"What
do you think?" Hyde Parker Rod Sawyer has interned with Public
Radio in its Chicago Matters series. Here is a synopsis of
his segment. Any comments? Rod's
kids are currently in Ray School.
The
No Child Left Behind law gives parents the option of exercising
school choice in certain circumstances. For instance, they can move
their children from failing schools to better ones. Parents in Chicago's
Hyde Park neighborhood exercise school choice in a different way.
They often move their kids from good schools to even better ones.
Some parents even change schools to avoid specific teachers or enroll
their kids in special enrichment programs.
Ear
to the Ground’s Rod Sawyer reveals some of the strategies
he and some other Hyde Park parents are using to get the best educational
experience for their children. [Sawyer says the key deciders are
the moms--especially in middle class families--and they will fight
for the best school and program for their kids, as the prime
family-well being and advancement strategy.]
The
entire segment can be downloaded to media player from http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/programs/specials/chicagomatters/etg.asp
Rod
was mentored by Chicago Public Radio Reporter Jason DeRose. Top
Shorts
and briefs.
The
Schools Committee held a great banquet for lsc members including principals
February 25 at Canter Middle School. We thank the hospitality of Principal
Conlan and the school, the volunteers (including from Kenwood Academy),
Kozminski strings performing group, those who gave testimonials about
the value of lscs, and Sen. Kwame Raoul, who gave a serious talk about
the value and challenges of lscs and our schools. Certificates and
pins were awarded to all lsc members.
June
16, Monday, 7 pm. HPKCC Schools Committee meets at United Church of
Hyde Park, 1448 E. 53rd St. Blackstone Entry.
CPS
holds a general summer school for 8th graders seeking to get a leg
up and not be rusty in the fall. Visit the CPS site for how to apply.
Youth
14-18 (as of June 1 and completed 8th grade) with an interest in activism
an leadership can apply for a year-long Freedom Fellowship, including
an intensive 6-week summer leadership institute. Contact Hilda Franco
at hilda@chicagofreedomschool.org,
312 435-1201.
University
of Chicago Laboratory Schools is seeking endorsement for a major upgrade,
renovation and expansion. Toward that they received their largest
private gift eve, $10 million from Earl Shapiro.
There
continues to be concern about closing of schools, CPS budget, and
efforts to curb lscs- a lawsuit has been filed by PURE. And there
is a new proposal for boarding schools.
Hyde
Park Art Center continues its vigorous involvement with schools, most
recently starting projects at Canter (mural) and Ray (documentary
for new media yearbook). Projects last 8 weeks to a year and are in
addition to short and long classes in the Center. Contact Blake Bradford.
Little
Black Pearl Art and Design Center offers alternative learning cincentives
to at risk student. This is a partnership with CPS Dept. of Dropout
Prevention and Recovery. It includes making and selling art. So far
no students or schools in the local area hve been chosen, although
LBP has helped schools as close as Robinson at 42nd and Lake Park.
Murray
principal Michael Keno will retire at the end of the school year.
Murray students won the 2008 Area 15 science fair. Murray holds it
gala fundraiser May 17. Meanwhile candidate forum has been held and
a new principal will soon be announced. Word is that Ms. Conlan (interim)
has been selected as permanent Canter principal.
Three
local schools were honored in March 2008 by the Illinois State Board
of Education for academic gains: Carnegie (Spotlight and Improvement
awards. Shoesmith a Spotlight, and UC Elementary Charer School for
yearly improvements in testing scores. "Spotlight"
awards go to majority ow-income schools whosemeeting standards students
have gone from over 50 to over 60 percent and have made adequate progress
the prev. 2 years. "Academic Improvement" awards go to achols
with at least 90 percent meeting fo the past three years and for high
schools 80 percent must be passing the Praiire State exam for at least
3 years. Spotlights have gone up in chiago from 447 to 508 awards.
The achievement is especially dramtic for Carnegie, at th 90+ percentile.
The
following local teachers were among 208 CPS teachers named "Master
Teachers" for 2007 by the National Board of Professional Teaching
Standards: Elisha
Brandes an Duone Brown of Murray, Dnitra Griffin of Caregie, Carie
Lewin and Whitney Wall of U of C Charter School Donoghue, and Maur
Burke and Debra Fields U of C Carter school North Kenwood. The achievement
takes years of hard work; only about half of ech year's class make
the final grade. It carries a stipend of $1,750; most go on to take
peer-training leadership roles.
Congratulations
to all student and teacher winners of awards this year! For example,
Kenwood students won citywide art competitions and placed 2nd in debates.
Shoesmith, Murrya, and Ray students did well in the citywide "Battle
of the Books" competition.
Thanks
to all who ran or voted in the 2006 LSC elections. But in spring 2008
several parent reps have kids graduating, others are relocating or
resigning. So the call is out for candidates, including at Kenwood
Academy. Elections take place in April 2008, but there is whole slew
of steps ahead--see the LSC page.
Call the school re getting applications. Kenwood 773 535-1350. Please
run! deadline to file is March 12.
METROsquash
sports and academic, with behavioral and community service components,
CPS partnership afterschool program is growing: now in Kozminski and
Reavis, it expects to include Price this fall. Director Christine
Boukamp.
Artists,
such as from the Art Institute, go into the schools (example KAM Nursery
School) to bring specific broader lessons, such as attachment to nature
and environmental concern.
Help
in teacher recruitment is asked by CPS
Along
with many other districts across the nation, teacher shortages are
one of the persistent challenges in Chicago Public Schools. While
the
district currently has an accomplished group of professional educators,
the need for additional teachers is always great. The Chicago Teaching
Fellows is an aggressive campaign to recruit outstanding mid-career
professionals and recent college graduates to join our efforts to
provide Chicago's children with the education they deserve.
We believe
that you are the key to ensuring that qualified individuals
consider the teaching profession as they start to explore career
options. To be eligible to apply, a bachelor's degree is required
but
an education degree or certification is not. As we look to increase
our
presence in Chicago, we have a few simple requests for support:
* Please
visit and refer interested individuals to our website
at www.chicagoteachingfellows.org
<http://www.chicagoteachingfellows.org/>
. We would appreciate you
including the website link in any online materials and communications.
* Highlight
the Chicago Teaching Fellows program in your
organization's newsletter or publication.
Our
final application deadline has been extended to March 31, 2008.
Please spread the word among your group!
The
placement of one quality teacher has the potential to positively
impact the lives of numerous children. We appreciate your support
of
this program. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or
suggestions.
Regards,
Mallory
O'Connell, Program
Associate.Chicago
Teaching Fellows
http://www.chicagoteachingfellows.org/
info@chicagoteachingfellows.org
(773) 553-4014
Test
Results in LSC page and Tests
and rankings.
Local
schools, especially Kenwood, are participating in the Cool Globes
- Planet of Concern project featuring dozens of globes downtown by
Chicago artists and groups. They Kenwood globes are being decorated
at Hyde Park Art Center; teacher is Turtel Onli.
Hyde
Park music teachers and students from several private and public schools
--Kenwood, Akiba, Ray, Lab- raised funds for Habitat for Humanity.
Next
Schools Committee meeting at United Church, 7 pm, April 1, 2008. After
School Youth Programs Database continues to be our major focus but
we are gearing up for the next set of LSC elections.
