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Greetings!
As you know, funding for public education continues to be a critical issue that affects thousands of school children, especially those in underserved communities. This school year, the Chicago Public Schools reduced funding to charter schools by 4 percent, immediately impacting the 40,000 student enrolled in charter schools and schools' ability to deliver the quality education our children need and deserve.
For everyone who has so generously contributed to help us fill the funding gap at Perspectives - we thank you! We've tightened our belts, doing more with less and together with your support we have thus far been able to continue to provide the College for Certain education our students and their parents rely on to get their kids into higher education,and to help ensure their opportunity for success as individuals and as citizens. Last year, despite having arrived at Perspectives as much as two to four years behind academically, our 2010 graduates and their teachers worked diligently to accelerate student academic growth, achieving a 97 percent college acceptance rate - most at four year colleges. So far this year, 40 percent of our seniors have already been accepted to college and have been offered $802,000 in scholarships!
But future public funding for schools continues to be uncertain and our ability to continue to provide the rigorous education and social-emotional support for our students' achievement is threatened by the lack of adequate funding.
Currently, charter schools across Chicago are aligning in support of better, more equitable funding. Please show your support for these much needed changes by joining us Wednesday, January 26 at 8 a.m. at 125 S. Clark Street at the Chicago Board of Education meeting.
Please contact your legislators and alderman to express your support and ask for theirs. Click here to find your state legislators' contact info and send them a message.
With my sincere regards, and thanks for your support -
 
Rhonda Hopps, CFA
Chief Executive Officer
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| Enroll Now! |
The lottery for the 2011-2012 school year will be held February 4, 2011. All applications must be received by February 1, 2011. Our five sixth through twelfth grade schools enroll students by blind lottery,  without regard to grades or test scores.
Students who enroll in our middle schools are guaranteed places in any of our high schools and gain a head start in preparing for college attendance. Last year 97 percent of our seniors were accepted to college!
2010-2011 Open Houses scheduled to introduce students and their parents to our schools are listed below - if you missed an opportunity to visit a school please go to www.perspectivescs.org/enroll-now to learn more, to download an application, for links to individuals campuses, or to contact our Business Office at 773.358.6105 or enroll@perspectivescs.org.
Scheduled Dates:
November 13, 2010 and January 8, 2011
Auburn Gresham Campus, 8131 S May St, Chicago
Perspectives Middle Academy (6th-8th grade)
Perspectives Leadership Academy (9th-12th grade)
Perspectives High School of Technology (9th-12th grade)
November 20, 2009 and January 22, 2011
Perspectives/IIT Math & Science Academy, 3663 S Wabash Ave, Chicago (6th-12th grade)
December 4, 2010 and January 29, 2011
Rodney D. Joslin campus, 1930 S Archer Ave, Chicago (6th-12th grade) |
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News in Our Schools |
Perspectives Middle Academy,with generous support from LISC/Chicago, has launched a Peer Mediation Program as further development of our A Disciplined LifeŠ principle - Solve conflicts peacefully. The goal of the program is to train students to develop safe and peaceful conflict resolution strategies to better manage disagreements. Conducted by the Center for Conflict Resolution, when training is completed students will be Certified Peer Mediators and able to apply their new skills in school, at home and in their communities.
The Rodney D. Joslin campus Middle School is facilitating better and more effective communication - another A Disciplines LifeŠ principle - among middle school students, parents or guardians and teachers by hosting a series of pot luck dinners titled "Mother/Guardian - Daughter" and "Just for Guys". Leslie Wood, Perspectives' Joslin campus social worker, facilitates discussions at each event on topics such as relational aggression (emotional bullying), peer pressure, and brain development in young teens. For more information, please contact Leslie at lwood@perspectivescs.org.
"These events give parents the opportunity to meet each other, share stories, and feel support from other parents," says Leslie. "Each meeting begins with parents sharing something that is unique and special about their child. Their stories prove our theory that Joslin middle- schoolers are truly special individuals."
