Open House At Inter-American I got an email from Inter-American saying that they're having an open house on Thursday (tomorrow). This is probably something they do every year, but it made me wonder how the school was doing in its new location and with its new(ish) principal. I remember that they had to change locations a couple of years ago and did a big search for a new principal around the same time. Anyone got an update? Details on the update below the jump:[#jump#] "Una persona bilingüe vale por dos." Un programa de lenguaje dual que busca niños preescolares (debe tener 4 años hacia el 1 de septiembre de 2008). ~ Dual language Spanish immersion program for preschool children (must be 4 years old by Sept 1, 2008). CASA ABIERTA/OPEN HOUSE: Jueves, 13 de diciembre Thursday, Dec. 13th 9:00 a.m. y 6:00 pm. 851 W. Waveland (estacionamiento disponible ~ parking available) Solicitud, encuesta de idioma y información adjunto ~ Application, language survey & info attached Descarga de adobe gratis ~ Download free Acrobat Reader La fecha limite de inscripción ~ Deadline for applications: 21 DE DICIEMBRE DEL 2007 ~ DEC. 21, 2007 INTERAMERICAN: Two languages. Una Escuela. • Considerada un modelo nacional de educación bilingüe y multicultural ~ Successful, award-winning dual language immersion program • Niños aprenden a hablar, leer y escribir bien en ambos idiomas – español y el inglés ~ Children become fluent in Spanish and English • Una escuela pública de Chicago ~ Part of the Chicago Public School system • Pequeños tamaños de clase ~ Small class sizes • Plan de estudios a base de literatura ~ Literature-based curriculum • Afiliación de Academia española Internacional ~ International Spanish Academy affiliation • Programas de antes y despues de horario para preescolar y edad escolar disponible ~ Before/After prek & school-age programs available • Transportación disponible para kinder hasto 8o grado ~ Busing available for kindergarten through 8th grade • Puntos limitados disponibles en k-8 para niños de habla hispana natales. ~ Limited spots available in K-8 for native Spanish-speaking children. LINKS January 2007 – Cubs Care-a-van at Inter-American http://www.youtube .com/watch?v=Vc4XF9UGPOI Inter-Amerian (IAMS) Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter-American_Magnet_School April 2007 – Artículo: "Educación sin fronteras" (Education without borders) http://laraza.com/news.php?nid=43385 May 2007 – Entire book published about the school http://www.amazon.com/dp/1853599433 Inter-American Magnet School 851 W. Waveland Chicago IL 60613 (773) 534-5490
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Mon Dec 17, 2007 at 8:55 AM
Open House At Inter-American
After the principal search and the move to the LeMoyne School building, Inter-American (IAMS) is struggling to remain true to the vision of the school's founders, Adela Coronado Greeley and Janet Nolan.
The principal hired by the LSC has been on sick leave since March of her first year. I believe this is year 3 of the contract. At the end of her first year, two excellent and well-respected Latina teachers were fired, leading to a community outcry and 100's of signatures on a petition asking for their reinstatement. Although not reinstated at IAMS, the two teachers were immediately hired by other schools in CPS. IAMS now has an "acting" or interim principal. In response to the the firing of the two teachers, the impending move to LeMoyne and a general break down of the Inter-American community, 14 of the very best and most progressive teachers in the school left and took jobs at other schools. A large number of families also pulled their children from the school.
The large number of new teachers with little or no experience in dual language combined with the exodus of veteran teacher leaders and active familes has left the school struggling to maintain not only the dual language program but also the committment to non-standardized, literature based curriculum with a strong social justice or consciousness theme throughout.
Another factor contributing to the struggle is that fact that staying in Lakeview/Wrigleyville makes it hard to maintain the balance of native languages necessary for the dual language model as it has been implemented at IAMS. With fewer students entering the school speaking Spanish as their primary language, it gets more difficult for the teachers and community to maintain Spanish as the primary language of instruction and as the social langauge of the school.
There are new teachers at IAMS who understand the vision and philosophy and are working hard to maintain the dual language. There are still vestiges of the old IAMS. Latino culture and the Spanish language are still celebrated and at the heart of the school. Students are respected and loved. However, the school is a shadow of its former self and the demise has been painful to witness. CPS had a national model for dual language and ignored the IAMS community when it asked for help.
The principal hired by the LSC has been on sick leave since March of her first year. I believe this is year 3 of the contract. At the end of her first year, two excellent and well-respected Latina teachers were fired, leading to a community outcry and 100's of signatures on a petition asking for their reinstatement. Although not reinstated at IAMS, the two teachers were immediately hired by other schools in CPS. IAMS now has an "acting" or interim principal. In response to the the firing of the two teachers, the impending move to LeMoyne and a general break down of the Inter-American community, 14 of the very best and most progressive teachers in the school left and took jobs at other schools. A large number of families also pulled their children from the school.
