Shout Out to Florence Nightingale Elementary!
Florence Nightingale Elementary School in the Gage Park community recently received a $10,000 technology grant from Fifth Third Bank as their 5th grade teachers, Jackie Sanchez and Dora Becerra, lead the school’s efforts in incorporating Financial Education within their fifth-grade classes. 

“This program is needed. We’re not creating financial smart individuals,” said Adriana Arias, Principal for Nightingale Elementary School. “Kids need to learn things like this, like how to budget. Kids need to learn how to work with money.” 

Nightingale is in their second year using the newly updated digital Young Bankers Club program for their students. See the full Press Release here.
Upcoming Opportunities and PD
Skyline Opportunity for Adopting Teachers

Now that you are using Skyline in your classrooms, join the Curriculum Collaborative 2.0 so your feedback can help inform the development of future iterations of Skyline.

Members of the Curriculum Collaborative 2.0 cohorts will be asked to: 
  • Complete lesson reflection forms (15-20 minutes per form) 
  • Complete unit reflection forms (15-30 minutes per form)
  • Participate in at least two non-evaluative classroom visits with Skyline curriculum designers 
  • Participate in at least four cohort workshops throughout the school year
  • Provide brief feedback on new curricular resource prototypes

Teacher reflection and feedback will be entirely non-evaluative and will only be used to improve the Skyline curriculum. Members of each cohort will be compensated at the non-instructional rate and have the opportunity to work directly with Skyline curriculum designers. 

Interested in applying? Please fill out this form today!
Civic Learning Across the Disciplines: Student Voice 360

Join the students and educators from Chicago Public Schools Student Voice Committee to learn how you can embrace a “360” approach to student voice in schools that not only impacts classroom instruction, but schoolwide culture, climate, and engagement with the greater community.
  • Date: January 13th from 4 - 5 PM
  • Register here!
  • View more PD offered by Illinois Civics here!
Host a Family Financial Fun Night (ES)

Are you an Elementary School looking for a way to invite the community in to have a fun night of financial learning? Host a Family Financial Fun Night event at your school! Our partners at UIC Center for Economic Education will provide an entire toolkit on how to do this, in addition to providing support. 

Please complete this interest form and you will automatically be registered to potentially receive additional grant funding as well!
December Office Hours
8th Grade Civics Office Hours

Email Dora Charles at djcharles@cps.edu with any questions.

HS Civics Office Hours

Email Wayde Grinstead at wpgrinstead1@cps.edu with any questions.
Service Learning Coaches Office Hours

Culturally Responsive PLC Office Hours

Email Margie Smagacz at mdsmagacz@cps.edu with any questions.
FinEd Office Hours (ES and HS)

Email Dustin Voss at dkvoss@cps.edu or Tere Wang at tregina@cps.edu with any questions.
Accountability Survey: Reimagining District Accountability
Now is your chance to change the future of how CPS rates its schools! This important information is being gathered to help build a new and improved way of evaluating school performance. CPS needs your help to ensure the new system works for everyone.

Here’s what you need to know about the survey:
  • The survey is voluntary and takes less than 10 minutes to complete.
  • It is available in 20 languages.
  • Your responses are anonymous.
  • The survey closes on Thursday, December 23, 2021.

You can complete the survey at this link: cps.edu/AccountabilityRedesignSurvey 
*New* CPS Reproductive Justice Training
CPS is committed to providing our pregnant and parenting students with equitable access to high-quality education including a comprehensive network of support and instructional options. The Office of Student Health and Wellness with support from the Lurie Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, has created a training that will allow you to:
  • Understand how to reduce stigma
  • Use unbiased terminology and 
  • Respond to student disclosure with empathy

This training is available for anyone to complete through the Safe Schools platform under the “Extra Trainings” button in the Policy section. Click here for instructions on how to access it.

If you have any questions related to the content of these trainings, email OSHW@cps.edu.
Join Our Team!
Attention Educators! Are you passionate about culturally responsive social science? Do you innovate in civic learning practices like discussion of controversial issues or community-based learning? Come join our team!


Email us at ssce@cps.edu with questions.  
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