Table of Contents

February 1996: New Pershing Rd

February 1996: New Pershing Rd

New Pershing Rd

Cover Stories

The new Pershing Road makes no little plans A century after city planner Daniel Burnham cautioned against making little plans—"they have no magic to stir men's blood"—a team of technocrats from City Hall has drafted the transformation of the Chicago Public Schools.
First semester status report The leadership team Mayor Richard M. Daley sent to Pershing Road has had a whirlwind first semester, launching dozens of initiatives both great and small. Asked whether the Chicago Public Schools was becoming a "Christmas tree" system, CEO Paul Vallas responded with an emphatic "no," saying, "It's not like we don't have a focus." All the initiatives, he explained, are aimed at improving seven elements of good schooling: leadership, parent involvement, student achievement, instructional time, stability and predictability, safe and attractive schools, and small schools and classrooms.

Letter From the Editor Blind spot in glowing record? So far, it appears the new school administration and board are using these new powers wisely. They're redirecting resources into seven areas that they've rightly identified as ingredients of good schooling. For example, they're investing in leadership development by creating a principals academy.

Up Close

DuSable’s 8-year journey toward small schools Eight years ago, Charles E. Mingo made a crucial career move. Leaving prestigious Whitney Young Magnet High School, where he was assistant principal and then district administrator, he became principal of DuSable High School, one of the nation's worst schools.
Three top students give thumbs up Sometimes DuSable High School senior Marquis Johnson gets depressed at the sight of drug dealers openly peddling their poison—sometimes even to Chicago policemen, he says. Or at kids being beaten by gang members. Or prostitutes hustling just below the Robert Taylor Homes apartment that has been his home for 17 years. To blot out that grim reality, Marquis, a WMAQ-TV intern, is set to graduate in June, earn a college degree in social psychology and counsel inner-city clients.
‘Forget the athletic fields, we need another building’ A crucial event in Gage Park's calendar, the annual lottery for next year's freshman class, weaves in and out of daily life at the Southwest Side school in the past several months.

Updates

Disputes could bring down principal, council members At Revere and Avalon Park elementary schools, local school council members have accused their principals of a host of wrongs: failing to provide information about school internal accounts, changing school improvement plans without LSC approval, failing to implement programs, intimidating teachers and "buying" contract votes by offering jobs to relatives of LSC members.
New crisis policy debuts The School Reform Board of Trustees recently modified its controversial "educational crisis" policy, but some reform activists say it still needs fine-tuning.
Inspector General cites $19 million ‘loss’ Systemwide, the Chicago public schools lost an estimated $19.2 million through fraud and budget waste in 1994, according to a December 1995 report from the Office of the Inspector General.
Board Oks overnight retreats, limits parent stipends Responding to opposition from school reform advocates and local school councils, the School Reform Board of Trustees has backed off its proposal to ban the use of State Chapter 1 funds for overnight and out-of-town school retreats.
Universities, other groups get grants to help low-scoring schools The School Reform Board of Trustees has awarded a total of $2.05 million to nine universities and educational organizations to work with 30 especially low-scoring elementary and high schools.

Letters From Readers

Life is a test, better get used to it Life is a test. Don't we have a responsibility to prepare children for life?
Teaching, learning can’t be scripted The following letter is in response to Catalyst's December issue on Back to Basics and its Dec. 3 "City Voices" program on WNUA-FM