DISTRICT | January 16, 2021

A Close Look at the District’s New Special Education Endorsement Program

The program helps CPS educators transition to diverse learner positions—mainly at high-need schools on the South and West Sides of the city.

DISTRICT | December 27, 2020

Ten Accomplishments that Defined this Year for Our District

DISTRICT | December 20, 2020

Ten Stories That Made Us Smile in 2020

DISTRICT | November 17, 2020

Top Five Things to Know About the Rest of the 2020-21 School Year

Students

STUDENTS | December 17, 2020

My Message to My Fellow Eighth Graders

Advice that I would give to other eighth-graders is to find one part of your day that lets you be yourself.

STUDENTS | December 5, 2020

Kelly College Prep Students Reflect on Three Years of Debate and Friendship

On top of everything Lisa and Kelly have learned through debating, they’ll also walk away from their three years as partners with a great friendship.

STUDENTS | November 10, 2020

Using Poetry to Build an Affirming Classroom Community

Fourth-grade students at Hamline Elementary created poems that reflected their unique backgrounds by answering the question: “where do you come from?”

STUDENTS | October 29, 2020

Why I’m Following This Year’s Presidential Election Closely

It’s important for students like me to learn about important issues because the history of tomorrow is happening right now.

STUDENTS | July 14, 2020

Paying it Forward

Legacy Crew members collaborate to educate their peers about a specific topic by organizing fundraisers, giving presentations, and creating a mural.

STUDENTS | July 8, 2020

A Winning Work Ethic

Even as Jackie became a more independent student, she never lost sight of the importance of asking for help.

STUDENTS | July 7, 2020

One Big Happy Family

On top of strong academic performance, Brianna will always be remembered at McAuliffe for her maturity.

STUDENTS | July 2, 2020

The Right Recipe

Vaughn Occupational students combined cooking and community to create an award-winning meal.

STUDENTS | July 1, 2020

Ava’s Big Finish

While many adults might not know what terraforming means, recent Prescott Elementary graduate Ava M. spent much of eighth grade learning all about it.

STUDENTS | June 27, 2020

Syncopated Success

New to Chicago, senior Lola decided to dive into the history of jazz to learn more about Chicago and the impact jazz had on the music world.

STUDENTS | June 24, 2020

Heart and Soul

Rising 7th grader Avery discovered the magic of the popular show Soul Train leading her to uncover how the trailblazing show broke barriers.

STUDENTS | June 23, 2020

Words of Empowerment

When writing a letter to her state representative advocating for gender equality, student Britney Q. wasn’t only thinking about her own needs.

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Schools

SCHOOLS | December 10, 2020

Advocating for Bilingual Students through Equity-Informed Policy

There is a sense of pride in being able to support bilingual students through working for CPS—the same district that I graduated from.

SCHOOLS | December 3, 2020

The Career Guidance that Every Student Deserves

Before students have the confidence to say: “I am going to achieve this goal,” they need a mentor who affirms their potential and sticks with them.

SCHOOLS | November 24, 2020

Part Two: This is How I Teach Virtually

After a strong start, these three teachers have started to think about what they will concentrate on to keep their momentum going.

SCHOOLS | November 21, 2020

Rediscovering What Makes a Band Class Great

Despite all of the challenges of playing an instrument remotely, my students still want to keep learning, growing, and making music.

SCHOOLS | November 19, 2020

Transforming a School Should be an Inclusive, Community-Led Effort

My top priority is to show my students that there is inherent power in the universal right of being who we are.

SCHOOLS | November 12, 2020

Getting Serious About Closing Opportunity Gaps for Black Males

Equity-informed solutions drive growth—and you also need leaders who will relate to the unique backgrounds of the populations that they serve.

SCHOOLS | November 7, 2020

If You Build It, Parents Will Come

When we give our students a platform to share what they are curious about with their parents, they will achieve more.

SCHOOLS | November 3, 2020

Helping Students Find their Voice through Election-Based Instruction

Educators at every grade level empower students to remember that their voice matters.

SCHOOLS | October 31, 2020

Stone Elementary’s Authentic Approach to Social Science Instruction

Ms. Perry and Ms. Saba hopes that students leave their classes with skillsets that prepare them to be active citizens in the future.

SCHOOLS | October 22, 2020

My Entire Career Prepared Me for a Year Like This

Using technology to bridge generational differences has paid off for Dr. Hood and her students, staff, and parents at McDowell Elementary.

SCHOOLS | October 15, 2020

When You Know How to Listen, You Know How to Lead

Behind every effective principal is an even more effective team.

SCHOOLS | October 14, 2020

Recognizing Our Six National Blue Ribbon Schools

This year, six CPS schools received the 2020 National Blue Ribbon School distinction—the most ever for the district in a single year.

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District

DISTRICT | January 16, 2021

A Close Look at the District’s New Special Education Endorsement Program

The program helps CPS educators transition to diverse learner positions—mainly at high-need schools on the South and West Sides of the city.

DISTRICT | December 27, 2020

Ten Accomplishments that Defined this Year for Our District

These accomplishments could not have been possible without the dedication of our teachers, hard work of our students, and resilience of our parents.

DISTRICT | December 20, 2020

Ten Stories That Made Us Smile in 2020

Students, teachers, principals and other members of our CPS family did not let the unprecedented nature of 2020 keep them from achieving excellence.

DISTRICT | December 8, 2020

Answering Your Questions About College Scholarships

While sending in each scholarship application takes time and patience, these strategies can help the process feel a little less daunting.

DISTRICT | November 26, 2020

What CPS is Thankful for This Year

Thank you for sticking with us through a year unlike any other.

DISTRICT | November 17, 2020

Top Five Things to Know About the Rest of the 2020-21 School Year

Remote learning will continue through the end of 2020, with a goal of bringing students back to school starting in early 2021.

DISTRICT | November 4, 2020

Our Commitment to Clean Air and Safe Schools

We’ve purchased 20,000 HEPA air purifiers to ensure that our school buildings are ready for students to return when it is safe for them to do so.

DISTRICT | October 21, 2020

How to Participate in 2020 Local School Council Elections

To ensure our school communities are able to have their voices heard safely during the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve made updates to our LSC elections.

DISTRICT | October 16, 2020

Starting the Second Quarter Learning at Home

As a matter of equity, it is critically important we push ourselves and look for opportunities to offer in-person learning.

DISTRICT | October 14, 2020

Tomorrow’s CPS Teachers Are in Our Classrooms Today

The Teach Chicago Tomorrow initiative is driven by a belief in the power of a more diverse teacher workforce.

DISTRICT | October 11, 2020

It’s Principal Appreciation Week! #PrincipalPrideChi

Every member of our CPS family should take at least one opportunity this week to thank a principal who has impacted their life for the better.

DISTRICT | September 30, 2020

Make a Difference: How to Serve on Your Local School Council

Local School Councils play an important role in ensuring their school is accountable financially and in terms of student outcomes.

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Sports

SPORTS | February 12, 2020

The Wrestler | La luchadora

Esmeralda D., a freshman at Eric Solorio Academy High School on Chicago’s South West Side, doesn’t shy away from the challenging realities of being a female wrestler.