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Upcoming Events
Month of April
ISBE 21st CCLC Trainings
Data Driven Decision Making
April 10 - Centralia, IL
April 12 - Bloomington, IL
NEW DATE:
April 26, Orland Park, IL
More info at right
April 24, 2012
Community Schools 101
218 S. Wabash, #600
Chicago Youth Centers
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
More info at right
Illinois 21st CCLC 2012 Spring Conference
Innovative Practices for Expanded Learning
Hosted by ISBE and AIR
Tinley Park Convention Center
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
May 9-12, 2012
Community Schools National Forum
Join community school and education reform practitioners and advocates at the 2012 Community Schools National Forum on May 9-12 in San Francisco. Watch this short video for a glimpse of what you can expect at the conference.
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A better approach to school discipline
An editorial written by Syda Segovia Taylor, Elev8 Chicago Program Director, was just published by The San Antonio (TX) Express-News. The editorial promotes Elev8 and the community school model as a way in which we can move away from harsh and inequitable disciplinary policies and instead look to positive behavior supports, conflict resolution and mediation as ways in which schools can adopt fairer and more effective disciplinary policies. Read the editorial here. |
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Elev8 Chicago students bring their concerns to the state capitol
 | | Ames students on Senate floor |
On March 23, two busloads of students, drawn from five Elev8 Chicago schools, traveled to Springfield, IL, to share their policy concerns and priorities with state lawmakers, focusing much of their time on issues related to community safety.
Delegations from each school went to see senators and representatives from their respective districts. Four young men from Reavis Elementary School had a long talk with Senator Kwame Raoul, covering such topics as neighborhood safety, basketball, and the Trayvon Martin case.
Students from Perspectives-Calumet Middle School and Marquette Elementary School took photos with Senator Jackie Collins, who asked the students questions about their lives, school and favorite subjects. And ten girls from Orozco Community Academy met briefly with Senator Antonio Munoz, about the work that the girls have been doing related to safety in their school and community. Students also spoke briefly with Senator Steans and Representatives Kenneth Dunkin and Cynthia Soto. Finally, students from Ames Middle School had a lengthy meeting with Senator Martin Sandoval, who invited them into his office and discussed the path he took to become a senator. He told the students that education is the best way to be successful and encouraged them to ask questions about his life and work. The students shared their concerns about their community and even got a private tour of the Senate floor - where, as the Senator said to them, "you can someday be sitting."
Elev8 Chicago and the Mikva Challenge are planning another advocacy trip later this month-this time to Washington, DC. The trip will bring together youth from Elev8 programs in Chicago, Baltimore, Oakland and New Mexico to share their concerns and recommendations with federal policymakers, building on local- and state-level advocacy they have engaged in throughout the year. |
Community Schools 101 Training
April 24, 2012 from 9:00 - 3:00 p.m.
218 S. Wabash, #600, Chicago, IL
Hosted by Chicago Youth Centers, this orientation training provides an overview of the community school model and sets the course for the first several months of commuity school "transformation" including:
- Understanding what we mean when we say "community school"
- What is the difference between a community school and a school with afterschool programming?
- What does a community school look like and how does it operate?
- How to build a strong foundation - practical ways to ensure a solid community school foundation using principles like: Shared Vision, Partnership, Shared Leadership / Advisory Board, Data Driven Decision Making, Integrated Learning, Collaboration, Broader Opportunities, and Leveraged Resources.
- The Role of the Resource Coordinator - RC Orientation Guide, 1st steps for a new coordinator, Where do I go for...?
- Early Opportunities for Engaging Stakeholders
- Assessing local needs and resources
- Developing an Advisory Board
To get the most out of this training, community school teams - which could include principals, resource coordinators, community partners, parent leaders, and community leaders - are encouraged to attend together. The training will accommodate up to 30 people; registrations will be accepted until the event is full.
To register, please contact Greg Hall, Director of Professional Development. |
SNAP Benefits an Essential Resource for Families
The Federation and Elev8 Chicago strongly support proposals that would strengthen SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program aka food stamps) to give families the resources they need to purchase a nutritionally adequate diet. We oppose efforts to reduce funding and benefits, and restrict eligibility. SNAP benefits will be determined as a part of the reauthorization of the Farm Bill. The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) is leading efforts to protect and strengthen SNAP. We encourage you to visit their website to learn about several upcoming conference calls and trainings they will be offering to provide guidance on expanding eligibility, accessing funding for meal programs and other topics. |
Date changes for upcoming ISBE 21st CCLC community school trainings
The dates for several of the remaining Full Service Community Schools Trainings for ISBE 21st CCLC grant recipients have been rescheduled. Please review the information below to verify the date and location of any trainings you were planning to attend.
April Trainings: Data Driven Decision Making
Due to the mandatory ISBE 21st CCLC Spring Conference (see Upcoming Events), the Orland Park training originally scheduled for April 19 has been rescheduled for April 26, at the same location.
May Trainings: Leveraging Resources from the Community
Due to the Coalition for Community Schools' National Forum from May 9 - 12 in San Francisco, CA (see Upcoming Events), May's trainings in Centralia and Bloomington have been rescheduled.
Centralia - May 22, 2012 - same location
Bloomington - May 24, 2012 - same location .
All other meeting dates and locations remain the same. Please visit our website for descriptions of these trainings and complete list of training dates and locations.
If you have questions about these trainings, please contact Greg Hall. |
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