When school bell rings, hell can break loose

It seems that in light of what happened to Derrion Albert (DISCLAIMER: Derrion Albert link is to Huffington Post, it contains video of that fight that took the life of Albert that aired on FOX 32. Just letting you know in case watching such footage may offend you in anyway!) in the Roseland neighborhood, my post last week about a possible fight that got students running to check out the commotion at Harlan Community Academy seems rather prescient.

Check out this column by Mark Brown. I suggest you read the whole this, you'll see he talks about Albert and the incident that claimed his young life, however I will excerpt what he learned during his experience at a south side high school at about dismissal time:

Last spring, I was invited down to the old Bowen High School campus in South Chicago, now split into four smaller high schools, to see how students and staff were trying to maintain a safe setting following earlier incidents of violence in the neighborhood.

The experience gave me a sliver of insight into some of the same issues that apparently were involved at Fenger: the role played by gang members who don't attend the schools and the problems of accessing public transportation that can require crossing unfriendly gang turf.

Bowen is just across the street from Bessemer Park, a lovely setting by all appearances. But I was warned the park was also a magnet for local gang members.

Sure enough, just as dismissal time approached, a large group of gang members emerged en masse from the park to move into position outside the school.

It was explained to me that they were mainly there to protect their own members who attend the school, although you can well imagine how their mere presence could lead to conflicts. You can also better understand how students might find it in their own self-interests to affiliate at least loosely with a gang for protection.

At Bowen, school officials had wisely taken steps to solve one of the greatest dangers to their students: getting jumped on the way to the CTA bus stop. The solution was remarkably simple. They arranged for the bus to stop directly outside the school, where it could be loaded under the watchful eye of security guards.

It's that sort of coordinated approach of city agencies that is too often missing from the city's anti-violence efforts. For all the hand-wringing we do about youth violence in this city, those who work with the problem believe much more could be accomplished if we could just get all the public agencies working together.

Something else I was told on my visit to Bowen is that students usually know when there is going to be trouble after school. The grapevine is still mightier than a computer network. In Derrion's death, the fact there had been a shooting earlier in the day at Fenger would have been a giant red flag that more clashes could be coming after school.

I would agree with that point that I placed in bold. If only there were answers that could in some way keep our young people safe. Indeed if only there was a way to keep the peace and keep these young people from fighting or otherwise causing general trouble.

VIA CapFax morning shorts!

Went to the Harlan LSC meeting Thursday night

Well there was no LSC meeting. That news came almost half an hour after the meeting was supposed to start. At that time I learned that the LSC Chair was ill and there wasn't enough council members available for a quorum. Also there are 4 open seats on the LSC especially for parents (perhaps at some point I can find some info pertaining to how one is able to obtain a seat on an LSC). I will refer you to the LSC schedule here. It was noted that the LSC meets every third Thursday of every month at 6:30 PM typically in Harlan's social room.

In any case, at 6:30 (that was around the time I arrived for the LSC meeting) apparently there was already a Parental Advisory Council (PAC) meeting in progress. That was when I should have know there was to be no LSC meeting, but I could never imagine what would take up some of that time. BTW, as for the PAC I should check the schools current events calendar more often!

There was an impromptu tour of the school with Principal Evans. Well I had to get over how different the school looks. I never had a chance to go upstairs, but I see that the school has a few more computer labs than the ones I knew about at school in my day.

In addition to that there were some bathrooms that in my day were sealed. Who knows why they were sealed back then. It could have been security, it could have cost money to maintain, or it could be that they didn't work anymore. The principal said that those bathrooms haven't worked for close to four years and today they work just fine.

Where there were the former shop rooms, there are now computer labs on the south end of the school. These labs serve both the new magnet engineering program and science students. The principal said that the engineering program wasn't large enough yet hence the engineering program had to share their labs.

Another room that contained shops is now a counseling office. I wonder what they did with the old counseling offices upstairs!

Oh yeah one of the old science classrooms now has a computer lab and the principal is seeking some white boards. I'm going to assume those are the type of boards that allow you to write on the board with an electronic marker and it comes out as type assuming that it's connected to an overhead projector with a PC. Or it could just be a white board with which you can only use an actual marker.

