End of Week Message: Announcing Success 2029: Together We Rise
20 September 2024
Dear CPS Colleagues, Families, and Supporters,
I am excited to share that earlier this week, the Chicago Board of Education approved Success 2029: Together We Rise, a new five-year strategic plan for Chicago Public Schools.
This plan is the start of a new journey for our city’s children—a journey through which they will have the tools, resources, and support they need to excel both in and out of the classroom.
While the details of this strategic plan are new, its foundation remains rooted in our District’s core values. These include our commitments to academic and operational excellence, and our mission to build and strengthen trusting relationships between CPS and members of our school communities. The strategic plan is also anchored by an overarching commitment to equity, and by our sincere belief that every child, regardless of race, zip code, or country of origin, should have access to a rigorous and joyful education that prepares them for success.
This plan starts with continuing the work of helping CPS students recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, in terms of both academic growth and social-emotional development. Beyond that immediate need, the plan identifies several key priorities and presents strategies to address challenging questions like these:
How do we create a consistent, high-quality student experience across all CPS schools?
How do we close the opportunity gaps that continue to impact our Black and Brown students, our students with disabilities, our English learners, and other children who are furthest from opportunity?
What steps must be taken to recruit, develop, and retain a diverse pool of exceptional educators and staff, and what investments must be made to ensure that high-quality school and program models exist equitably across our city?
This plan presents an ambitious, optimistic outlook of what CPS can be, while also acknowledging the unique challenges facing our District. It is the result of nearly a year of community engagement, and therefore reflects the voices of all stakeholders, from our teachers and school leaders, to our students, parents, and valued community partners.
I thank everyone who helped shape this strategic plan, and hope that you will continue partnering with CPS as we work to implement it with fidelity across the District. We are at our best when all of us—students, educators, families, and partners—are working together toward the shared goal of providing every student from every community in Chicago with a high-quality, culturally responsive learning experience that prepares them for success. We remain inspired and humbled by this challenge, and look forward to seeing how our new strategic plan will help guide us in our pursuit of that goal.
Sincerely,
Pedro Martinez
Chief Executive Officer
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!
A Look Around the District
Check out these highlights from schools across the District!
At Lane Tech High School in the Lake View neighborhood of Chicago, the school community is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with weekly performances from student clubs. This week, the school’s Mariachi Campeones kicked off the month with a performance of Mexican music.
Suder Elementary in West Town recently partnered with the Chicago Blackhawks and Community Goods to install a brand new Creative Community Co-Lab at the school.
Students and staff at Peck Elementary in West Elsdon received a special visit from Central Office Leadership members. During the visit, the school showcased its outstanding STEM MakerSpace labs, World Language classes, and Cluster program.
And finally, we would like to highlight Early College STEM specialist Phylydia Hudson from the Office of Early College and Career Education for her recent recognition by the Chicago Sky WNBA team. Phylydia was recognized for decades of dedication to STEM education through her efforts in drone pilot programming and creating unique experiences and opportunities for students across the Chicagoland area.
CPS Chief of Safety and Security Honored for Service to Chicago’s Youth
Congratulations to Jadine Chou, our District’s Chief of Safety and Security, on her recent Community Impact Award from the Bright Star Community Outreach group. Over the past 15 years, this organization has provided more than 50,000 Chicagoans experiencing trauma with counseling, workforce development, and health and financial education. We applaud the BSCO for recognizing Chief Chou for her exemplary service to the students and families of Chicago Public Schools!
Important Changes Now in Effect for Board of Education Meetings
To increase equitable access to its meetings, the Chicago Board of Education (CBOE) has now implemented the following changes:
- Lottery for Registered Speakers. Members of the public who wish to speak at Board meetings will now be entered into a lottery selection process. Individuals still need to register online via the Board of Education website, but instead of closing the registration form when it is filled, the form will remain open for 24 hours unless otherwise noted. Everyone who successfully registers will be placed into a lottery and notified prior to the start of the Board meeting to inform them if they have been selected to speak.
- Five-Year Vision Progress Monitoring. As we move toward implementation of the District’s new five-year strategic plan, the Board has added a new section to its monthly agenda to monitor the progress on our collective vision and shared goals with regard to this plan.
- Labor Partners and Elected Officials. Consistent with historical practice, the Board will still provide time for Labor Partners and Elected Officials to speak, but will impose a five-minute time limit for each speaker.
- More Student Roundtables. The Board will continue creating opportunities for the honorary student board member (HSBM) to elevate student voice on agenda items that require Board action. The HSBM will organize student-facilitated roundtables on important topics to help ensure Board decisions are guided by students’ lived experiences.
Celebrating our Stellar CPS Custodians
The hundreds of custodians currently working in our schools make sure that our students have learning environments that are clean, comfortable, and safe, which we know goes a long way toward helping them succeed! Please be sure to thank your school’s custodians for all they do on Custodian Appreciation Day—Wednesday, October 2!
Help Develop the New CPS Arts Education Plan
We're developing a new plan to advance accessible, equitable, and high-quality arts education — and we need your input. Join us for an in-person roundtable discussion to share your experiences and aspirations for the future of arts education at CPS. Learn more here.
