Did you know that next week is #GivingTuesday? To make a donation, visit bit.ly/DS22_GivingTuesday
This year, Distinctive Schools campuses launched a series of initiatives to provide our students and families with *everything* they need. Your generosity will help Distinctive Schools to prove that we truly are #BetterTogether – by providing families with meals during the holidays, purchasing items for coat drives, supporting community celebrations, and bringing people together during this season.
We’re reinvigorating the middle school program at Plymouth Educational Center. Thinking about making a shift in your career? Now is the time – certified middle school teachers can earn a starting salary of $65k! Every day we lead the charge in creating a collaborative, innovative, and welcoming public education experience. Learn more at bit.ly/PEC_MiddleSchoolApp and join a Distinctive team.
Today we held our Distinctive Schools Michigan High School Fair! Eighth Graders from Plymouth Educational Center and DCP Harper Woods had the chance to talk with representatives from high schools around Detroit, and hear from alumni about their high school experience. Thank you to everyone who attended and made this an amazing day!
Today wraps up School Psychology Week! Thank you to our wonderful Distinctive School Psychologists who support our students every day. Mental Health and Wellness is at the core of everything we do and our psychologists are a major part of that mission.
It was so fun to see our students dressed up and enjoying Halloween yesterday! We hope everyone had a great day!
Earlier this month week we launched our very first Distinctive Schools Learner Advisory – elevating and promoting the voices of over 40 learners from all 9 Distinctive campuses in Chicago and Metro Detroit. We discussed the importance of Belonging, and how it impacts our learning. Relationships & culture are at the heart of all that we do at DS, and it was great to hear from our most important stakeholders – our kids! Special thanks to Dr. Tammy Campbell and The Scholar First for the inspiration to launch!
This CEO Staff Spotlight recognizes an amazing team player, who supports our network in so many ways – Yolanda Harris! Yolanda's leadership as our Executive Coordinator is truly excellent. She keeps the entire team moving in strong ways with terrific coordination, exceptional organization and strong logistical planning. From running our Distinctive Schools offices to supporting our leaders each day, Yolanda keeps everything on track and focused. Yolanda's positive energy, smile and whatever it takes attitude is something that inspires our entire team. She is always willing to jump in and lead a project, always thinking about what each team member needs. This month, the spotlight is on you, Yolanda! Thanks for being our rock and foundation. We couldn't do this important work without you! #BeDistinctive
Eighth Graders from all Distinctive Schools CICS campuses attended our High School fair today! Students had the chance to talk with representatives from high schools around Chicago, hear from alumni about their high school experience and participate in workshops to prepare them for the application process. Thank you to everyone who attended and made this an amazing day!
Registration for the 2022 Aurora Institute Symposium is now open! On October 24-26, Distinctive Schools representatives Stephanie Cardella, Karey Henderson, Sarah O'Connell, Molly Quinn and Jane Szot will be presenting at this amazing event on personalized, competency-based K-12 education! Register here: https://bit.ly/AttendSymposium #Aurora22
Yesterday our Distinctive Schools Academic Team hosted their first Lead from Within Coaching Academy! This event was co-facilitated with our assistant principals. In this session, participants worked on defining and documenting team coaching. Great job everyone!
We are so excited to partner with @Youth_Truth to gather family feedback. We value the voices of our families and community so much- you all help us become the best that we can be! Check your email for the survey link! #youthtruth #CommunityVoice
Today is Custodian Appreciation Day! Our custodians are incredible- thank you for all you do to keep our schools beautiful, clean and running smoothly!
October is National Principals Month! To all our Distinctive Principals- we are so grateful for your incredible leadership and dedication. Thank you for all you do to ensure our schools are amazing places to learn and grow. This month we celebrate YOU!
This CEO Staff Shout out celebrates an impressive, committed leader: Erika Dietz, Principal of DCP Harper Woods! Erika was a founding member of the DCP Harper Woods community in 2017 as a kindergarten teacher, and has served in various roles as a Mentor Teacher, Instructional Coach, Assistant Principal. Now, having stepped into the role of Principal this year – we are extremely impressed with her leadership! Erika has maintained a strong focus on communication, collaboration, culture, and high expectations for all students and staff. She believes that JOY and culture need to be balanced with strong accountability for the success of our DCP Harper Woods community. Erika has built an incredible team, and continues to tackle everything she can in delivering on the Distinctive Schools model and our overall promise to our community. Thank you, Erika! Today the spotlight is on YOU!
Special thanks to Education Week for making sure the needs and wellness of our school staff remains a top priority! Principal Sarah O'Connell and Assistant Principal of Curriculum & Instruction, Kristin Eng were interviewed for the article, Keep School Staff Motivated All Year Long: Advice From Principals, and shared some of their strategies for what works at CICS Bucktown. Check it out: https://bit.ly/DS_BT_Motivates
Students at our River Heights Academy having a blast at school! Way to go, Huskies!
CICS Irving Park 2nd, 3rd, and 5th graders in Makerspace making their paper sculptures! Each strip of paper tells something different and unique about each student😄
Last week at our CICS Prairie campus, Prairie Parents enjoyed Conchas for Mexican Independence Day! What a great way to celebrate!
Distinctive Schools is proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! This month, we honor and recognize the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the United States. Stay tuned this month to see all the ways we are celebrating in our classrooms!
Have you ever heard of a Cool Down Corner? These calm spaces on our campus give students a spot to go when they're feeling big emotions - such as when they're feeling overwhelmed - or simply need a moment to themselves. We want to make sure our schools are places where students feel comfortable, supported in all of their feelings, and cared for! Here are some examples from our @dcpredford campus!