(We will honor current LSCs at a banquet at Canter Middle School,
February 25, 2008- Sen. Kwame Raoul, speaker.)
Top
Does
your school seem to be slighted? Is only the worst side shown in the
media? First
find out what could be better, make sure you're involved and part
of the solutions. But our friend Rod Sawyer goes beyond this and gives
principles for making sure that what's in the media about your school
is (not his phrase) the caviar, not the carp. Basically, you have
to be proactive and feed media your material--the positive and what's
being done about the negative--and that these are the real scoop,
not someone's spin.
Adapted
from the Herald, November 17, 2004:
- Know
what you want your school to be known for and try to have it unique.
- Know
the local paper's education editor and her or him give material--they
can't write about nothing.
- Don't
be discouraged if not all your material gets in--keep trying to
make it appealing.
- Have
parents send in letters, prizes and favorable citations, etc.
- Take
the bad in stride, and if you're going to spin it, do it honestly
and sensibly
Top
Some
independent websites of schools:
Bret
Harte: http://www.cuip.net/schools/harte
Canter:
http:// cuip.net/schools/canter/
Kenwood:
http://www.kenwoodacademy.org
Kozminski:
http://cuip.uchicago.edu/schools/kozminski/
Murray:
http://
www.murray.cps.k12.il.us/
http://
www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=8033
Ray:
http://www.ray.cps.k12.il.us/
Shoesmith:
http://
cuip.uchicago.edu/schools/shoesmith/
Akiba-Schechter:
http://home.earthlink.net/~akibaschechter/
Ancona
Montesorri School.: http://www.anconaschool.org
____________________________
Ray
School narrows in on first principal selection in 17 years, chooses
Bernadette Butler.
Beloved
Principal Cydney Fields is retiring this year (a year early) after
17 years as principal of Ray School. While schools seeking principals
are not have ing an easy time this year due the high number of baby
boomers taking retirement, Ray has a great and enriched program, among
the higher scores, a great citywide reputation, and an anchor relationship
with the University of Chicago, especially the Neighborhood Schools
program and Students Teaching at Ray School (STARS) which together
provide 25 student teachers.
Ray School
has a new principal as of July 2007. 30-year-plus Hyde Parker Bernadette
Butler, the highly praised principal of Agassiz Elementary in Lincoln
Park since 1999. Her
mentor during training for that position was current Ray Principal
Cydney Fields. LSC chair Michael Scott told the Herald, "Ms.
Butler is an experienced, instructional leaders with enormous energy
and a clear vision that resonates with both teachers and parents."
Building and blending the arts curriculum is a major objective of
Ms. Butler and the LSC. Visit ray-school.org.
At
the forums, most parents and candidates stressed building on the school's
great assets and parental and community involvement. Duel Richardson
of the University stressed the importance of partnerships.
Searching
for school namesakes; for whom were local schools named?
Who
are they? From
the Herald, January 26, 2005, with additions
[CPS
seeks living relatives of persons for whom schools are named to serve
as Principal for a day and help build connections to schools over
the generations. Much new information has already been supplied by
Hyde Parkers-and the Murray Principal.]
- Miriam
G. Canter. Wife of well-known area ultra liberal politico
and publisher David Canter, Miriam worked tirelessly in earlier
decades to keep the old Kenwood School going after students moved
to new Kenwood Academy and make it viable as Louis Wirth elementary
and middle school and with her husband were leading supporters of
its conversion into the middle school for the Hyde Park Cluster
of schools. She also worked for establishment and success of Kenwood
Academy. (Louis B. Wirth was a pioneering sociology researcher and
thinker at the University of Chicago who strongly influenced policy,
including as reflected (or ignored) in Hyde Park Urban Renewal.)
Miriam and David are survived by son Evan, who has served as Principal
for a Day.
- Walter
H. Dyett. A
highly popular and influential African American band teacher in
such high schools as Wendell Phillips and DuSable.
- Bret
Harte. Famed short story writer of mid-19th Century California,
probably best remembered for a famous jumping frog of Calaveras
County. At least on living relative is known and is being contacted.
- Kenwood
Academy. OK, it's a stretch, but Kenwood was named for
the Scottish estate of Jonathan Asa Kennicott's mother's family
(to "ken" is to see or divine). They pioneered and built
in Kenwood in 1856. Jonathan's brother John Albert was a horticulturist
and founder of University of Illinois and the U.S. Department of
Agriculture. His son Robert founded the Chicago Academy of Sciences
and explored newly-purchased Alaska with the vim of Louis and Clark
but not the luck. Relatives founded and engaged in the school (then
elementary) and Illinois Foundation for Education. Kenwood Academy
high school was built in the 1960s (designer Aero Saarinen) in part
as a split-off by people who did not want to send their kids to
troubled and crowded large Hyde Park High--actually in Woodlawn.
Hyde Park, once one of the best schools in the country, was originally
at what is now Ray School.
- Charles
Kozminski. When on the School Board in the late 19th Century,
this leading Chicago businessman insisted that a truancy department
be established to enforce the school attendance laws. Highly regarded
by today's principal! Locals in the late 19th century were miffed
that the new school was not named Egandale, after the estate-area
of Dr. Egan. No relatives found.
- Philip
A. Murray. Led the United Steel Workers and United Mine
Workers until 1952. Widow found, hopes are she can come for principal
for a day.
- William
H. Ray. The "Horace Mann of the Middle West,"
this leading educational thinker and principal of the old Hyde Park
High School in the 1880s, died in mid-career. HP Presbyterian Church,
where he was very active, hosted over 700 at his funeral. No relatives
found.
- William
Claude Reavis. Reavis was a leading thinker in the Education
Department of the University of Chicago, his career spanning over
50 years and his bride of the early 1900s dying at nearly 100 in
the early 1970s. Relatives found.
- Beulah
Shoesmith. A
highly revered math teacher at Hyde Park High who inspired many
to become scientists and mathematicians, left her money to CPS for
a school. No relatives found.
By Kiratiana
E. Freelon
Hyde
Park's oldest elementary school, Charles Kozminski Community Academy,
is named after a man who registers only one hit in a Google search.
But that one hit is enough to explain why every Hyde Parker, and Chicagoan
for that matter, should know him. A 19th century state law required
all children in Chicago to attend school for 12 weeks out of the year.
But without anyone to enforce the law, hundreds of thousands of children
still never saw the inside of a classroom by 1888.
It was
then when immigrant businessman and Chicago Public Schools board member
Charles Kozminski requested that a committee be formed to enforce
the mandatory attendance law. Three "truancy officers" were
later appointed to investigate children found on the streets during
school hours.
Lionel
Bordelon, principal of Kozminski Community Academy, 936 E. 54th St.,
recognizes the importance of his school's namesake, even if his students
don't appreciate it. "Right now everybody is [honoring] Martin
Luther King, but we should also include Charles Kozminski," Bordelon
said.
Cynthia
Greenleaf, CPS director of external affairs and research [position
now of Mae Jefferson], wants all CPS students to understand how those
Chicagoans or Illinoisans with a school names in their honor made
a difference in the city's history. "We want our students to
be curious," Greenleaf said. "We want them to appreciate
that one person can make a difference."
