RYH Newsletter 3.10.21
On Friday afternoon, CPS sent this email to parents indicating that intent to return to in person learning forms would be sent to PreK - 12 parents if their child was currently learning remotely. On Monday, parents received a text message and an email with a link to individual intent forms for each child.
Here’s what else you need to know:
Forms are to be completed by Fri, March 19.
Opt-In for High School and Academic Center Students:
TONIGHT! HS Town Hall: Wed, March 10 | 5-6PM | Register
No return date has been set and the specific learning model used in high schools remains under discussion.
CPS hopes students will be able to return to school buildings as early as mid-April.
They are asking parents to share learning preference now so CPS “can ensure necessary staffing and classroom models are in place to safely support all interested high school students.”
CPS says they will be engaging students in the weeks ahead.
Opt-In for Students in Pre-K, Elementary, and Cluster Programs:
Families who are currently remote will be able to opt into in person learning beginning Mon, April 19 (the first day of Q4.)
Families who are already in person do not need to fill out an intent form to remain in-person.
Elementary School Town Hall: Tues, March 16 | 5-6:30PM | Register
Note: There is more in the email that we linked above.
WBEZ Reset: CPS Offers All Students In-Person Learning Option For Last Quarter
Trust Learning Care (TLC) Demands | #TLCMakesSense
During February, parents and youth have gathered to craft these demands. Please consider looking at these over before you attend the aforementioned CPS town halls.
CPS Academic Calendar for 2021-22
The CPS Board of Ed will vote on the calendar at their March 24th meeting. CPS is proposing starting school on Mon, Aug 30, instead of starting on Tues, Sept 7, which would have been the traditional CPS start of the Tuesday after Labor Day. Here’s what you need to know:
If you have a comment, use this Google form to submit your comment.
Comments are open until Wed, March 17.
See the comments submitted already (over 100 pages!) here.
Chalkbeat Chicago: ‘Too soon to tell’ about full-time fall schooling in Chicago, but students could start before Labor Day
Sun-Times: CPS proposes going back to school in August, ditching traditional post-Labor Day start
Note: The CPS Board of Ed has this webpage, Proposed Policies or Rule Changes Open for Public Comment, and there are several proposed policies that you can comment on.
Elected Representative School Board!
We have until the end of May to win an elected representative school board. We have upcoming actions and meetings ahead - please sign up here to take action! Questions? Email Jianan at jianan@ilraiseyourhand.org.
Chicago Tribune: Push continues for elected school board in Chicago as mayor wavers
Special Education News: Events & Resources
The ODLSS FAB (Family Advisory Board) meets Th, March 11 | 6PM | Agenda
¿Asistió su hijo a CPS y tuvo un IEP durante los años escolares 2016/2017 y / o 2017/2018?
¡Su hijo puede ser elegible para recibir servicios de educación especial adicionales GRATIS! CPS está tomando medidas para compensar a los estudiantes por demoras ilegales y la negación de ciertos servicios de educación especial y ha identificado a más de 10,000 estudiantes que son automáticamente elegibles para servicios adicionales gratuitos.
Es posible que haya recibido una carta de CPS sobre la programación de una llamada SSCA / UER. La información que ha recibido puede resultar confusa.
Incluso si no recibió una carta, aún puede solicitar una reunión para discutir la posibilidad de servicios gratuitos adicionales.
Hemos explicado el proceso en este video de la Presentación del 3.8.2021 en español de Equip for Equality sobre CPS y SSCA / UER.
Hoja informativa de la UER en español/UER Fact Sheet in Spanish.docx
Lista de verificación UER en español/UER Checklist in Spanish.docx
¡Estamos aquí para ayudarte! Equip For Equality Clínica de educación especial Llame para obtener información GRATUITA y ayuda sobre CPS y la investigación pública1-312-895-7231 contactus@equipforequality.org www.equipforequality.org.
Equip for Equality held a webinar on the long-awaited rollout of CPS’ SSCA (Student Specific Corrective Action) and UER (Universal Enrichment Remedy). Here is a UER Fact Sheet and a UER Checklist with calculator, which should help you with any UER calls.
If you or anyone you know has an adult child who has aged out of (or will soon age out of) CPS Transition Programs (or any IL school district transition program) at age 22 -- especially those who missed out on vital vocational training out in the Community due to Covid -- please give us your contact information via this form and we'll be in touch.
Family Resource Center on Disabilities is the free Chicago Area Parent Training and Information Center. They are a federally-funded not-for-profit whose purpose is to support families and people with disabilities. They will answer questions about the IEP process, specific concerns about your child’s special education, and even send an advocate to your child’s IEP meeting. To access all this valuable support, attend a know-your-rights training on Navigating the IEP Process: Special Education Rights Seminar.
