Posts filed under 'CPS'
SURVEY: Improving School Communication
I’m working with a couple other neighborhood parents to gather input about school communication. Clearly some schools do it better than others and we want to get some ideas on the best things schools are practicing, along with some of the blatant screw-ups (certainly more fun to rant about.) The hope is to give feedback to our school/s with some ideas for facilitating communication. And to find ways that WE can help THEM give us more of what we need. Short of web-cams in all classrooms and hourly text messages, there are ways to build the bridge between the admin/teachers and parents. Can you help us by sharing your experiences?
Think about your interactions with the administration – i.e. the office staff and secretaries, teachers, principal and assistant principal, the lunchroom staff, janitors, the nurse, social worker, etc.
Think about the steps involved – what it’s like when you call or visit the office, inquire about something or set up an appointment… maybe you need to pick up your child early one day or for an emergency, or you simply have a question about an event coming up. Any and all instances of contact are fair game!
We’d love input on the following 3 questions…
1 – Think about a great experience in communicating with your child’s school administration… what was the situation/which people were involved/how did it play out?
2 – Think about a poor and/or frustrating experience in communicating with the administration. Again, describe the situation, people and outcome.
3 – Finally, what are your thoughts on how to make communication with the administration/teachers effective and helpful for this coming school year? What might you or the school do differently?
2 comments August 31, 2008
Big idea – “make your own high school”
Whoa – big news possibly coming soon regarding a north side school. I have heard unofficially that a particular well-regarded north side elementary school has gotten approval to add high school level classes to their school.
I’m guessing that parents were begining to freak out about the prospect of high school for their kids (much as I am, 9 years in advance) and figured the best bet was to keep them together. No more stressing over test scores. No more hauling all over town. No more going to a giant school without any of your friends joining you. Sounds like it could be a great solution.
Of course it also means having high-schooler on the same grounds as pre-schoolers which could be equally annoying for each of those ages. Hopefully the teens will keep their potty mouths and crop-tops away from the 3 year olds.
I’m curious to see if it really happens and how many kids stay for high school. Or if they’ll let other kids lottery in? Or if other schools follow suit?
Add comment August 31, 2008
What’s with all North Side gifted programs?
OK, I admit it – I am excited to have my kid in a gifted program. It is probably the closest I’ll come to being able to “brag” about my kid in any way. I’ll never utter the words “My son goes to Harvard” unless his Dad and I plan to sell our house and live in a box under Lower Wacker Drive to pay the tuition. I’m quite sure I’ll never be saying “My son, the doctor” since he currently freaks out like a wild banshee if he has to look at a scrape on his own knee. So his greatest educational achievement may have come about from a test he took at age 4. Go figure.
So although I am thrilled to have scammed into this opportunity, I can’t help but wonder what is up with this plethora of Gifted Programs on the north side. Edison, which used to be located way-too-far-to-consider (unless your child is really really smart and needs to be with like-minded smarties,) is moving to Albany Park this Fall. Coonley is located curiously close to Bell. Beaubien is up north, and of course Decatur skims off some of the pool. So in an fairly narrow locale there are 4 accelerated classes that a kid can test into. It begs the question, “Isn’t it a wee bit inefficient?” Does it make sense to have Bell and Coonley existing with similar programs like little RGC “twins?”
It’s a good idea on several counts:
1. In theory, the principals of Bell and Coonley can pop over to visit one another to share best practices (let’s face it, in this day and age I’m guessing they’ll just be emailing each other, if anything.)
2. It makes it easy for the French teacher who will work in both programs. (Maybe this was all HER idea! Merci Beaucoup! – I hear she is fantastic, BTW.)
3. Perhaps Coonley is being positioned to take the overflow of Bell, which is close to bursting at the seams.
4. CPS has something up its sleeve. (Conspiracy Woman emerging here.) My personal suspicion is that Coonley is being set up as the buffer for Bell. If the Bell neighborhood continues to grow, they’ll have to either redraw the school boundaries or move someone out of the school (choices are the Deaf program or the Gifted program… who would you feel worse about booting?) And the RGC could easily be phased out grade by grade, starting at the bottom. Or heck, they could just move it all out of Bell in one fell swoop like they did with Edison.