When the parents left the social room they actually went to the gym, however, I had no idea there was a tour so I didn't go immediately. I found everyone in what used to be the lady's locker room although I didn't see what's in there now. When they left the gyms, I didn't follow the group I went back to the social room to see about the LSC meeting.

When I saw the group head towards the science classrooms that's when I joined them again. Followed them all the way back to the social room.

The school is definitely ready for the 21st century. The Harlan I knew was stuck between the 1950s and the 1990s. That would not be the problem, the disappointing part is that students still have to walk thru metal detectors even now. It's disappointing but still understandable, there are some young people who may attempt to bring a weapon to school with them. Although I would like to think today's Harlan student wouldn't bother with such an exercise, just sayin.

Bottom line is that the school hasn't look this good in years. Perhaps we should plan another outing to the Harlan LSC in the near future. I hope they do a tour as well!

VIDEO: The Principal Story

From Chicago Tonight, an interview with a documentary producer about a film that explores public school leadership.

Harlan Community Academy reaching out?

I can't say I have ever seen this before from Harlan, ever! Or indeed from any other neighborhood school from Shedd to Gillespie elementary! Not only a call to get in school on the first day next week, but also a schedule for LSC meetings at Harlan.

Harlan LSC Schedule

Suppose that on the very first meeting of the new school year coming up on the 17th of this month, that readers of this blog should go up there and check out what this LSC is doing up there at Harlan. It doesn't matter if you live far away from West Chesterfield/Roseland Heights. It doesn't even matter that you don't have any children going to school there. I wouldn't mind if alumni of Harlan who read this blog stops by as well.

Let's just give Harlan the support that they are reaching out for. Would you come? Leave a comment and let us know!

Outside of Shedd School on August 17th, 2009

The first day of school is on Sept, 8, 2009. That is in about another week. In fact it's hard to believe Labor Day is coming up next Monday. For some reason I though tomorrow was Labor Day.

Is anyone looking forward to their 1st day of school next week? If so express your excitement here.

Teen panel offers ideas on 'reinventing' high schools

Sun-Times:

A teen advisory committee spent the summer surveying hundreds of their peers citywide. Now, it has passed along its findings to schools chief Ron Huberman in a report, "How to Reinvent Chicago Public High Schools."

Among the 30 recommendations: Make class sizes smaller, have teachers offer weekly office hours for students, and provide mediation alternatives rather than just suspending students.

The students also had loftier suggestions -- such as adding to current graduation requirements two years of extracurricular activities and college-level courses, and application to at least five post-secondary schools.

"What was interesting was that students said their high school courses were not challenging," said Alex Marquez, 16, a junior at John Hancock High School and one of the authors of the report. "I would have thought they'd say it was too hard. Students want to be challenged."

They also want to be engaged.

"Some 80 percent stated that they did not have interesting classes," said co-author Janelle Perez, 17, a junior at Jones College Prep. "They said current offerings were irrelevant to their lives and that there aren't enough vocational courses. I think teachers and administration assume they're offering interesting classes and students are engaged. Not true."

The 15-student committee worked with the Mikva Challenge, an organization that aims to "help low-income Chicago youth become meaningful actors in politics."

The students surveyed 400 teens on everything from discipline and teacher quality to school culture and curriculum.

If only such a study was conducted in my time although what I have to say about high schools now would prolly be different that what I would have said when I was still in high school. Some lofty ideas are used here in and hopefully most of them will be utilized.

EVENT: Harlan Community Academy Orientation

It's that time of year again, for the start of the school year at Harlan. Check out the Falcon City blog for events regarding orientation. Not only for Freshman, upper classmen, and the academic center but also for the magnet engineering program as well as the academic center. Is there anyone out there ready for the school year at Harlan? Give me a shout in the comments.

In front of Harlan again

These trees were recently installed with their rusting metallic grates. This is going to look like an upgrade and can only emphasize the park like setting of this public high school. Remember I showed you a pic of how they looked before the trees were installed on Friday. This pic was taken yesterday!

Plan aims to bring wireless Internet to poor neighborhoods

Sun-Times:

The mayor declared four impoverished neighborhoods — Englewood, Auburn Gresham, Chicago Lawn and Pilsen — “digital excellence demonstration communities” that will be flooded with technology to demonstrate the internet’s “transformative power.”

