Fall 25 TLC Teacher Leadership Newsletter

28 October 2025

Greetings, Educators!
We hope that your school year is off to a strong and healthy start. Thanks to the incredible work happening throughout our school communities, paired with the advocacy and support of our central office teams, the district continues to invest in the Teachers Lead Chicago (TLC) initiative with the goal of extending the impact of teacher leadership and collaboration to every student.

In this fall edition of the TLC Teacher Leadership Newsletter, we have a few updates, opportunities, and resources to share.

Updates

TLC Website

This summer, we launched the new Teachers Lead Chicago website to serve as a comprehensive, dynamic hub for current and aspiring TLC Teacher Leaders. Visit our website to learn more about our roles and review guidance documents, data insights, our case study, and more.

Visit website

Role Descriptions

Our new role descriptions outline expectations to standardize TLC Teacher Leadership implementation across the district. It details the responsibilities of the TLC Teacher Leader and School Leader, as well as the supports provided by Central Office.

PD Calendar

An interactive calendar for TLC Teacher Leader professional development (PD) sessions will be available on the TLC website in early November. Specialized PD for each role is provided by the district and is a key aspect of successful role implementation.

TLC Teacher Leader Highlight

Instructional Team Coach

About the Role

An Instructional Team Coach (ITC) is a partially released full-time teacher with a track record of strong instructional practice who seeks to expand impact at their school by facilitating peer coaching. They lead one or more teams of teachers through learning cycles, maintain a Model Classroom, and serve as a member of the Instructional Leadership Team.

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Kathleen Adamski

Instructional Team Coach John F. Eberhart School

Supporting both students and educators in the Lead Coach role and now the Instructional Team Coach (ITC) role has brought great joy to my professional day to day life. What I love most is collaborating with colleagues—sharing strategies, reflecting on practice, and looking for ways to increase student engagement and achievement. Prior to this opportunity I took on informal leadership roles, such as hosting student teachers, sharing and supporting curriculum initiatives, facilitating professional learning communities and leading teams. Those experiences helped me realize how much I enjoy working alongside teachers.

As an ITC, I’m able to blend my love for teaching with coaching, data analysis, and professional development, all in service of improving outcomes for students. The role allows me to serve as both a thought partner and a champion for teachers—helping them refine their practice while honoring their expertise. The Instructional Team Coach role adds value to our school community by serving as a bridge between teaching and learning. As a coach, I’m able to support teachers through collaborative planning, modeling, and reflective conversations that help strengthen instructional practices. This ongoing support not only builds teacher confidence but also promotes consistency and alignment across grade levels and subject areas. Beyond the classroom, the ITC role fosters a culture of continuous growth. By analyzing data, facilitating professional learning, and guiding teachers in implementing evidence-based strategies, I help ensure that decisions are driven by student needs. This shared focus on growth benefits everyone—students receive the highest-quality instruction, teachers feel supported and valued, and our school becomes a more cohesive learning community.

Ultimately, the value of the ITC role lies in its ability to empower educators, elevate instruction and create routines that lead to stronger student outcomes and a more collaborative school culture. My greatest joy resides in my day to day experiences, being able to work alongside amazing colleagues and supporting students in learning and growing.

The [ITC] role allows me to serve as both a thought partner and a champion for teachers—helping them refine their practice while honoring their expertise.

Kathleen Adamski

To learn more about the Instructional Team Coach (ITC) role and supports, visit the opportunity page.

Professional Opportunities

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Internal

Continuing Education Program

CPS partners with universities to provide opportunities to earn college credit, graduate-level degrees, certifications, and endorsements at a significant discount. There are also CPS-sponsored programs that cover up to 100% the cost of tuition to earn specific endorsements in high-needs areas.

Early Childhood Special Education Approval: The Office of Early Childhood Education will provide funding to cover 100% of the coursework required to earn an Early Childhood SPED Approval. Rules and eligibility requirements apply. Read the FAQs to learn more. Applications are open from October 14 to November 21, 2025. Questions may be directed to keeplearning@cps.edu.
ESL/Bilingual Endorsement or ESL/Bilingual SPED Approval: The Office of Multilanguage and Multicultural Education will provide funding to cover 100% of the coursework required to earn an ESL endorsement, bilingual endorsement, ESL SPED approval, or bilingual SPED approval. Rules and eligibility requirements apply. Read the program flyer to learn more. Questions may be directed to cohort@cps.edu.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Endorsement/M.S.Ed Program: The Office of Students with Disabilities will provide funding to cover 100% of the coursework leading to a Deaf and Hard of Hearing endorsement and a Master of Science in Education. Rules and eligibility requirements apply. Questions may be directed to Service Delivery Director Sarah Phillips, snphillips@cps.edu.
…and more! CPS also sponsors Computer Science and Algebra endorsement programs.

For more information about continuing education opportunities, visit cps.edu/keeplearning on the employee intranet.

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DPQ Affinity Groups

The Department of Principal Quality (DPQ) is hosting five virtual affinity groups this school year. Upcoming meeting dates are below.

Black/African American (10/23, 11/13)
Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (10/23, 11/13)
Latine (10/23, 11/13)
LGBTQIA+ (10/22, 11/12)
Middle Eastern *new this year!* (10/23, 11/13)

These groups are designed to support current teachers and school personnel aspiring to future school leadership roles. To learn more or sign up, visit the CPS opportunity page.

Lead with CPS

Lead with CPS posts various leadership and professional learning opportunities for teachers, school leaders, network, and central office staff throughout the year. Stay in the loop by regularly searching for opportunities that support your growth and development.

Visit website

Resources

The TLC team hand-picked the following resources to share as we navigate the start of a new school year.

Teachers Lead Chicago SY26 Handbook
- Our handbook provides teachers, teacher leaders, school leaders, and other stakeholders with detailed information about the TLC initiative and TLC Teacher Leader roles. You will also find helpful links to additional resources and contact information within the handbook.
Distributed and Supportive Leadership Toolkit
- This toolkit offers a curated selection of custom tools and resources developed by the Distributed and Supportive Leadership Team to help educators implement distributed leadership structures, foster peer collaboration, and align coaching/mentorship efforts with school and district-wide goals.

Have a great school year!