dir. Benjamin Lorch.

Visit Wadsworth's site: http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/mlb/kids/website_contest/winner/index.html or http://www.mlb.com. Top

Little Red Schoolhouse (English 130 Advanced Academic and Professional Writing) is expanding in its new quarters in Walker and Rosenwald Halls as it celebrates its 25th year. More than 1200 students participate, some of whom are in or impact the various schools and other outreach programs. In fact, there ate up to 75 well-trained teaching assistants in writing employed by the program as lectors, interns or tutors. Interns work with students in the Core courses (mainly First and Second Years). The program has much tutorial and informal meeting space as well as a computer lab. The class is grueling and targeted first at 3rd and 4th Years but now reaches both younger undergrad's and graduate students, including in Law and Business. The object is writing for experts-writing that has to be clear, organized, persuasive and valuable. The next step is apply the program to foreign language training. Top

Another educational outreach is the Humanities Division's Civic Knowledge Project (visit Civic Knowledge page) including the Odyessy Project, co-funded by Illinois Humanities Council. Believing knowledge itself gives power and using a "client-provider" model, it provides courses for adults below the poverty level and tutors their children. This is run by Danielle E. Allen, Dean of Humanities, and Elizabeth Babcock--and it's going Spanish, too. Graduate students also conduct "Reading your Rights Project" at William Carter School. Washington Park Knowledge Project conducts learning in the park. Bart Schultz, Joanie Friedman, 1010 E. 59th St. Chicago, IL 60637, 773 834-3929. fax: 773-834-2586.
Hannah Jacoby coordinates Winning Words: Orate, Debate, and Enact/Verbal Arts for Democratic Practice, a year-long after-school program for high and middle school students. Top

Enhancing Assets: Small Humanities and Arts Institution Resource Network will map all Offshoot of Civic Knowledge. South-Side humanities and arts institutions in a database and bring the institutions and their educational outreach together. (Example: Smart Museum's Art Afternoons.) www.uchicago.edu/artscouncil see also humanities.uchicago.edu. http://civicknowledge.uchicago.edu
More in Arts News. New website for Southside Arts and Humanities Network.

Enhancing Assets. This is the increasingly well funded new resource network of arts and humanities organizations being organized by the Division of Humanizes Civic Knowledge Project of the University of Chicago. It grew out of the Cityspace community conference held in spring, 2004. One finding was that too many nonprofits have no where to go for help and advice and collaborative enterprise. Danielle Allen, Dean, proposes biannual conferences covering funding, public relations, legal issues, technology, human resources, and business practice. The first was on January 29. Enhancing Assets small arts and humanities organizations conference hosted by University of Chicago Division of Humanities (bi-annual conferences but to become an ongoing project). Contact Elizabeth Babcock of Civic Knowledge Project, Division of Humanities, 1010 E. 59th St. Chicago, IL 60637, 773 834-3929. fax: 773-834-2586. More in Arts and Culture News.

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University of Chicago Graham School offers the Saturday Scholars Program for high school students. 8 courses, October through December 2005. $400. Gleacher Center, 450 N. Cityfront Plaza Dr. http://grahamschool.uchicago.edu/saturdayscholars.

Smart Museum in expansion with new grants, partners with nearly 25 area schools, including teacher workshops. SmartKids website (http://www.smartmuseum.uchicago.edu/smartkids/index.html) Contact outreach director Melissa Holbert.

Partnering with schools- 773 702-4540.

Smart Families/Families at the Smart gain increased funding, helps Smart become a major mover in city arts, culture, communities and is expanding its schools hands on, while it visits Blackstone Library 2nd Saturdays!

The 2005 "Museums for America" grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency, leverages Smart money 1 to 1 for family programs that reach to many more South Side communities, for which Smart can become more of a resource and "community based asset"- not just bringing programs to schools etc. and families to the Museum, but working with communities. The program will bring many into contact with the arts and critical and social thinking that have been isolated from such since the schools went south on the arts and other family-friendly cultural venues are scarce.