5. The Coonley neighborhood is ripe to transition into a Bell-esque neighborhood – with a strong school that attracts families and drives up property values.
The downside of having several gifted programs clustered together is:
1. Well, it just doesn’t seem fair. Most people choose schools that are generally close to home. So I have to figure that kids in certain neighborhoods, whose parents may lack reliable transportation are stuck without a gifted option, even if they test well.
2. Terrorists could pinpoint Chicago’s epicenter of youthful intelligence and wipe out a chunk of smart kids with one well-directed missile. (Just kidding, that is only in the Hollywood version of the CPS story, which will clearly never be made into a motion picture.)
Only time will tell whether it was a good “business” decision or if my paranoid conspiracy radar is working accurately.
4 comments July 13, 2008
Getting into a Chicago Public School
No, I’m not talking about winning the Magnet lottery or stalking the principal to show them how eager you are to send your kid there. I am talking about the physical process of actually ENTERING a CPS building and the difficulty of finding the main entrance.
I cannot even count the number of times I have arrived at a school building, eager for a tour yet running late as usual. I park and run towards the building. Hmmm… all the doors look about the same. Metal. Unadorned. No markings. This would be exciting if I were trying to get into one of the cool nightclubs I’ve heard about that have no signs and you need to know where it is to get in. But no, this is not cool.
Typically I approach the closest door first, looking wildly for a way to signal my entrance. Nothing is ever just open, allowing a random stranger to enter. No, our kids are clearly in vaults. The doors are too thick for a knock to ever be heard inside. No buttons or speakers are visible. I must be at the wrong door. Rats! The buildings are huge! It’ll take me another 5 minutes to go around the block to another entrance. Can’t some friendly janitor spot me and just let me sneak in?
I silently curse the administration for not anticipating my needs and VOW that I will personally make signs for any school I am involved with. I VOW that I will contact CPS and beg them to improve their signage efforts. I VOW that I will leave earlier next time I go for a school tour. Of course none of this ever happens.
So here are a few pointers for getting (your body) into a Chicago Public School.
- Read the address carefully. It seems like the Main Entrance typically faces the street of the address.
- Speaking of Main Entrance, each CPS school has a Main Entrance sign posted at one doorway. Once you learn this, you’re golden. Somebody, at some point in time had the smart idea to keep consistency with the Main Entrance signs. Trouble is, the sign is often a small, ratty piece of cardboard that is hard to spot from a distance. Look for the sign with red stars and blue stripes..(that is the City of Chicago flag.) Or sometimes an American flag.
City of Chicago flag - look for it on the Main Entrance sign
- The Main Entrance does not always LOOK like a main entrance. Some are oddly non-descript and plain.
- Don’t look for a bell/buzzer to tip you off. These are typically small/dingy and made with a chameleonesque quality so that they blend in with the wall behind them.
- If you are going to a school at non-school hours, well, good luck. You’ll have better luck getting into the Pentagon. If you’re lucky, someone will be walking out and you can slip in, free to do as you please. If the staff are all in a meeting upstairs, you can stand there banging endlessly, as your knocks disappear into a black hole. (OK, that is a bit dramatic, but it can be angst-producing if you are trying to drop off your lottery application and can’t get inside.)
- Keep your hand on the door as you wait to be buzzed in. You’ll approximately a half-second to pull the door open once you hear the “click” sound.
Add comment July 3, 2008
First LSC Meeting – Will I Be Able to Walk the Talk?
OK, I hate that expression about walking/talking, but it actually fits for once in my life. I’ve been talking (some may interpret as lecturing, yammering, complaining, informing, gossiping, instigating, or agitating) about CPS for a couple years now to anyone who will listen. Or even just pretend to listen. I got myself onto the local LSC with the mission of making a difference, pushing the school to do more, to stretch themselves, fix some things, listen to the voice of the people, etc. It all sounds great in my head. Problem is, I’m not sure if have what it takes to actually push for stuff. I’m a rebel in my mind, but my reality is to avoid confrontation and not rock the boat.
