Panelists Katie Cangemi of United Way of Metropolitan Chicago; Jane Mentzinger of Communities In Schools of Chicago; and Melissa Trumbull Mitchell of the Federation for Community Schools discuss the role of community schools in education reform.
Communities In Schools of Chicago Executive Director Jane Mentzinger said at this morning's Catalyst Conversation that the Diplomas Now program, which currently serves Chicago Talent Development High School, will expand to Hope College Prep and Gage Park High School in the fall.
The Diplomas Now program, funded through a federal Investing in Innovation grant, brings in a social worker to coordinate a school's community partnerships and school-wide supports -- a key component of community school programs. At Chicago Talent, it is social worker Paul Fagen, who was profiled in a recent Catalyst In Depth. His job is also to provide individualized counseling for students whose grades and attendance are slipping.
Below, check out tweets from this morning's Catalyst Conversation on community schools and education reform.
While you were discussing the future of community schools this morning, LSNA staff was discussing what to do about the sudden loss of $275,000 from CPS in funding for 3 of its community schools. LSNA's community schools started in 1996 and we have succeeded in keeping them open until 8:30 at night since then. This extremely sudden loss will mean that next years our centers will have to close at 6 pm, and that each school will lose about 12 programs and serve less than half as many students. Not sure what others mean by 'community schools' but what we mean is schools that are open to families, provide academic, arts, sports and other activities, and a safe place and dinner for low-income students. Why decimate something that is working, and working extremely well. If anyone in the media wants to talk with our center directors (themselves community parents and GYO students) call me at 773-744-1655.
There are many programs now in place, and programs from the past that provided opportunities to prevent failure. But these programs were dependent upon special funding, and when the special funding ended, CPS chose not to make them part of the regular curriculum. Why? Good question. I believe that the current Board, CEO, and the Mayor need to be confronted by the media and asked the hard questions. The public needs to know the truth about the programs that work. The media tends to quote the public relations people at CPS. It does not dig for the truth. In addition to letting people know about successful programs, the media needs to question the financial assertions of the Board. Is the Board really so financially lacking? If so, why does CPS advocate for an extended day? As a public entity, we are entitled to know what the true state of CPS is. We need to know where the money is really going. I believe Catalyst could provide some of this digging.
community schools decimated
While you were discussing the future of community schools this morning, LSNA staff was discussing what to do about the sudden loss of $275,000 from CPS in funding for 3 of its community schools. LSNA's community schools started in 1996 and we have succeeded in keeping them open until 8:30 at night since then. This extremely sudden loss will mean that next years our centers will have to close at 6 pm, and that each school will lose about 12 programs and serve less than half as many students. Not sure what others mean by 'community schools' but what we mean is schools that are open to families, provide academic, arts, sports and other activities, and a safe place and dinner for low-income students. Why decimate something that is working, and working extremely well. If anyone in the media wants to talk with our center directors (themselves community parents and GYO students) call me at 773-744-1655.
Community Schools
There are many programs now in place, and programs from the past that provided opportunities to prevent failure. But these programs were dependent upon special funding, and when the special funding ended, CPS chose not to make them part of the regular curriculum. Why? Good question. I believe that the current Board, CEO, and the Mayor need to be confronted by the media and asked the hard questions. The public needs to know the truth about the programs that work. The media tends to quote the public relations people at CPS. It does not dig for the truth. In addition to letting people know about successful programs, the media needs to question the financial assertions of the Board. Is the Board really so financially lacking? If so, why does CPS advocate for an extended day? As a public entity, we are entitled to know what the true state of CPS is. We need to know where the money is really going. I believe Catalyst could provide some of this digging.
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