The large number of new teachers with little or no experience in dual language combined with the exodus of veteran teacher leaders and active familes has left the school struggling to maintain not only the dual language program but also the committment to non-standardized, literature based curriculum with a strong social justice or consciousness theme throughout.
Another factor contributing to the struggle is that fact that staying in Lakeview/Wrigleyville makes it hard to maintain the balance of native languages necessary for the dual language model as it has been implemented at IAMS. With fewer students entering the school speaking Spanish as their primary language, it gets more difficult for the teachers and community to maintain Spanish as the primary language of instruction and as the social langauge of the school.
There are new teachers at IAMS who understand the vision and philosophy and are working hard to maintain the dual language. There are still vestiges of the old IAMS. Latino culture and the Spanish language are still celebrated and at the heart of the school. Students are respected and loved. However, the school is a shadow of its former self and the demise has been painful to witness. CPS had a national model for dual language and ignored the IAMS community when it asked for help.
Mon Dec 17, 2007 at 10:00 AM
Open House At Inter-American
I think that Elizabeth is correct about the problem of Inter-American's location. There is not a great deal of interest among upper income north siders in Spanish language dual language programs and Inter-American did not have a reputation for being one of the really high achieving elementary schools which would more than likely equate to admission at one of the big three high schools, Northside, Payton, or Young.
In 2006 before many of the long time Inter-American teachers left the school at the 8th grade level had 87% of students reading at or above standards, whereas a school like LaSalle had 97% reading at or above standards. Over 50% of the children at Inter-American in 2006 were low income whereas under 25% were at LaSalle. Upper income parents who are buying homes and condos costing half a million to a million dollars are not particularly interested in having their children socially mix with low income children and clearly do not in any case want to be a social minority of wealth in a majority low income school.
The progressive reputation of Inter-American has little standing among the new wealthly who have bought up Lake View, if anything it probably is a negative for enrolling these children.
In 2006 before many of the long time Inter-American teachers left the school at the 8th grade level had 87% of students reading at or above standards, whereas a school like LaSalle had 97% reading at or above standards. Over 50% of the children at Inter-American in 2006 were low income whereas under 25% were at LaSalle. Upper income parents who are buying homes and condos costing half a million to a million dollars are not particularly interested in having their children socially mix with low income children and clearly do not in any case want to be a social minority of wealth in a majority low income school.
The progressive reputation of Inter-American has little standing among the new wealthly who have bought up Lake View, if anything it probably is a negative for enrolling these children.
Mon Dec 17, 2007 at 10:11 AM
Open House At Inter-American
You report might just as well be publishing a good news sheet from Central Office. They are hell bent on wiping this and other close knit schools with high Hispanic populations from the roster.
They have alternately neglected, punished, starved and overcrowded community schools trying to get families to leave; they probably thought it would be easier to break your solidarity because your student body is scattered. This tactic has not worked with Ruben Salazar, although they are forcibly being relcocated to Pilsen to provide more space for the huddled masses yearning to breathe free at Walter Payton; I hope your school survives it.
If not, your parents and teachers should lobby to be relocated to a rehabbed school (better it go to you than to an undeserving charter) in a less yuppie-intensive area where parents and the community will appreciate what you are trying to do.
Daley and Duncan treat Spanish language as if it is something to be vaccinated against, instead of a useful business, social and education tool.
Instead, Daley is obsessed with Chinese and hell-bent on raising Chicagoans prepared to have the city do business with China. If his staffers would read him read the Business section (which, by the way, Richie, is in available in English), or by now, the front page, he would have realized a while ago what a poor (shoddy, lead infused) business empire that would build.
North side schools in previously marginal or economically mixed neighborhoods were, like many west and south side schools, used to house special education programs. As Daley's casting call for a 'different ethnic type' to 'come home' to Chicago casts his net wider, he uses the nouveau carpetbaggers to either take over the schools and chase out the programs, ignoring the school community which has volutarily formed there, or make it impossible to continue their mission, even if they have been successful.
The effects on healthy schools is more subtle and happens over time, but it is no less insidious than the horrible gang-mixing and subsequent behavior explosions that they have instigated at Clemente and Wells, always followed by blaming and finger pointing at the victims; the staff, the principal, and the students.
At this point, it's time for an 'interim' principal.
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.....
They have alternately neglected, punished, starved and overcrowded community schools trying to get families to leave; they probably thought it would be easier to break your solidarity because your student body is scattered. This tactic has not worked with Ruben Salazar, although they are forcibly being relcocated to Pilsen to provide more space for the huddled masses yearning to breathe free at Walter Payton; I hope your school survives it.
