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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

Today's News Has No Headline

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Today’s news includes an update on Grow Your Own from Catalyst (54 teachers), a Rosalind Rossi story about Golden Apple awards (Sun Times bought The Reader), and lots of commentary about the strike possibility from readers (see previous post). I’ll add more news items as they come online during the day.  Missed anything?  Let me... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
May 10, 2012 at 7:43 am
• 1 comment

Lewis On WTTW (Plus More)

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I’m always a little nervous when Karen Lewis appears on camera, but the truth is that she’s usually pretty articulate, etc. (whether you agree with her or not. In addition to the segment last night, WTTW has an interview with social studies teacher Jessica Marshall which is just as interesting if not more so. Curious tidbit... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
May 9, 2012 at 9:35 am
• 52 comments
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Yah, Northside Prep

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Today’s news includes honors for Northside Prep, Monique Davis is off the hook, Bowman reflects.  I’m posting the Karen Lewis segment separately. Northside Prep named top IL high school Catalyst:  Northside College Prep is the top ranked Illinois school on the just-released U.S. News and World Report list of the best high schools in the country. In all... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
May 9, 2012 at 9:26 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

Catalyst Takes Notice

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Today’s news is all over the place, with seemingly no rhyme or reason. The only thing notable among the group is Catalyst’s link back to this site (about the previous post).  Doesn’t happen much.  They also have a couple of stories about kindergarten readiness and special ed teacher evaluations.  What’s the theme at your school... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
May 8, 2012 at 9:04 am
• 7 comments
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Update On National Reform

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Over the weekend I jotted down some additional houghts about last week's NewSchools summit in San Francisco, including mostly issues related to the evolution of the school reform movement but also a little bit about where Rahm (and Chicago) fit into that picture.  (Speaking of pictures, this one is of Rahm waiting to go onstage (sitting next to Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, btw) is from Twittter via @sethlavin.)... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
May 7, 2012 at 8:31 am
• 4 comments

Steans, Steans, & Biss

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Corrected:  Today’s education news?  There’s not much of it.  Budgets, pensions, scholarships, some events.  The best thing I could find to share was citizen journalist Tim Furman’s account of covering an Andersonville campaign fundraiser for soon-to-be-senator Daniel BISS  (pictured). A self described suburban school tech specialist, Furman blogs at the wildly misnamed School Tech Connect... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
May 7, 2012 at 7:20 am
• 3 comments

Contract, REACH, G-Mail, YouTube

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Straight from the horse’s mouth:  CPS has a new collective bargaining info page, teacher evaluation info page (which it’s calling REACH), and Google@CPS info page (about the email transition). There’s also this new YouTube channel with this video town hall with JCB and CPS communications staffer/ interviewer Alex Sobol where JCB  talks about the extended day rollout... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
May 6, 2012 at 1:22 pm
• 43 comments
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Homeboy Chicago?

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LA doesn’t have CeaseFire (that I know of) but Chicago doesn’t have Homeboy Industries, LA’s long-running nonprofit social services program (that I know of), either. Homebody  isn’t technically an education program, but the initiative  – described in Douglas McGray’s recent Fast Company article, “House Of Second Chances” — is full of education connections and lessons for... Read more »
By Alexander Russo,
May 4, 2012 at 7:05 pm
• 5 comments