The Smart believes it is uniquely situated to be a place where students, teachers, and families can learn and also engage with each other and members of the University, "Sharing traditional and new art experiences in a safe, stimulating and education-oriented environment," according to Smart PR and Marketing Director Christine Carrino, as quoted in the Nov. 3 Chronicle. Audience research is one of the first tasks, as is improvement of online and print material aimed at children and parents.

In addition to its outreach to thousands of school children, "Smart Explorers" for 4th and 5ht graders is a 15-week program in both schools and the museum. Its 5 units include visual language, materials and processes, narrative in art, art in context, and project in which students research and lecture on a piece and create art. Critical thinking and all types of communication are central.

"Art in Focus" is targeted to 3rd and 4th graders and "Art in the Making" is for 6th graders. On 3 Sundays in the year, there are family days in which the whole museum becomes a treasure hunt, and in the summer there are weekly "Art Afternoons."

Now the Museum wants to find out what are the barriers to visiting and what programming might appeal. Under consideration is school-specific family nights with transportation provided.

The interactive SmartKids website, http://smartmuseum.uchicago.edu/smartkids/ will be expanded.

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Court Theatre outreaches and brings in interns et al. 773 8334-3243. http://www.courttheatre.org.

University Theater training. 773 702-3414. http://ut.uchicago.edu.

Department of Music sends visiting artists into schools. 773 702-3427. http://music.uchicago.edu.

St. Paul Chamber Orchestra adopts schools. Now in residence at the University, SPCO has formed a partnership with CPS- CONNECT: Chamber Orchestra's Neighborhood Network of Education, Curriculum and teachers. Kids, such as from Ray, Carnegie and North-Kenwood/Oakland in November, come together in classrooms or on campus to explore and perform classical with SPCO and teachers are introduced to a full curriculum that relates music to other subjects in an engaging way, according to the November 17, 2005 Chronicle. The purpose is to have music a key part of the experience and curriculum through all grades. Teachers training started Sept. 27, and is themed differently every year. They learned about the families of instruments, science of sound, and tried making original instruments. Orchestra members visit each classroom at least twice a year in addition to visits from cultural partner artists (i.e. African, South American, jazz...). The Nov. 3 "for families" concert was the first time many of the kids were in a concert hall. The program continues in Minneapolis where 17 schools are enrolled. Visit http://www.thespco.org.

Program for Academic Exploration for High School Juniors and Seniors with the Center for Study of Race, Politics and Culture and University's Neighborhood Schools Program has enrichment programs such as "Race and Representation." They visited many places, studied with a variety of scholars and made a film, Blackness: A Representation.

Oriental Institute and Social Sciences Divisions also held programs in schools and for teachers; OI also has classes and a great website. 773 702-9507. www-oi.uchicago.edu.

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The world-region departments (area centers) jointly held in 2004 a Workshop for Educators, Regional Perspectives on Globalization and Human Rights. Center for Latin American Studies also has programs for educators; East Asian Studies sent a good portion of its faculty to help with as large curricular workshop at North Central College. South Asia has a large lending library of videos and books.

A new outreach project is Science and Technology Mentoring Program, piloted by Argonne National Laboratory at North Kenwood-Oakland Charter. Kids hands-on in cutting-edge materials science with post-docs and grad students. SCOPE teaches future science teachers to engage kids and the public. Others are Project Exploration, Materials Research Center middle and high school Latina outreach, Seminars for Elementary Specialists and Mathematics Educators and Math Prof. Sally's Young Scholars Program, Summer Institute for the Development of Mathematics Teachers in Chicago Middle Schools. See also Space Explorers above.

Bio-Medicine and Social Work. One could mention a large array of such programs for Biological Sciences also (773 834-7744) and Biology Student Lab Program (773 834-7744) . And Social Services Administration is deep into a program at Revere School in Grand Crossing.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute Summer Seminar Program. (Hands on lab, internet tools). 773 834-7744.

