Dear CPS Colleagues, Families, and Supporters,
I am thrilled to welcome everyone, especially our bright and talented students, to the start of a new school year!
As a proud graduate of our city’s public schools, and a former CPS teacher and principal for 27 years, I am honored to be serving as our District’s Interim Superintendent/CEO, and was delighted to ring in the new school year at multiple campuses this week!
My first stop was Courtenay Elementary School in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, where I once served as principal. Being there on day one reminded me how exciting the first day of school can be, both for our children who are eager to learn, and for the teachers and school leaders who have dedicated their professional lives to shaping Chicago’s future generations.
I also greeted students and staff at Austin High School, one of our District’s 20 Sustainable Community Schools (SCS). This model, which will be rolled out in an additional 16 schools in the coming years, provides students in some of Chicago’s highest-need communities with critical wrap-around services that support them in achieving success in and beyond the classroom.
Everywhere I went this week, I saw excitement and optimism about the new school year. I am grateful to all of our families for having their students at school, ready to learn, from the first day on! And of course, a huge thank you to our principals, teachers, and staff for making every child feel welcome and excited to be back at school.
Check out this album for a collection of first week photos!
I’m thrilled to have CPS students back in their classrooms, ready to continue their gains from last school year. These include our elementary school students growing by leaps and bounds in literacy, and our high school students continuing to break records in graduation rate, college and career credentials earned, and scholarship dollars awarded. I have total confidence that with support from their talented teachers, school leaders, and staff, our students will continue building on that momentum and make this among the District’s most successful school years yet.
Sincerely,
Dr. Macquline King
Interim Superintendent/CEO
Chicago Public Schools
Help Us Highlight Your School
We love highlighting the amazing things that are happening day-to-day in our schools, along with the people who are making them happen! Please share your stories with us using our Good News Form so that we can share them with the District!
Take Five Nominations Now Open!
Readers of this newsletter will recall the weekly “Take Five” section, where we share a brief profile of a CPS staff member and all they are doing to help our District thrive.
We are eager to spotlight any and all members of our District’s workforce, from teachers, assistants, and school leaders to clinicians, support staff, and central office employees.
Is there someone in your CPS circle who you’d like to see recognized in this way? Tell us about them here.
A Look Around the District
Here’s what students across the District have been up to as the school year begins!
Just before the start of the school year, the community at Mary Lyon Elementary in Chicago’s Belmont-Cragin community hosted a day of festivities to mark the school’s 100-year anniversary. The celebration included a lively parade that ran from Diversey and Mango Avenues east, culminating with a series of festivities at Lyon to uplift the milestone moment for this school community.
At Mahalia Jackson Elementary, located in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood, the school’s fine arts teacher and students recently created a graduate portrait video for their school community. This video, which was presented to teachers, staff, and students before the start of the school year, showcases the school’s vision for students as they work towards graduation.
Lastly, Carver Elementary in the South Chicago area hosted a special ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of a four-year building renovation. This project combined classrooms from three older buildings into one existing structure, which now features updated science and music classrooms, a new cafeteria, and a library, all of them ready in time for the start of the new school year!
CPS Scoreboard: This Week in District Athletics
It’s officially fall sports season, and we can’t wait to see what our student-athletes in CPS SCORE! and the Chicago Public League can achieve this year! For the latest information on programming and schedules for the fall season, make sure to visit CPSAthletics.com and follow us across social media!
This school year, CPS is excited to partner with Chicago Cubs Charities on initiatives that elevate our students in both athletics and the community. Cubs Charities is inviting all CPS students for a free screening of SEE HER BE HER—a documentary on women’s baseball around the world. This film follows seven “sheroes” in baseball across the globe, and features sport legends Billie Jean King, Cal Ripken Jr. Ichiro Suzuki, and more!
The screening will be held at 1 p.m. on September 6, 2025 at AMC River North Theater (322 E Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60611). Free student tickets can be secured here, and adult tickets are $15, with all proceeds benefiting the Little League Girls With Game program!
Percy Julian High School recently celebrated the unveiling of a brand new football field for its Jaguars! Thank you to the many alumni and community partners who came out to support this exciting new addition to the school community!
CPS is proud to continue its partnership with Honest Game to ensure students are academically eligible to play sports in college if they choose. Families can learn more about Honest Game’s services for their student-athletes through family-facing webinars throughout the school year. Click here to see the list of upcoming webinars and to register!
Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) continues to be a key partner in CPS’ effort to promote sportsmanship. This fall, in addition to workshops for coaches, students, and staff, PCA is partnering with ESPN to offer workshops for parents to help ensure they are positive role models for their students. The Positive Sports Parenting workshop is FREE when using the promo code PCAESPN through August 31, 2025. Register here.
Special Ticket Offers from the Chicago Fire
The Chicago Fire is excited to provide teachers, school staff, and students with discounted tickets for their remaining theme offers at Soldier Field!
- Harry Potter Night: September 13
- Hispanic Heritage Night: September 27
- Fan Appreciation Night: October 4
Tickets start at just $20 and include a special-edition scarf! Click here to learn more and secure your tickets.
The Chicago Fire can also offer STEM and soccer programming for students! Learn more by contacting the group sales team at grouptickets@chicagofirefc.com, or call (872) 710-0550.
Experience Fall at the Chicago Park District
Register for Park District Fall Programs Now! The ParkKids afterschool program is now underway, with most other programs beginning the week of September 2 and running through December 7. A variety of programs are available for all ages and interests. Learn more at chicagoparkdistrict.com/fall-programs/cps.
Teens in the Park Fest. Chicago teens are invited to cheer on and celebrate 12 finalists at the 10th annual T.I.P. Fest (Teens in the Parks) on Saturday, August 30 from 12–6 p.m. at Oakwood Beach (4100 S. Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lakeshore Drive). The free event will take place in the grassy area north of the beach, and will feature Hotrod & DJ Bman Peprallytakeover, DJ TAI, special guests Zion Ali & Walt the King, and performances by Final Alert & Golden Knights Drill Team, along with the T.I.P. Fest finalists. This event is hosted by the Chicago Park District in partnership with the John Walt Foundation and with support from Amazon.com. Learn more at chicagoparkdistrict.com/tip-fest/cps.
For questions, please email play@chicagoparkdistrict.com.
Important Dates
For more upcoming events around the District, visit cps.edu/calendar.
- Thursday, August 28: Chicago Board of Education Meeting. Learn more at cpsboe.org.
- Monday, September 1: CPS schools and offices closed in observance of Labor Day; no classes for CPS students.
- Wednesday, September 10: Board Agenda Review Committee Meeting. Learn more at cpsboe.org.