About

The opinions expressed in District 299: The Chicago Schools Blog are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Catalyst Chicago or the Community Renewal Society, its publisher.

Powered by Technorati

Dsictrict 299: The Chicago Schools Blog
Hosted by journalist Alexander Russo, District 299: The Chicago Schools Blog is a 24/7 gathering place for Chicago education news, official and otherwise. (For archives prior to November 2007, please click here.)

"Off With Their Heads" In DC You think things are rough in Chicago, well in DC the superintendent just fired the principal from her kids' own school (Principal of School That Rhee's Children Attend Is Dismissed Washington Post) -- considered one of the best schools in the city.  DC principals serve on one year contracts and a bunch of them are getting the ax this year (Schools Chancellor Moves to Dismiss Principals). 

Superintendent Rhee is also offering a big buyout plan to try and get rid of some teachers (Some Union Officials Tell Teachers To Spurn District's Buyout Offer), and bringing in outside folks to help run struggling schools (Rhee Names 6 Firms Eyed To Help Run 10 CampusesWashington Post).

Last but not least, her arrival has set off a conflict within the teachers union there between the president and one of his officers (Teachers' Fret City Paper).  Sound familiar?




Daily Email From D299 Button The new little button in the top right corner is a new thing that will send you a daily email of the headlines on this site.  Every day, around noon, you'll get an email.  Free, easy, no more forgetting to check here.   A bunch of folks have already signed up.  You can always unsubscribe with a click. 



Friday Morning News
Mother Says 11-Year-Old Daughter Assaulted In School Stairwell WMAQ
School officials said Thursday there was an investigation into allegations that a sixth grade girl was sexually attacked in a South Side charter school.

New Elgin schools chief plans to draw on CPS experience Chicago Tribune
Torres, now an area administrator with the Chicago Public Schools, is the U-46 School Board's top choice to lead a district that is striving to improve ...

Chicago parents may soon see their kids' grades online Medill Reports
by Joshua Pollock Chicago Public Schools are set to launch a new Web-based grade book next school year. The system will enable parents to view their child's ...

Teachers describe crumbling schools Chi-Town Daily News
Three Duprey teachers yesterday pushed Chicago Public Schools to make improvements to Humboldt before the new school year begins. Their comments came at the ...

Better schools = better pay for teachers? The Jackson Citizen Patriot
Chicago Public Schools is among the schools currently testing a program called TAP, or Teacher Advancement Program. Basically, there are lead teachers (who ...

Looking for friends of Irving `Pro' Boim Change of Subject - Chicago Tribune Blog
He started as a substitute in the Chicago Public Schools, moved to a staff job at the old St. Mary School in Evanston and ended up in my hometown of Ann ...

Paralympics gets a boost in Chicago school's gym
Chicago Tribune, United States -
(Tribune photo by Milbert O. Brown / May 8, 2008) By Carlos Sadovi | Tribune reporter Steering and pumping her wheelchair forward with one hand while ...




Waiting For ISAT -- Predicting The Results It's getting closer to the time when schools first see their unofficial ISAT scores -- way before they are publicly announced or officially approved by the state. 

When do you think the scores are first going to start trickling out?  Are scores going to be up or down for your school (or the whole district) this year?  Were there any changes in the tests or the format that would make the scores go up or down independent of student achievement?

Your ISAT-related predictions, hopes, rumors and gossip are all welcome.  Just for fun, I predict that the scores are flat or even down, but not so much that Duncan or Daley have to do anything about it.  No one loses their jobs.  Except those at low performing schools, of course. 




Firings At Farragut

I'm told they're firing PATs at Farragut (and lots of other places):

Yesterday, the principal of Farragut notified 12 PAT teachers that they would not be returning next year. The names of several teachers have shocked the faculty and students. They are extremely dedicated teachers who likely have been fired because they were either too popular or about to receive tenure....Farragut apparently has more firings than any other school and the principal has clearly demonstrated that if you are an innovative, independent teacher, she does not want you in her school. There is a climate of fear now in this school. When I heard of the teachers who had been fired, I was more than stunned. I have no idea who will be next and clearly, anyone is vulnerable to being fired at the whim of this woman.

Read below for profiles of some of the teachers who are being let go, according to a PAT teacher at the school.

What's going on at your school? What else could or should principals be doing assuming they have to let folks go because of enrollment projections?  Try and get rid of tenured teachers? 