Greenleaf
began to develop a CPS family tree three years
ago, hoping to find a living relative for each of the approximately
300 schools named after significant Chicago business people, public
officials, teachers and superintendents. By October, 2004, Greenleaf
had found the relatives of four Hyde Park area schools: Kenwood Academy,
William Claude Reavis Elementary, Dyett Academic Center, and Miriam
G. Canter [Middle School[. She used resources from each school as
well as the internet. She has yet to find a living relative of Charles
Kozminski.
Once
Greenleaf finds the relatives, she only expects them to do one thing--serve
as a principal for a day of their respective school. "Schools
think it is good to have people come from the outside and talk about
their experience," Greenleaf said.
Kenwood
Academy, 5015 S. Blackstone Ave., bears the name of the neighborhood,
not a person. So Greenleaf decided to search for the neighborhood's
founder Jonathan Asa Kennicott. A simple Google search led her to
www.kennicott.com, Jonathan's great-great-nephew Harrison Kennicott.
The
Kennicott family prove to be pioneers in several areas of Chicago
history. Jonathan Asa Kennicott built a house in a [fledgling] south
lakeshore suburb in 1856 and named it Kenwood, after the home of his
mother's family in Scotland. Asa's brother John Albert Kennicott,
a horticulturist, helped establish the University of Illinois and
the U.S. department of Agriculture. John Albert's son Robert Kennicott
founded the Chicago Academy of Sciences and explored Alaska in the
mid 1800s. "they keep popping up," said Harrison's wife
Katie Kennicott of her husband's distinguished ancestors. "That
family was instrumental in settling Illinois. Mine came over on the
potato bus."
Katie
Kennicott's dedication to foundations like the Chicago Foundation
for Education led her to jump at the opportunity to serve as Kenwood
Academy High School's principal on principal-for-a-day in October,
1004.
Ten
blocks west of Kenwood Academy sits the Walter H. Dyett Academic Center,
555 E. 51st St. which pays homage of one of the most prominent high
school band teachers. The perfectionist taught music to students at
Phillips High School and DuSable High School. His students included
saxophonists like Gene Ammons, Von Freeman, and Johnny Griffith, violinist
Leroy Jenkins, pianist Nat King Cole, bass player Wilbur Ware and
vocalist Dinah Washington. His wife, Gwendolyn Dyett Burkes still
lives in Chicago. Last year the 89 year old participated in the principal-for-a-day
event at Dyett Academic Center. She said she did not expect the board
of education to name a school after her husband in 1972, three years
after his death. "I guess they wanted to reward him for all his
years of service to the board," Burkes said.
Greenleaf
had no trouble finding the relatives of Miriam G. Canter, namesake
of Miriam Canter Middle School, 4959 S. Blackstone Ave. Canter's husband
David remained active in the school as a local school board member
and supporter up until his death late last year. Miriam's son Evan
Canter wants to continue the active participation of the family.
Miriam
Canter helped save the school building from demolition when Kenwood
students moved into their new high school next door. Miriam Canter
and the local school council convinced the school board to preserve
the building for six through eighth-grade students at Shoesmith. Evan
Canter participated in the October 2004 principal-for-a-day ceremony
along with Michelle Obama, wife of U.S. Sen Barack Obama.
He's
quick to brush off the importance of his mother's legacy. "The
legacy should be that it become an excellent school that happens to
have my mother's name on it, he said." In the future Evan Canter
hopes to assist the school in the use of computers and help with fundraising.
But he is willing to do anything to help the school achieve its goals.
"I'll do anything from sweeping the floor to cleaning the windows
to help the school," he said.
These
days local school councils choose the name of their schools,
and Canter Middle School is the only school in Hyde Park whose local
council chose to rename [its] school [-] from Louis Wirth. Miriam
Canter died in 1999 and a her memorial service, [now] former principal
Jimmy Johnson announced that he would initiate the name change from
Louis Wirth to Miriam G. Canter. The council voted to change the name
in 2000. [Wirth was a noted sociologist and social planner at U of
C who challenged many then-accepted notions.]
Greenleaf
hopes that the CPS History Fair Challenge will encourage more students
to learn about their school names. Students who complete a history
fair project on their school namesake for the Chicago Metro History
Fair will receive a certificate and the best project will receive
an award.
The
students are not required to find the relatives of
their school namesakes. It would just be a bonus, Greenleaf said.
"Learning how to research should be more important",
she added. "Finding the relatives is just a little bonus of taking
advantage of important history.."
But
in the meantime, Greenleaf will continue to search for as relative
of Charles Kozminski.
Students
or adults who find living relative for whom schools are named should
contact Cynthia Greenleaf at the CPS Office of External Partnerships
at [773] 553-1547 or email cgrealeaf@cps.k12.il.us.
To
History Fair Page Top
____________________
ISAT
scores now determine "Adequate Yearly Progress." The local
exceptions in 2005 are Reavis and Shoesmith. , The former
went down to a composite of 27 on a sharp drop in math scores (3rd
gr. from 38 to 28.5, 5th from 22.4 to 12.1.). Shoesmith composite
dropped 5 percent to 47.7, just above the 47.5 percent marker for
probation. Canter shot up over 10 to a composite of 76.6, Ray went
up slightly to 73.3, Bret Harte also shot up 10 points to 72.3 pushed
by reading improvements of 20 percent to 72.0. Kozminski improved
by 6.6 points from 38 to 45, closing in on getting off probation (it
has a new approach to reading and will implement one for math this
year.)
Top
____________________
News
from the schools by alpha listing. Public then nonpublic
Canter
Middle School. Cuip.net/schools/canter
Canter
is forging ahead in 2006-07. students will prizes and contests, a very
wide array of extracurriculars, and scores have doubled at Canter.
Canter
has new interim principal. Dr. Colleen Conlan, a former assistant principal
at Kenwood Academy, was named interim principal after Dr. Carolyn Epps
was appointed Area 13 Intsructional Officer. Conlan
wants to strengthen relations and programs with Kenwood. More opportunities
could include college tours. hitgh schol tours, an shalow days to help
the transition to critical ninth grade. A principal search committe
wil soon be established.
TIF gift
gives Canter Middle School a makeover
Herald, May 23
2007. By Nykeya Woods
As the
school year ends, Canter Middle School, 959 S. blackstone Ave., its
beginning its $150,000 makeover, courtesy of funds approved at the May
14 53rd street Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Advisory Council meeting.
Principal
Carolyn Epps said that she wants to create a welcoming environment for
junior high school students with new doors, landscaping and and exterior
cleaning of the school's two-story building. The allocation is the first
for canter. "Ideally we would fix up everything but the exterior
is so drab," Epps said. Epps wants to install an electrical sign
to replace th e old one. "We want to look like a school you want
to go to and not [like] a storage facility," E[[s said. "That
is kind of what it looks like now from the the street.
During
the meeting, TIF Chairman Howard Males read an e-mail about his concerns
for funds to the school. "The Canter representatives have been
patient. They've been gracious in waiting for redevelopment to fund
a larger scale improvement to their school," Males said.
Males,
along with other TIF members Virginia Vaske and Mae Wilson, formed a
special committee to talk with Epps. In meetings, the group talked [about]
what the school needs and how TIF. funds would be used.
"Parent
involvement is significant always," said Principal Carolyn Epps.
"Studies have shown that parent involvement greatly improves student
development."