I can’t help but wonder if I will have the guts to keep pushing. And I’m not even quite sure what exactly I’m pushing for, specifically. I know I want better communication between all parties involved in the school and ideally I’d like to see the academic standard bumped up a bit both in terms of getting more kids at/above that magic level of test scores and making sure that the bright and/or motivated kids get challenged. And to work with another LSC member who has a great vision for more progressive, hands-on learning for the kids.
My impression is that my LSC has gone along for a while, acting in general agreement, and conducting their two main functions: approving the school budget and the SIPAA plan (school’s strategic plan.) The other job of an LSC is to determine whether to retain the principal when their contract is up. We’ll be doing that in two years. I think it’ll take some “chutzpah” (or “balls” if you don’t know Yiddish) to push the group out of their standard routine. It means that I need to figure out exactly what I want to happen, throw it out there, and not back off as easily as I normally do. Frankly, I would feel better if I had an alliance. Like on Survivor. I am terrible at being the lone dissenting voice beyond a first peep. I know that some other new LSC member are also eager to make a difference. But inertia is hard to fight. We want to lead a revolution (in reality, an evolution) without making waves and that probably isn’t possible.
I think I will take inspiration from the Gatorade commercials… “Is it in you?” I’m quite sure that when the ads were written the copywriter wasn’t thinking about some over-zealous-yet-a-bit-hesitant mom taking on the local school board. But hey, you gotta take inspiration where you can find it, right?
1 comment July 1, 2008
Torn Between Two Schools, Feeling Like a Fool….
Which School do I support?
I can’t help but wonder how it will make sense to divide my resources between our Neighborhood School and the New Gifted School (where our son will be attending this Fall.) I’ve been involved with the Neighborhood School for over 2 years now and I’m very emotionally tied to the place, even though I’m not currently a school parent AND I will on the LSC there for the next two years as a community member.
I also strongly believe that everyone in the city should support their neighborhood school. In a purely selfish sense, it increases all our property values to have a great local school within walking distance. It also improves the community aspect of the neighborhood to have the kids attending school together.
However…our son will be attending his new school specifically for the new Regional Gifted Program they’re opening. Even though it would be so great to walk to the Neighborhood School every day, we felt compelled to give the gifted thing a try. (Despite the occasional panic that he will promptly flunk out within the first month.) So of course I want to be actively involved in my son’s school. It certainly makes sense to be part of the parent group there and the “Friends Of” group, since all the fundraising and volunteer effort will make it a better place for my son. Also, after running up the learning curve at the Neighborhood School, I feel like I have a lot of ideas and input to share at the new place. So I was really excited to dive in over there.
About a month ago though, I had an interesting conversation with a mom who lives in the New Gifted School district but sends her kids to private school (New Gifted School is a neighborhood school as well.) She was complaining that the school isn’t doing much to attract people like her to attend. She noted that she’s always at the school playground with her kids, but the principal never comes out to introduce herself. She’s thought about going to the fundraisers, but all they’ve done is “leave a baggie on her door.” Basically, she was saying (truthfully) that New Gifted School just doesn’t get the marketing angle of the business. She’s right. There are very few CPS schools that really GET IT when it comes to attracting new families. It just isn’t their business. Education is. I admitted there was probably more they could do and promised her that come the Fall, I’d be eagerly doing my part to make it happen there! Look out school, here comes one Gung Ho mom!
Then after I got home, I started re-thinking it… why should I bust my butt to increase the property values in HER neighborhood? I’ve been doing it at the Neighborhood School for 2 years and my kid doesn’t go there! Shouldn’t she do the same at New Gifted School if she wants a good neighborhood school (which she claims she does… of course who wouldn’t if you can get it without lifting a finger?) Why doesn’t she actually step foot in the place suggest some ideas? Offer to help out at the school? Go out on a freezing cold night taping flyer to lamp-posts (OK, I just did that a few times, but the whipping winds and overly sticky tape still haunt me.)