The Policing of People With Disabilities | Hosted by 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice & 46th Ward Neighbors Against Police Violence | Sun, March 14 | 2PM | Facebook event page
LSC News: Five Educational Events
Join us and learn how elementary school and high school LSCs can use their accountability tools to ensure schools are safe havens. Feel free to share this with LSC members, parents and caregivers you believe should attend. Workshops are co-facilitated with CPS Youth Leaders.
LSC, CPS Parents & Caregivers Chat & Workshop: Reimagining Safety In CPS
TONIGHT! Wed, March 10 | 7 - 8:15PM | Register on Zoom
Sat, March 13 | 10:30 - 11:15AM | Register on Zoom
The workshop held on Saturday with teachers, educators and staff was an awesome dialogue space. We're offering the final opportunity for teachers and school staff to join, participate and develop potential next steps to disrupting the classroom-to-prison pipeline in Chicago. Feel free to share with teachers/educators at your school. This workshop is co-facilitated with CPS Youth Leaders.
Teachers & Educators with CPS Youth Leaders Workshop: Reimagining What Safety Looks Like In Our Schools
Th, March 11 | 7 - 8:15PM | Register on Zoom
LSCs Working Together | Monthly Q & A | Hosted by Lugenia Burns Hope Center
Wed, March 10 | 6-7:30PM | Register
The Gathering | Core Competencies | Hosted by LSCs.4.All Coalition
Tues, March 23 | 4:30-6PM | Register
Food Benefits For Families With School Aged Children
P-EBT is back. We recommend the following resources to learn more:
The Southwest Collective has this FB post which summarizes the program and this new post with FAQs on P-EBT.
Greater Chicago Food Depository has a helpful FAQ webpage here. Leer en español.
Chicago Coalition for the Homeless hosted a webinar on P-EBT.
We have a webpage here about CPS Meal Sites.
Pandemic Schooling This Week
COVID testing & CPS students… Informative article here from Chalkbeat Chicago: Chicago schools will begin testing students for COVID-19 next week.
New today! Chicago Tribune: Social distance cut from 6 to 3 feet in Illinois schools
Chalkbeat Chicago: In class but onscreen: Chicago’s return to school buildings brings new tradeoffs
Sun-Times: Chicago Public Schools welcomes back middle school students Monday
Chalkbeat Chicago: They’re in fourth grade and on the front lines of school reopening
Sun-Times: Student mental health struggles intensify as high schools remain closed year into pandemic
Chicago Tribune: Some CPS teachers have to take unpaid leave to wait for COVID-19 vaccine
Chalkbeat Chicago: As Chicago schools reopen, principals look for thousands of absent students | Mientras las escuelas de Chicago reabren, los directores buscan a miles de estudiantes ausentes
ACTION ALERT: Standardized Testing
From Network for Public Education:
Some members of Congress are asking the U.S. Department of Education to change its mind about testing! Read about it here. Let's give them our support TODAY!
We need more members of Congress to get on board. We can't give up.
Call Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office at: (202) 225-4965.
Here is a suggested script.
My name is (name). I am calling to request that Speaker Pelosi ask the President and Secretary Cardona to grant waivers from annual testing. Forcing schools to administer annual tests undermines the administration's call to support our students' social-emotional and mental health in this time of crisis. We need to put children, not data, first. Thank you."
Then call your Representative and Senators. You can find their numbers here and here.
Here is a suggested script.
"My name is (name), and I am a constituent of (name). I strongly oppose the Department of Ed's recent letter that forces schools to administer annual tests this year. All of our schools' efforts must be used to support our students' social-emotional and mental health in this time of crisis. I am requesting that (name) speak with the President and Secretary Cardona and ask them to grant waivers from the annual testing mandate. Thank you."
In Other News
WBEZ: Tutoring Study Points To Potential Answer For Reversing Pandemic Learning Loss
Chalkbeat Chicago: Five bills that we will be watching during the March legislative session
Sun-Times: Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs Education and Workforce Equity Act into law
Sun-Times: Sun-Times Imagination Project student art contest snowman art elementary school winners, runners-up
Sun-Times: Students at Southwest Side high school push CPS to dump name of slaveholder John Hancock
WBEZ: Muerte, pérdida de empleo y aprendizaje remoto: El saldo de la pandemia en una familia de Chicago
Upcoming Events
➡️ The Policing of People With Disabilities
Hosted by 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice & 46th Ward Neighbors Against Police Violence
Sun, March 14 | 2PM | Facebook event page
Chicago Public Schools: Resources; Upcoming Meetings
Facilities Reopening Resources & News
As CPS facilities begin to reopen to educators and students, here are a few CPS resources:
Watch out for emails from your school(s) and following your school social media accounts.
“Ask The Expert” Sessions Continue
CPS FACE YouTube Channel- Ask The Expert session videos are here.
From CPS’ Family & Community Engagement (FACE):
Th, March 11 | 4-5PM
The Expert: Jane Fleming, Director of Literacy
Topic: Advancing literacy during a pandemic
RSVP Here (required in order to receive the invitation)