Chicago School Board Approves Changes for Eight Schools

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The Chicago School Board unanimously decided to approve a proposal last Wednesday that will include changes at eight schools. Despite objections from parents, staff, faculty, students, elected officials and community activists, the changes will involve closing some schools, creating more turnaround schools, and consolidating others.

Chicago Public Schools Chief Ron Huberman said closing a school is not an easy task nor is it a popular one. Our primary obligation is to assess the performance of schools and provide the best possible educational opportunity for students, he stated.

Typically, when a school is put on a turnaround list, new staff and faculty are replaced. If a school shuts down or is consolidated, students generally transfer over to the receiving school. In a phase out, new students will not be enrolled.

Before the Board voted on the changes, Huberman removed the following six schools from the original list of 14 that were initially targeted for turnarounds, phase outs, consolidations, or closures: Gillespie Elementary School, 7257 S. State; Prescott Elementary School, 1632 W. Wrightwood; Marconi Elementary School, 230 N. Kolmar; Mollison Elementary School, 4415 S. King Dr.; Guggenheim Elementary School, 7141 S. Morgan and Paderewski Elementary School, 2221 S. Lawndale.

Other schools did not come up with very specific, supported proposals or plans of action, Huberman explained. They didnt offer any alternative to suggest to us how they plan to improve at educating children.

Huberman said the approved changes for the following schools were made to help improve the quality of education. These changes were based on under enrollment, low academic performance or underutilized facilities. They will be effective next school year.

Consolidated Schools: McCorkle Elementary School, 4421 S. State will merge with Beethoven School, 25 W. 47th St.

Turnaround Schools: Deneen Elementary School, 7257 S. State; Bradwell Elementary School, 7736 S. Burnham; Curtis Elementary School, 32 E. 115th St.; and Marshall High School, 3250 W. Adams.

Phase Out: Scheinder Elementary School, 2957 N. Hoyne.

Closures: De Las Casas Occupational High School, 8401 S. Saginaw.

More than 500 people packed the chambers at the Boards headquarters downtown to learn about the changes. Guggenheim reading teacher Cassandra Love-Vaughn, said the Boards decision to keep the school open will allow staff and faculty to make continued improvements for success for its students. She stated that the school, has much work to do, and hopes that Guggenheim does not end up in this situation ever again.

After hearing the decision, Michael E. Johnson, a teacher at Marshall High School, will be among hundreds of impacted teachers that will have the option of retirement, reapplying for their jobs at their current school or transferring to another school. I dont want to retire because Im too young and I want to keep on teaching, he stated.

Covette Hamilton, a Deneen teacher, described the boards decision as unfair because she believes the school is doing well but lacked resources to make continued improvements.

Chicago Teachers Union president Merilyn Stewart said the criteria for closures, turnarounds, consolidations, and phase-outs should be re-examined. Schools are on the list. Theyre off the list. Obviously, the system is flawed, she said. I think instead of trying to turnaround our schools, they need to turnaround CPS.

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