It left me feeling torn. I only have so many hours in a week to help out. Where do I donate my time? My Box Tops? My school auction budget? My Target Red Card dollars?
I suppose I may have to wait for the Fall to see how I feel. New Gifted School doesn’t really feel like “our” school just yet but I’m guessing that will change after my son has been there a while.
For now, the Box Tops remain uncommitted in a baggie.
Add comment June 23, 2008
Oh God, what have we done? (Part 1)
I had a conversation today that put me into a panic about entering CPS (I am guessing what will be my first among many.) I had a nice young woman come over to meet us as a potential babysitter. She works as a Kindergarten/First grade teacher in CPS.. in a big, big school on the West side. Of course I had to ask her subtley interrogate her. I don’t get the teacher POV very often so I was a bit out of my element. The “insiders” have a slightly different viewpoint than the parents do, I’m finding (I was tipped off by her comment of “wow, I would hate dealing with all those parents” as I started giving her background in my school involvement history.)
She seems like an intelligent, capable person – the type I’d easily hire for a job in the business sector. The type who will probably have ideas about how to improve CPS that will never get heard, let alone implemented.
The school where she teaches exemplifies the problems of CPS. The student body is huge and she told me how the principal is busy dealing with things like gangs and fighting. Parents are not involved. Test scores are low, yet the principal can barely focus on academics when she’s trying to keep kids and teachers safe. (I remind myself that near here, the schools are smaller and safer, something I am grateful for.)
It was her feedback about the big class sizes was more relevant (and frankly frightening) to me. I asked about the experience of teaching a large class with no aide and she said it was “challenging.” “It’s all about the management” she said. It took her a few years to figure out how to do it. (No mentors? No advice from the principal?) She had continued with one class for Kindergarten and First grade which helped make classroom management easier in year two. It’s a good idea which I’d never thought about before. The kids know the drill right from day one which must help immensely.
So ugh. I’m sending my son into an environment where he will be “managed?” It just sounds a bit too much like the army and not the type of place where he’ll be inspired.
Oh, how much better I’ll feel if I run across a few CPS teachers who say “I LOVE my job!” Or a principal. I asked the Bell principal on my tour what the most challenging part of his job was and he said it was dealing with the bureaucracy of CPS. He has ideas that can’t be implemented for one rigid reason or another and frustrations with the systme abound.
Can parental involvement/interest/silent auctions/raffles really overcome this behemoth of bureaucracy and inefficiency? Sometimes I wonder….
2 comments June 17, 2008
Private vs Public?
One of the big questions that weighed on my mind during our Kindergarten decision was the benefit of private school over public. Our situation was a bit different because our private school experience would also combine the Montessori method, making it hard to isolate the private vs public factors but I felt I needed to figure out whether the benefits of paying almost $11K in tuition would get us something worthwhile.
The obvious benefit of private school in Chicago is the class size. You can’t really argue with having 20 or fewer kids with 1-2 teachers compared to CPS who allow up to 30 with 1 teacher. I know (I KNOW!) that “a good teacher can handle a big class.” But let’s face it – the union situation with the CPS teachers ain’t exactly breeding the best of the best. If I were guaranteed of getting one of those good teachers, I’d be in for sure. To alleviate my fears, several people have told me that during the Baby-Boom era, elementary classes could easily have had 40 – 50 kids. “And they turned out fine.” Well, they turned out fine because the Boomers’ sheer mass has allowed them to dominate U.S. culture and policy for a while now. And BTW, don’t I want my kid, my child with UNLIMITED potential to be more than “fine”?! Of course I do! That’s why I’m sitting here writing this blog instead of watching Swingtime on TV.
I suspect that the teachers in private schools are somehow better because if they aren’t, they can be fired – unlike in CPS. On the other hand, I believe that private schools probably pay their teacher less than in CPS or the top suburbs so maybe the teachers AREN’T better. Or maybe they are better because they are doing for the love of the job, not the pay. Argh! I guess it’s impossible to say which are better. Subjectively, I’d go with private. I know (I KNOW!) there are fantastic teachers in CPS. But as my neighbor told me (who has a daughter in high school,) “She has had some fabulous teachers and others who… well, lets just say that if some of them were found dead in the parking lot with a drill in the head, it would probably be my doing.” This from a woman who I’d say is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. Yikes.
