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Illinois School Board Journal
November/December 2004
All aboard the bus for chance to learn
by Linda Dawson
Linda Dawson is IASB director of editorial services and Journal editor.
Just like any school day, yellow buses pull up at the door to take eager learners to school. The only difference: the students will be school board members.
For the 33rd year, Chicago Public Schools will open its doors for the Chicago Schools Tour during this year's Joint Annual Conference. More than 150 school officials and some spouses took the opportunity in 2003 to learn about successful, innovative programs in the state's largest school district.
"We're big," CEO Arne Duncan told last year's school tour participants during breakfast before they boarded their bus, "but we also share some common concerns."
Issues of poverty, test scores and English as a second language are not confined to Chicago, Duncan said. And the programs the district will showcase this year have practical applications in a variety of settings.
Schools selected for the 2004 tour include:
Opened in 1999 as the city's first comprehensive military academy for high school students, this program enrolls both male and female students based on application, test scores, grades and letters of recommendation. The school pairs mandatory Junior ROTC instruction with a four-year college preparatory curriculum.
This K-8 neighborhood school is located in the Lincoln Park/Lakeview area and offers an International Scholars magnet program in Spanish as an option for students. In addition to an admissions-based, academically accelerated program in reading and math, Alcott offers a full-day, year-round tuition-based pre-K daycare center, as well as after school programs.
Farragut, founded more than 100 years ago on the city's southwest side, emphasizes a combination of academic study with work-study experience and vocational training for its high school students. The school has a unique community law clinic and an on-site health services center, designed and built by Farragut students.
The staff and community in this K-8 neighborhood school share a strong commitment to early childhood education, early interventions to improve literacy, career and character education, conflict resolution and computer literacy. Its partnership with the Logan Square Neighborhood Association is a model for the city.
This small K-6 neighborhood school features an African-centered curriculum that emphasizes the importance of its historic South Side Chicago location. The school's philosophy is based on seven ancient Egyptian virtues: truth; justice; righteousness; order; balance; harmony; and reciprocity. The curriculum fosters self-respect, affirms African culture, helps students master academic skills and provides a solid foundation of values and experiential learning. The school regularly receives awards for high attendance and improved test scores.
The diversity of the programs on the tour emphasizes the district's goal to get away from a one-size-fits-all mentality in education, Duncan said. "Our mission here is to make every school in Chicago a school of choice."
During the tours, visitors are able to observe classrooms as well as hear from administrators about the programs offered in each building. They can ask questions and take home ideas, not only on classroom structure and programs, but learning strategies.
Seeing successful programs in action is a goal of the Chicago Schools Tour. Tariq Butt, IASB director representing Chicago Public Schools, commends those who take the time, not only to make the tour but to attend conference.
"You are securing the future for children by attending conference and learning," Butt told tour participants at the 2003 breakfast.
Cost of the Chicago Schools Tour is $75. All tour participants must be registered for the conference, or must be the spouse of a registered attendee. Space is limited to 240 people, but registrations will be accepted as long as space permits. Registrations accepted after October 15 are non-refundable.
Information about the tour is available on the IASB Web site (www.iasb.com), but only mailed or faxed registrations will be accepted. For more information, contact Bridget Trojan at btrojoan@iasb.com or phone 630-629-3776, ext. 1236.