UC Hospitals. HIV/AIDS educ. 773 702-6970. Asthma Center 773 702-1858. Pediatric Mobile Van 773 834-8850. And more including high school classes pre-orientations. http://uchospitals.edu, volunteers@uchospitals.edu.
More in the Good Neighbor page. Top

School of Social Service Administration's Program for Leadership in Community Schools enhanced by Bank One/Chase and Dimon gifts. In late 2003, SSA started the Program for Leadership in Community Schools with a Bank One/Chase grant. In spring, 2005 the program received a substantial gift from Judith and James Dimon. The program trains graduate students to work in community schools and trains social workers in community school settings. "Community schools" are defined as bringing together students, teachers , parents, community resources to overcome barriers to learning faced by many urban kids. More programs and services are typically provided, especially professionals who engage administration up to the top of CPS to find and get resources ranging from partnerships, school-wide reorganization models, data-driven decision making, and reaching into the families and elsewhere outside the school.

The Program in spring, 2005 held a forum, "Working at the Intersection of Social Work and Education." Paul Fagen spoke of his 4-year counseling stint at North Lawndale High, whose new senior class had a 91% graduation rate, with 87% of these going on to college-level studies.

Read about the Summer, 2005 conference on Community Schooling, above.

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Kenwood Academy-University of Chicago Program for Academic Exploration. Kenwood junior and senior women worked with the University of Chicago on the "Hip Hop and Feminism" project that culminated in a major conference at the University in April 2005.
Every spring Kenwood students participate in the after school Kenwood Academy-University of Chicago Program for Academic Exploration (Kenwood Project), which is centered around a class taught by UC professors and PhD students. This spring, teachers were Melissa Harris-Lacewell, Jacqueline Stewart and Tangi Gilliam. Students presented at the Conference a set of essays, collages and a "sonic exploration." Their final project is a video collage of class conversations which they will present both at the University and at a Rainbow-Push youth conference in June.

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Charters and U of C

Charters started with North Kenwood-Oakland, then Donogure, the n Wodlawn High. In fall 298, the NOK middle school, now at St. Amrose, will move to a new Carter G. Woodson campus (with new students), 4414 S Evans (by traditional CPS Woodson), fall 2008, the 100th anniversary of Woodson's UC graduation. The new school, like the others, will stress expectation of going to college and will offer one-on-one computing (>each owning a laptop and participation in Digital Youth Network-- a real workshop), X-programming (photog-biking-painting-fitness-entreprneurship..., and signature programs.

Chronicle, Oct. 6 2006: Woodlawn, University partners in education through Charter School. By William Harms

As the teachers and 160 students of the newly opened Woodlawn High School marched into the auditorium of this University-operated charter school Wednesday, Sept. 27, an audience of University leaders, Woodlawn residents and other community members was on hand to applaud the group.

For the dedication of the third campus of the University of Chicago Charter School and it first charter high school, President Zimmer spoke at the event with some remarks of praise for the launch of the new school: " Nothing we do as a society is more important than educating our children. The University of Chicago is very proud to be part of this partnership, which reflects the values of the University."

Joining Zimmer at the dedication of the campus, which shares space with Wadsworth Elementary School at 6420 S. University Ave., was James Crown, Chairman of the University Board of Trustees; Alderman Arenda Troutman, whose 20th Ward includes Woodlawn; State Sen. Kwame Raoul; Woodlawn community leader, Joseph Strickland; and Hank Webber, Vice President for Community and Government Affairs at the University. Hosanna Mahaley, New Schools Officer and the head of the Renaissance 2010 initiative for the Chicago Public Schools, also attended the event.

A video chronicling the hopes and dreams of Woodlawn's students and parents also was shown. One of the directors and producers of the video is Woodlawn freshman Shani Edmond, a graduate of North Kenwood/Oakland Charter School, the University's first charter school campus, established in 1998. "As a student leader, I plan to set the pace for success." said Edmond. "My goal is to demonstrate what it actually means to get admitted to college and graduate from college with success."

The Woodlawn campus' secondary program begins in sixth-grade under a model designed to improve the transition to the traditional high school grades. Enrollment consists of 50 6th graders and 110 ninth graders. By 2009-2010, it will enroll 590 students and will graduate its firsts class in 2010.

Timothy Knowles, Director of the Center for Urban School Improvement, which operates the school, said the mission is ambitious: to prepare all its students for success in college, develop new knowledge about Chicago's communities through student research, service and leadership, and serve as a site of professional development where educators enhance their capacity to teach.

