Distinctive Schools Blog

ART IN MOTION BREAKS GROUND ON CAMPUS EXPANSION

11/18/2021

Distinctive Schools Begins Construction in Chicago’s Grand Crossing Neighborhood

(Chicago, IL ) Distinctive Schools is proud to launch the official start of construction on the 70,000 square foot campus expansion at Art in Motion, located in Chicago’s Grand Crossing neighborhood. Art In Motion was founded in 2019 in partnership with Emmy, Grammy and Academy Award-winning artist, actor, author and activist, COMMON, New Life Covenant Church Southeast, and Distinctive Schools.

“This space is symbolic of everything that AIM has been built on – Community, Creativity, Love, and Excellence,” says Director, Kara May. “ We are not just building a school, we are building and strengthening a community of learners, leaders, and changemakers. We are removing barriers to education. We are listening to what students and families need, and working together to create a community hub, to deliver on innovative, personalized, creative educational pathways.”

Art in Motion is located at 7415 S. East End Ave., and provides innovative arts opportunities and experiences in visual arts, music, digital media, dance, creative agency, and literary arts. In addition to traditional classroom space, Art in Motion will be adding performance space, a recording studio, broadcast studio, dance lab, visual arts lab, as well as interior and exterior courtyards.

Chris Annmarie Spencer, Principal at Wheeler Kearns Architects, shared "It's been a pleasure to collaborate with Distinctive Schools over the past two years to re-envision a former industrial building as a space that reflects Art in Motion's mission and innovative approach to education."

The ground breaking ceremony took place on November 17, 2021, and featured student performances, as well as remarks from founding partners and leaders. Founding Partner, Pastor John F. Hannah, of New Life Covenant Church Southeast shared, “This school is bringing the arts back to our community. Art In Motion is giving young people an opportunity to express themselves, and this expansion, this development in the community is going to bring additional opportunities to our children.”

The future of Art In Motion integrates community supports and services within the school building to address trauma, mental health, and wellness, including: before and after school programming for students, classes and workshops for parents & guardians, partnerships with local health clinics, and deepened community partnerships. Scott Frauenheim, CEO of Distinctive Schools shared, “Art In Motion’s expansion is another step in the right direction for the future of education and the city of Chicago. By focusing on schools as equity focused community hubs, we will give students, families and partners access to the innovative and arts integrated academic, health care and social services that they need to not just cope, but rather to thrive.”

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Angela Lee Featured in Helpful Living Magazine!

10/26/2021

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Angela Lee, School Social Worker for Art in Motion, was featured in this month's edition of Helpful Living Magazine, a publication designed to help readers understand mental health.
In this spread, Angela discusses her work at AIM, “our students’ mental health is truly a priority at AIM," she says. "Our goal is to always convey the message that we understand that if a student’s emotional, psychological, and/or social well-being is compromised, it makes learning challenging. We provide continued resources within our Social Emotional Learning Framework to address these areas of needs.”
“AIM differs from various educational institutions through Distinctive Schools’ highly personalized model of instruction and support, our students develop a strong sense of agency and confidence and consistently exceed national norms on both growth and attainment targets.”

Read about the ways Social Emotional Learning is being implemented at AIM. Angela discussed Move This World, the peace room, SELweb, Communities in Schools, mentorship, restorative justice and of course social work and counseling! We are so proud of all the great work happening at AIM and we are so grateful for Angela's guidance and leadership.

Read the full article below!

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Distinctive Schools Art in Motion Campus Expands

9/16/2021

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Art In Motion Will Break Ground This Fall on Over 70,000 Square Feet of Additional Learning and Arts Space

(Chicago, IL - ) Distinctive Schools, in partnership with the Art In Motion Board of Directors, is proud to announce a 70,000 square foot campus expansion at Art in Motion located in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood. In addition to traditional classroom space, Art in Motion will be adding performance space, recording studio, broadcast studio, dance lab, visual arts lab, as well as interior and exterior courtyards.

“We are thrilled to make this investment in the South Shore community,” shared Scott Frauenheim, CEO of Distinctive Schools, “This facility will not only serve as a campus for 7-12th grade, but will also serve as a community hub for arts, wrap-around services, and performance space.”

