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Posts in category "Principals & Admins"

"Charterizing" CPS, Weekend Edition

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Despite all the controversy and attention surrounding charters, Chicago is one of the least-charterized big city school districts in the nation at this point, having set early and tight limits on the number of charters and the people who could authorize them. It seemed like a good idea at the time, to keep charters in house focus on quality rather than creating a wild west like some other states and districts have had, but the reality has been more of a mixed bag.But there are a couple of realities worth remembering, whether you're pro charter or against... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
May 12, 2012 at 10:24 am
• 5 comments

Here Comes Citizen Schools

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Seeing that Citizen Schools was coming to Chicago, I thought I’d try to find out a little more. Is it a charter operator?  A blended learning solution?  An after-school program?  Outsiders come to steal our children and feast at the public trough? Turns out it’s a hybrid kind of program that works with schools to... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
May 10, 2012 at 8:00 am
• 10 comments

Principals To The Exits (So What?)

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Lots of commenters want to talk about retiring principals, so let’s do that. Estimates range from 100 on upwards, which is certainly a lot of principals.  APs, too.  But I’m not sure I care unless they’re good ones. There’s no shortage of folks who want to be principals.  Maybe the new crop will be just... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
May 8, 2012 at 10:18 am
• 31 comments
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Brizard: Budget, Contract, Baby?

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Here’s the WTTW segment from last night for you to check out below.  Or, if there are any problems, click here. Anyone know if Brizard and his wife have had their new baby yet?  Agree with him or not, we should all wish best wishes to the new parents. EMBEDDED... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
May 4, 2012 at 7:59 am
• 15 comments

"Universal Design For Learning" Comes To CPS

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Today’s news includes an item from CBS2 about new teacher training being done by Harvard to help teachers get ready for the Common Core using something called Universal Design for Learning, which I would crudely describe as a teaching approach that integrates special ed and general education.  What do you think?  Other news includes items... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
April 27, 2012 at 7:55 am
• 2 comments

$130M (More?) For Longer Day

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Today’s big news from yesterday’s Board meeting is the $130 million in new/reallocated funding that schools (principals) will get to control on their own. Not enough, obviously, and probably not new money.  We’re still waiting on the cuts, too. Schools to get millions in flexible funds to cope with longer day Sun Times:  Chicago Public Schools... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
April 26, 2012 at 7:56 am
• 9 comments
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CICS: "Haphazard" Expansion?

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The most recent Chicago Schools Wonks includes a long, anguished post from former TFAer Seth Lavin about the pattern of abrupt and usually unpublicized management changes taking place among charter schools in Chicago -- CICS and Edison Learning just broke up, just like CICS and AQS broke up a couple of years ago.  He's dismayed at the changes, and skeptical about the possibility that Edison's replacement can happen without school and community disruption."Why did we empower reformers to open campuses so quickly and expand so haphazardly? "  Charter-haters among you will respond gleefully, I'm sure, but I'm wondering what those folks teaching at or sending their kids to CICS feel about these changes, and the pattern of changes?  It's not like CPS schools don't go through sudden direction changes, either... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
April 24, 2012 at 8:44 am
• 26 comments

Report Card / LSC Election Day 2

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What does one do for childcare or to fill the time when it’s report card pickup day, as it is today?  I’m always wondering.  For parents, it’s a pain.  For teachers, it’s either busy or very slow depending on who you talk to.  In education news today:  Emanuel probably didn’t vote in his local LSC... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
April 19, 2012 at 8:35 am
• 16 comments

West Side Principals' Network

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Some unconfirmed tidbits from the West Side network principals’ meeting, sent in by a friend of the blog, plus a Powerpoint deck from the meeting: 1) Principal (Stephen Ngo) from World Language is leaving to take over Steinmetz.  In its 7 years, World Language has now had 4 principals and will now need a 5th... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
April 10, 2012 at 8:01 am
• 1 comment
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What I Learned From Sharkey, Fraynd, Et Al.

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Remember that panel I told you about earlier this week (here)?  Well I finally got the audio and uploaded it and looked through my notes.  The bottom line?  Jesse Sharkey is intense and funny (and stylish in his tweed cap).  Jennifer Husbands is smart and friendly and not to be messed with (in a good... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
March 30, 2012 at 3:07 pm
• 22 comments