The school day, which begins at 8:15 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m., is about three hours longer than the normal day at Chicago Public Schools. The school year is 190 instructional days long, compared to 173 at Chicago Public Schools.

Students already have become engaged in challenging ways of learning. For instance, they are currently studying A Raisin in the Sun, By Loraine Hansberry, who grew up in Woodlawn. Their studies will include attending and getting an inside look at Raisin, a musical based on the prize-winning play, which is currently playing at Court Theatre. Court Theatre, on the University's campus, is one of the school's partners.

The curriculum and graduation requirements are linked to college entrance requirements. Students must complete three years of laboratory science and social sciences, and by taking double periods during the freshman year, they will have five years of English and mathematics.

Open to students throughout the city, the school is intended to serve Woodlawn in particular; 43 percent of the campus' students resided in the school's attendance zone. In general, the zone runs from 60th to 67th streets and from Stony Island Avenue to Evans Avenue.

Barbara Crock, a former teacher, coach and administrator in public schools in Chicago, Boston and San Francisco, is director of t he campus and Victoria Woodley, who also has extensive experience in Chicago Public Schools, is the director of academic and social supports.

Major funding supporters of the high school are the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation and Chicagoans Ken and Anne Griffin.

Students at the North Kenwood/Oakland campus of the University of Chicago Charter School have achieved academic success, according to the 2006 data from the Illinois Standards Achievement Test. That report showed that an average of 79 percent of NKO's third- through eighth-grade students met or exceeded standards in mathematics and an average of 79 percent of NKO's students in the same grades met or exceeded standards in reading.

In addition to North Kenwood/Oakland, the University of Chicago Charter School has a campus at Donoghue, 707 E. 37th St., which opened last fall. In its first year, the majority of Donoghue's kindergarten- through third-grade students made more than on year of progress in reading, with 52 percent of students meeting reading benchmarks in June 2006, compared to 13 percent at the start of the school year.

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The Donoghue (set boundary neighborhood school) joined North-Kenwood Oakwood as the second UC charter school in fall 2005. The UC in January was getting close to announcing the site of its Woodlawn K-12 school, which will be in an underutilized public school and have an open boundary. This school one guesses is Wadsworth, which has 320 students in a 2,000 building and from which Woodlawn Community charter has moved. A Unique feature will be an intensive college preparatory curriculum featuring a Signature Project that a student works on for a year, focusing on issues (historical, political, or environmental) related to their own neighborhood with grad students and sometimes UC faculty. 9th and an elementary grades will be started, with the other grades added year by year. 5 grads will be eligible for a U of C scholarship. The University wants to have good instruction be the cause of academic success while training public school teachers. The new director is Barbara Crock.

May 19, 2005, the Gates Foundation announced a grant of $6 million to the UC Center for School Improvement. This was part of an $11.2 million grant to public schools and groups citywide. The Center will spend its grants setting up 2 more U-run charter schools (1 a high and one a prek-12 for 4 of expected 5 or 6) in the fall of 2006-8, design and set up 5 more high schools to be run by others but aided by UC. All will be college oriented, including for challenged learners, and training grounds for teachers. UC will also be expanding its help to up to 7 high schools and up to 12 elementary schools. UC will not be seeking to take over existing schools such as Dyett, which is on probation.

The goals of the U of C schools according to Timothy Knowles in the U of C Chronicle : (1) provide students with a rigorous college-preparation program, (2) serve as sites of professional development for Chicago Public Schools teachers and instructional leaders , and (3) play a vital role in community building in the neighborhoods where they are located.

Gates Foundation supports University's urban education goals

William Harms, University of Chicago Chronicle, May 26, 2005

The University plans to open at least two new schools serving secondary-school students on the South Side in the next three years. The University-sponsored schools will provide eager students, regardless of their tested ability or socioeconomic background, enriched learning opportunities to pre spare them for college and success when they get there.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has given the University's Center for Urban School Improvement a grant of $6 million to support the design and start-up of these schools, as well as five additional high schools across the city's South Side. The University-sponsored schools will be operated by the Center for Urban School Improvement. The five additional schools will be operated by other organizations, receiving support and guidance from the Center for Urban School Improvement over the next four years.