Continue Reading Firings At Farragut »


CPS Charter Schools Performance Report Now Online Announced earlier this week as part of the press release on the RAND study, the Chicago charter schools performance report is now out and online as a PDF.  It's put out every years by the Office of New Schools and can be accessed through the following link.  I haven't looked at it yet, but wanted everyone who's working in and thinking about charters to know it was there. 

UPDATE:  The folks at UNO didn't waste any time in sending out a press release highlighting how they did, on average (not sure if campus-specific info is available).  Click below to see the text.

Continue Reading CPS Charter Schools Performance Report Now Online »


Voting For District 299 If you're reading this post, I'm guessing you like this blog.  At least some of the time.  So why not make it official and vote for District 299 on this stupid "best education blog" contest that they're having in DC (Summit Poll)?  Or, vote for someone else -- there are some really good blogs listed.  Just vote.  Two clicks and you're done.  Until the next day, when you can vote again. 



Best Posts From The Other Blog
"Hurricane" Phillips Takes Gates Foundation By Storm
The new Gates guru answers come questions.

Pandering To Voters: Gas Tax Vs. Ending NCLB
How "ending" NCLB is worse than a gas tax holiday

RTI -- The Next "Reading First"?
Responding to "Response To Intervention"

Paige Vs. Spellings: A Different Black Man, A Different White Woman
Spellings is Obama, and Paige is Clinton

Cooking The Books -- Not Just An Education Thing
Unemployment rates and GDP calculations are also way off.

A Snap Of Steve Barr's Fingers, A Magic Bill Gates Spray Can
I choose the Magic Bill Gates spray can.

Teacher Bloggers At EDIN08 Summit Can Kick My Ass
Will Okun, Teaching In The 408 and others to appear in DC




Golden Apple Foundation Honorees Know anyone on the list?  Me, neither.  Congrats to all of those involved.  From CPS:

        Six Chicago Public Schools teachers celebrated National Teacher Appreciation Day by receiving the 2008 Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence in grades 4 through 8 Tuesday; eight others were named Teachers of Distinction.  It is the most Golden Apples for CPS since 1996.

            Mayor Richard M. Daley and CPS Chief Education Officer Barbara Eason-Watkins surprised Brooke Thompson, music teacher at Peirce School of International Studies Tuesday morning with the award and a basket of apples. Also surprised Tuesday morning were Monica Gil, 7th grade, Gray Elementary; Samina Khan, 6th-8th grade science, and Donnell White, 7th-8th grade math, Clark Academic Preparatory Magnet High School; Natalie Neris-Guereca, 5th grade, Pershing West Magnet School; John Nieciak, 6th-8th grade language arts, Sheridan Math and Science Academy. 

            Clark Academic is the first CPS school to have two winners in the same year.  This year also marks the first time that three CPS schools had two finalists each:  Clark, Pershing and Sherman School of Excellence. 

            The teachers were among 31 Chicago area finalists – 13 from CPS – culled from 850 nominees in the annual competition sponsored by the Golden Apple Foundation.  The Foundation is dedicated to recognizing and developing excellence in teaching.  The prestigious award includes a tuition-free spring term sabbatical at Northwestern University, a personal computer from IBM, $3,000, and membership in the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, a group of 220 expert teachers who work together to ensure that all children have the excellent teachers they deserve.

    For the second year Golden Apple announced Teachers of Distinction, second-tier award recognizing superior and laudable teaching.  Eight of the 13 Teachers of Distinction are from CPS, including:  Margaret Burns, 5thgrade, Gallistel Language Academy; Jennifer Cho, 4th grade, National Teachers Academy; Lisa Espinosa, 7th grade, Ruiz School; Virginia Kogen, 7th-8th grades, Madero School; Mary Meade, 1st-8thgrade, science teacher, Christopher School; Mark Nelson, K-8thgrade, fine arts, Stone Academy; Esther Ohito, 6th-8thgrade, English, Pershing West Magnet School; Claudine Randolph, 5thgrade, University of Chicago Charter School – Donoghue Elementary.




Thursday Morning News Students Rally for Cinco de Mayo College Bowl WBEZ
A few teachers at Highland Park High School have been on a mission to integrate Chicano history into their teaching. 

Chicago’s Unique Program Makes Teachers Out of Moms  New California Media, CA - 
Editor’s Note: To solve the chronic teacher shortage problem in its public schools, Chicago is reaching deep into its own neighborhoods.

Gov to unveil $150 million anti-violence plan today Sun Times
The initiative, dubbed Community Investment Works, represents the governor's first tangible response to the wave of shootings in the city that have left 24 Chicago Public School students murdered this school year.

