RYH Newsletter 8.19.20
What concerns you? What's missing? What questions do you still have? Anything awesome?
Direct links to all the CPS documents:
Initial press coverage:
Chalkbeat Chicago: A return to letter grades, more live video classes in Chicago’s fall plan
We recommend you look out for communications via email from your school(s) and from CPS. We also recommend following your school(s) and CPS on social media.
We are receiving a lot of press requests for parents to share their thoughts about the coming school year. If you are interested in being on our parent press list, please email jennie@ilraiseyourhand.org with the best way to reach you & a little information about your family and your thoughts. Thanks for considering.
We also received a request from WBEZ's Curious City... they are looking for parents, students, and educators in the Chicagoland area to share a voice memo (no more than 1 minute) expressing your thoughts, concerns, and feelings about the coming school year. You can find some prompts, instructions, and guideline here if you'd like to participate.
Reimage Remote Learning Virtual Event Saturday
Sat, Aug 22 | 10:30AM-12PM | Via Zoom | Register here | Spanish translation will be provided
Hosted by RYH and Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA)
Parents, students, educators! Join us! We’ll have an overview of both the LSNA Reimagine Remote Learning statement and the RYH Parent Perspectives on Remote Learning and Back to School as well as break out sessions to hear from YOU about reimagining remote learning!
RYH’s Annual Fundraiser: Volunteers Wanted
Raise Your Hand is gearing up to host our annual fundraiser, Raise a Glass, in mid-October. Instead of a traditional 1-night event, we are hosting family-friendly events over 10 days (10 days for 10 years of RYH). Raise a Glass will be from October 13th to the 23rd - save the date! We are looking for volunteers who want to donate their time leading up to the event to help us plan. We need a variety of support; from soliciting ads, sponsors and tickets to creating fun programs to designing art and media for the event. If you are interested or have any questions, please email Jianan at jianan@ilraiseyourhand.org - no amount of support is too little!
#PoliceFreeSchools Events & News
- TODAY: 11AM press conference where a “reformed school police program” will be announced.
- TONIGHT: RYH Parent, Adult Allies & School Community Planning & Strategy Session on Zoom (Focused on CPS Board of Education)
Wed, Aug 19 | 6- 7:30PM | Register here
- Recent press coverage:
Chalkbeat Chicago: Despite protests, most Chicago schools voted to keep police. What’s next?
Sun-Times: 3 of 4 people arrested at CPS are Black even as arrests plummet
WBEZ: Mostly Black Chicago Schools Keep Police
WTTW: Youth Activists March to Lightfoot’s Home to Demand Removal of Police From Schools
WTTW: Map: Which CPS Schools Have Voted to Keep or Remove Police Officers?
CPS webpage: School Resource Officer Program Information (LSC SRO vote results here)
LSC Events
- Bi-weekly Chat with OLSCR Assistant Director Myra Winding
Th, Aug 20 | 4-5PM | Register here | Agenda here
From the email: “This meeting will take place on the Zoom platform, be sure to accept the invite once you receive it. Remember, registration for the session closes at 3:00 PM on the day of the meeting, August 20, 2020. For this week's session, we will provide LSC guidance for recent FOIA requests. Also, we will have a guest speaker to share more updates on Chicago Connected so that all of our children are accessing the available resources and services. We will conclude the meeting with Q&A.”
- The Gathering: School Budgets & School Improvement
Hosted by the LSCs.4.All Coalition
Tues, Aug 25 | 4:30-6PM | Via Zoom | Register here
Special Education News
- ODLSS Remote Learning Guidance released last night.
- Read Mary’s statement at the CPS FY2021 Budget Hearing here. 174 SECA positions were cut.
- IL State Board of Ed (ISBE) released the following on Aug 14:
Frequently Asked Questions for Parents of Students with Disabilities Regarding School Year 2020-21
Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois 8/2020
CPS Budget & Capital Plan Meetings
You can find the CPS Budget 2021 webpage here- it includes both the operational and capital budgets- and the Budget Book is here. The Sun-Times has some coverage here.
You can find our statement from last night’s budget hearing here and our live tweets here.
CPS will host virtual hearings on the proposed FY2021 budget. You can find a list of these hearings here and below.
Capital Plan Hearing: Wed, Aug 19: 12-2PM
Budget Hearing: Wed, Aug 19: 4-6PM
Capital Plan Hearing: Th, Aug 20: 2:30-4:30PM
Capital Plan Hearing: Fri, Aug 21: 3:30-5:30PM
All of the above will be livestreamed on the CPS YouTube channel. We are HIGHLY disappointed in the “process” of signing up to speak at these meetings. Here’s how you can submit written comments:
On the CPS Budget, go here. Scroll down to “Written Comments” and click on “Budget Hearings Aug 18 & 19 Form”.
On the CPS Capital Plan, go here. Scroll down to the very bottom & find links to the form due Aug 24, 5PM.
CPS Board of Ed Meets Next Week
Wed, Aug 26 | 10:30am | Virtual
Meeting details are here. There are 30 speaking spots available. Online sign up to speak starts Monday, Aug 24, 10:30am. The agenda will post at 10am.
Sign up here. You can try to register via phone: (773) 553 - 1600.
You can submit comments to the BOE via email at boe@cps.edu or via US Mail at 1 N. Dearborn, Suite 950, Chicago IL 60602.
The meeting will be live streamed on the CPS YouTube channel. IN ADDITION: You can comment on the CPS Board of Ed’s proposed policies or rule changes.
Black Students Matter Event
If you missed the powerful event we hosted with Friends of Bret Harte Elementary and Kartemquin Films, you can watch it here: Black Students Matter: Educational Equity - 1963, 2020, and Beyond.
Hyde Park Herald: Bret Harte students and activists consider lessons learned from 1963 CPS boycott
Block Club Chicago: CPS Boycott Leader Urges Youth To Lead Education Reform: ‘These Young People Know What They Want’
A Few RYH Webpages
CPS Grab & Go Meal Sites Summer 2020: The Basics | COVID-19
Parent Survey Results: CPS Remote Learning & Back to School Plan Recommendations
Summer 2020: COVID-19 Resources We are updating this weekly with the most recent releases from the IL State Board of Education (ISBE; state level guidance) and CPS. Apologies that this is big & clunky but if you are looking for something, you might find it here.
A Few CPS Webpages
CPS Student Code of Conduct 2021-21
CPS Academic Calendar (download it here)
School Reopening 2020-21 (updates posted here & many links to follow)
Remote Learning Resources… if you have them, send them!
We’d like to create a webpage offering links for parents regarding remote learning- tips, guides, survival mechanisms, resources for their children, etc. If you have something you’d recommend, please send it to Jennie at jennie@ilraiseyourhand.org. Thank you!
In Other News
Sun-Times: 5 years later, Dyett High School hunger strikers recall their fight
WBEZ: As Fall Nears, Most Illinois Schools Plan For Remote Learning
Pro Publica: Are America’s Schools and Colleges Safe? Are Students Actually Learning? Help Us Find Out.
Chalkbeat: Why the breakdown of stimulus talks is doubly painful for schools: no money and added uncertainty
Chalkbeat Chicago: Half of Illinois’ students poised to start the year with only remote learning
Upcoming Event
➡️ Fair Tax: Learn, Share, Vote
Hosted by Illinois Families for Public Schools
Virtual Info Session + Phone Banking | Various Dates, 6-8PM | Learn more & Register Here
Wed, Aug 19 (Register by 3PM TODAY to participate.)
Sun, Aug 30
Wed,Sept 16
Sun, Sept 27