Perspectives High School of Technology Instructional Leader, Karen Schmidt, received The Chicago Foundation for Education Fellowship from the Teachers Network Leadership Institute (TNLI). Fellowships are awarded to K-8 teachers who are interested in problem-solving research to improve instruction and student achievement within their classrooms and the greater school community.
TNLI Fellows also have the opportunity to influence educational decisions district-wide by presenting their research findings to colleagues, administrators, and educational decision-makers at the end of their Fellowship experience. Congratulations, Karen!
In December, as just one aspect of our school's community action initiative, The Earth Club at Perspectives/IIT Math & Science Academy (MSA) sponsored a clothing and toy drive for Helping Arms Outreach Programs, collecting nearly eight full bags of gently used and new toys and clothes. According to Assistant Principal, Tiffany Harston, "The club felt it was important to give during the holiday season. The students also were motivated through competition, as each of the A Disciplined LifeŠ classes competed to see who could contribute the most!"
In addition, said Tiffany, the MSA Parent Advisory Council and students raised $500 to provide holiday food baskets for 11 families within the school community. "We really wanted to make sure that everyone had something to make their holiday season bright!" Perspectives Leadership Academy  | | Posse Scholar, King Edux-Robinson |
announces its first Posse Scholar, King Edux-Robinson! The Posse Foundation, a selective college-access and scholarship program, selected King to attend Pomona College which ranks in the top ten of national liberal arts schools and prides itself on its small classes, collaborative faculty-student relationships, comprehensive curriculum, and impressive endowment. The Perspectives-Leadership Academy knows King as one of its most impressive student leaders and is certain King will thrive at Pomona both academically and socially. He participates in the Step Team, National Honors Society, Directors Society, Student Recruitment Team, and Student Academic Honors Celebration Team. King is known by his peers as a supportive friend who is welcoming and pleasant to everyone. King looks forward to beginning his college experiences at Pomona and feels honored to receive such an opportunity. |
| A Disciplined LifeŠ at Home |
 | | A Disciplined Life Principles |
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"It's wonderful when students see the value of A Disciplined LifeŠ principles in the classroom, as well as in their lives outside of school," says 6th Grade Science teacher Megan Plante. Megan's students use a "scholar card" to help them track and improve their behavior. If students make poor choices, they lose points; if they make good choices they gain points. At the end of the week, students receive rewards or consequences based on the number of points gained or lost.
"My students have definitely improved their scholar card scores over the course of the year, and are beginning to see applications outside the classroom," says Megan. "The other day, one of my students shared with the class that her family has started using a scholar card to hold her brother, mother and herself accountable for living A Disciplined LifeŠ at home. And after sharing that story, another student raised her hand to say that the same thing is going on at her house!" |
Save the Date: Annual Benefit on March 31
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If you haven't already marked your calendars, please save the date of March 31, 2011 to attend Perspectives Annual College for Certain Benefit at the Westin Chicago River North hotel. Chaired for the second year by Tony Anderson, Vice Chair and Midwest Managing Partner of Ernst & Young LLP, and for the first time by James Reynolds, CFA, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Loop Capital Markets and James Bell, Corporate President and Chief Financial Officer, The Boeing Company, we look forward to another successful evening where you'll meet our students, hear their stories, and enjoy dinner, a live auction, and a raffle for a brand-new 2011 BMW328i or $25,000 in cash. Raffle tickets are on sale now, and are available by mail or by phone. For more information, please visit the benefit page or contact External Affairs at 312.604.2190. |
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 A Disciplined LifeŠ | Self-Perception
Accept only quality work from yourself
Take responsibility for your actions
Seek wisdom
Be open-minded
Think critically and be inquisitive
Love who you are
Demonstrate honesty, integrity, and decency
Be generous
Be a life-long learner
Live a healthy lifestyle
Communication
Communicate effectively
Challenge each other intellectually
Show gratitude
Solve conflicts peacefully
Respect each others' differences
Be positive and supportive of each other
Show compassion
Productivity
Demonstrate a strong work ethic
Use your time wisely
Listen actively
Be punctual and prepared
Be organized
Be reflective
Be reliable
Take initiative
Demonstrate perseverance
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