Study: Charter schools may improve graduation rates Chicago Tribune
"We're very pleased to hear how well our charter school students are prepared for their future," said Arne Duncan, CEO of Chicago Public Schools.

Edge Found for Chicago's Charter High Schools EdWeek
A new first-of-its-kind analysis suggests that in Chicago, at least, charter school students are more likely to graduate from high school and enroll in college than similar students in regular public high schools.

Study: College More Likely for Charter Students New York Sun
Students who attend charter high schools are substantially more likely to graduate and go on to college than students who attend traditional public schools, a new study of Chicago schools found.



Renaissance Schools Fund Meeting It's a busy day in Chicago school reform circles, what with the CTU delegates meeting taking place (see below) and the Renaissance Schools Fund Symposium going on as well. The symposium event took place downtown at the Mid-America Club and was titled "Free To Choose, Free To Succeed." It featured panels on going to scale, facilities issues, turnarounds, roles for private funders, and more. Click below for program details, or click here to see the website.

Feel free to tell us how it went if you were there. Or even if you're there now.  We know you read this blog. We won't hold it against you.

UPDATE:  Sorry -- this was yesterday, not today.

Continue Reading Renaissance Schools Fund Meeting »


What Happened At Today's Delegates Meeting?

Today is the big day for the CTU delegates meeting, and I can't wait to hear what happens -- what's discussed, what motions are offered or rebuffed, and what if any new information comes out from the proceedings.  Longtime CTU members are distressed with the dysfunction within the union leadership (though much the same is happening in the District of Columbia, it's worth noting).  Rank and file members are wondering WTF is going on and feeling like there's not enough leadership on key issues like jobs, wages, school closings, and the like.  So tell us what happened if you were there.



New Study Claims Positive Benefits To Charter Students There's a big new study from RAND out about charters in Chicago that includes what is purported to be good news about their benefits.

Charter School Students in Chicago Enjoy Better Graduation, College Entry Rates.
Achievement and Attainment in Chicago Charter Schools.

Reading between the lines of the press release, you get the sense that charters don't look as good on test score measures as they do on graduation and college entry measures, and that charter students are somewhat higher-achieving (and more affluent?) than traditional CPS students.  There's also a clear message that first-year charters are rough and that certain kinds of charters (multi-grade high schools) do better than other kinds.







Gaga For Google Teachers Academy From my friend Lucy Gray, who's a big fan of the Google Teachers Academy:

"I've been working with Google on various education initiatives for the past few years, and I know that a Google Teachers Academy will likely becoming to Chicago this fall as well, but nothing beats seeing their extraordinary headquarters up close and personal, or so I am told!

"The GTA provides training  several times a year for teacher leaders on using Google Apps in classrooms. The next GTA will take place in Mountain View, Califorinia, in June at the company's headquarters, known to some  as the Googleplex.The application process to participate in the Google Teachers Academy and to become a Google Certified Teacher is fairly straightforward, but competitive. For additional details and an application, visit http://www.google.com/educators/index.html

Also, note that Google has also announced today a new site for teachers called Geo Education http://www.google.com/educators/geo.html. Geo Education provides all sorts of materials for incorporating Google Earth, Google Maps, Google Sky, and Google SketchUp into classroom instruction."

Please let us know if there's anything else going on that you'd recommend.




What About Kilmer? From a parent who's considering sending her child to CPS:  "We found a great apartment on a quiet street in Rogers Park, but the zone school worries me a bit. It's Kilmer, and while the principal seems to be trying really hard, I'm not sure this is the best choice for my daughter. But it seems like we have no other options in CPS at this time, since we missed the deadlines for applying to other schools (didn't even know we were moving to Chicago in December!) ... and it seems like there aren't really as many options as it appears on the surface, as many of the neighborhood magnets do not seem to have spaces to take many kids from other neighborhoods."



Wednesday Morning News
Teachers weigh in on tenure, evaluations Associated Press
A study of Chicago public schools last year found that more than 90 percent of teachers received one of the top two possible evaluation ratings -- superior ...

Golden Apple Awards honor top teachers Chicago Tribune
As Peirce Elementary School music teacher Brooke Tippett Thompson was preparing her 7th- and 8th-grade pupils for an ...

Patrick aide backs teacher pay overhaul Boston Globe
Allison Friedmann, a fifth- and sixth-grade science teacher, said her $4,600 bonus made her feel more like a professional. In her previous job in the Chicago public schools, she said, "It was frustrating when teacher got paid solely for longevity and not their actual quality of work."