A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for the afternoon of Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at 2:00pm. Speakers will include Pastor John F. Hannah of New Life Covenant Southeast Church, a founding partner of Art In Motion, as well as Kara May, founding director of Art In Motion. The ceremony will take place at the future home of Art In Motion’s expansion, at 7415 S. East End, and will be open to the public.

“To make sure that students are well-rounded, to make sure that they feel supported and are able to contribute to their own futures and have productive careers – that’s our goal at Art In Motion,” shared founding Director, Kara May, “Art In Motion involves the entire community; we’re opening doors here, and we want the community to be part of our work together.”

Art In Motion will be open to the public for an evening celebrating Community Connections, and feature student artists and artwork on display, Thursday, September 23, 2021 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Art In Motion (7415 S. East End Ave). The event will feature student performances, campus explorations, and a preview of the AIM student experience. All are welcome to attend.

Art in Motion first opened in September 2019 at 7415 S. East End Avenue, and provides innovative arts opportunities and experiences in visual arts, music, digital media, dance, creative agency, and literary arts. The result of a community-grown and led campaign to bring an arts-centered high school to the area, Art In Motion welcomes students who live in the city of Chicago; limited seats remain for the 2021-22 school year for students in grades 7, 8, 9, and 10. Art In Motion accelerates student achievement with an innovative personalized learning model, and reimagines the educational experience to address inequities for students. It will grow one grade level each year to serve seventh through twelfth grade by 2023.

For more information, including application and enrollment information, please visit https://www.aimchicago.org/

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Growth in Distinctive Leadership

6/10/2021

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Distinctive Schools Announces Updates in Leadership and Unveils Core Priorities in Preparation for 2021-2022 School Year

Distinctive Schools is looking ahead to the future, and the next decade of Distinctive Schools. As we continue to invest in our leaders, our priorities remain steadfast – culture, equity, & innovation. As a growing organization, welcoming ~400+ new students this fall, we continue to focus on organizational stability and sustainability.

As a network committed to culture, we will continue to foster a strong Distinctive culture that provides pathways to roles, responsibilities and opportunities aligned to network needs, and interests and skill sets. Sankofa – we look back at where we were before the pandemic, and know that we are coming out of this better together. We are committed to moving forward with and investing in our leaders and staff into the future. We’d like to send deep congratulations to the following team members, who we welcome in new roles for Distinctive Schools: Katie O’Connor (Chief Education Officer), Jeff Donoghue (President and Chief Financial Officer), Cassie Williams (Deputy Chief of Education-Michigan), and Jenn Harth (Executive Director of Schools-Chicago).

We are continuing our commitment to educating the whole child through addressing both academic and social-emotional needs, practices embedded into all organizational work. In the 2021-20222 school year, Distinctive Schools will prioritize Mental Health & Wellness, Learning Acceleration and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion across all areas of the organization.

“We set these priorities with equity at the forefront of everything we’re doing” shared Frauenheim, “We’re not going back to ‘the way things were’ before the pandemic. This is an opportunity for us to create lasting change, to invest in what we believe in, and to create community hubs that provide services for families in recovery. We know that our families deserve more than just recovery, we don’t want to just recover or respond, we want to offer opportunities and remove all barriers to learning.”

To support the mental health and wellness of Distinctive Schools staff, students ,and families, we will leverage partnerships to support trauma informed practice and provide training and resources to support response to national and local tragedies and events.

In partnership with The New Teacher Project, Distinctive Schools will focus on learning acceleration. Our teachers and leaders will ready students for new learning rather than focus on items students have failed to master. This innovative learning model, learning acceleration, strengthens practices in backwards planning, addressing learning gaps, providing authentic assessments as well as small group instruction and extra support for students disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are committed to creating a culture of action, and actively building anti-racist schools, designing structures to identify, oppose and dismantle racism. Distinctive Schools provides professional learning and support across all areas of the organization and continues to interrogate and revise structures, systems and practices. The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Expanded Design Team will continue to grow and push Distinctive Schools forward.

