Category: Education

Chicago Public Schools announced 13 Back-to-School Bashes for students, educators and families to come together to celebrate the school year ahead. Each of the events will feature food, music, games and allow families to learn more about GoCPS, the District’s new process to make applying to high school simpler and more equitable. “Back-to-School” Bashes bring communities together to help ensure that families have the support and resources they need to start the year successfully on day one,” said CPS CEO Forrest Claypool. “Our schools have made remarkable progress in recent years, and we look forward to kicking off another successful year with our citywide community-building events.” Information on specific schools can be found at www.cps.edu/schools, where families can view profile pages to explore information on school size, type, hours, academic and extracurricular programs, and achievement. Families with children between the ages of 3 and 5 can visit the Chicago Early Learning Portal at www.cps.edu/readytolearn to explore school and community-based early childhood programs that will best meet their needs. Parents can also call the Chicago: Ready to Learn! Hotline at (312) 229-1690 for one-on-one assistance. For any additional questions regarding Back-to-School, parents may email b2s@cps.edu or call 773-553-1580.

CPS Back-To-School Celebrations

Mayor Rahm Emanuel launched the enhanced universal preschool application designed to improve access and help families to identify options that meet the needs of their early learners. This online site provides a single point of entry to access a comprehensive menu of over 600 programs for three- and four-year olds available under Chicago Public Schools (CPS), Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) and city-administered community-based sites citywide. Since taking office, Mayor Emanuel has made full-day early learning opportunities a priority, expanding preschool programming to serve 18,000 children across the city—an increase of 70 percent since 2011. Over 10,000 preschool applications have been submitted for upcoming schoolyear. In its second year online, the application at www.chicagoearlylearning.org has been redesigned following consultation with focus groups that included more than 150 parents. The improved site creates a streamlined process with comprehensive information on all programs available to families.

Families of children who will be three- or four-years old on September 1, 2017 can now submit applications online for enrollment in fall 2017 early learning programs. The online application process allows parents to receive real-time information about program availability in their desired location, eliminating the need to visit multiple sites to apply for preschool. Notifications for placement in programs for the upcoming school year will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis, prioritizing families based on need. Families can access support in the application process at one of twelve Neighborhood Resource Centers located in Chicago Public Library (CPL) branches and sites throughout the city. Branches include: Austin Library, Avalon Library, Bezazian Library, Budlong Woods Library, Humboldt Park Library, Legler Library, Little Village Library, McKinley Park Library, Portage-Cragin Library, Thurgood Marshall Library, West Lawn Library and Coleman Library. For any questions on the enrollment process, or to get assistance with an application, parents are encouraged to call the Chicago Early Learning Hotline at 312-229-1690.

The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) is teaming up with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) to encourage parents to get their children vaccinated before the start of the school year in September. The back-to-school immunization program features a bilingual public education campaign and vaccines with no out-of-pocket cost at locations across the city. CDPH’s goal is to get all Chicago’s students up to date when entering school. As part of the campaign, CDPH will also provide vaccines at no out-of-pocket cost to residents at parks, schools and other community locations across the city. For more information on CDPH back-to-school immunizations, visit CityofChicago.org/Health.

Back-to-School Free Vaccination Clinics

Saturday, August 5

St. Mary of Nazareth, 2233 W. Division St., 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
New Life Covenant Church, 5100 W Diversey Ave., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Apostolic Church of God, 6320 S. Dorchester Ave., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Way of Life Church, 4635 W. Fulton St., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sunday, August 6

Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, 6248 S. Stewart Ave., 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturday, August 12

Moos Elementary School, 1711 N. California Ave., 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Pulaski Park Fieldhouse, 1419 W. Blackhawk St., 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
St. Gall Health Fair, 5500 S. Kedzie St., 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Saturday, August 19

Fuller Park, 331 W. 45th St., 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Roosevelt High School, 3436 W. Wilson Ave., 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Congressman Danny Davis Back to School Parade Columbus Park, 5701 W. Jackson Blvd.,
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Schubert Elementary School, 2727 N. Long Ave., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday, August 26