Charter-school fans want more Denver Post
A similar organization in Chicago, The Renaissance Schools Fund, is an independent nonprofit working with Chicago Public Schools to create 100 schools in ...

CPS success wins administrator top Elgin post Medill Reports
As the Elgin U-46 School District gains a new superintendent, the Chicago Public Schools begins a search to replace administrator Jose ...

Poll: Urban Parents Find Schools Safe EdWeek
However, more than 60 percent think students fight a lot or aren’t sure about the level of fighting.



Around The Other Blogs CTU joins elected school board petition drive PURE
The Chicago Teachers Union will distribute copies of the petition for an elected school board at their Delegates' meeting this Wednesday.

Pride for Our School (and some anger for those who don't get it)  Chicago Moms Blog
I'm angry that families in my neighborhood, and even on my block, who could also send their kids to this school and dedicate their time and resources to this school, instead choose to send their kids to private schools.

Unfortunate rumor Drummond School
May 1, 2008 Dear Parents, It has come to our attention that several of our families are under the impression that they will need to leave Drummond or make other plans for the future if they do not live in the neighborhood of the school. Please understand that nothing could be further from the truth.

Happy when it rains Chicago Teacher Man
We were off to our annual camping trip, twenty students and their gear piled into two cars and a 15-passenger van.

Life in the Ownership Society Small Talk
Susan Graham, a Fellow of the Teacher Leaders Network, pans Checker Finn’s self-aggrandizing autobiography and sticks a pin in his over-sized ego in this Teacher magazine review.  Graham reveals Finn as an unreflective boob, a failed educator, who now trades on his connections.

Death Comes to Marshfield Avenue Marshfield Tattler
Here's what the articles won't tell you. Jason was the kind of young man who would wish you a blessed day. He was a short guy with a sparkly stud in each ear and the big smile he inherited from his mother. In a neighborhood where most kids don't make it through high school, he had graduated from Perspectives Charter Schools South Loop campus. The last I heard he was working for UPS.

Vallas for Governor? Division Street
Can anyone doubt now that Paul Vallas would have been a better governor than Rod Blagojevich?

Remember that being included here doesn't imply my support or an endorsement. 




Got Any Ideas For Catalyst? As you can see from the letter below, the folks at Catalyst seem like they have all sorts of changes in mind for the near future, based in large part on talking to educators and parents around Chicago. 

I've already told them most of my ideas for what they should do (more timely stories, more investigative work, more fun to read, more expense account money for their favorite blogger). 

What do you think?   What should they do to make their reporting as useful and engaging as you can imagine?  Post your ideas here, or send them to the editors at the emails listed below.  Or both. 

Continue Reading Got Any Ideas For Catalyst? »


What To Make Of Jose Torres' Departure?
Just over two years ago, there were rumblings on this blog that CPS was bringing in -- horrors! -- an outsider to serve as an AIO on the South Side.  Not from CPS.  And -- shhh! -- Latino. 

His name was Jose Torres (New Talent At AIO). His appointment was controversial to some (The Best And Worst). He worked closely with the Chicago New Teacher Center (AIO Hearts Chicago New Teacher Center).  He replaced a lot of principals.  He loved him some Schedule E (Schedule E).

Now he's apparently leaving CPS, for Elgin (New district supt. chosen The Courier News , Elgin's U-46 school board chooses Chicago administrator as new ... Chicago Tribune).

What to make of Jose Torres' short tenure as a CPS AIO?  First off, it's no big surprise he'd be tempted to leave.  But not because he's an outsider or a Latino running schools in an African-American neighborhood.  Rather because it remains unclear if the AIO system really works (All About The AIO), even with as much support and flexibility as CPS could provide.  It seems like it's more of an enforcement and implementation position rather than a leadership position, and that's too bad. 

Got any experiences dealing with Torres, or thoughts about the AIO system?  Now's your chance.


Tuesday Morning News New district supt. chosen The Courier News
Prior to joining the Chicago Public Schools, Torres served as the assistant superintendent of student support services for Anne Arundel County Public ...

Elgin's U-46 school board chooses Chicago administrator as new ... Chicago Tribune
A Chicago Public Schools administrator who was born in Puerto Rico and learned English in 5th grade is the top choice

Philanthropy gains in the classroom Chicago Tribune
While Chicago Public Schools has long required all students to complete 40 hours of community service to graduate, it is now urging teachers to incorporate ...