About the Team:
Katie O’Connor Chief Education Officer
Katie has been named Chief Education Officer, overseeing the strategy, oversight and accountability for our educational work leading alongside and in partnership with our Chief and Senior Leaders. Katie has been with Distinctive Schools since 2002 and has held various roles as a teacher, instructional coach, literacy director and recently our Chief Schools Officer. In this newly defined role, Katie will oversee all academic, educational and school based leadership along with regional and network leaders.

Jeff Donoghue President and Chief Financial Officer
Jeff has brought incredible perspective and expertise to the growing team and organization, and has already made an impact on Distinctive Schools, strengthening the sustainability of the organization amidst a pandemic. Jeff brings 20 years of public education experience as a strong advocate for ensuring our schools continue to be at the center of healthy communities as hubs of support and excellence. In addition to his financial role, Jeff’s work as President will be focused on prioritizing leadership development within Distinctive Schools, especially investing in Distinctive Schools’ ability to respond to the needs of children and communities.

Jenn Harth Executive Director of Schools-Chicago
We are excited to announce that Jenn Harth will assume the role of Executive Director of Schools - Chicago. Jenn will work alongside Katie to lead IL Principals and Schools. After 3 ½ years working to transform our CICS Prairie campus, Jenn has aspirations to continue leading school performance and working specifically with Principals in our IL schools to focus on teaching and learning, school leadership and campus growth plan work. Jenn is also eager to continue focusing on our DEI and innovation goals across Distinctive Schools.

Cassie Williams Deputy Chief of Education-Michigan
After almost two years as Executive Director of Schools-MI Region, Cassie has been named the Deputy Chief of Education – MI Region, expanding her leadership from schools and Principals to supporting Distinctive Schools in Michigan and leading the entire MI regional team in partnership with regional and operational leaders. Cassie will be responsible for teaching and learning, school performance, Principal leadership and coordination of regional oversight in all areas of our work in partnership with regional and network teams.

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Distinctive Schools Earns Cognia System Accreditation

4/14/2021

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Distinctive Schools Earns
Cognia System Accreditation

The Distinctive Schools National Board announced today that Distinctive Schools has earned system level accreditation by Cognia™, a nonprofit organization that provides quality assurance for schools, school districts, and education service providers.

Cognia, formerly AdvancED, nationally recognizes districts that meet rigorous standards that focus on productive learning environments, equitable resource allocation that meet the needs of learners, and effective leadership. Earning accreditation from the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission means that the system and all of its schools are accredited, and that Distinctive Schools is recognized across the nation as a school system that meets Cognia Standards of Quality, and maintains a commitment to continuous improvement.

“Systems accreditation as conferred by the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission provides Distinctive Schools a nationally recognized mark of quality for our school system and each school within our system,” shared Scott Frauenheim, Chief Executive Officer of Distinctive Schools. “It demonstrates to our community our commitment to excellence, our openness to external review and feedback, and our desire to be the best we can be on behalf of the students we serve. We are honored to celebrate this accreditation alongside our amazing staff, students, families, and partners during our 10 year anniversary as an organization.”

To earn accreditation from Cognia, a school district also must implement a continuous process of improvement, and submit to internal and external review. School systems in good standing can maintain their accreditation for a five-year term.

“Receiving accreditation not only affirms the work we have done to date, but will support us as we continue to live out our mission long into the future. As a network of schools deeply committed to access and equity, this is an important step in our path,” shared Dr. Joseph Wise, Chairman of The Distinctive Schools National Board, “We look forward to continued success in providing opportunities for students in Chicago, Michigan, and beyond.”

Dr. Mark A. Elgart, president and CEO of Cognia, stated, “Cognia System Accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire school system and its community on the primary goal of preparing lifelong learners in engaging environments where all students can flourish. Distinctive Schools is to be commended for demonstrating that it has met high standards, is making progress on key indicators that impact student learning.”

Cognia is the parent organization of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). Parents and interested community members can learn more about the Cognia Accreditation at cognia.org.

About Cognia
Cognia offers accreditation and certification, assessment, professional learning, and improvement services to institutions and other education providers. The result of the merger of AdvancED and Measured Progress, Cognia was formed to bridge the gap between school evaluation and student assessment. As a global nonprofit working in over 80 countries, our 36,000 institutions serve and support nearly 25 million students and five million educators every day. Cognia serves as a trusted partner in advancing learning for all learners. Find out more at cognia.org.