Microsoft has agreed to donate $1.1 million worth of software to help 28 non-profit organizations in those neighborhoods. Another $2 million from Microsoft, the MacArthur Foundation, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation and the state will help bring internet access to schools and public spaces in those disconnected neighborhoods.

A “Digital Excellence Access Agenda” crafted by a mayoral commission also urged the city to develop “detailed standards for broadband readiness in public and private, new and renovated developments” and to “enact policies that encourage developers” to meet those standards.

“We think we can do this piecemeal. ... And eventually, President Obama is talking about the digital-divide, broad-band and other things. So, we’ll be working with the federal government,” Daley said.

At a news conference in Pilsen, the mayor unveiled results of a pioneering study by UIC and the University of Iowa. It shows that 25 percent of all Chicagoans do not use the internet at all and that another 15 percent have only limited access.

Daley openly acknowledged that he’s one of the 25 percent. He says he has “enough to do” and is “too busy” to use computers.

Question: How big might the digital divide be in our communities?

'Outrageous' state race gap in math

Sun-Times:

In fourth-grade math in 2007, white Illinois students scored 32 points higher than their African-American counterparts on the 500-point national test. The national gap was only 26 points.

By eighth grade, white Illinois kids scored 38 points higher than black peers. Nationally, white eighth-graders outpaced blacks by 31 points.

The disparity was largely due to black Illinois students doing worse than African Americans nationally.

The results reflect only public school students who took the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

In reading, Illinois' racial disparity was much closer to that of the national average.

Some studies have tied the black-white achievement gap to the fact that African Americans are more likely to be poor, come from single-parent homes, face less classroom rigor and have less-prepared teachers.

McGee said Illinois needs to attack the math gap by teaching teachers to make math more interesting.

"The problem is, kids get to eighth grade and they don't like math because it's not taught in an interesting manner,'' McGee said.

PHOTO: The man

I decided to go thru ChicagoEye's pics on Flickr. He is also known as Lee Bey who operates an "urbanist" blog at leebey.com. Worth a good look if you're interested in photographs of buildings around Chicago.

BTW, the credit for this photograph actually goes to Charles Caldwell and it was taken in the Harlan Community Academy library in 1975.

BTW, for your reading pleasure from Catalyst Chicago, From excellence to exodus, Harlan strives for rebirth. Please keep in mind this article is from December 2001.

Forgot to post this regarding Harlan

Well in the previous Harlan post from this afternoon.

There's another Harlan NING group designed for a much broader group of people. Not just students, faculty, or parents. In fact this group is also for stakeholders.

I'm not sure who might be considered a stakeholder although a good rule of thumb might be that well stakeholders could be those people who live in the surrounding neighborhood(s) around the school. I'm sure they would welcome anyone who had an interest in Harlan. I may even advertise this site a little more.

Anyway if you're a student, faculty member, parent, alumni, neighbor, or any kind of stakeholder to Harlan Community Academy High School then you may join this group. As of this moment there is only one member of this group, but I would like to say that this blog was responsible for more people joining the Harlan Falcons NING group. ;)

HarlanFalcons - No Pity in Falcon City

Black male conundrum

Catalyst-Chicago:

In Chicago’s public schools, African-American males are suspended and expelled at a higher rate than any other student group. Yet educators are working to raise black male graduation rates, creating a classic case of policy and practice at odds.
...
Nearly one in four black male students in Chicago Public Schools was suspended at least once last year, a rate that is twice as high as the district average.

This finding is also part of an upward trend that has resulted in a near doubling of the number of suspended students over the past five years, according to a Catalyst Chicago analysis.
...
The racial disparity for African-American males is even starker with expulsions, which are also on the rise. More than 60 percent of expelled students last year were black boys, up from 53 percent just five years ago.

Check out the why this matters part, however, I suggest you read the whole piece!

District officials have long said they are committed to eliminating the achievement gap for black boys. At the same time, data show that black male students are hardest hit by punitive discipline that affects their academics:

• Studies have established a strong correlation between suspensions, course failures and dropping out. Black boys in CPS have the highest dropout rate of any racial or ethnic group, and also the highest rates of suspension and expulsion.

• CPS scrapped its zero tolerance policy in 2006 in favor of restorative justice, which encourages schools to avoid punitive discipline and help students understand why their misbehavior is wrong and make restitution instead. But restorative justice has yet to take a strong hold.