Privacy and Education Research: Further Notes Chronicle of Higher Education
Yesterday, Goldrick-Rab wrote about Chicago Public Schools’ efforts to track the fates of the system’s former high school students.



Get This Blog Via E-Mail (It's Free!) Lots of folks don't want to remember to come here every day to read what's new.  Many others just forget.  Now they don't have to.  Just sign up for this free daily email and you can see at a glance what's going on -- without having to come to the site.  District 299 Blog by Email.  Sign up and you'll get a confirmation email and then receive an update every day around lunchtime.  No more missing out on what's happening -- or trying to play catchup. 



"What Happened At [School Event]..." Part of what makes this blog great is it includes so many descriptions of what is going on in schools and school-related events.  These first-hand accounts are as important if not more so than the opinions and analysis or even the official news that comes out in the papers.

So the next time you're at a school meeting, a staff meeting, a press event, a protest, or whatever, think about sending in a little description of what happened so that others can read about it.  It doesn't have to be long -- four sentences is fine.  It doesn't have to include your name -- just let me know. You don't even have to have a strong opinion about it (though opinions are welcome).  As long as you think it was interesting, we probably will, too.

Just send me an email to district299@gmail.com and tell me:

-- Who was there
-- When and where it took place
-- What people were talking about
-- What decision or action got made (if any)
-- What happens next

Seriously -- give it a try.  Between us we've got a LOT of eyes and ears about what's going on in the schools.  I




Treating Violence As A Disease

There's a big article about how violence can be addressed by comparing it to a disease that was published in yesterday's New York Times magazine that was written by Chicago writer Alex Kotlowitz and features a Chicago epidemiologist  (Blocking the Transmission of Violence).




More Charters For CPS -- Why Not?


The CTU is ramping up its opposition to an expansion of Chicago's charter schools, and indeed many traditional teachers and educators see charters as educational hype more than anything else (Take Action: SB 2402 - Unlimited Charter Bill.).  Indeed, not all charters  have panned out, and there are some practices -- refusing to take students during the year -- that are objectionable.  But on the fundamental issue of charter expansion, I'm not so sure there's a compelling argument against making high-quality charters available to parents who want them.  (Neither are lots of parents and teachers, not to speak of Barack Obama and -- yes -- NYC teachers union president Randi Weingarten, who have both supported the charter option.) 

Chicago's charter authorizing system -- charged with approving and monitoring the autonomous schools -- is one of the most careful and buttoned-down in the nation.  New types of charters -- including ones that combine innovation with union job protections -- are  being tried, and there's lots of federal and private money to help create new schools.  More charter slots would let teachers and nonprofits and community organizations set up schools that are tailored to students needs.  They could also slow the exodus of parents from Chicago and declining enrollments citywide. 

So, why not more charters for Chicago?




Monday Morning News
Daley tackles violence, youth programs in 'State of City' address Chicago Tribune
Daley noted that the Chicago Public Schools will now organize a "Freshman Connection" summer program to prepare new high school students.

Going green to clean schools Chicago Daily Herald
Requiring such cleaners is part of a move to reduce toxic chemicals in schools across Illinois and in turn improve indoor air quality.

Bank invests in art and kids Chicago Tribune
student in Grades kindergarten through 12, or about 400000 young scholars. ... provide free family passes to the institute to every Chicago Public Schools.

Chicago school beefs up language programs Chicago Tribune
Officials say the Chicago Public Schools next year will expand its foreign language curriculum, teaching more students Chinese and Arabic, ...

Funding, test scores seen as key to Catholic schools' future Chicago Sun-Times
Martha Frauenheim, an associate superintendent of Catholic schools in Chicago, said she believes in marketing Catholic schools: "We have a great story to ...

McNabb, Rice urge peace at Hall of Fame Chicago Sun-Times
Twenty-four Chicago Public Schools students have been killed by gunfire this year. ''You guys are killing yourselves, and for what?'' he said. ...



Best Of The Week Perfect Attendance Creeps Me Out(13) Comments

IASB Update - Last Week, The Week Ahead

Capital Improvement Hearings First Week Of May

Obama Calls Principals On Inside Phone Lines  (12) Comments

Real World, CTU -- An Update(41) Comments

How Long Should "Excessed" Teachers Have?(3) Comments

Social Justice Job Openings

Campaign Watch

Education Reporter Resigns From WBEZ(3) Comments

CPS Academics Award Dinner(3) Comments

Arts Education No Big Advantage, Researchers Say(10) Comments

Why Is The Mayor Destroying The Reputation Of His Own School System? (10) Comments
 


Perfect Attendance Creeps Me Out On Thursday, CPS held a dinner honoring more than 300 CPS seniors and eighth graders who have from four to 12 consecutive years of perfect attendance.  According to CPS, six seniors have perfect attendance for 12 years of school, and 40 eighth-graders – including two sets of twins – have eight years of perfect attendance. 