About Distinctive Schools
Distinctive Schools is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and accelerating the work of charter schools serving kids from historically marginalized backgrounds. The team includes passionate educators and determined leaders who innovate, trailblaze and collaboratively lead a public education transformation, as well as ensure that each and every one of Distinctive Schools students thrive in college, career, and life. To learn more, please visit http://distinctiveschools.org/.

Read the full press release here.

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DISTINCTIVE SCHOOLS NAMED ONE OF CRAIN’S 2021 BEST PLACES TO WORK IN CHICAGO

3/8/2021

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The Distinctive Schools National Board of Directors, in partnership with Distinctive Schools is proud to announce that Distinctive Schools has been named one of Crain’s 2021 Best Places to Work in Chicago.

“Since our inception in 2011, we have focused on culture, equity and innovation as the core beliefs of our work,” said Scott Frauenheim, CEO of Distinctive Schools. “This is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the amazing team at Distinctive Schools. Every day I am inspired by the loyalty, commitment, and passion of our staff. I am grateful to be part of the Distinctive Schools family, and proud to lead an organization that continues to prioritize staff culture and voice.”

The Best Places to Work in Chicago is a survey and awards program dedicated to identifying and recognizing the area’s best employers and providing organizations with valuable employee feedback.

“Distinctive Schools is deeply committed to strong culture, and the development and success of their students and employees alike,” said Aarti Dhupelia, Vice President for Undergraduate Education at National Louis University, and member of the Distinctive Schools National Board. “This is an organization of passionate, student-centered, innovative teachers and leaders who work together to create opportunities through education. Collaboration and optimism is woven throughout the fabric of the network.”

The Best Places to Work survey is designed to identify, recognize, and honor the 100 best companies to work for in Chicago. Finalists were determined by the results of a survey of employees and employers, conducted by Crain's in partnership with Best Companies Group.

“We are thrilled to be named in Crain’s 2021 Best Places to Work in Chicago; we work to invest in, support, and advocate for our employees every day,” shared Whitney Rosetti, Network Director of Human Resources. “This honor confirms the way our staff shares pride in our work, and our network. We work hard, and value one another deeply. I’m tremendously proud to be a part of Distinctive Schools.”

The final rankings of the top 100 best places to work will be revealed in April. The unranked list of finalists can be found: https://www.chicagobusiness.com/best-places-work/best-places-work-2021-finalists. To learn more about the Distinctive Schools model, and opportunities to join the team, please visit the Distinctive Schools website.

About Distinctive Schools
Distinctive Schools is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and accelerating the work of charter schools in historically marginalized communities. The team includes passionate educators and determined leaders who innovate, trailblaze and collaboratively lead a public education transformation, as well as ensure that each and every one of Distinctive Schools students thrive in college, career, and life.

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Distinctive Schools Launches Community Care Plan

8/5/2020

Distinctive Schools is proud to announce an innovative reopening plan for Fall 2020, the Distinctive Schools Community Care Plan. The Community Care Plan was designed in consideration of the diverse needs of Distinctive Schools’ families, students, and staff. All Distinctive Schools students will participate in remote learning, and families have the option to enroll in on-site community care, a safe space for students to learn during the school day. Distinctive Schools is closely monitoring local health data, and working to ensure safety for all on-site participants; local health data may require Distinctive schools to adjust offerings at any point. On-site community care will be available based on district, authorizer, and state allowances, in conjunction with available talent, resources and space.

Distinctive Schools, a network of nine charter schools in Chicago and Detroit, has been recognized as an early adopter and leader in student-centered learning. When school buildings abruptly closed in mid-March, Distinctive Schools teachers and staff converted their classrooms overnight. Distinctive Schools teachers and students were uniquely prepared for remote learning, equipped with technology, personalized learning plans, and adaptive programming to continue robust learning programs while working and learning from home.

