education
Seven students taken to hospital after pepper spray incident
Several people were taken to hospitals from a South Side elementary school Wednesday morning after pepper spray was used in a lunchroom, authorities said.
CPS to hold more hearings on school closings
As the district prepares to close schools, Chicago Public Schools will hold at least 28 more community meetings across the city so the public may give feedback about specific schools, the district announced Friday.
Student chefs create healthy recipes from food in high school’s pantry
“You guys want cheese?” Emanuel Zetina, 18, asked a woman Thursday at lunch in his school gym, as he plated his Chicken Rancheros. He turned to another woman: “Quieres cilantro?” Zetina and culinary arts classmates from George Washington High School showed off their skills Thursday, serving the recipes they developed for the Cooking for Change contest of the Healthy Schools Campaign to parents and school friends.
Leave all city high schools open, CPS school-closing panel says
The independent commission tasked by the Chicago public schools chief to decide which schools to close or consolidate this year has recommended that she take high schools off the table.
Teen charged with having gun at Far Southeast Side school
A 13-year-old boy has been charged after he was found with weapons at his Far Southeast Side school.
Chicago largest recipient of Walton Family Foundation money for charter schools
The Walton Family Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Wal-Mart’s founder, gave more money to Chicago to start new charter schools last year than it did to any other city — $3.8 million. That brings the total donated to Chicago schools to $22.8 million since 1997 by the largest private funder of charter school startups. The foundation sees “high quality public charters” as a way to empower parents.
Tape of CTU President Karen Lewis draws fire from right
An “off with their heads” joke caught on videotape by the boisterous president of the Chicago Teachers Union referring to robber barons is sparking criticism from the right.
Two CPS vendors too big to ban for ethical lapses, inspector general says
Two of the Chicago Public Schools’ largest vendors investigated by the inspector general for significant ethical lapses may be too big to ban from district business, yet CPS fails to even monitor them adequately, the schools’ watchdog said in an annual report released Monday.
Parents struggle to talk to their kids about shootings
Parents in the Chicago area sent their children off to school with a little more anxiety than normal Monday.
CPS to review emergency plans with employees
Chicago Public Schools will refresh employees on emergency management plans as a result of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that left 20 students dead in Newtown, Conn., Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Sunday.
CPS: West, South sides saw biggest drops in number of school-age kids
Fear, confusion and anger swept across Chicago Public Schools as CPS officials released new data indicating half its schools — 330 buildings out of 681 — are “underutilized’’ but refused to say what percent underused put a school on the potential chopping block.
Dad to school-closing panel: I trust you ‘No farther than I can throw you’
Don’t close our schools. Consider the gang borders kids might be forced to cross. And stop sending children far away from their homes, parents said Monday night. It was the public’s first shot at sharing their concerns about closing schools with the commission created by CPS to bolster “community engagement” in an often painful process. But the commission’s chairman was unclear about whether the panel would actually come up with a list of schools it believes should go, or just hand CPS what he called “a broad a set of recommendations.”
Byrd-Bennett proposes 5-year ban on CPS closures after this year
Chicago Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett Monday announced plans to try to “right-size” a district with about 100,000 excess seats by fall and then declare a five-year moratorium on school closures. The plan is contingent on the Legislature allowing the district to extend its deadline for producing a proposed school action list from Dec. 1 to Mar. 31, Byrd-Bennett told the City Club in prepared remarks.
Lessons Learned: CPS teachers now better tailor education plans for students
Mr. Erik Young could try to explain the difficulties of urban migration to his AP Human Geography class. But what if he let Stevie Wonder do it? “Living for the City” popped into Young’s head once as a catchy way to introduce the complexities of mass migration of rural Americans to cities to his students at King College Prep High School. And now it’s part of a lesson.
School Board president lambasts teachers union for ‘spewing lies’
Chicago School Board members Wednesday accused Chicago Teachers Union officials of “spewing lies,’’ issuing threats and trying to “intimidate’’ them into not closing half-empty schools. One target of the attack — CTU vice president Jesse Sharkey — later shot back by accusing the board president of being “silly” and thin-skinned.