_______
Canter
is nearly through transitioning into being the receiver school for the
four elementary schools in the Hyde Park Cluster (Harte, Murray, Ray,
and Shoesmith). Canter is close to showing "adequate yearly progress,"
but does not draw significant numbers from Murray. Note that as a non-selective
school it is vulnerable to having its AYP rating hurt by a few subpopulations.
Still, overall three quarters of students met or exceeded state standards
(well above city average), and its improving. Canter has adopted several
upgrade teaching programs including AVID. Important in parent's eyes
is the facilities needs at Canter. The multi-purpose room has finally
been refurbished, but promised additions have not been funded. The 53rd
TIF district has vaguely committed to funds for Canter in the future.
Canter
has started a new gifted program this fall and hopes to further
strengthen ties with Kenwood 7th-8th Gifted Program. This, with the
start of an AVID program, will help ALL kids--thought by the LSC the
right way to go. By November 2005 it was apparent that AVID is making
a real difference--the kids are expected to and seem to be learning
how to ask good questions. The tutors make a real difference also.
Canter's
eighth-graders rebounded in 2005 from losses in reading and math which
helped the school to score the greatest gains in Hyde Park. Eighth graders
gained 16 points in reading and 24 points in math However, the school
has yet to attain AYP since its inception three years ago. With 76 percent
overall meeting or exceeding standards, Canter is within reach of becoming
a major force.
Open at
Hyde Park Art Center:
Show by Canter Middle School students, "Exquisite Rivers."
5020 S. Cornell. 773 324-5520.
Canter
students take Science Fair. Two eighth-grade students in Canter's
high-achieving science program moved on to the citywide
fair after placing in the top four in Area 15 for 2005. Calvin Krough
proved the effect of music on people's coordination and Anthony Ladson
did the same for deleterious effects of TV watching. They went to the
state fair in May 2005.
Canter
Spanish-language students created a mural on the Costa Rica rainforests
and are raising funds to visit the country. Assistance
is provided by Hyde Park artist Marin Soto through the CPS Office of
Academic Enhancement. Teacher is Louise Miazga. Students are Mike Fino,
Myles Sims-Johnson, Sterling Nelder, John Stevenson and Maurice Brewer.
This degree of involvement in Latin America is unusual for a school
that is 94% African American.
Canter
School also made a mural with Hyde Park Art Center, "Cityscape"
that is now on display in the County Building lobby gallery, 69 W. Washington.
Dyett
High School has a lot
of problems being tackled by a new principal.
Bret
Harte.
In January 2006
it was announced that Bret Harte teacher Liz Russell, preschool, won
the Top 10 awards by Nick Jr Magazine.
Shenethe Parks selected principal. Principal Michael
Keno left in August 2005 to become principal at Murray. (His contract
with Harte is now terminated.)
Harte has a strong PTO as well as LSC. Note-
LSC meets at 6:15 pm second Mondays except October and February.
Hyde
Park veteran educator takes over at Bret Harte
July
12, 2006 Hyde Park Herald. By Erin Meyer
Shenethe
Parks took over as Bret Harte Elementary School's principal
last month. She was Canter Middle School's assistant principal
for almost four years. Bret Harte's local school council handed
the four-year contrast to Parks over two other finalists, including
Kozminski Elementary Assistant Principal Nadine Headen.
The
last contract principal at Harte was Michael Keno, who last
August moved into the principal seat at Murray Language Academy.
Karen Carradine served as Harte's principal in the interim and
opted out of seeking a four-year contract at the school.
Parks
started her education career at Ray Elementary School and has
remained within the Hyde Park-Kenwood geographic zone at Chicago
Public Schools known as Area 15. The Herald recently caught
up with Parks after the close of school for the summer.
Herald:
Are you from Chicago originally? If s, what part?. Yes, I spent
my childhood years in the southwest side of Chicago in the Auburn
Gresham neighborhood.
Herald:
where did you attend elementary school? What memories of that
experience (good or bad) have stayed with you over the years?
I attended Foster Prk Elementary School My memories from elementary
school includes having teachers who set high expectations to
ensure that you set goals for yourself to achieve and pushed
you to work to your fullest potential. However, I wish some
of the current instructional practices and programs that are
implemented today were in place during my days in elementary
school. As the years have passed, in some cases, I have seen
some of my childhood teachers in passing or at meetings. ...
Herald:
When and why did you decide to become an educator? did you always
hope to work your way up to school administrator? If not, what
made you decide to do so?
I originally wanted to become a high school teacher because
I was interested in business education. As I began taking educational
courses in college, I decided to switch my major to elementary
education because I realized that I had the ability to relate
to children. And so I wanted to use that to shape them and push
the students to work up their fullest potential.
I
had such a positive experience as a product of the Chicago Public
Schools system that I entered education wanting to ensure that
students have a rewarding experience as I did. It wasn't u until
I taught at Ray School with a phenomenal group of teachers that
I realized my need to have a greater impact within the school.
After I realized that I could have the opportunity to shape
the students, the teachers and work with the parents and community
members of the school, I began to work towards setting goals
for myself which included leaving the classroom and working
towards becom[ing] a school administrator.
Herald:
What are the biggest challenges you expect face when school
starts in the fall?
As with anyone who begins a new job, there will be challenges
that he/she will face. However, as I enter the new school year
I plan to be proactive to meet with the stakeholders, conduct
a needs assessment and address any concerns. One of my goals
is to ensure that the students are receiving a quality education
in order for them to continue to excel. I want to support the
teachers by providing them with continuous professional development
and the resources needed to ensure that they are meeting the
individual needs of the students. Parents will also be given
the opportunity to attend workshops that will provide them with
instructional strategies to assist their children at home as
well.
Herald:
The Bret Harte LSC specified in the principal job description
that applicants should have some experience as not only administrators
but also educators. Why, in your opinion, is it important for
principals to have teaching experience?
It is important for principals to have had some experience in
the classroom. That gives a principal a sense of credibility
with the teachers and parents. As an instructional leader, principals
should have the experience of facing some of the challenges,
the responsibilities, the rewarding and memorable experiences,
that take place within the classroom in order to support and
coach their teachers.
Herald:
What specific experiences as assistant principal at Canter have
influenced how you function as a school administrator?
During my years as assistant principal at Canter, I have had
many experiences that have influenced how I envision my role
as a school administrator. One specific experience would be
the relational trust that I established with the middle school
students. It is important for their voices to be heard and that
they have someone who advocates for them and respects their
individuality.
Herald:
How will having worked in Area 15 a a teacher and school administrator
facilitate a smooth transition into the principal position at
Bret Harte?
Having spent my entire career within Area 15, I am invested
and sensitive to the needs of the community. I have created
partnerships amongst the community and with the area schools.
In addition, I have received an extensive amount of balanced
literacy training from the Area 15 instructional officer. This
literacy model is currently being implemented at Bret Harte.
Herald:
What role should interdisciplinary visual and performing ares
play in Bret Harte curriculum?
Experience with and knowledge of the arts is a vital part of
a complete education. Teaching through the arts within the context
of the school curriculum is essential in developing creative
and analytical thinkers, it would provide another mode for communication
and expression, and building self-esteem. When you walk the
hallways of Bret Harte, you will find beautiful examples of
some of the students' visual art within the school. I am looking
forward to expanding the arts curriculum by incorporating performing
arts.