Marshall High School, 3240 W. Jackson Blvd. ,10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dyett High School, 555 E. 51st St., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing Rd., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The data is clear that a college degree or postsecondary credential is a ticket to a brighter economic future for Illinois students and for the state as a whole, but not everyone has an equal chance at getting that ticket. “Equity isn’t just about giving resources; it’s also about removing barriers,” said Dr. Kyle Reyes during his keynote address at the seventh annual College Changes Everything® (CCE) Conference held in Tinley Park on July 20th. Reyes is Special Assistant to the President for Inclusion at Utah Valley University (UVU) and an Assistant Professor of Education at UVU. This year’s conference saw a record number of registrants—over 500 Illinois educators, government and community leaders, other professionals and students—interested in addressing efforts to improve equity in college and career readiness initiatives. Sponsored by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) in collaboration with partner agencies and organizations, the annual conference is focused on collaborative efforts to increase the number of adults in Illinois who have a high quality postsecondary credential or degree. To learn more about College Changes Everything® visit, www.collegechangeseverything.org.

In 2016, Danica Lohja was one of the first City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) graduates to participate in an innovative program at Accenture, where she gained and utilized valuable skills in information technology (IT). After successfully completing the one-year program, she and three other former interns are now full-time Accenture employees. Accenture has also hired eight new interns, doubling the size of its original City Colleges internship cohort.

Accenture extended full-time employment offers to four participants in its internship program, all four of whom are graduates of Wright College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago, and the Center of Excellence in information technology education. After completing the one-year internship, they have accepted full-time positions in Accenture’s IT department located in downtown Chicago—Danica as an ecosystem product and services analyst, two of her colleagues as software engineering analysts and one as a software engineering associate.

Through the relationship with CCC, Accenture provides City Colleges graduates with rotational internships within its internal technology team. These paid internships are designed to help students learn and implement a variety of IT solutions within the company’s dynamic global business environment. The internship program expanded in 2017 – with eight CCC graduates starting the program this summer, all from Wright College.

Rigoberto Velazquez recently transitioned from his internship to a full-time position as a Software Engineering Analyst with Accenture. “When I first decided I would pursue IT as a career, I felt it would be a long uphill battle. When I received this internship, I was beside myself with gratitude. Wright College has leveraged their relationship with a great company and provided me with an opportunity to start my career on a solid foundation,” Rigoberto said.

Wilbur Wright College is City Colleges’ Center of Excellence for IT, offering several associate degree and certificate programs in disciplines that include computer science, networking systems and technology, web development and more, as well as a full complement of associate degree programs leading to transfer and employment. City Colleges students may begin their IT studies at any of the seven City Colleges. For more information about City Colleges of Chicago, call (773) COLLEGE or visit www.ccc.edu.

As a freshman at George Westinghouse College Prep, Julissa Andino didn’t know golf from badminton. But she did know she needed to help her family financially and get moving on a plan if she had any hopes of going to college. So the Humboldt Park resident followed up on a tip to check out the Chick Evans Scholarship, which pays tuition and college room and board if you keep up grades, demonstrate high character and serve as a golf caddy for at least two years.

Four years later, after completing 200 loops as a caddy at North Shore Country Club, Julissa will be leaving for University of Illinois at Urbana in a few weeks. The Evans Scholarship will pay for tuition, room and board. Her CHA scholarship will pay for books and anything else that Andino may need as she gears up for what she describes as a life-changing experience. Andino is one of 150 students who attended CHA’s 7th annual “Take Flight College Send-Off” at 11:45 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 2, on the third floor of CHA Executive Offices, 60 E. Van Buren. There will be 60 schools represented as CHA students prepare to leave home and embark on college life, representing, among others, Ball State, Columbia, DePaul, Howard, Illinois Institute of Technology, Indiana State and Monmouth. It is made possible thanks to a generous grant from CNA and will be hosted by Springboard to Success, the nonprofit affiliate of CHA.