If not, your parents and teachers should lobby to be relocated to a rehabbed school (better it go to you than to an undeserving charter) in a less yuppie-intensive area where parents and the community will appreciate what you are trying to do.
Daley and Duncan treat Spanish language as if it is something to be vaccinated against, instead of a useful business, social and education tool.
Instead, Daley is obsessed with Chinese and hell-bent on raising Chicagoans prepared to have the city do business with China. If his staffers would read him read the Business section (which, by the way, Richie, is in available in English), or by now, the front page, he would have realized a while ago what a poor (shoddy, lead infused) business empire that would build.
North side schools in previously marginal or economically mixed neighborhoods were, like many west and south side schools, used to house special education programs. As Daley's casting call for a 'different ethnic type' to 'come home' to Chicago casts his net wider, he uses the nouveau carpetbaggers to either take over the schools and chase out the programs, ignoring the school community which has volutarily formed there, or make it impossible to continue their mission, even if they have been successful.
The effects on healthy schools is more subtle and happens over time, but it is no less insidious than the horrible gang-mixing and subsequent behavior explosions that they have instigated at Clemente and Wells, always followed by blaming and finger pointing at the victims; the staff, the principal, and the students.
At this point, it's time for an 'interim' principal.
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.....
Mon Dec 17, 2007 at 10:11 AM
Open House At Inter-American
i'm sure there are lots of reasons, but why did the school collapse -- did the LSC pick a principal who didn't work out? was it bound to happen no matter what? is it the whole craze towards learning chinese instead of spanish? did CPS central office mess things up?
Mon Dec 17, 2007 at 10:26 AM
Open House At Inter-American
Tom is right and let me add that Inter-American was not founded to be a "language enrichment" program (like Canadian immersion) for upper middle class white students, but rather a bilingual model that maintains home languages (Spanish and English) and ADDS a second language. The linguistic , cultural and social exchange between Spanish speaking Latino students and English speaking non-Latino students (of all socieconomic spheres) is critical to the success of the program. Research demonstrates how successful such programs are for the long-term academic achievement of Latino students who are not being best-served in traditional, transitional bilingual programs that push them into all English at the expense of their home language.
Historically, IAMS parents and teachers have been less concerned with test scores and value more highly bilingualism, biculturalism, social consciousness and the long-term academic achievement of the students, many who do get admitted to the top high schools.
Historically, IAMS parents and teachers have been less concerned with test scores and value more highly bilingualism, biculturalism, social consciousness and the long-term academic achievement of the students, many who do get admitted to the top high schools.
Mon Dec 17, 2007 at 11:41 AM
Open House At Inter-American
I attended the Open House because I wanted to see the school and learn more about it. There was a nice mix of parents, many non-Hispanic that inquired. What I was most impressed with was the high level of Spanish language development English dominant children are getting. Although I was only an oberver, I saw some student work and I was impressed. There is alot of academic language being used and developed. If I did not sense the political climate, I'd say Inter-American is hidden gold mine.
Mon Dec 17, 2007 at 12:47 PM
Open House At Inter-American
I have to disagree with Tom's assumption that "Upper income parents ...[are] not particularly interested in having their children socially mix with low income children and clearly do not in any case want to be a social minority of wealth in a majority low income school."
As a parent, it's not about not wanting my child to "socially mix with low income children", it's about wanting my child to socially mix with like-minded children--and by that I mean that they value education, not that they have the same background or world views (or income).
That some may solely use test scores as the litmus for a good school is unfortunate--and IAMS still seems like a decent school from what I know--but blaming "upper income north siders" for the school's demise is unfair. The facts Elizabeth presented (and the very real Chinese-language push) is why the school is struggling, not the wealthy.
As a parent, it's not about not wanting my child to "socially mix with low income children", it's about wanting my child to socially mix with like-minded children--and by that I mean that they value education, not that they have the same background or world views (or income).
That some may solely use test scores as the litmus for a good school is unfortunate--and IAMS still seems like a decent school from what I know--but blaming "upper income north siders" for the school's demise is unfair. The facts Elizabeth presented (and the very real Chinese-language push) is why the school is struggling, not the wealthy.
Mon Dec 17, 2007 at 2:19 PM
Open House At Inter-American
Since when is a school that cannot be replicated anywhere considered a "national model". Thankfully, there aren't enough "activist parents" (i.e. white parents who feel white-guilt, therefore send their children to IAMS to "socially mix" with the minorities and learn their language, because we can seem to figure out how to teach those same minority children English) to go around to fill the classrooms of regular schools to make them all "national models".
