The Don

“we have a lot of exciting work ahead of us, and we’ll need all hands on deck to succeed in providing every student in every community with access to a high quality education.” “As you may have heard,” “thoughtfully engaged” Full Day Pioneer Schools Extra time in the classroom is critical to students' academic success, as both the quantity and quality of instruction can mean the difference between a high school dropout and a college graduate. I was a teacher, my wife was a teacher, I was raised by teachers, and many of the members of my leadership team are former teachers. “equipping our students with tools that will help them be successful as they return to school.” “With only 57 percent of students graduating high school, achievement gaps for African American and Latino students remain in the high double digits, and only 7.9 percent of 11th graders testing college-ready, we have much work ahead of us.” “one-stop shop” Input from each of these groups regarding the full school day – and the many important initiatives and efforts taking place throughout the District – is critical to the success of our students. We look forward to continuing to engage critical challenge of closing the achievement gap that exists between African American students and their Caucasian counterparts, As a school district and as a community, we must put our kids first no matter the opposition. It's the only way to ensure we are doing right by our students, families and city, and by those who have come before us. I could have no better ally than you as we climb this mountain together, and I'm grateful for your hard work and support. As CEO of this district, it's my charge and commitment, and that of my staff, to provide all the support schools need to drive student success. It's undeniable that we have many excellent schools, as well as many, many principals and educators committed to student achievement in our district; but, unfortunately, too many of our students are falling behind. Not enough are graduating from high school and most of those who do are not prepared for college. We know these decisions aren't easy for many, as many of our teachers, principals, students, parents and communities have deep, personal connections to affected schools. he result is REACH Students, which will provide a clear picture of effective teaching, while also establishing better communication practices between educators and giving meaningful feedback to teachers to help them drive student learning. I believe that success is possible. In fact, on Monday I celebrated 94 success stories representing the CPS schools that made the 2011 Illinois Honor Roll “better drive student learning” CPS simply does not have the revenue to support the way we currently fund our schools. Making the structural changes necessary to put our District on a path to financial sustainability so we can better support student learning will require difficult decisions, but we face no choice—they are decisions we must make. “a world-class, work-relevant education that will ensure students graduate equipped, not only for success in college, but also for cutting-edge jobs in the future.” 7 hours in elementary, 7.5 in high school, up from 5.45 and 7 respectively. “Scrubbing our budget LINE BY LINE, CONTRACT BY CONTRACT and PROGRAM BY PROGRAM” The proposed 2012-2013 calendar is just one of the initiatives we are implementing as part of our overall strategy to boost academic achievement across the district. The information I gathered from these meetings is some of the most valuable in informing our work throughout the District. It was clear from that conversation that parents want their kids to have more time in the classroom, and they want it to be quality time. I could not agree more. The Full Day is about more than just adding time – it’s about improving whatwe teach, how we teach and the time we dedicate to providing students with a better quality education than they’ve ever had before. I urge us all to share stories like Devonte's with our students, ensuring they know that—whether a child or an adult—we must all speak up, shine a light and help those who need it. “parents, teachers, school and community leaders across the district…” My respect for teachers runs deep, and I have a genuine appreciation for the great work they do every day on behalf of our students both inside and outside the classroom. I hope you share my excitement about the coming school year PRESS RELEASES - “We’re pleased to see academic achievement among our students continues to grow, but it’s clear we still have work to do,” said CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard. “That’s why we’ve spent this year focusing on initiatives that will give teachers and students the time and tools they need to boost achievement in the classroom, resulting in a high-quality Full Day for all schools beginning next school year.” – ISAT - The revised SCC includes substantive changes designed to promote positive learning environments for students and staff and limit the use of disciplinary actions that remove students from the classroom. - “I am a strong believer in limiting mandatory disciplinary actions that remove a child from their classroom and school, which, in many cases, ultimately causes more harm than good for those students,” said CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard. “We need to be more proactive in addressing issues before they become a disruption or a distraction for students and staff. The revised Student Code of Conduct will help the District take leaps forward in creating more positive and safe learning environments so that our children can keep their focus on the classroom.” - “It gives me and our CPS parents peace of mind to know that our students have a caring environment filled with engaging activities – both creative and educational – while they are out of school.” - “This increase in our graduation rate tells a powerful story about CPS and the contributions of our hard working teachers and principals,” said CEO Brizard. “These results are impressive, but we have more work to do in ensuring that every child in our District graduates ready for college and career. Our efforts around the Full School Day next fall will provide additional tools and supports for our teachers and principals to better position them in boosting the academic success of our students.” - “We need to use every tool at our disposal to identify new revenue so we can invest every dollar possible in our kids and their learning,” said CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard. “These vacant and unused properties will not only help generate new revenue needed for our schools, but will help bring new jobs and development opportunities to communities throughout the city.” “Our students must be given the tools to succeed in today’s complicated economy, and that includes access to practical financial skills that can help them make smart decisions,” said CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard. “We are appreciative of the support from these private partners in helping to ensure all students have the knowledge, skills and tools needed to succeed in life.” “The District is especially proud of these inspiring educators for their creativity in the classroom, and we thank them for their dedication which makes a difference in the lives of CPS students every day. I extend our gratitude to all teachers across Chicago for the countless hours spent, both in and out of the classroom, helping to educate our future leaders.” JC TALKERS There’s not a more noble profession or one filled with more sacrifice and I am truly grateful for the work our teachers are doing every day for our kids. INTRODUCTIONS As a former teacher and principal, I know first-hand the intimate knowledge and insights teachers can provide from the front lines of our schools Last week was an historic moment in the history of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) as we unveiledREACH Students (Recognizing Educators Advancing CHicago’s Students)—our new teacher evaluation system. Our current system has been in place since the 1970s, and, for many reasons, it was time to make a change. I AM VERY EXCITED CONCLUSIONS In closing, I want to salute not only our hard-working teachers, but also our many school-based staff, such as our principals, counselors, lunchroom workers, janitors and social workers. We truly couldn’t do the important work of educating Chicago’s children without you. It continues to be an exciting year full of new initiatives and educational opportunities that will benefit our students both now and in the future, and I’m looking forward to all that lies ahead for our district. As always, we remain committed to our mission of ensuring that every student in every community has access to a high quality education. In carrying out this mission, we intend to make the best decisions supporting critical priorities that will ultimately empower teachers, whose role on the front lines of education cannot be underestimated. I look forward to seeing the many positive impacts the Full Day will have on our students, and the many opportunities and learning experiences it is sure to provide them! I know you share my sense of urgency, and I want to thank you for your dedication to our students and the hard work you do every day. By continuing to work together, we can and will succeed. BC Additionally, CPS is investing $130 million to support the Full Day, which principals can use at their discretion to design a school day that will best fulfill the unique needs of their own student body. Schools have used these dollars in multiple ways to support student learning. In total, schools have hired more than 500 additional teaching positions for math, reading, science, art and music. Some schools have used these dollars to purchase everything from musical instruments and virtual gyms to iPads and webcams, which will allow students to participate in classroom instruction simultaneously with other kids from around the world. Thank you in advance for doing all you can to make sure your child is in school on the first day. We also encourage you to become active and engaged in every way you can around your child’s education. To learn more, call our office of Family and Community Engagement at XXX. We look forward to working and hearing from you throughout School Year 2012/2013.