RYH Newsletter 3.3.21
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. Today, we were downtown with GEM:
WTTW: Parents Demand Lightfoot Support Chicago Elected School Board Efforts
Sun-Times: CPS parents, organizers demand elected school board
Full press conference here on our FB page- very powerful parent speakers!
#LSCSummit2021
Thanks to all who were able to join us! Here is the opening plenary panel discussion - definitely one of the highlights of the day!
Last Wednesday: CPS Parent Press Conference + March + Teach-In
On Wed, Feb 24, several organizations hosted a press conference, march, and Teach-In as we delivered the TLC Demands to Mayor Lightfoot. We received an insufficient response from CEO Jackson to the TLC Demands at the end of the day on Feb 23. You can watch all of this action here on our FB page. Check out the beautiful photos from CPS mom and photographer Sarah-Ji!
Sponsoring organizations included Raise Your Hand, Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Northside Action for Justice, Parents 4 Teachers, Illinois Families for Public Schools, Chicago Teachers Union, Southwest Organizing Project, Enlace Chicago, Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, Pilsen Alliance, and Logan Square Neighborhood Association.
Last Wednesday: CPS Board of Ed Meeting
Our statements from the CPS BOE meeting are posted here - we also include links to RYH and Chi Documenter live tweets and we include all the press coverage from the meeting. You can watch the full CPS BOE meeting here. Some press coverage:
Univision: Padres de alumnos de las Escuelas Públicas de Chicago exigen mejoras en el proceso de educación
Chicago Tribune: Chicago Public Schools pending reopening prompts list of parents' demands
Sun-Times: CPS open to remote learning fixes as F’s increase, attendance drops
La Voz Chicago: Cae la asistencia en CPS, más estudiantes sacan malas calificaciones
Trust Learning Care (TLC) Demands | #TLCMakesSense
Over the past month, parents and youth have gathered to craft these demands.
Special Education News
¡Su hijo puede ser elegible para servicios de educación especial adicionales GRATIS! Acompáñenos para obtener más información en esta sesión de información en línea.
¡NUEVA FECHA!
LUNES 8 DE MARZO DE 2021 | DEBE REGISTRARSE ANTES DE ASISTIR
Parents of students with IEPs: Your child may be eligible to receive additional special education services for FREE! Join us to learn more at this online information session.
NEW DATE!
MONDAY, MARCH 8, 2021 | Register
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.
A Series of Reimagining School Safety Workshops
We are hosting a series of workshops and meetups- join Chicago's Youth and Adult Allies!
Here are the next two workshops in our series- both of these run twice:
Teachers & Educators with CPS Youth Leaders Workshop: Reimagining What Safety Looks Like In Our Schools
Sat, March 6 | 10 - 11:15AM | Register on Zoom
Th, March 11 | 7 - 8:15PM | Register on Zoom
LSC, CPS Parents & Caregivers Chat & Workshop: Reimagining Safety In CPS
Sat, March 6 | 11AM - 12:15PM | Register on Zoom
Wed, March 10 | 7 - 8:15PM | Register on Zoom
Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) | Food Benefits For Families With School Aged Children
P-EBT is back. We recommend the following resources to learn more:
New! Sun-Times: Every CPS student to get $450 for food through federal program that will benefit 1 million Illinois children
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 Pivot
We hope EVERY family had a wonderful Mon, Tues, and Wed! On Monday, K-5th grade students who opted for in person returned to school buildings for the first time in almost a year. Next Monday, 6th-8th grade students who opted for in person will return. There is still no in person learning plan for high school students but there’s lots of talk that there will be a plan soon. Here’s some CPS pandemic schooling press coverage from the past week in sequential order:
WBEZ: With No End To Remote Learning In Sight, Teachers Offer Up Ideas On Making It Work
Results from a Chalkbeat Chicago survey of parents: How are Chicago’s students? What families said about learning in a tumultuous year
WBEZ: Chicago Teens Say They Want Their Voices Heard In Back-To-School Plans
Leading up to buildings reopening for students...
March 1 on the ground coverage...
Data from Chalkbeat Chicago...
In Other News
Sun-Times: Children most in need always take financial hit in hard times
Chicago Tribune: Chicago students oppose name of John Hancock College Prep
The Triibe: CPS high school basketball coaches, staff don’t anticipate any shortage of student participation this season
Chalkbeat: Senate confirms Miguel Cardona as education secretary
WBEZ: The Pandemic Has Set Off A Power Struggle About Teachers’ Right To Free Speech
Chalkbeat Chicago: Biden has said spring testing will happen. What’s next for Illinois?
Chalkbeat Chicago: Amid reopening, Chicago moves ahead with school discipline overhaul
Sun-Times: Political operative Roberto Caldero charged in new indictment featuring ex-Ald. Danny Solis (CPS custodial services contract; Pedro Soto ex-Chief of Staff for CEO Jackson)
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 4 | 4-5PM
The Expert: Kenneth Papineau, Manager of Office of Student Health and Wellness & Alexandra Sontag, Family Nurse Practitioner, CDPH
Topic: Vaccination, Testing & Debunking Myths
RSVP Here (required in order to receive the invitation)
SQRP (School Quality Rating Policy) Town Halls
Email sent to parents on Feb 17. Town Halls:
Want to learn more about the SQRP issue?
South Side Weekly coverage of our What Makes A School Great? forum hosted in Feb 2018: Beyond the Levels: Questioning CPS's School-Scoring System
All of the resources from that forum here