Seniors with 12 years of perfect attendance are Cindy Au, Northside College Prep; Priscilla Barclay, Curie; Angel Martinez, Lane Tech; Eric Ruiz, Kelly High School; Chi Ting, Whitney Young; and Diana Yung, Jones College Prep.  Nearly 250 elementary students and more than 50 high school students will be honored at the banquet, which is hosted by Robin Robinson and David Novarro of Fox Channel 32 News.

I'm not suggesting that any of these kids missed a day or two along the way -- though I find it hard to believe that they didn't -- just that I don't know anyone who didn't miss school and am not sure I'd be able to relate to anyone who didn't need an occasional mental health day or have something that they had to do instead.  And as a teacher, sometimes I wished that some kids would take a day off so I didn't have to.  But that's probably just me.

Congrats to all the students and their families. 



IASB Update - Last Week, The Week Ahead Sometimes those folks down in Springfield make big decisions affecting Chicago schools, I hear.  From the IASB, for example:

HB 4471 (Dugan, D-Bradley) requires a school to notify the person enrolling a child that he/she must provide a certified copy (instead of a copy of the certified copy) of the child's birth certificate and requires the school to promptly make a copy of the certified copy of the child's birth certificate for its records and return the original certified copy to the person providing it. The bill was approved by the House of Representatives and was sent to the Senate for consideration.

HB 4900 (Acevedo, D-Chicago)adds contracts providing for the transportation of pupils with special needs or disabilities to the list of exceptions to the requirement that certain contracts be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder. It provides that these contracts must be advertised in the same manner as competitive bids and awarded by first considering the bidder or bidders most able to provide safety and comfort for the pupils with special needs or disabilities, stability of service, and any other factors set forth in the request for proposal regarding quality of service, and then price. The bill was approved by the House of Representatives and was sent to the Senate for consideration.

Hearings Next Week:

HB 3361 (Mitchell,J., R-Sterling)allows for a maximum of 5 additional charter schools exclusively for truants or dropouts in Chicago if the limit on the number of charter schools that may operate at any one time in the rest of the state has not been reached.

 


Capital Improvement Hearings First Week Of May From CPS: 

The Chicago Public Schools will be hosting a series of public hearings throughout the month of May on its capital-improvement program.  The hearings will be held throughout the city.  They give students, staff and community residents an opportunity to provide input on the planning process for the 2009 Capital Improvement Program, which details what school construction, upgrades and maintenance will be scheduled.

The hearings will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the following days:

 ·        Wednesday, May 7—Walter  Payton College Prep, 1034 N. Wells St.

·        Thursday, May 8—Bell Elementary School, 3730 N. Oakley Ave.

·        Wednesday, May 14—Jackson Language Academy, 1340 W. Harrison St.

·        Thursday, May 15—Pershing West Middle School, 3200 S. Calumet Ave.

·        Wednesday, May 21—Lindblom Math/Science Academy, 6130 S. Wolcott St.

·        Thursday, May 22—Morgan Park High School, 1744 West Pryor Avenue

 Registration for each of the hearings will run from 4 to 5 p.m. Each hearing will be open to questions and comments pertaining to the capital needs of any Chicago public school.Public hearing sites are accessible to people with disabilities, and sign language interpreters will be present. If residents need more information on the hearing, they can call CPS Department of Operations at 773.553.2905, TTY 773.553.2699.




Obama Calls Principals On Inside Phone Lines

From a reader who is a CPS principal: 

"Today, on my CPS school's private principal's line, I received a long message from the Obama campaign to disregard all the negative adds that are coming out about him and to stay united. (I am sorry, I erased the message.) They left this number to call so that we could help him: 1-866-675-2008.

"It would be interesting to see if other principals got this message on their CPS private line. How did the Obama people get CPS private lines? CPS does have a clear ethics policy about campaigning and political support. This may be only the start of CPS support for his campaign. My issue is that we should follow our own policy on this."

Was this principal the only one, or has the Obama campaign been reaching out to all of them?  Let us know.