Top
|
Bret
Harte has a strong preschool, scores comparable to the best in Hyde Park,
and draws 60% from outside the neighborhood and all over the city being
an Options School. Harte cannot chose students, but can send those it
cannot turn around to their home-address school. All but one percent are
minority. It has a strong partnership with the U of C and uses the Balanced
Literacy approach, using it now even in math (where one of the main emphases
is now). Balanced Literacy is designed to use such approaches as guided
reading to address and challenge each student at his level and according
to her needs. A good teacher base, a well-kept plant, and parent involvement
as well as administrative leadership have helped the school progress dramatically.
Teachers seek to remember they were children and to nourish the kids and
tailor to each child's needs. The school has art but is not allowed to
budget for music. With
a drop only in fifth-grade reading, Bret Harte Elementary School, 1556
E. 56th St., in 2004 edged closer to academic powerhouses
like Murray and Ray. Harte's scores trumped the city averages
and earned it the title as a CPS "school of merit," an
honor given to schools that score between 50 percent and 69 percent
on the ISAT. Harte typically posted scores between 30 and 40 percent
just five years ago. In 2005 ISAT scores composite scores moved
into the lower 70s, comparable to Ray and state levels and well above
overall CPS levels. This is an increase of over 20% under Michael
Keno's 8-year tenure. The goal is now to move closer to Murray score
levels.
Results:
Grade 3 reading 70.4 , Grade 3 math 72.2, Grade 4 science 69.2, Grade
5 reading 72.9, Grade 5 math 76.3. Harte will be taking advantage of
provided preparation materials in anticipation of a drop with a new
test company.
Asked
why Harte's scores have risen, former principal Michael Keno cited aggressive
professional development and help from the U of C. Teachers
took seriously their professional advancement and adult learning
grew. Naturally not all went smoothly. Keno also cited personal principal
involvement--being in the classrooms: a principal is a coach
and instructor, not a manager. The 2005-06 school year was
preceded by an intensive professional development program led by teachers
themselves stepping up to the plate. This followed the Area 15 pd led
by Harte teachers! Harte is now a Demonstration Center for Area 15--a
"teacher of teachers." The school also has new computers and
networked printers.
Bret
Harte's own website is hosted by the UC-CPS digitalization and computerization
program CUIP: http://www.cuip.net/schools/harte.
And teachers will increasingly put up homework, classroom correspondence
in http://www.schoolnotes.com.
Harte
is working with Chicago Cares and
applying there for help, for example in painting the school.
A
new initiative of the council is Parent Patrol. Parents, including lsc
members, watch the schoolyard and streets on the way to school to encourage
kids and keep them safe and make sure they get to class on time. Harte's
boiler system will be replaced summer 2006. Parking lot reconfiguration
has been supported by Ald. Hairston.
Hyde Park
Bank, U of C and Big Brothers/Sisters are expanding the student mentoring
program at Harte.
Harte
students create mosaic mural. The
students unveiled the mural at a cheese and fruit buffet June 8. Art
teacher Alexis Staryk with Shannon Kerrigan of the Hyde Park Arts Center
mentored the project. Jungle scenes were drawn, blown up, and traced
onto wood. They cut and nipped the patterns. The Hyde Park Art Center
and the Oppenheim Foundation provided matching grants.
In
March 2007 the school held a major dinner and pageant on Black History
Month themes. Over 400 attended- the largest event in the school in
a long time.
In the April Area 15 Academic Olympics, the school placed in all categories--3rd
in math and 1st in essay (that person? goes on to the next level) and
probably will place higher next year when same grades are competing.
The school grades also did well in a charity fundraiser.
In April it started a series of small parent learning workshops on set
topics.
The
school at that time also won a $10,000 grant for a permanent fixture.
Harte to make an accommodation for persons with
disabilities.
Alderman
Hairston is going after CPS over long failure to provide access ramps
at Bret Harte School, 1556 E. 56th. There
is no wheelchair access or lift. Disabled parents have to meet with
teachers et al in the schoolyard. Hairston told the Disabilities Forum
Sept. 6 and the Herald, "This is an important issue that affects
everyone." "Hosting a meeting in the playground is absurd...
[CPS] called my office after 4 p.m. on the Friday before Labor Day
holiday and left a message that getting access was not going to happen."
CPS spokesman Mike Vaughan told the Herald, "With our limited
budget and over 600 schools in the district--many of which date back
to the early 1900s--we are working as fast as we can to bring all
those schools into ADA compliance." But CPS this year is cutting
$23 million from Special Education."
At its October Local School Council meeting, the principal announced
that Bret Harte will be installing a lift at the north wing
entry (near where conferences with parents are most likely, there
are fewer sets of steps and stairs, and which is easier to retrofit).
There are steep (including literally) structural difficulties with
further accommodation, principal Shenethe Parks noted. The
school truly wants to serve its students, parents, users and publics.
Alderman
Hairston introduced a resolution at the September 13 City Council
meeting calling for the city to conform to the law and get up to speed
providing accessibility for people with disabilities. She called for
chirping traffic lights and fixing uneven sidewalks that tip
wheelchairs. The ordinance was filed with the Transportation
Committee, which usually buries things. She is seeking legal advice
on whether CPS is violating the law with unremedied conditions like
those at Bret Harte.
Mike
Vaughn of CPS said they are working on it, but can only do so much
with a limited budget.
The
Herald said on the issue September 20:
Ald.
Leslie Hairston (5th) in particular is taking Chicago Public Schools
to task over the lack of wheelchair access at Bret Harte. After
two years of talking about it, Hairston expected COS to have had
the problem fixed by the start of school. That didn't happen, and
wheelchair-bound parents have to continue meeting with their children's
teachers on the playground outside the school. How degrading!
The
excuse given to the parents by CPS, as stated in last week's Herald
is that a "limited budget" is keeping Harte from being
compliant with the 16-year-old Americans with Disabilities act.
In 16 years, CPS couldn't make Harte ADA compliant? Access to the
school for parents, students, faculty and staff should be a priority.
Hairston raised the issue at the Sept. 13 city council meeting in
the form of a resolution. In the meantime, CPS is saying it can
do nothing to assist the Harte community.
Bret
Harte will receive several benefits from the Antheus 26 story development
next door including
accessibility in whatever form the school prefers, air conditioning
of un-air conditioned rooms (if CPS allows) new playground, improvements
to traffic flow and parking, and more. The Council has approved of
the development, but there are indications that it is open to further
tweaking of the traffic flow, disruptions, etc.
For
the 4th year, Harte has held a math-a-thon to raise funds for St.
Jude Children's Research Hospital. Last year, the first graders brought
in the most, $500. The academic work is in addition to regular class
work.
Skip
if you wish over Kenwood to Kozminski and continue alpha run of schools.
Kenwood Academy. To
the page on Kenwood's programs and accomplishments in 2005
Kenwood's
new website: http://www.kenwoodacademy.org.
The
Kenwood LSC in June, 2005 picked then-Assistant Principal Elizabeth
Kirby as principal. Kirby frankly told the Herald that
the students need to take more rigorous courses and do much better.
At
the September LSC meeting, the HPKCC Schools Committee observer said
the new Principal, Elizabeth Kirby, inspires confidence, has begun some
restructuring (fewer assistants), has priorities including parental
involvement--she has distributed surveys to parents. The parent-teacher-student
association is currently weak, the observer reported. And it is hard
to pull parents in unless their kids are in a really strong and popular
program such as the Choir. A vexation is that for every
improvement or program that is suggested, CPS says "raise the money."
