Distinctive Schools - Commit. Create. Collaborate

Chicago, IL – February 18, 2025 – Distinctive Schools is excited to announce the appointment of Mary Beck as its new President, effective February 10, 2025. Beck, a longtime edu...

At Distinctive Schools, we believe strongly in the power of student voice – insight shared directly from our students is invaluable to us. Our Learner Advisory embodies this pr...

Every year, Distinctive Schools administers federally-required state assessments that help us gauge how our students are growing academically compared to their peers across the st...

Black History Month is about honoring the past and inspiring the future—and CICS Prairie students Jade and Joy are doing just that! These young authors and entrepreneurs are m...

At Distinctive Schools, we are committed to creating a supportive, student-centered environment where every child feels seen, heard, and valued. This work wouldn’t be possible wit...

In a quiet room at CICS Longwood High School, a new kind of storytelling is unfolding. It’s not the kind of story you’ll find in a textbook or a traditional classroom – it’s real,...

Earlier this year , CICS West Belden shared how our middle school math team was selected to be part of LEAP Innovations’ Pilot Network. Throughout the course of the Pilot Networ...

At Art In Motion (AIM), innovation thrives in the hands of educators who challenge convention and inspire creativity. Venise Keys , AIM's dynamic visual arts teacher, embodies ...

At CICS Bucktown , music teacher Norrisa Pearson is revolutionizing music education by blending tradition with innovation. With over 15 years of teaching experience, including ...

At Distinctive Schools , we are incredible proud of our alumni. Their journeys illustrate the transformative power of supportive educators, innovative learning environments, and ...

When Wesley Byrd joined Art in Motion (AIM) in 8th grade, he was searching for a school that offered something different – he was interested in photography and film programs....

For Magaly Zuniga , once a student walking the halls at CICS Irving Park and a graduate of the class of 2016, CICS Irving Park is her home away from home. Magaly, who attended ou...

At CICS West Belden, we believe that all of our alumni are truly Distinctive. In this season of giving back, we are celebrating alumni Zenobia Ellis , who is studying to become a...

When Adrian Magana walks through the halls of CICS Prairie today as Assistant Dean, he's also walking through memories of his own childhood. Having attended CICS Prairie from Kind...

In the spirit of this season, we’re uplifting the impact of being Distinctive through alumni voices. This couldn’t ring more true than with CICS Loomis-Longwood alum-turned-basket...

This Thanksgiving break, as we reflect on all that we are grateful for, our Distinctive Schools community is especially thankful for the parents and community members who generous...

At CICS Lloyd Bond, our community is rich with individuals who inspire, uplift, and give back in extraordinary ways. Today, we’re excited to share our gratitude and celebrate Ryan...

We’re continuing to share gratitude throughout November, today we are celebrating our CICS West Belden community, who have so much to be grateful for. We believe in the power of c...

This November we’re continuing to share gratitude, and our CICS Loomis and CICS Longwood Elementary School communities have so much to be grateful for. Parents like Lonzetta McK...

November is a time to share gratitude, and our CICS Irving Park community has so much to be grateful for. One of the things we are most grateful for is the tireless advocacy of ou...