• Black male teachers, who can serve as mentors to black boys who are struggling academically and with their behavior, are in short supply in CPS.

• The racial disparity is also apparent in suburban Cook County, where black boys account for just 11 percent of students but 35 percent of those suspended at least once and 44 percent of those expelled.

Via Newsalert!

UnFixIllinois

Check out this website that I found via Dan Proft's campaign website. Proft is set to announce whether or not he will run for the Republican nomination for Governor this morning.

A pair of items from the RHCA

Roseland Heights community council newsletter

Stop Illegal Activities in Abbott Park: Call 911 if you see

1. Any person parked on grass, or who leaves any vehicle in any part of a park between the closing of gates at night, (10:00 PM) and their reopening on the following day or operates.drive any motor care, automobile or vehicle of any kind in the park (on or off grass).
2. No person the age of 12 or older shall use playground equipment. Use your judgement if teens maybe, never adults 911 *(for Shedd also)
3. *No alcoholic beverages shall be sold, brought, give away, delivered or consumed on park property
4. *No person shall organize/sponsor any group activities (50 persons) in park or facilities unless approved by General Park Superintendent or any person without a permit conducting an event involvine more than 50 individuals, sale of goods, amplified sound, or commercial activities. They must have a permit call (312) 747-1592 to check then call 911*
5. *It is unlawful for any person to loiter, loaf, stand, or remain idle alone or with others on park property after park is closed at 10:00 PM. Call 911
6. No person shall engage in soliciting on park property without permits. * NEVER on 95th Street with or without permits 95th is a NO peddling zone. Whenever you see sales begging, or peddling of any kind (from State to King Dr.) call the police 911

Stop Illegal Activities in Harlan High School parking lot: Call 911 if you see or hear

1. Groups not authorized to use school grounds, parking lot or CPS property
2. Large groups using parking lot for rehearsal, partying, sale of goods, amplified sound, or commercial activities after school is out, or over the summer
3. No perso shall light or make use of any fire. NO fire ever! If you see fire call the police and fire department.
4. Use of CPS property for day camps, play classes, or any group activities in parking lot is unlawful any time.
5. NO alchoholic beverages shall be sold, brought, given away, deliverered, or consumed on CPS property. NO alcohol ever!
   

Typing that was hard work, I wonder if I should just post the newsletter itself. There's more info than where that came from!

Illinois joins effort to update school curriculums

Daily Herald:

The effort, known as the State Leadership Initiative, is being led by the Arizona-based Partnership for 21st Century Skills, which believes changes in the classroom are necessary to prepare students for the global competition that awaits either in college or the workplace. The goal is a curriculum that combines rigorous study of core subjects - math, history, science - with the teaching of "21st century skills" like creative thinking/problem solving, interpersonal communication and global awareness. A state board spokeswoman said the updating process could take up to three years. This is the latest in a series of steps state educators have taken to update teaching and learning standards in Illinois. Earlier this month, for example, the state announced that it will participate in an effort to create national learning standards for math and English.

I'm for it!

Via CapFax morning shorts!

5-year-old gunshot victim triumphant at graduation

From WBBM-TV and let's start with what happened with this young boy:

It was May 23, 2008, when Martrell was hit by gunfire in the back of his mother's car, in the 6400 block of South Bishop Street.

"He just started shooting; shot my brother-in-law three times, and I screamed, and that's what made him turn to my truck, and he shot directly through my car, and shot my son," said Martrell's mother, LaKeesha Rucker.

No one was ever arrested or charged in the shooting.

And now an account of his Kindergarten graduation:

An innocent little South Side boy who was wounded by gunfire last year wasn't sure he'd ever walk again, but today, he's being called an inspiration.

As CBS 2's Susan Carlson reports, this is the day that Martrell Stevens, 5, has been waiting for. He graduated from kindergarten inside the gymnasium at Jane M. Neil Elementary School, 8555 S. Michigan Ave.

But for a boy who has been confined to a wheelchair for the past year, it was also a huge day of triumph.

Martrell arrived at school in style, in a limousine donated by the organization Stop Killing Our Youth, in honor of the milestone.

Not only did Martrell receive his diploma, he also walked across the stage to get it.

It was a feat that took months of preparation.

"Walking, and stretching my legs out," Martrell said.

Great story out of one of our local schools.

Hopefully I can link to a video of Martrell walking across that stage!