Below are the dates, times, and locations for our upcoming roundtables:
- Tuesday, September 24 (Far West)
5:30–7:30 p.m. | In-person
Oscar Depriest School
139 S. Parkside Ave. - Wednesday, October 2 (West)
5:30–7:30 p.m. | In-person
Kelvyn Park High School
4343 W. Wrightwood Ave. - Monday, October 7 (North)
5:30–7:30 p.m. | In-person
Truman College
1145 W. Wilson Ave. - Tuesday, October 8 (TBC)
5:30–7:30 p.m. | In-person
Far North Side Location - Wednesday, October 9
12:00–2:00 p.m. | Virtual (Link to be sent)
Your participation and insights will help us create a vibrant and inclusive arts education environment for all students in Chicago. If you are interested, please RSVP to secure your spot. We look forward to seeing you at one of the sessions!
CPS Staff: New Process for Requesting Technical Assistance from the Office of Student Health and Wellness
Effective Monday, September 23, the CPS Office of Student Health and Wellness (OSHW) will be transitioning its technical assistance process to ServiceNow. OSHW has worked with ITS to build request forms into the Servicenow platform, and school leaders and staff will use this system as the main point of contact for OSHW workstreams.
We are confident that this new process will be more efficient, ultimately leading to a response time of less than 48-hours from the team. All OSHW delegated inboxes will have bounceback messaging in them letting the requestor know to use Servicenow for technical assistance requests.
Please find the Standard Operating Procedure below with a step-by-step guide on how to request services from our office.
- OSHW Technical Assistance Standard Operating Procedure: This resource will give you a list of OSHW workstreams in which you can request Technical Assistance from within ServiceNow. It also gives you a step by step guide on how to make requests via ServiceNow.
- ServiceNow Portal: This is the link to access ServiceNow.
We encourage everyone to use these resources as a tool when making requests via ServiceNow, and thank you for your partnership in helping ensure our CPS communities remain healthy and safe this school year.
CPS Staff: Youth Mental Health First Aid Certification Now Available
The CPS Office of Student Health and Wellness (OSHW) is pleased to offer free Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) certification for CPS staff during the District’s professional development day on Friday, September 27.
The YMHFA course is designed to help adults identify, respond, and support youth experiencing mental health and/or substance use issues and who are in active crisis. This training is a great professional development opportunity that counts toward Continuing Education Units/Credits.
This training will be held virtually, requires online self-paced pre-work, and is available on a first come, first served basis. You can enroll via the Learning Hub using the following codes:
- Course Name: Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) Certification - OSHW
- Course Code: 70692
- Class Code for September 27th: 129882
Seeking Feedback on Possible Changes to CPS’ Enrollment and Transfer Policy
The CPS Department of Policy is considering some proposed changes to the District’s Enrollment and Transfer Policy. This policy governs how students are enrolled and transferred within CPS schools. You can share your thoughts on the proposed changes by completing this brief survey by Friday, September 27. For any questions, please email policy@cps.edu.
Attend Tomorrow’s HBCU College and Career Fair at the Chicago Football Classic
As part of the annual Chicago Football Classic, CPS students in grades 7–12 can visit the HBCU College Fair on Saturday, September 21 from 8:30 to 11:45 a.m. The fair will be held at Chicago’s iconic Soldier Field, and will feature 30+ colleges, universities, and vendors. Click here for complete details.
Tomorrow Starts Chicago Live: The Midwest’s Largest FREE Performing Arts Festival
Celebrate Chicago’s vibrant arts and cultural community at Navy Pier on September 21 and 22! This free music festival will include more than 110 nonstop performances across five stages. Over 100 CPS students will take the stage alongside top performance groups, including The Joffrey Ballet, Chicago Samba, Blue Man Group, and a rare solo performance by Chicago's own Jeff Tweedy!
This annual two-day celebration is a can't-miss event! For more information and schedules, visit navypier.org/chicago-live.
Keeping Students Safe and Engaged on their Day Off from School
Next Friday, September 27 is a non-attendance day for CPS students, and several partners are offering fun, educational opportunities for students.
- Girls Day of P.L.A.Y. at the Chicago Park District: Girls ages 6–12 are invited to participate in the Chicago Park District Girls Day of P.L.A.Y. program on Friday, September 27, which is a non-attendance day for CPS students. Offered at 19 parks across the city, this free day-long program focuses on Positivity, Leadership, Ambition and being You! Ages and times can vary by park. Learn more and register at www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/girls-play/cps.
- Free Day of Learn and Play at the Field Museum: On Friday, September 27, students can check out the debut of “Archaeopteryx”, the permanent exhibition featuring the museum’s Jurassic Bird, and explore the link between birds and dinosaurs! The first 50 CPS students to arrive will get a free kit to help them get started on their dreams of becoming paleontologists! Visit the museum’s web page for complete details on the day!
Important Dates
For more upcoming events around the District, visit cps.edu/calendar.
- Tuesday, September 24: Public Negotiation Session between CPS and CTU at 5 p.m. at Cameron Elementary School - 1234 N. Monticello Avenue (Register here to attend in person, or watch the negotiation session live via the District’s YouTube channel)
- Thursday, September 26: Board of Education Meeting. Learn more at cpsboe.org.
- Friday, September 27: Professional development day for school staff; no classes for CPS students.
- Monday, October 14: CPS schools and offices are closed in observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day; no classes for CPS students.
- Wednesday, October 16: Board of Education Agenda Review Committee Meeting. Learn more at cpsboe.org.