Design work is underway for the first University-sponsored charter high school, which is expected to open in September 2006 and will serve students in grades 6-12. The second University-sponsored school is projected to operate in 2008, and is anticipated to serve pre-kindergarten-though 12th grand student when it reaches full capacity.

"Our plans align well with the Gates Foundation's vision of action for creating effective high schools for urban children," said Timothy Knowles, Executive Director of of the Center for Urban School Improvement. School leaders and faculty will enact a college-preparatory curriculum, which is interdisciplinary and rich in project- and laboratory-based experience.

The schools will have a threefold mission: provide students with a rigorous college-preparation program, serve as sites of professional development for Chicago Public Schools teachers and instructional leaders , and play a vital role in community building in the neighborhoods where they are located.

"The new schools will be small, 'effort-based' college-preparatory institutions. They will have personalized learning to encourage engagement in school work, high academic expectations and the necessary extra supports that enable all student to achieve at high levels," Knowles said. Throughout their school experience, students will engage in activities that colleges look for--service learning, exhibitions and performance, activities that cultivate leadership, and freshman-, sophomore-, junior- and senior-year research projects will be embedded in the school design.

"Struggling students will be given extensive support, and sufficient time, to succeed. Students unable to meet a grade's exit standards will be offered additional coursework during the school day, summer seminars and tutorial support. Put another way, while the standards will be non-negotiable, the time we provide to ensure students meet the standards will be elastic," Knowles said.

"Equally important, students meeting standards will be expected to participate in deeper courses of study--both within the school and beyond. The goal is ambitious and straightforward: every graduate will be very well prepared to succeed in a four-year college."

The schools will grow in a phased manner, Knowles said. When complete, the campuses may enroll up to 600 children in the 6th- to 12th-grade campus and 700 in the pre-kindergarten-to 12th-grade campus.

The Center for Urban School Improvement operates the highly successful North Kenwood/Oakland Charter School and this fall will [start] the Donoghue School, a new pre-kindergarten- to 8th-grade school.

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About charter schools and related initiatives, plans for a new charter at Donoghue, . All about charters. Info on new UC charter from Jan. 2005- tbarnett@usi.uchicago.edu
Expanded UC charter role opens 2005. See more in Gates, above. A counter view.

What has been apparently learned by the University, in its recent forays into childhood learning, for students to excel and be successful in college? Challenging standards must not be compromised but students must have both the resources and time, at their own pace, to master skills and gain the confidence to advance. Schools and classes must be small and effort-based and the learning environment personalized.

North Oakland consistently outscores other area schools, at least in math at 75% exceeding, although half in reading.

The third charter, Woodlawn High, to be sited in Woodlawn's Wadsworth School, was given final approval by CPS in March 2006. This year there will be 50 students in the 6th grade, 100 in the 9th. Over 500 applications were received.

(Meanwhile, North Kenwood-Oakland and Ariel charter are two of the apparently very few Mid-South schools that will only be gradually transformed but remain open. And Woodlawn Community led the Rising Stars in 2004 for most dramatic scores improvement.)

The University has announced its first high school will open in fall 2006, in Woodlawn in an Wadsworth School, 6420 S. University). CPS approved March 22, 2006. Graduates of the K-8 schools, currently North Kenwood-Oakland and Donoghue, will be able to continue in the new school. A focus will be on tracking into college (college entrance requirements) , success in college and leadership in communities, and real challenge to kids--including with UC faculty on research in humanities, social sciences, environmental sciences. Students will study issues of importance to Chicago's south side and will do projects that will be in an accessible digital library. Three years of lab science and soc. science, and five years worth of English an math. There will be multiple assessments. The school will also be a professional development site.

In meetings with Woodlawn residents and kids October 2005, some even asked for counseling that continues after graduation. Local hearings were held and CPS approved. The new school was fast tracked by a major MacArthur grant. The school is seeking a boundary, like Donoghue--that was by state law as charters aren't supposed to have boundaries. In Woodlawn this would give local residents first choice, and open the school if space remains. Some residents outside the bounds, especially in North Kenwood, asked for inclusion. The school's hours will be 8:15 to 5 and will include sports and clubs and go two weeks longer than CPS. Facilities such as gym and cafeteria will be shared. In the first year, there will be 50 sixth graders and 110 ninth, adding grades per year until there are 590 students in 2009. An unusual aspect will be stat of college prep in 6th grade. Why? Because only 57 percent of African American women and 38 percent of men graduate from high school in Chicago. Hank Webber, Community Affairs, calls this school part of an important partnership with communities.