Certainly the smaller student body in private schools allows the staff and administration to really know each child and give them the personal attention they need. OK.. good. On the other hand, if your child is outside the norm in a private school (slow learner, ADHD kid) there are not typically the resources available to help them. OK… doesn’t matter since my kid will be perfect in school (ha.)
Let’s move to the important topic weighing on the mind of every parent of a 5-year-old. High school. According to a 2006 Chicago Magazine article, 14-18% of the kids in the selective high schools come from private/parochial school. Seems fair. However 30% of the kids at Northside College Prep (the high school with the top scores in the whole state) come from private/parochial. That seems pretty impressive, I gotta say.
The downsides of private school, in my opinion, are the small student bodies (can you really get an 8th grade crush on a kid you’ve been in class with since Kindergarten?), lack of diversity (both ethnic and socio-economic) and of course the freakishly high price tag that could be redirected into a college fund. Or a new kitchen.
On to CPS. The advantages often include bigger student bodies (more options for friends and activities,) definitely more diversity, its free!, and importantly, the chance to work with your community to build a great local school.
But the downside, CPS can make a mother break into a cold sweat. Bureaucracy. Budget cuts. Teachers union. Big classes. Yucky bathrooms. A general sense of chaos. Weird-smelling hot lunches. And worst of all, just today my son asked me if there would be bullies at his new school. At his private Montessori I could have given an unqualified “No!” (private schools can get rid of the trouble-makers.) Unfortunately, I couldn’t say the same about CPS. It’s a scarier environment with lots of big kids running around, parents who are less-involved, and ultimately the school must take the neighborhood kids whether they’re angels or bullies.
In the end, my personal conclusion was that private schools probably have more a personal and academic focus (they better for that price!!) I’m just not sure if the benefits are worth paying thousands and thousands of dollars for over a decade. I have to believe that if we make education a priority in our household that our son can learn nearly as much in CPS. If we work with the school and work along with other parents to push for progressive education and engaging classroom activities, we can get pretty close to what we’d get at a private school. I don’t think it can happen unless parents get involved. But I’m hopeful that if we all demand it, we can get it.
1 comment June 12, 2008
Kindergarten Craziness
The Kindergarten decision. In Chicago, the stress involved is as great as applying to college. Or come to think of it, maybe more stressful. At least for college the child in question will share in the decision-making, sparing the parent the burden of single-handedly choosing the “wrong” school and messing up their kid for life. For now, it is up to us to make the call, wondering what the 8th grade version of our child will be like and what type of education/environment is best suited for this nebulous concept of a child. (Of course most of us are envisioning studious, vibrant, and talkative 8th grade offspring who have developed a true love of learning rather than the type who will roll their eyes at us, slack on their homework, mumble answers to our questions, and cause various types of trouble at school.)
And Kindergarten Chicago style is more crazy than any friends in the suburbs or other states can even imagine: Touring schools, sending out lottery applications, gifted/classical testing, application fees, play parties, reading message boards, shmoozing principals, talking to random strangers at the playground…. it is almost enough to drive one to the suburbs. Yet we persist. And pray to the Gods of the CPS lottery hoping we’ll hit the jackpot.
I have been preparing for and anticipating the Kindergarten decision for over 2 years. Half my son’s life, in fact. And now, with a brain full of knowledge and experience, I feel the need to continue charting my progress as we dive head first into CPS. I’d also like a place to share information with other parents who are going through this strange and interesting journey.
At the aquarium the other day, my son and I threw pennies into the fountain and made a wish. He wished for a machine that could transform him into a robot. I wished for a good school experience for him. Not to be selfish, but I hope mine comes true before his does (although I could put that robot to work around the house….)
1 comment June 10, 2008
