Current Issue

School closings

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

Debra Williams

May 03, 2013

Victoria Chou, the dean of the College of the Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago is retiring in August.  Chou has been dean of the college for the past 17 years.  She is also currently an interim executive associate chancellor for external and government relations.  Chou has been a co-chair of the Steering Committee of the Consortium on Chicago School Research, chair of the Governing Board of the National Teachers Academy-Professional Development School in Chicago, and co-chair of the Council of Chicago Area Deans of Education.  

March 27, 2013

Karen Foley has been named CEO of The Hope Institute for Children and Families. Previously, Foley was the president of Chicago Scholars, a mentoring program that supports students from high school through college graduation.  Chicago Scholars board member Steve Wohl, a mentor and a retired partner from the law firm Chapman and Cutler, will serve as interim president.

January 24, 2013

Allison Jack is the new director of charter growth and support at the Illinois Network of Charter Schools.  Jack was formerly a senior program director for the EPIC National Charter School Consortium.  Before that, she was the director of external affairs at CPS’ Office of New Schools.

December 06, 2012

Shelby Wyatt, a counselor at Hyde Park’s Kenwood Academy, is a finalist for the Counselor of the Year Award given by the American School Counselor Association. There are only five finalists nationwide. Wyatt is the founder of the Kenwood Brotherhood, a school-based male mentoring program which works to increase graduation rates among black and Latino students and encourages them to go to college and take on leadership roles.

November 09, 2012

Robert Otter has joined the staff at the research and advocacy organization, Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, as an education and fiscal policy analyst. Previously, he worked in the CPS communications office, where he was responsible for research and policy on the budget, labor negotiations, the longer school day and other CPS education policy initiatives.

September 21, 2012

Katelyn Johnson has been named the new executive director of Action Now, a community organization that organizes families around racial, social and economic justice issues. She succeeds long-time community organizer Madeline Talbott, who has retired.  Previously Johnson served as executive director of the Action Now Institute and worked on education organizing with Grow Your Own Teachers.

August 30, 2012

Kris Perry has been named executive director of the First Five Years Fund, replacing Cornelia Grumman, who resigned earlier this year. Perry will be responsible for overseeing policy and communication efforts nationwide for the fund. She is the former executive director of the First 5 California and the First 5 San Mateo County, which focus on improving the education, health and development of young children.

August 27, 2012

Here’s a roundup of new principal contracts announced in August: Elias Estrada, Alcott, formerly principal at Oriole Park; Michelle Garcia-Jones, Chopin, formerly principal at Aspira Haugan Middle School; LeViis Haney, Lovett, formerly assistant principal at Spencer; Flavia Hernandez, McCormick, formerly acting principal at M.

July 26, 2012

Todd Babbitz has been named chief transformation officer to oversee CPS’ newly created Office of Strategy Management. He comes with extensive experience in corporate strategic planning and marketing, Previous employers include McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm, and the Chicago-based law firm of McDermott Will & Emery, where he focused on antitrust law.

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