RYH Newsletter 12.15.20
Elected Representative School Board (ERSB) Town Hall
TONIGHT! Tues, Dec 15 | 6:30PM | Register | Instagram - ERSB Facts
Join the Grassroots Education Movement (GEM) to learn about the demand for an ERSB and how you can bring democracy to CPS!
Please see this article from Chalkbeat Chicago and Better Government Association published yesterday for more evidence of the need for an ERSB: Chicago schools needed computers. Then the mayor emailed about a ‘really good guy.’
Three Important Events on Wed, Dec 16
CPS Board of Ed Monthly Meeting | Wed, Dec 16 | 10:30AM
You can watch the live stream on the CPS YouTube channel. We are speaking and will be presenting results from our LSC Elections survey. Our statement & the survey results will be published here late Wednesday morning.
GEM #CPSFalseChoice Power Hour on Twitter | Wed, Dec 16 | 4-5PM
Please see the flyer below. CPS must listen to those most directly affected by CPS decisions. Share your thoughts on what real equity for CPS means, your ideas on how to improve remote learning, and your unanswered questions with respect to CPS' reopening plan!
Here are ways you can participate:
Submit a short 30 second video about your experiences and frustrations with CPS. You can tweet it directly on Wed between 4-5PM, email us at info@ilraiseyourhand.org, or text it to 617-838-1420.
Tweet with us Wed from 4-5PM using the below hashtags.
If you won’t be able to make it, share your thoughts by responding to this email and we will tweet it out for you. Please include the below in your comment:
ID yourself as a parent, caregiver, teacher, student, community, alum, etc.
Feel free to use one of these sentence starters:
Equity to me means …
Safety to me means….
I wish I knew…. Before I had to make the selection OR If the district asked for my feedback, I would say….
You still haven't answered this question…
It’s hard for me to trust CPS because...
Air Filtration Q & A Webinar | Hosted by RYH, Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA) & CTU | Wed, Dec 16 | 7PM | Register
Hear from Sterling Laylock, Behavioral Economist & Environmental Consultant, and Carl Tutt, Sustainable Facilities Operations & Youth Development, about the CPS ventilation study, air purifiers, national best practices, and what questions you should be asking your school. There will be time for Q & A from attendees. This event will have simultaneous Spanish interpretation, it will be live streamed on our Facebook page, and it will be recorded and shared so you can view later and share. If you have a question, please email it to info@ilraiseyourhand.org.
Please Consider RYH in Your End of Year Giving
As we thankfully come to the close of 2020, we hope you can consider a year end tax deductible gift. Because of supporters like yourself, RYH averaged over a program a week in 2020. This meant that every week, we are informing, engaging, and training the next generation of parent leaders.
In order for us to continue centering parents and increasing our impact in 2021, your support is more critical than ever. Our goal is to raise $15,000 by the end of the year so we are ready in 2021 to fight future budget cuts, prevent school closures, and defend the public good that is public education. Please consider a year end gift.
Pandemic Schooling News
Take the time to read and/or listen to this powerful piece from Sarah Karp at WBEZ: A Teacher At Saucedo Elementary In Little Village Takes On Pandemic Learning Loss.
Enlightening perspective from child care providers grappling with balancing care and remote learning, plus their concerns about the CPS reopening proposal and its possible impact on their families: Episode 17: Daycare Double Bind – Hope From the Front Lines Podcast.
Since we last checked in… The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) released a list of demands for reopening school facilities for in-person learning. CTU demands here in English and Spanish. Some recent press:
Chalkbeat Chicago: Among the Chicago Teachers Union’s demands: no to ‘simultaneous instruction’
Sun-Times: Chicago Teachers Union releases list of demands for reopening Chicago Public Schools
Chalkbeat Chicago: With a reopening date set, will Chicago teachers come?
And then this was published yesterday in the Sun-Times: CPS hiring 2,000 new workers — no Chicago residency required — to help reopen schools
Sit down over the next few days and write out the questions you have about your school’s individual plan. Consider participating in our Twitter Power Hour and attending our Air Filtration Q & A. Look out for communications from your school(s) via email and social media. Attend any informational meetings that might happen. Find ways to connect to your school’s parents: Is there a Facebook group you can join or start? When is the next LSC or PAC or BAC or PTO meeting and how can you join? Follow @ILRaiseYourHand on your favorite social media to stay informed, join the conversation, and connect with parents across the city.
ACTION ALERT: Suspend High-Stakes Student Testing Petition
Fair Test and assessment reform allies have a petition you can sign here addressed to the US Department of Education and state education policymakers. RYH has signed on. From the petition:
In light of the disruptions caused by COVID-19, waiving standardized testing requirements -- at least for Spring 2021 -- is critical. The time and resources required to test students this year would be better spent educating and supporting them.
LSC News + Tips for the Newly Elected + Citywide LSC Letter
As mentioned above, we are speaking at the CPS Board of Ed meeting tomorrow. We will be sharing results from our LSC Elections survey. Our statement will be here by late Wednesday morning.
RYH hosted a post LSC election meetup... here’s the presentation: 2020 Local School Council After-The-Election Meet-up.
Please see slides 12-13 regarding LSC vacancies. Check to see the list of schools with potential vacancies: Fill Your School's Vacancy! Uncertified LSC Election Results by Type (RYH).
Please see slide 15 regarding LSC Training & Resources. The CPS Office of Local School Council Relations (OLSCR) will soon add newly elected members to the virtual training database… try to complete these trainings within your first 2-3 months. *CPS mandates completion within 6 months of being seated.
As newly elected councils, you’re encouraged to attend training together; virtual or in-person...this leads to effective meetings and collective understanding.
Do not hesitate to get support from trainers and other LSCs with experience and tenure. Most are more than willing to share best practices.
We recommend you complete modules 1, 2, 9 prior to your first Organizational Meetings to be held in January 2021
Resources:
Download and keep a copy of the LSC Reference Guide: English | Spanish
Illinois Statute Governing LSCs: (105 ILCS 5/34-2.3) (from Ch. 122, par. 34-2.3)
Our LSC Connection Google group has 600+ LSC members from across the city. The Group has written a Citywide LSC Letter that any LSC can sign. So far 27 LSCs have signed. Please share these links with your LSC: LETTER English | Spanish | Form to sign on
➡️ Virtual Annual LSC Summit- Save the date!
Hosted by the LSCs.4.All Coalition
Sat, Jan 30 | 10am - 1pm | Stay Tuned for Registration Details | Flyer here
SpEd News: Student Specific Corrective Action (SSCA)
Remember when CPS violated special education law in the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 school years? CPS is finally getting around to providing families with “Student Specific Corrective Action (SSCA),” which is $$ for denied busing services and actual additional outside services for students who qualify. For parents who would like to talk to an attorney for free to get more information about SSCA and if their student qualifies, you can call Equip for Equality's SSCA Hotline at 312-895-7231. English and Spanish speaking attorneys are available. The CPS website about SSCA can be found here. Please share this information with other parents.
Winter Break Activity
Author Keir Graff is hosting a free architecture contest for children with a grand prize of a virtual author visit. We are thinking this might be an option for families or classrooms looking for something creative to do during the winter break. Read more here.
In Other News
Sun-Times: Committee OKs $300K settlement to former CPS special needs student Tased by cops at Marshall HS
South Side Weekly: North Lawndale Teachers and Parents Tackle School Closures Head-on
Chalkbeat Chicago: New study says Chicago’s teacher evaluation may penalize Black educators
Have a comment for the CPS Board of Ed?
Use this Google form for this month’s meeting. This form will close Th, Dec 17, 5PM.