Andino hopes to major in civil engineering, then go on to graduate school. The toughest part will be leaving her dad, a former construction worker who became disabled after falling from a building 10 years ago. The injury was devastating, and he was homeless for a while. That’s when CHA provided the family a scattered site unit in Humboldt Park. Her mom, who lives in Arkansas, is a recent cancer survivor. “I never thought in a million years I’d be able to go to college,” she said. “It will be surreal actually moving in. But I’m glad that I don’t have to worry about my parents coming up with money and taking out loans for my school. My mom didn’t tell me about her breast cancer because she didn’t want me to worry, she wanted me to be successful. Everything I did was for my family. I’m never going to disappoint them. I hope I can make them as happy as they’ve made me.”

By: Ashmar Mandou

As summer comes to an end and back-to-school season begins, it can be hard to get back into a regular schedule –both for kids and adults. The trick here is to plan ahead. To better assist you, we have compiled a list of strategies to ease your way into the school year. Test these different approaches as a family so you can figure out which ones work for you, and which ones do not. Finally, make sure that you include your entire child care crew in your plans, too. No matter whether you have a babysitter, a nanny, a tutor, or all of the above, they’ll be able to help you keep your kiddo on track for the first day of school. Plus, they’ll be able to take some tasks off of your plate — which means that you can enter the school year with a little more of your sanity intact.

• Set your kids’ sleep schedules back to “School Time” two weeks before the first day.
• Get your kids involved in programs that they can do after school to keep them active.
• Visit cultural attractions like museums to shift their brains into “Scholar” mode.
• Create a family calendar that tracks everyone’s activities and commitments.
• Establish a set “Family Time,” whether it’s during dinner or before bed.
• Give kids a specific day to when they can choose all the activities you do together.
• Determine how long it takes them to do assignments to help with time management.
• Teach your kids to prioritize their assignments to making to-do lists with deadlines.
• Give your kids a short break after each assignment they finish, such as short walk.
• Remove distractions like TVs and video game consoles from homework areas.
• Help your kids develop a filing system for organizing their documents for each class.
• Touch base with teachers early on to troubleshoot any issues your kids may have having.
• Create an after-school schedule that allows time for snack, relaxation, play and study.
• Have your kids pack their school bags before they go to sleep that night.
• Talk openly with your kids about their feelings about returning to school.

El alcalde Rahm Emanuel lanzó la solicitud preescolar universal diseñada para mejorar el acceso y ayudar a las familias a identificar las opciones que satisfagan las necesidades de sus aprendices tempranos. Este sitio en línea provee un solo punto de entrada para acceder a un menú completo de más de 600 programas para niños de tres y cuatro años disponibles bajo las Escuelas Públicas de Chicago (CPS). El Departamento de Servicios de Familia y Apoyo (DFSS) y los sitios de toda la ciudad administrados por la municipalidad y basadas en las comunidades. Desde que recibió el cargo, el alcalde Emanuel ha hecho una prioridad de las oportunidades de educación temprana de todo el día, expandiendo los programas preescolares para atender a 18,000 niños en toda la ciudad con un aumento de 70 por ciento desde 2011. Más de 10,000 solicitudes para preescolares se han presentado para el año escolar entrante. En este segundo año en línea, la solicitud en www.chicagoearlylearning.org ha sido rediseñado en seguimiento de consultas con grupos foco que incluyen a más de 150 padres. El sitio mejorado crea un proceso ágil con información completa en todos los programas disponibles para las familias.

Las familias de los niños que van a cumplir tres o cuatro años el uno de septiembre de 2017 pueden presentar ahora sus solicitudes en línea para la inscripción en el otoño de 2017 para los programas de educación temprana. El proceso de la solicitud en línea permite a los padres recibir información en tiempo real acerca de la disponibilidad del programa en el lugar que deseen, eliminando la necesidad de visitar varios sitios para solicitar para los preescolares. Las notificaciones para la inclusión en programas para el año escolar entrante van a seguir siendo aceptadas en una base de uno por uno, dando prioridad a las familias con base en la necesidad. Las familias pueden acceder a apoyo en el proceso de solicitud en uno de los doce Centros de Recursos de Barrio localizados en las sucursales de la Biblioteca Pública de Chicago y en sitios en toda la ciudad. Las sucursales incluyen: Austin Library, Avalon Library, Bezazian Library, Budlong Woods Library, Humboldt Park Library, Legler Library, Little Village Library, McKinley Park Library, Portage-Cragin Library, Thurgood Marshall Library, West Lawn Library y Coleman Library. Para cualquier pregunta sobre el proceso de inscripción, para asistencia con una solicitud, los padres deben llamara a la línea gratuita de Educación Temprana de Chicago en el 312-229-1690.

