Comments on: Keller Regional Gifted Center news

By: b tle

b tle — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 03:09:26 +0000

listen to you guys! relocation is to far! no longer in your backyard!new location has x amount of vilolent and property crimes! this is funny/sad, sounds liek mr daley selling out the parking meters and to some foreign ownership, later to realize to amount of revenue that could have been produced- some schools claim to only follow cps guidelines –
why cant all schools follow accelerated learning guidelines — are teachers UNDERQUALIFIED– IS THAT THE WHOLE PROBLEM? ELIMINATION OF NON PERFORMING TEACHERS MIGHT ACTUALLY BE A GOOD IDEA !
MAYBE THE UNIONS AND THE TEN YR PROTECTION NEEDS TO GO- IF AMERICA CAN HAVE A BLACK PRESIDENT– COME ON PARENTS I AM SCREAMIING HERE ! THIS AMERICA IS STARTING TO LOOK LIKE A COUNTRY OF BUYOUTS-SELLOUTS-DROP OUTS, ETC… I CAN GO ON AND ON- SOMEBODY RAISE HELL- PLEASE PARENTS WITH A CAUSE AND CONCERN EXPRESS YOUR REAL EMOTIONS AND BE HEARD-

By: Adele

Adele — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:06:02 +0000

Good point — “What if CPS actually worked with the schools in question to ensure that the bright kids at Keller could attend the local schools and still be challenged? I’m sure there are other kids in those schools who could use an accelerated program as well.”

Well, there is one. CPS has an in-house comprehensive gifted program available for neighborhood schools that would like to add this to their curriculum. I know it’s at Westcott Elementary and others as well.

Contact the Gifted Office for more information.

By: Adele

Adele — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:59:14 +0000

Dear SW Side Mom #6

What we didn’t know at the time was that CPS had told the Keller administration and LSC on Friday, Jan 26, exactly where Keller kids would be moved.

But the Keller folks were warned of serious legal consequences if they revealed this information or organized a protest. Principals have been fired by CPS for similar transgressions. So they could say nothing.

It took some Keller parents working very hard behind the scene, to find out that address, 51st and Princeton.

Having that piece of the puzzle meant that senior city officials would take Keller parents’ complaint very seriously and act on it immediately.

That’s behind the alderman’s about-face.

By: Adele

Adele — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:51:52 +0000

The proposed move of Keller students to 51st and Princeton would have dissolved the second-highest scoring school in Illinois.

Because parents wouldn’t send their children an hour-plus on a school bus 11 miles away.

And because in the past year, more than 1,400 violent and property crimes were committed within one square mile of 51st and Princeton.

Ruining Keller would have been a huge embarrassment to CPS.

The 19th ward is always referred to as clout-heavy, for good reason, and nothing goes on in 19th ward schools without the alderman’s prior knowledge and consent.

Alderman Ginger Rugai changed her mind about evicting Keller kids only after she was informedby senior people just how big a mistake she was making with an election coming in February.

CPS officials and staff who initially went along with her recently came from the CTA. The old CPS hands wouldn’t make this kind of mistake. . .

By: hopeful

hopeful — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 02:51:38 +0000

Wow, I just read that Keller parents won the fight to stay in the current building. I am impressed. I’ve rarely seen Chicago parents be able to change or affect a decision by the board. Congratulations.

By: kugler

kugler — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 10:24:31 +0000

here is the correct link

Public Act 096-0434
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=096-0803&GA=96

Sec. 34-18.37. Establishing an equitable and effective
school facility development process.

By: kugler

kugler — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 10:21:00 +0000

Is this process legal in accordance to Public Act 096-0803(105 ILCS 5/34-18.37 new) Establishing an equitable and effective school facility development process.

Section (a) (5) In order to minimize the negative impact of school facility decisions on the community, these decisions should be implemented according to a clear system-wide criterion and with the significant involvement of local school councils, parents, educators, and the community in decision-making.
Section (b) In order to ensure that school facility-related decisions are made with the input of the community and reflect educationally sound and fiscally responsible criteria, a Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force shall be established within 15 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly.

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=096-0803

By: SW Side Mom

SW Side Mom — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:14:04 +0000

The CPS hasn’t shared any potential alternative locations officially with Keller parents yet. From what I understand there are just a lot of rumored locations, including those shared through the news media. Supposedly our alderwoman is determined to keep the school in the 19th ward, if not in its current location. There is a meeting for parents tonight at Keller, where all of this is going to hopefully be addressed by CPS officials.

Please consider signing this petition, if you haven’t already:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/4/sos

Thank you!

By: KCK

KCK — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:53:43 +0000

If I remember correctly (from CBS news), the new location is going to be 51st & Princeton, 11 miles away from the current location.

By: cpsobsessed

cpsobsessed — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:14:57 +0000

If what the Sun Times says is true that the public schools are overcrowded because people are leaving Catholic schools, why not rent out space from those Catholic schools?
I suspect that overcrowding is going to be an growing problem in the next few year. I really wish that CPS would think of some options ahead of time instead of just uprooting entire schools.