Heaven forbid all these kids learn Chinese. Hell, heaven forbid we remove teachers from "their" schools. Haven't people ever heard of entitlements. Well teachers and white-guilt ridden activist parents are entitled to their "national model" too!
Heaven forbid all these kids learn Chinese. Hell, heaven forbid we remove teachers from "their" schools. Haven't people ever heard of entitlements. Well teachers and white-guilt ridden activist parents are entitled to their "national model" too!
Mon Dec 17, 2007 at 3:15 PM
Open House At Inter-American
I am glad that Augie who apparently is a higher income parent living on the northside does not see low income children as contaminated. But unfortunately very few higher income parents in Chicago share your educational egalitarianism. Moreover, particularly in Lake View, it was higher income buyers of property that fought any and all low income housing developments in that community. The same thing has happened in Uptown.
Basically higher income families want their children to enjoy the same economic benefits they have, and many of these parents went to suburban schools. Many from urban areas other that Chicago. With the exception of the truely wealthy, those with significant investments and or direct ownership of profitable businesses, even most higher income families will not be giving vast amounts of money to their children once they have died. This is because the cost of long term health care for the elderly will take most of this money into the 100s of K range even with good 401Ks. Therefore an education that will yeild access to the educational gate keepers of the upper income social strata is critical.
Low income children are not part of the social milieu of the successful in our society for the most part, there are incrediable exceptions to be sure. Higher income parents are making a rational choice by trying to keep their children out of majority low income schools. Far more low income children come from families that "value education" only rhetorically, but can not provide the social foundation necessary for their children to be high achieving. If this were not the case there would be no poverty funds provided to schools.
By the way there are low income children and then there are really low income children who do not come from what can be called the working poor of Chicago. What we are seeing in this city is an exodus of the working poor due to housing costs. Therefore low income children in CPS are more and more often coming from families that are very poor, not the working poor. Census data supports this assessment.
So my comments were not meant to be an attack on the moral character of families who are buying half million and million dollar condos and homes on the northside, but rather a recognition of the reality Inter American finds itself in on the northside of Chicago.
Basically higher income families want their children to enjoy the same economic benefits they have, and many of these parents went to suburban schools. Many from urban areas other that Chicago. With the exception of the truely wealthy, those with significant investments and or direct ownership of profitable businesses, even most higher income families will not be giving vast amounts of money to their children once they have died. This is because the cost of long term health care for the elderly will take most of this money into the 100s of K range even with good 401Ks. Therefore an education that will yeild access to the educational gate keepers of the upper income social strata is critical.
Low income children are not part of the social milieu of the successful in our society for the most part, there are incrediable exceptions to be sure. Higher income parents are making a rational choice by trying to keep their children out of majority low income schools. Far more low income children come from families that "value education" only rhetorically, but can not provide the social foundation necessary for their children to be high achieving. If this were not the case there would be no poverty funds provided to schools.
By the way there are low income children and then there are really low income children who do not come from what can be called the working poor of Chicago. What we are seeing in this city is an exodus of the working poor due to housing costs. Therefore low income children in CPS are more and more often coming from families that are very poor, not the working poor. Census data supports this assessment.
So my comments were not meant to be an attack on the moral character of families who are buying half million and million dollar condos and homes on the northside, but rather a recognition of the reality Inter American finds itself in on the northside of Chicago.
Mon Dec 17, 2007 at 4:52 PM
Open House At Inter-American
While I confess to living on the northside, you won't see me (or most of my friends) in a half- (or even a measly quarter-) million dollar home but we very much like and want diversity for our kids--it's why we've stayed in the city and NOT moved to the 'burbs.
But Tom, I will agree with you on several points, especially in regards to the VERY poor vs the working poor, and the VERY poor, well, there are a lot of social differences that I don't have enough "white guilt" over to warrant my kid having to deal with.
Oddly enough, I have friends in suburbs who have VERY diverse schools (not just black/white) and everyone seems to be happily toiling away side by side towards the American Dream. I would like that to be my reality too...but with the city events, food and no TGIFridays...
But Tom, I will agree with you on several points, especially in regards to the VERY poor vs the working poor, and the VERY poor, well, there are a lot of social differences that I don't have enough "white guilt" over to warrant my kid having to deal with.
Oddly enough, I have friends in suburbs who have VERY diverse schools (not just black/white) and everyone seems to be happily toiling away side by side towards the American Dream. I would like that to be my reality too...but with the city events, food and no TGIFridays...
Tue Aug 19, 2008 at 3:39 AM
getting affiliation
Dear Sir/Madam
I would to know how to take affiliation to run your education program in nepal.
with regards
Suman Ghimire
I would to know how to take affiliation to run your education program in nepal.
with regards
Suman Ghimire
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