Las Escuelas Públicas de Chicago, anunciaron una fiesta de Regreso a Clases para los estudiantes, educadores y familiares para reunirse para celebrar el próximo año escolar. Cada uno de los eventos va a tener comida, música, juegos y va a permitir a las familias que aprendan más acerca de GoCPS el nuevo proceso del Distrito para hacer que las solicitudes a la secundaria sean más simples y parejas. Las fiestas de “Regreso a Clases” reúnen a las comunidades para ayudar a asegurar que las familias tengan el apoyo y recursos que necesitan para iniciar el año exitosamente desde el primer día,” dijo Forrest Claypool CEO de las CPS. “Nuestras escuelas han hecho marcados progresos en los años recientes, y esperamos iniciar otro exitoso año con nuestros eventos de creación de comunidad en toda la ciudad.” La información sobre escuelas específicas se puede encontrar en www.cps.edu/schools donde las familias pueden ver las páginas de perfiles para explorar información sobre el tamaño de la escuela, el tipo, horarios, programas académicos y extracurriculares y los logros. Las familias con niños entre las edades de 3 y 5 pueden visitar el Portal de Aprendizaje Temprano de Chicago en www.cps.edu/readytolearn para explorar los programas de niñez temprana de la escuela y de la comunidad que van a solucionar de mejor forma sus necesidades. Los padres también pueden llamar a la línea gratuita de Chicago: Listos para Aprender en el (312) 229-1690 para asistencia personal. Para preguntas adicionales relacionadas con Regreso a Clases, los padres pueden enviar un correo electrónico a: b2s@cps.edu o llamar al 773-553-1580.

Celebraciones de Regreso a Clases del CPS

Por: Ashmar Mandou

Al llegar el verano a su fin e iniciar la temporada de regreso a clases, puede ser difícil volver a sujetarse a un horario regular -tanto para niños como adultos. El truco es planear con anticipación. Para poder asistirle mejor, hemos compilado una lista de estrategias para facilitarles el regreso al año escolar. Prueba estos diferentes consejos como familia para poder decidir cuáles son los mejores para usted y cuáles no. Finalmente asegúrese que también incluye a todo el equipo de cuidado de niños en sus planes. No importa si usted tiene una cuidadora de niños, una nana, un tutor o todos ellos, le van a poder ayudar a mantener a su nene en la dirección correcta en el primer día de clases. Es más, ellos van a poder realizar algunas tareas por usted –lo que significa que usted puede empezar el año escolar con un poco más de salud mental.

• Ponga los horarios de acostarse de los niños otra vez en “Tiempo Escolar” dos semanas antes del primer día.
• Haga que sus niños se involucren en programas que pueden practicar después de la escuela para mantenerlos activos.
• Visite atracciones culturales como museos para cambiar sus cerebros a modo “escolar”.
• Cree un calendario familiar que lleve control de las actividades y responsabilidades de todos.
• Establezca un “tiempo familiar” fijo, ya sea durante la cena o antes de acostarse.
• Dele a los niños un día especial en el que pueden ellos escoger todas las actividades que realizan juntos.
• Determine cuánto tiempo les toma hacer sus tareas para ayudarlos a administrar su tiempo.
• Enseñe a sus niños a priorizar sus tareas hacienda listas de por hacer con límites.
• Dele a sus niños un corto receso después de cada tarea que terminen, tal como una corta caminata.
• Retire las distracciones como la TV y los juegos electrónicos de las áreas de tareas.
• Ayude a sus niños a desarrollar un Sistema de archive para organizar sus documentos para cada clase.
• Comuníquese con los maestros desde el inicio para evitar problemas con asuntos que puedan afectar a sus hijos.
• Cree un horario para después de la escuela que permita tiempo para refacciones, descanso, juego y estudio.
• Haga que sus niños empaquen sus bolsas escolares antes de que se acuesten a dormir todas las noches.
• Hábleles abiertamente a sus niños sobre sus sentimientos acerca de Volver a la escuela.