We hope you and your family are well. Yes, this newsletter has a lot of content- again. If you read and scroll you'll find many things of value. You can find the RYH COVID-19 Resources page here- we try to update this daily. You can read more about what we are doing during this time here. Here are all the ways to stay in touch with us. Stay well, friends.

~ RYH Board & Staff

We hope you and your family are well. Yes, this newsletter has a lot of content, including many articles. If you read and scroll you'll find many things of value. You can find the RYH COVID-19 resource page here- we try to update this daily. You can read more about what we are doing during this time here. Thanks for reading. Here are the ways to stay in touch with us. Stay well, friends.

~ RYH Staff & Board

Yeah, newsletter is long again, folks, but well worth it… Since last week’s RYH newsletter (sent Friday morning), COVID-19 or coronavirus has taken over the news. Note: this newsletter was completed at 11PM 3/11 and scheduled to send at 6AM 3/12. Below are some links to find updates, information on the virus, and the latest news on COVID-19 in our schools. 

Make a difference in your school community! Run for Local School Council (LSC)! 

UPDATE: On March 5, around 1:45PM, CPS announced that they are extending the LSC nomination deadline to Friday, March 13, 3PM. 

LSC Candidate materials: CPS LSC Elections web page. Candidate materials are due to your school on Th, March 5, 3pm, OR to CPS LSC Office (2651 W Washington Blvd) on Tues, Feb 28, 3pm.

LSC Elections: Wed, April 22 (elementary schools) & Th, April 23 (high schools)

How are we supposed to trust our city government when the Lincoln Yards TIF report that was given to Alderfolks was authored by a Lincoln Yards lobbyist? What does it say about our priorities when the city is able to sweep this massive conflict of interest under the rug to give Sterling Bay $1.3 billion (almost $500 million less than what is being proposed for the Invest South West initiative)? Our schools are underfunded by $1.9B.

Chicago Tribune: Aldermen relied on a study to approve $1.3 billion for Sterling Bay’s Lincoln Yards. Turns out that Sterling Bay hired the consultant who wrote it.

We would love to see what the Lightfoot Administration has to say as they clearly believed that this conflict of interest should not exist (they quietly changed the policy in the summer; now City Hall can hire TIF consultants who will report to the city.) 

The Sun-Times reported this weekend that the CPS Inspector General (IG), Nicholas Schuler, was “under investigation” due to “accusations he allegedly berated employees.” On Monday, he abruptly quit. On Tuesday, Mayor Lightfoot said she accepted the IG’s resignation because “we need to go in a different direction.” Yesterday, there were new stories with Schuler responding to the situation. This is definitely a story to watch. 

WTTW: Outgoing CPS Watchdog Admits Some Complaints Against Him Were ‘Justified’

Sun-Times: CPS watchdog admits he drove employees ‘excessively hard,’ urges mayor to appoint another ‘outspoken IG’

"Worthwhile" was how a few attendees described last night's CPS School Funding Working Group meeting held at Amundsen HS. These workshops are part of a larger initiative to examine Student Based Budgeting (SBB) with the possibility of changing it for the 2022 school year. Read a recent report on the inequities of SBB here. It will take all of us to challenge the current inequitable CPS SBB funding formula. Please plan to attend one of the 5 remaining meetings:

• Th, Jan 30, 6–8pm, Clark HS, 5101 W. Harrison St
• Sat, Feb 1, 11am–1pm, Corliss HS, 821 E. 103rd St
• Wed, Feb 5, 6–8pm, Hammond ES, 2819 W. 21st Pl
• Th, Feb 6, 6–8pm, Dyett HS, 555 E. 51st St
• Sat, Feb 8, 11am–1pm, Clemente HS, 1147 N. Western Ave

Here's press coverage of last night from Chalkbeat Chicago: Chicago mulls how to reslice the school budget pie — but what about a bigger pie?

New! Whole Child Committee meets Monday. SQRP is the focus.

The first meeting of the CPS Board Of Ed Whole Child Committee will be held on Mon, Jan 27, 5:30-7:30pm, at Englewood STEM HS. You can register or sign up to receive updates here. Here is the letter that came from board member Rome: English; Spanish. And from an email:

The focus on our first meeting will be on SQRP [School Quality Rating Policy] as the CPS seeks to engage community members to create a policy that is more responsive to stakeholders.

Recommended SQRP reading before attending the Whole Child Committee meeting:

Chalkbeat Chicago June 26, 2019: Chicago school board approves new school ratings scale despite complaints and confusion and July 9, 2019 Chicago is changing its elementary school ratings. Here’s why educators are watching closely.

CPS SQRP web page | RYH resources from What Makes a School Great? Feb 12, 2018, including South Side Weekly coverage: Beyond the Levels

We need your Special Education questions!  RYH is working on creating an online resource to help families navigate Special Ed in CPS and would love for you to fill out this survey in English and Spanish. Please share this survey with your contacts!