What
Kirby says about scores, needs.
Students
have improved in every category except math, and at a faster
clip in all than did the state, but has not escaped the federal watch
list yet. The goal is readiness for college, but in math the scores
are 3 points below state average and only 64 percent are graduating--a
5% slippage though 14 points over city average. Kirby has set up a special
data team to analyze scores and identify subjects for improvement. Kirby
says the school pushes students to take practice ACT tests is working
on attendance and graduation rates.
At
a business coffee sponsored by Ald. Preckwinkle at Pizza Capri February
6 2007, both city and University police praised Principal Kirby, staff,
and students at Kenwood for improving good order on and off campus.
Police
used to have to have several cars both at the school and at BP and McDonald's,
especially at lunch period and let out. Now one will generally suffice,
and usually for presence and observation. calls are way down. Principal
Elizabeth Kirby was given much of the credit.
Below:
a discussion of Kenwood- community relations from an open house.
A profile of students, from excelling to challenged.
What Kenwood is doing about problems.
Hundreds
and more youngsters apply every year to
attend Kenwood, a neighborhood school with high scores. There
is not room for all of them, but Kenwood does not turn students away
except for full space. Like all schools, Kenwood this year will have
a slightly smaller (by 7) staff serving the same number of students.
And it is required to take some students from "closed" schools,
although so far the effects are called minimal but may have blunted
scores, since theirs go up sharply but remain behind those longer at
Kenwood . Kenwood utilizes tutors, heavily from the University
and could use many more! Contact Elizabeth Kirby if you can
help.
About
the 2005 teen violence. Only about a quarter or a bit more
of those arrested for violent activities were Kenwood students, and
this a tiny fraction of the student body. Other schools have not been
revealed but there are many youth from outside the area and not Kenwood
students roaming the area and around Kenwood. Most students don't show
their badges outside school and there is no way to know what proportion
of youth those youth who do act up (or are even just noisy) on the street
and in businesses are Kenwood students. Residents nonetheless make a
connection with other problems with Kenwood and Kenwood youth. Be
sure to visit the Kenwood
page, presenting the school's programs and accomplishments.
The
experience reopened the question of accelerating the closed campus,
but this was thought to likely to have a negative and demoralizing effect
(why not other public and private schools?). See
more in Business
and Students/Youth. Not many local parents send kids to
Kenwood.
Fact:
c60-70% of Kenwood students come from outside the area and this will
increase due to No Child Left Behind closings etc. Although the best
students largely come from outside also (41 of 71 students in the 2
magnet programs), this disconnect between residency and schooling
sometimes leads to conflicts and differing student attitudes and morale,
including possible "non-ownership" in the neighborhood (let
alone gang conflicts).
What
Kenwood is doing about problems:
- Stress
to students consequences and what is expected, including outside the
school. Year start week-long orientations by year cohorts.
- Hall
sweeps and other checks to stop tardiness and loitering. Down to just
a few students. (Note- has metal detectors and badge checks but with
student body size cannot have card swipe, and while students are required
to wear their color-coded badges during all school hours, this is
unenforceable.)
- Staff
presence and checks outside the building noon and dismissal time.
Hanging around the building is not tolerated.
- Prompt
graffiti riddance
- Strong
security and guidance staff. Maintenance of adult presence and supervision
- Upgrading
of outreach to middle and problematic students, including by such
student groups as FOCUS and Brotherhood, targeting kids taken from
failing schools or otherwise needing attention
- Increasing
the academic challenge while making sure kids have chances to un stress.
There are loads of extracurricular activities and many other students
hang around the school until 6:30 closure to socialize.
- A 360
degree security blue-light camera was installed on the grounds in
summer 2006.
Kenwood
struggles to overcome these and other problems. One is with
discipline and interference/recruiting from
gangs. Attacks on younger kids outside the school in the first
half of 2005 are said to have involved several Kenwood students. How
to get at the root of this is urgent, and meetings and assemblies were
being held in the school. The halls are "swept" to stop milling
and tardiness and isolate the few real troublemakers. The police are
now patrolling outside at dismissal times at the school.
Freshmen are now kept in school during lunchtime (sophomores were supposed
to this year but are not), partly to avoid incidents with students from
other schools such as Hyde Park--police now patrol a separation boundary
at 57th St.- said to be not observed, although fights between students
of different schools seems to have stopped. New facilities are needed
at the school including a new lunchroom if there is to be a "closed
campus"--but many cite other reasons not to have a closed campus.
Kenwood
scored the highest of Mid-South schools in every subject in 2004 and is
nearly at state median--and it's not a selective school!
(Note, however, that King is reconstituting its grades and there will
be a junior class to take the Prairie State exam for the first time this
year.) Equally significant is that the achievement is across the board,
including scores equivalent to school-wide average for low income and
African-American categories. And Kenwood continues to show yearly progress
except in math, where schools statewide are lagging--at least in terms
of a rising bar under No Child Left Behind. Teachers
and the principal told the Herald (Oct. 20) how they work to
achieve success: "We formed grade-level teams in the English
department. The entire...department met once a week to communicate what
people were doing in each of the grade levels." "Every department
concentrated on reading and writing." Two special efforts include
Jump Start and Recovery to retain freshman and stay with them to make
sure they graduate. Plans for the coming year include continued curricular
realignment to fit state standards and department meetings to develop
assessments to identify the students' strengths and weaknesses.
Kenwood
Academy High School's Prairie State Results by subject- Percent of students
at or above state standard
| |
Read |
%ch |
Math |
%ch |
Writing |
%ch |
Science |
%ch |
Social
Studies |
|
AYP? |
| Kenwood |
55 |
2.6 |
34.5 |
-0.5 |
55.7 |
3.2 |
33.3 |
9.6 |
41.3 |
1 |
YES |
| CITY |
36.6 |
0.1 |
27.8 |
0.4 |
36.6 |
2.8 |
27 |
3.5 |
32.5 |
3.1 |
|
| STATE |
56.8 |
0.4 |
53.1 |
-0.2 |
59.6 |
.7 |
52.9 |
1.6 |
59.4 |
3.2 |
|
Note that
while there appears to be no pattern of relative success in math vs
reading in elementary schools, in high schools reading appears stronger
than math or science at Kenwood and in the city, but not statewide.
Kenwood's scores are almost comparable to state scores in reading, writing
but not math, science and social sciences. In every category Kenwood
is modestly to strongly better than city average, which seriously lags
both the standard and the state average.
Kenwood's
then-Principal Arthur Slater reported his school's increasing PSAE scores
at a local school council meeting in October. He announced at the meeting
that Kenwood is ranked first in every subject in its region, which comprises
22 public high schools. Kenwood, 5015 S. Blackstone Ave., improved in
every subject except math on the PSAE, scoring well above t he city
averages in every subject. Overall, 44 percent of Kenwood juniors met
or exceeded state standards, a three percent improvement over last year.
Kenwood
administration is disputing graduation figures that say Kenwood's rate
is lower than the school believes it is.
Kenwood
Academy student senior Steven Barrett in March 2006 won a CPS All City
Art Exhibition scholarship. The
$10,000 award was made at the Museum of Contemporary Art, where the
Exhibition is on display through April 30. Barrett will attend the American
Academy of Art on South Michigan. He paints and sculpts his portraits
at Gallery 37 downtown. A reception and awards ceremony will be held
for Barrett April 18 6:30 at the Museum of Science and Industry West
Pavilion.