The impact of neighborhood schools

Courtesy of YoChicago:

Home buyers in Chicago, especially those who don't have children, often overlook the impact a neighborhood school can have on property values. Home values can vary significantly from block to block based on school district boundaries.

Parents in Chicago often overlook the impact that a few committed individuals can have on a public school.[Waters Elementary School] may be one of those schools where positive change is underway and where the conditions are right for that change to lock in and become self-reinforcing. If that were to occur property values in the district would be likely to appreciate disproportionately to surrounding areas, even in this difficult market. Will they? It's anyone's guess.

An important area to consider for our schools. Who are the committed individuals who can have an impact on the public schools in our ward?

BTW, watch the video to look at the Gardens of Waters School.

May newsletter aldermanic message

A play by play of responses to the crimes that were experienced in the ward during the month of April contained within the Aldermanic message.

In April, our Ward seemed like a shooting gallery. During a 5 day period, there were 12 shootings and 3 murders. What has happened in response?

-We now have a dedicated beat car patrolling 79th St. from State St. east to the Viaduct.

-Supt. Weis and other Brass came to 79th & King for a Walk and Talk on May 1st.

-There was a great 6th District CAPS Block Club Convention where most of the speakers gave solutions to violence.

-We asked for the license of the car wash where 8 shootings occurred to be revoked.

-On May 4th, Supt. Weis and other Brass appeared at the Park Manor Neighbors Meeting.

-On May 5th, Aldermen Austin, Dowell, Pope and I met with the Supt. and his command staff about their plans for the summer.

-South Central Community Center will soon be operating a youth program on 79th St.

-New Police cameras have been installed in the immediate area of 79th & King Drive.

-I have a commitment for additional programming at Tuley Park (a tennis program) and a return to the days of open gym at Tuley.

-I’ve talked to the Supervisor at Meyering Park and am determined to have some community event there this summer.

-I met with Ron Huberman and got a commitment for the equipment, staff and improvements needed at Harlan Community Academy for the new Engineering Program that starts in September 2009.

-In a never ending attempt to get our schools open to the community, Mr. Huberman committed to putting a program in Ruggles Elementary School this summer.

-There was a 1000 Man March in the 3rd District Police last Saturday (May 9th) and many of the men there agreed to mentor our young boys.

Will this end the violence? No it won’t. It will take years before we return to a community with children that respect adults, value education, are raised by their parents to eschew violence. In the short term, however, we have to do whatever we can to remain safe.

Remember for a moment that most of you have lived here for 40/50 years. How long did it take for the problems to escalate to this point? It can’t take that long for us to solve the problems, otherwise there will be no community left to value the change. We can’t right the wrongs done by public policy decisions that decimated our communities. We must however continue working to change those things that we can. Let’s start with the broken windows.

Our schools as community centers

Back to the comments by Alderman Lyle:

on Apr. 7th, I met with Ron Huberman about the necessity for opening up our schools as community centers after school hours and on Saturdays. He agreed that we will start moving in that direction. On Tues. Apr. 14th, I was working on approval for a new after-school and summer program for community youth across from Ruggles Elementary. South Central Community Center will start this program in the next month. On Thurs. April 16, 2009 I asked Police Command staff for a dedicated car to be assigned to 79th Street from State to the railroad tracks, at a City Council committee meeting. On Fri. the Library shooting occurred. On Sat. a dedicated beat car was assigned to patrol 79th St. The following week, I was meeting with the Park District about free open gym at Tuley Park and a Tennis program for our community on the courts at Tuley and Ruggles. Today, I was informed we have hired a Tennis instructor. Last week, I was in discussion with Kubla Toure (Amer-i-can) and Minister Muhammad (Nation of Islam) about violence prevention and suppression programming efforts in our community. Understanding that the causes of violence are numerous, it will take long term action on various fronts to attack the roots. In future posts I’ll discuss in detail some of the actions we are going to be taking in the 6th Ward to stop the violence and ‘reweave the social fabric’ that strong communities must have to raise healthy, educated, well-adjusted children.

Actually I think I can go with this idea of turning our schools into community centers. Perhaps schools shouldn't be out, but also available for additional programming for our young people or even our elderly. Perhaps during the school year or summer recess community organizations can hold meetings on school grounds as well. Something to consider.