Over 500 applied for Woodlawn High. A lottery for Woodlawn and the other charter schools was held recently. Principal: Barbara Crock, highly experienced in schools. The school was granted a boundary, 60th, 67th, Stony, and Evans. Priority is for students living there and students from the other UC charters.

 

University plans to lead second charter school to success. [A pilot of learning with internship and discovery for education practitioners]

From the Chicago Chronicle, January 20, 2005 by William Harms w-harms@uchicago.edu

After demonstrating throughs the North Kenwood-Oakland Charter School that outstanding educational research and innovative teacher training can boost academic performance, the University will build on that success with the opening of a second charter school.

Tim Knowles, Executive Director of the Center for Urban School Improvement, said he hopes the new school will profoundly influence the lives of students and families throughout the South Side. "Both the University and CPS expect this school to server as the nucleus of a network of new schools that contribute to the social, economic and civic vibrancy of Chicago's South Side," he explained.

The University is the nation's only major private research university to operate a charter school. The new school will be an additional campus to the already highly successful North Kenwood/Oakland Charter School and will serve as a model for the city and a training place for teachers on the South Side. The proposal for the school, which the University plans to open in the fall of 2005, will be reviewed Wednesday, Jan. 26, at the Chicago Public Schools board meeting.

The new charter school would be the second to be operated as a partnership between the University and the Chicago Public Schools. While serving as a second campus to the NKO Charter School, the new school would be operated separately. Additional University charter schools are likely to open in future years.

Operating since 1998, the [NKO] Charter School has proven successful, with students garnering high test scores across the grades, consistently exceeding Chicago Public School averages at all grades. NKO Charter School students exceed Illinois average scores in witting at all grade levels and mathematics at the fifth-grade level.

The new charter school, yet to be named, would open with pre-kindergarten and primary grades and eventually be expanded to serve pre-kindergarten- through eighth-grande students. Two classes of students would be enrolled at each grade level, with a maximum total enrollment of 500 students.

The new school is planned to be located in the former George T. Donoghue School at 507 E. 37th St. and would serve a diverse student body, including families who currently reside in the neighborhood and families who will be new residents of the housing developments being constructed in the area.

Arne Duncan, the chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools, requested a proposal for the charter school from the University in August 2004, and the Chicago Board of Education is expected to approve it next week.

The University's new charter school is part of its current efforts to engage in urban education. In addition to its established charter school, the University provides professional development to teachers and school leaders, offers an innovation teacher preparation program, designs technology tools to enhance teaching and learning, and generates knowledge about education through its Center for Urban School Improvement and through faculty research.

"We are very proud of the University's history of teaching and research," said President Randel. "With these charter schools, we are now committing ourselves to make that scholarship and education available as never before to many of the children who live near our community. Chicago's children are its future, and by developing these schools, we are pleased to be making an investment that will pay dividends to the children, Chicago and the nation for decades to come."

Like the NKO Charter School, the new school would have a college-preparatory curriculum, beginning with 4-year-old schoolchildren enrolled in the pre-kindergarten classes. In order to equip students for higher education, the school will stress reading and writing and will use the much-acclaimed University of Chicago Everyday Mathematics program.

Additionally, the students would use technology throughout the program and take part in a project-based science science curriculum that encourages critical thinking and collaboration.

As a professional development school, the charter school also would offer a teacher preparation and enrichment program that encourages aspiring, new and veteran teachers to learn from master educators and provide opportunities for teachers to work together and learn from each other.

One innovative feature of the school would be the establishment of an apprentice teacher program, in which master teachers serve as mentors of newly certified teachers. The arrangement also would provide time for the master teachers to work with visiting instructors from other schools in the district who seek to increase their professional knowledge and skills. The mode could be adopted in other University professional development schools, Knowles said.

"Over time, we envision that a continuous stream of apprentice tea