Senior William McKnight in won the city diving championship
Ald. Preckwinkle did Kenwood exceller-in-Latin Evelyn Yee the
honor of allowing her Alderman's column of April 19 2006 in the Herald
to be preempted by Rebecca Janowitz's interview with Yee.
Events
in 2007 include hosting the Robben Island Singers who suffered imprisonment
in South Africa, and put on Tartuffe at Court Theatre. Art teacher Turtel
Onli led a group of paid students painting a "Cool Globe"
for the summer city outdoor art exhibition on global warming concern.
Kozminski
Community Academy.
Kozminski
will host The Noter Dame jazz bad Sunday, April 6, 1 pm as a benefit
for the music program. Preceding will be the school's Merit Choir.
Kozminski
Academy, 936 E. 54th, was honored in 2007 by Mayor Daley for a five
year stretch (actually it is six) in which scores rose every year. In
fact, the number of students who met or exceed standard on composite
scores rose by almost 50 percent. Principal Lionel Bordelon credits,
among other things, the Reader response writing program--it stresses
reading and writing in every subject, for comprehension. No other school
in Hyde Park had a six year stretch of increases.
Bordelon
told the Herald in July 2007 that the greatest challenge is funding
shortfall, indeed being stripped of programs despite doing well, according
to council president Donald Everhardt. This
results in such bizarre results as no microscopes, no science or math
labs, no foreign language. Another challenge is being tagged
not one of the good Hyde Park schools. Kozminski excels at Battle of
Books--read and be quizzed on a list of novels, and METROsquah--academics
plus indoor racquet sport. Both said the school could use more parent
and community/business involvement.
Kozminski
is back off the probation
watch, but needs to improve at a faster rate to keep ahead of the constantly
rising bar. It is gaining about 6 points a year. It's scores rose significantly
in 2005 but to just shy of the 47.5 mark. As one of its efforts, the
whole school was turned into a model United Nations for a week in November,
2004.
November
17, 2005, the Principal and LSC President described to the HPKCC Schools
Committee programs that are bringing Kozminski up, including the Computer
loan program. Thanks to volunteers, not only are there computers
in the school but in many of the homes, and there is tech and software
support for families. Out of work parents can do their resumes using
monster.com. One
of many after school programs combines squash with academics. In addition
to summer school and Summer Bridge there is pre-start of class schooling
by parent volunteers.
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 Forrest and attended the Windy City Open, the largest
squash tournament in North America.
May
2, 2007, Lonnie Ali, wife of boxer and former resident Muhammad Ali,
went to Kozminski Sch oo to read as part of "Real Men Read. "
The event was a reward to the school for outstanding progress on ISAT
scores over the past 5 years. Ali
also talked about how it is OK to be a "nerd" and that she
had struggled with reading as a child.
Murray Language Academy.
Michael
Keno has assumed leadership at Murray. With the change, Murray moves
back into Area 15, target of area-wide help from the University of Chicago.
Murray
is a "School of Distinction." More than 90 percent
score at or above. Murray in recent years tripled the size
of its facility including new cafeteria, gym media center and arts room.
Population grew by 90 and by 30 new employees. Student-computer ratio
is 3-1 with a new website. Murray is a magnet that also draws from the
community.
Keno says
he intends to use his present leadership style, adjusting gradually
to Murray's atmosphere. Keno said the goal is to get kids to
become independent learners through explicit instruction and guided
learning; put rigor into the curriculum, push it to the highest level.
Yet, he said, no size fits all. You have to have a methodical plan,
and you have to walk through and see to it that the students are engaged.
It's not all about tests and scores. And you have to develop teacher-leaders.
What most is needed? Keno admitted much could be done with
money. And a reading coach for K-3 is needed.
Murray has a tradition of parent involvement.
Many
parents still want to restore 7th and 8th grades, but there are space,
costs, and policy problems. CPS says no. See the Murray
page including formal request of March, 2005.
Murray
5th grade student Hashim Brown has jumped from commercials to movie
roles. He plays a bully in Robert Townsend's "Of Boys and Men,"
due out January 2008. His second movie, "Poker House", has
started shooting. His parents and the school are working to make sure
he gets his schooling and a normal childhood.
By 2008 his brother? Dante had made a commercial for McDonalds as well
as Quaker Oats, Sears and Western Union and has been on Oprah and Good
Morning America- and is working on a routine with his younger brother
they hope will get t hem on Leno.
Murray
students won the 2008 Area 15 science fair.
North
Kenwood Oakland Charter School has
an active parents organization that is seeking a 501 status. It recently
raised $20,000 for the after school program, which is magnificent (and
charges a lot)-there is real paid professional as well as volunteer
teaching and tutoring.
Ray
Elementary
Ray School
has a new principal as of July 2007. 30-year-plus Hyde Parker Bernadette
Butler, the highly praised principal of Agassiz Elementary in Lincoln
Park since 1999. Her
mentor during training for that position was current Ray Principal Cydney
Fields. LSC chair Michael Scott told the Herald, "Ms. Butler is
an experienced, instructional leaders with enormous energy and a clear
vision that resonates with both teachers and parents." Building
and blending the arts curriculum is a major objective of Ms. Butler
and the LSC. Visit ray-school.org.
New
principal shares experiences. Herald
July 25, 2007. By Nykeya Woods
After
traveling the world and teaching students on the North Side
for eight years, HydePark resident Bernadette Butler decided
to take a stab at leading William H. Ray School, 5631 S. Kimbark
Ave. I want to build up relationships with teachers, parents
and students," Butler said. "I want them to know that
whatever we do here at Ray has to be about raising the bar."
Butler
took over as Ray's principal when Cydney Fields retired June
8 alter 17 years at the school. The school's assistant principal,
Dolores Dobbins, also retired. Butler said that her initial
goal in life was to become an anthropologist or live in Paris.
Her mother suggested she become more realistic about her goals.
Butler eventually looked into education and discovered "the
love of my life"--besides her husband--when she began teaching
first grade at Oscar F. Mayer School.
Butler
also spend six years as a third grade teacher at a school that
is now closed near 44th Street and Lake Park Avenue [Oakenwald].
She eventually made her way to Agassiz Elementary School where
she was a teacher and principal for 20 years.
She
said that friends were recommending that she look into becoming
Ray's principal after Fields departure. The main reason she
pursued the position is because she wanted to experience closer
to home what she had enjoyed in Lakeview. She said because she
spent so much time teaching in Lakeview, she shopped and worked
out there to. She wanted those same experiences in Hyde Park.
Butler
said that she is beginning to get to know Hyde Park even better
as she has had several receptions in the past four weeks with
community, local school council and PTA members. "The feeling
has been welcoming," Butler said. "I have met with
so many people who are involved with the school and community.
I'm getting to know and understand the culture."
Another
reason she was drawn to Ray was the rich combination of ethnic
backgrounds among the student body there. That was one of the
reasons I was interested in becoming principal here," Butler
said. "There's such a diverse student body." Ray School
has 664 students, of which 55 percent are Black, 16 percent
are white and 12 percent are Asian, according to Chicago public
Schools 2006 data.
