Cassandra West | catalyst-chicago.org

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School closings

As CPS prepares to close a record number of schools, the fate of students and communities is in question.

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Cassandra West

In the News: Bin Laden's death a teaching moment; the billionaire education reformers' club May 03, 2011 By: Cassandra West Following street celebrations over Osama bin Laden's death, parents and teachers across the Chicago area grappled on Monday with a weighty question: how to explain to children when, or if, it is acceptable to kill another human being. (Tribune) Read More \| (1) Comments	In the News: UIC faculty take step toward unionizing May 02, 2011 By: Cassandra West Faculty at the University of Illinois at Chicago took a major step toward unionizing Friday, delivering stacks of signed union cards to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board in Chicago. The milestone marked two years of organizing by the UIC United Faculty campaign, American Association of University Professors and Illinois Federation of Teachers/American Federation of Teachers. (WBEZ) Read More \| (0) Comments
In the News: Daley's school board holds its last meeting; more schools fail NCLB goals April 29, 2011 By: Cassandra West WBEZ reports on the last regular meeting of the current Chicago school board, appointed by Mayor Daley which made a number of controversial decisions and whose members almost never vote "no." Read More \| (6) Comments	In the News: Test would gauge kindergarten readiness; Idaho teachers sue state, governor, schools chief April 28, 2011 By: Cassandra West A panel of Illinois educators and early childhood experts on Wednesday offered a blueprint for a new kindergarten test that would measure the academic and social readiness of every 5-year-old who walks through the schoolhouse door. (Tribune) Read More \| (1) Comments
In the News: Rhee strongly endorses Brizard; some courses rigorous sounding in name only April 27, 2011 By: Cassandra West Former Washington, D.C. schools chancellor Michelle Rhee was in Chicago on Tuesday, and she offered a strong endorsement of new Chicago Public Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard. Read More \| (7) Comments	In the News: Brizard keeps media at bay; Emanuel names City Colleges team; reform gets lost in Wisc. debate April 26, 2011 By: Cassandra West To get an interview with Jean-Claude Brizard, who has largely avoided the media since Mayor-elect Rahm Emanel named him to lead Chicago Public Schools, Sun-Times reporter Rosalind Rossi traveled to Rochester, N.Y., where she "cornered" the new CPS chief in the corridors of the Rochester School District. Read More \| (3) Comments
In the News: Brizard named in two federal lawsuits; Orr Academy cracks down on behavior April 25, 2011 By: Cassandra West Chicago’s next Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard was named in two federal lawsuits during his three years as superintendent of the Rochester, N.Y., school district, including one that accused him of age discrimination, the Sun-Times reported. Read More \| (5) Comments	In the News: Group starts $60 million venture fund for 50 new charters; Brizard remains a hot topic April 22, 2011 By: Cassandra West Renaissance Schools Fund, which for the last six years has poured enough startup money into new charter schools to triple their number in the Chicago Public Schools system announces a new $60 million venture fund to add 50 more charter schools. Read More \| (6) Comments
In the News: More criticism of new CPS chief's tenure in Rochester; parents call on Congress April 21, 2011 By: Cassandra West When Rochester City Schools Superintendent Jean-Claude Brizard departs to take charge of Chicago's public school system, he'll leave behind a largely broken school district with dismal test scores, shaky finances and a fractured relationship with teachers, the Tribune reports. Read More \| (5) Comments