Kelly McNamee, a recent college graduate, landed a teaching job this fall at May Elementary in Austin. A native of downstate Belleville, Kelly was nervous about moving to Chicago and, being white, about teaching in an inner-city public school. But McNamee was determined to make a go of it—even when friends wondered why she took such a job at all.
Kelly McNamee, a recent college graduate, landed a teaching job this fall at May Elementary in Austin. A native of downstate Belleville, Kelly was nervous about moving to Chicago and, being white,...
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By late October, teacher unions in 28 Illinois school districts had voted to approve strikes. In 17 of those districts, settlements had been reached, three of them following walkouts, according to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board.
Teachers in two districts, Hononegah in the far northern area of the state and Freeburg in the southwest, were walking picket lines at press time.
By late October, teacher unions in 28 Illinois school districts had voted to approve strikes. In 17 of those districts, settlements had been reached, three of them following walkouts, according to...
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Gwendolyn Lones, mother of two students at ACT Charter, reacted immediately when she got a letter in August from the Chicago Public Schools saying that the school had been deemed failing and she could request transfers for her children.
However, Lones, like most other parents whose children attend charters, had transferred her child into a charter to escape neighborhood public schools.
Gwendolyn Lones, mother of two students at ACT Charter, reacted immediately when she got a letter in August from the Chicago Public Schools saying that the school had been deemed failing and she...
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At a political rally in Little Village on a crisp October morning, a high school valedictorian nervously steps to a microphone. He is anxious to share his dream of getting a college education but not to share his full name. Fernando is an undocumented immigrant.
Fernando and some of the other students at this morning's rally are members of the youth group, Hey-U (High Empowered Youth United). They are at Our Lady of Tepeyac school to fight for the DREAM Act, proposed federal legislation that could be a lifeline to college for low-income, undocumented students.
At a political rally in Little Village on a crisp October morning, a high school valedictorian nervously steps to a microphone. He is anxious to share his dream of getting a college education but not...
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AT CLARK STREET Peggy Davis, chief of staff to CEO Arne Duncan, has resigned to return to Winston & Strawn, the Chicago law firm where she previously was partner. A replacement has not been named. ... Alfred Williams of the Office of Accountability has been named director of a new program to help struggling students make the transition to high school. ... Analila Chico, principal of Healy, was named area 12 instructional officer, replacing Emil DeJulio, who is now Area 6 AIO.
AT CLARK STREET Peggy Davis, chief of staff to CEO Arne Duncan, has resigned to return to Winston & Strawn, the Chicago law firm where she previously was partner. A replacement has not...
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When veteran teachers were tapped to be lead mentors, one of their tasks was to create new teacher support plans at their schools. Most plans call for introducing new teachers to the staff, loading them up with supplies and other tools, and providing them with a school handbook. But some enterprising mentors and principals included novel ideas. Here are a few of them:
Larry Thomas, principal
Coles Elementary
Make sure new teachers do not get the least desirable classrooms as well as the most challenging students.
When veteran teachers were tapped to be lead mentors, one of their tasks was to create new teacher support plans at their schools. Most plans call for introducing new teachers to the staff, loading...
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Beginning this fall, teachers, principals and the CPS central administration will be able to conduct much of their mentoring business online. Here's what the new system, called GOLDEN Teachers Online, will track:
Principals can use the system to report pairings of mentors with first- and second-year teachers, and to monitor new teachers' progress and interactions with mentors.
Mentors can track how much time they spend with their charge, as well as log detailed information on classroom observations, discussions with new teachers and suggestions to improve teaching.
Beginning this fall, teachers, principals and the CPS central administration will be able to conduct much of their mentoring business online. Here's what the new system, called GOLDEN Teachers Online...
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Twenty-five schools were invited to send new teachers to this year's Ignite the Light program, but only 10 did.
"The problem is many principals were still hiring teachers after our orientation was held in mid-August," says Cheryl Russell of the North Lawndale Learning Community, a network of 13 public schools.
Twenty-five schools were invited to send new teachers to this year's Ignite the Light program, but only 10 did.
"The problem is many principals were still hiring teachers after our orientation was...
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The $4 million Chicago International received from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation arguably is a lot of cash, but it is only a pile of pennies in comparison to the mountain of money—nearly $2 billion—that the foundation has committed to educational reform since its inception in 1994.
The $4 million Chicago International received from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation arguably is a lot of cash, but it is only a pile of pennies in comparison to the mountain of money—nearly $2...
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New York City
Contract expired May, 2003
What teachers got: Previous contract talks lasted 19 months, resulting in raises of 16 to 22 percent over 30 months.
Why they got it: Political pressure to compete with the suburbs for better teachers.
What they gave: A longer school day, averaging 20 extra minutes per day. No reduction in school year.
What now: Opening bargaining session held Sept. 17. No sessions since then.
New York City
Contract expired May, 2003
What teachers got: Previous contract talks lasted 19 months, resulting in raises of 16 to 22 percent over 30 months.
Why they got it:...
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This month, the Illinois State Board of Education will issue school report cards that will include final test scores for the total population of each school and by student subgroup.
Those scores could amend the status of schools that had been previously designated as passing or falling below federal standards set by No Child Left Behind, according to CPS officials.
Three additional factors that have not previously been factored in will be included in the final analysis:
Whether at least 95 percent of students were tested.
This month, the Illinois State Board of Education will issue school report cards that will include final test scores for the total population of each school and by student subgroup.
Those scores...
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