While
education is important to Butler, experiences different cultures
is something that she has pursued since she was very young,
she said. "I think I have always been interested in in
culture. My mother talks about how I would be so interested
in other languages I would hear on the radio," Butler said.
This fascination drove Butler to travel across the country,
Canada , Mexico, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. And two y ears ago,
she finally made it to Paris. She plans on going back very soon
with a former student, but next she'll be venturing to Hawaii
with er husband. ...Other future travel plans include Morocco,
Egypt and South Africa.
|
See in
Walkable Community
page how Ray parents supported "walk to school."
In
2004-06, Ray Elementary School, 5631 S. Kimbark Ave., maintained its
high scores from previous years, in the 70s performing at or above.
CPS named it a "School of Excellence," a title given
to such schools.
Ray 2nd
grader Philip Parker-Turner achieved national ranking (65th in the 7
and younger class) in chess, having taken first at
the Naperville Scholastic Chess Tournament. Ray was the only Chicago
public school to win a trophy there. In Feb. 2005, at the ripe age of
6, he was featured as Chess Kid of the Month by Chess in Chicago. He
is currently 4th in Illinois. The Ray team posted two first place finishes
at the Feb. 18 tournament at Bogan High, repeating in K-2 and adding
K-4 division. Members include Phillip Parker-Turner, Allen Dai, Karen
Dai, Nimkolaj Reiser, James Liu, Andy Margulis, Michael Averil-Panelas,
Kenyon Edmond. Ray also excels in science fair.
Impressive
garden established, named for Ray School victim of hit and run in 1990.
For 5 years Ingrid Grimes worked with others to make the students'
vegetable and flower gardens just south of 56th Street and west of Kenwood
a place of learning and pride. In 2006, the gardens are larger and a
glory--the flower garden almost a magic place--, thanks in part to a
grant from SECC and the impetus to finally name and dedicate the garden
for Amanda Hermann Carter. The girl's mother told the Herald, "Amanda
loved butterflies, flowers and nature. The garden is a chance for the
kids to work together. It seemed a good thing to do." A
plaque was dedicated in June 2006. Grimes is interested in obtaining
more financial support.
Hyde Park
Art Center and Brazilian artist/muralist and Hyde Parker Mirtes Zwierzynski
in 2006 taught and helped 4th graders paint a mural portraying
earth, wind, fire and water. The mural took six weeks to make
and covers the previously plain wall of the utility garage at Ray school.
In recent years, Zwierzynski facilitated the installation of round concrete
balls in the play field at Ray and Kenwood Academy public art projects.
The Art Center has also recently supported a mural project at Bret Harte.
Note: Mirtes and Ray are leading the way in an area wide schools
participatory mural project for the 57th/Lake Shore Drove underpasses.
In March
2007. Ray Schools's student council gave $500 to Fairy Godmother Foundation,
which assists terminally ill patients. Lena Clement, a staffer at Fairy
Godmothers and former Ray student, accepted the gift and thanked the
students.
All of
our teachers are especially talented but Ray teachers Mary Cobb and
Leslie Travis have for years provided vital back-scenes services such
as sewing for drama and sports teams at several schools. Now they have
set up a small business decorating people's walkers.
Reavis
Elementary was
put on probation for 2005-06, having again failed to make "adequate
yearly progress" despite valiant efforts and now faces possible
sanctions. The new principal, Michael Johnson, is already marshalling
additional resources and methods change, including vertical and horizontal
planning and communication among teachers (which has helped in many
other schools). Johnson says his goal, beyond major scores improvement,
is to make Reavis be seen not as a school of last resort, but as a place
were people are because they see Reavis as a good place for their children.
Reavis
has already begun to receive additional resources due a probationary
school. Reavis is the most extreme example of a dichotomy between a
succeeding set of schools and a struggling set of schools in Hyde Park
and also illustrates a serious drawback for low income schools and residents:
students are largely brought in from other neighborhoods and the families
move around a lot, making progress hard for students and retaining students
and providing continuity and consistency hard for schools.
In
2007-2008, Reavis received ISS (CPS Inteegrated Services in Schools)
grant utilizing $18 million ofr five schools from Atlantic
Philanthropies. LISC New Communities is also partnering in the project
and is in a 4-year partnership with Reavis. . The funds will be used
for longer hours, more school days, and services to families.
Reavis
has an active Parent Group, part of System of Care-Chicago Parents United
(?). As a result of their effort, the school now has a parent
resource room and the group is working on getting strong social services
in the school.
Reavis
students learn acting, theatrical writing. Andre Hamilton is
one writer who had his work, "Good Times," performed before
the student body by Barrel of Monkeys ensemble. Students are able to
see that their work is important. In the workshops, students are encouraged
to put feelings to paper, including anger and aggression. Lead literacy
teacher Beth Pate invited the ensemble to the school. The student's
writing is being acted for a limited time Monday nights at Neo-Futurarium,
5153 N. Ashland Ave. Matinees for parents Saturday afternoons.
Reavis
group performs at the Chicago Blues Festival. An
ensemble of 16 from the school sang"Sweet Home Chicago" and
other numbers as part of the Blue in the School partnership between
CPS and the Blues Festival. Among those teaching and coaching the kids
on blues history and singing were Mary Wright, granddaughter of Mississippi
John Hurt and Katherine Davis.
Reavis
in spring 2006 received over 3,000 children's books from Bookwork Angels
nonprofit. They will not be just in the library but in a classroom network
and can be taken home.
Shoesmith.
The lsc is working hard to raise parental involvement; there are many
weekend family activities. A story program has parents reading to their
kids. The former principal, Ms. Bedar, and the new principal Pat Watson,
were said to have very good rapport with students and parents. A new
cafeteria is needed. It has a fairly new playground and good gym.
In
May 2006 the LSC elected assistant principal Patricia Watson its next
principal, replacing leaving Lenore Bedar.
Shoesmith
teacher Jane Robinson won the Outstanding American Teacher award for
2005-06.
Shoesmith's
ISAT test scores have remained stagnant. Fifth-graders increased seven
points and six points in reading and math, respectively. Six percent
fewer students scored at or above grade level in third-grade math. The
school's scores also remained well above the city's average. Yet, scores
later were said to slip 5 points from the previous year, into the 40s,
putting the school in danger of being listed as not making "adequate
yearly progress."
Shoesmith
debate team won the competition at the University of Chicago in spring
2006. Competitors included Wyne Reed (1st); Shana Richardson, Wakelo
Ryals and Jerical Griffin (2nd); Jackie Dempsey, Mareeta Jackson, Shelby
Matthews an Sonja Jordain (Public Speaking Award). This is a program
involving several schools to the the south of Hyde Park also.
Former
Shoesmith parent and volunteer Angela Chambers gave Shoesmith children
365 toys to in turn give to patients at LaRabida Children's Hospital.
Principal Patricia Watson said this will be the start of an annual service
project for their Bata Club.
In spring
2007, the Shoesmith girl's basketball team won the area championship
for the first time, winning the right to appear in the city tournament..
______________________________
Ancona
School (private,
Montesorri)
Five students and a guest from Galileo Math and Science academy finished
8th in the U.S. Open chess Championships in May 2007. and did well in
the Chicago championships. Hired coach is Wayne Smith of the Hyde Park
Academy of Scholastic Chess. The kids started playing at very early
ages, with parents for the most part.
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