Scott Frauenheim, Chief Executive Officer for Distinctive Schools shared, “The heart of our work at Distinctive Schools is being true to our values: culture, equity, innovation, wellness, and exemplary student performance. This is our tenth year as an organization, and as we start this year in a way that we have never done before, the work we’ve engaged in over the last decade has prepared us for this opportunity. We put students in the driver’s seat of their learning, and with these guiding principles, we are committed to fostering a community of care while maintaining high-quality teaching and learning during the global pandemic. ”

The Community Care Plan aims to address the needs of both staff and families, offering choice and options for families, while prioritizing the safety and health of students and staff. All Distinctive Schools students will learn remotely. For families who need child care options that a typical school day would provide, schools will open with a limited capacity and serve on-site Community Care. Community Care Leads, roles held by Distinctive teachers or staff, will create a joyful, safe space for remote learning during the day.

“We gathered feedback from as many stakeholders as possible, and carefully reviewed over 1,000 family survey responses, gaining insight into the staff experience of the school-building closure using the Upbeat survey, attained a deeper understanding of student perspective of their experience of the pandemic using the YouthTruth survey, created an internal task force, and brought together an advisory panel to gain perspective and build this plan together,” Mike McCarthy, Executive Director of Student Services shared, “We always strive to elevate the voice of our students, teachers and staff. The collaboration in the development of the Community Care Plan, and the positive response is a testament to the entire team.”

Educator Bethany Houlehan was appreciative of the options provided, “Distinctive Schools did an amazing job of listening to both the families and staff! They took the necessary time to look carefully at all perspectives and balance those with the science to devise a comprehensive plan for this school year. The Community Care Plan ensures that our students and staff will be safe and learning this fall.”

In the spring, Distinctive Schools sent home 2,480 devices, and saw strong engagement in remote learning. Planned improvements for the fall include the addition of a comprehensive social-emotional learning curriculum, and accelerated teacher training for remote learning. Learn more about the Distinctive Schools Community Care Plan here.

Charter Schools Program Grant Fuels Expansion at Distinctive College Prep

7/23/2020

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The Distinctive College Prep (DCP) Board of Directors in partnership with Distinctive Schools, the Charter Management Organization (CMO), is proud to announce that DCP–Harper Woods has been awarded a $1.25 million, two-year expansion grant from the US Department of Education. The award, part of the highly competitive Charter School Program grants, is one of only four expansion grants issued this year.

Distinctive Schools is committed to closing the opportunity gap and providing access to rich learning experiences for all students. In partnership with Central Michigan University, Distinctive Schools manages four campuses in Metro-Detroit. At its inception in 2017, DCP–Harper Woods offered seats in kindergarten through third grade, with the intention to build community and focus on strong academic outcomes, starting small and adding one grade each year. Today, DCP–Harper Woods serves Kindergarten through Fifth grade, and will use CSP grant funds to support continued expansion and provide additional opportunities for innovative programming through eighth grade. The DCP–Harper Woods community will benefit from access to additional innovative technology, flexible learning environments, continued professional development for teachers and staff, and opportunities in the arts.

Cassie Williams, Distinctive Schools’ Regional Executive Director is excited to work with teachers and staff to identify opportunities. “Culture is at the heart of what we do. Our organization values diverse perspectives, and is committed to designing our learning communities by teachers, for teachers, and with teachers,” Williams shared, “We are poised for success, the structures our team has established over the past three years puts teachers and students in the driver’s seat, with CSP grant funds fueling innovation for Distinctive College Prep.”

“We’re very excited for Distinctive College Prep, part of our Central Michigan University family of partner schools, that they have been awarded a Charter School Program grant. One of the positives about this improved grant program is that in addition to new schools, it also rewards those that are already doing great things in their communities and wish to expand further to have an even greater impact. This grant will ensure that more students and families in Harper Woods and the surrounding communities will have access to a high-quality education,” Corey Northrop, Executive Director, The Governor John Engler Center for Charter Schools at Central Michigan University shared.

As DCP–Harper Woods expands to offer middle school, CSP grant funds will support additional adaptive programming that allows teachers to use real time data to drive personalized instruction. “This funding not only brings vast opportunities to students, staff, and families, it is a significant investment in the bright future of Distinctive College Prep. As we continue to expand our offerings, there is so much to look forward to. We are proud to bring a unique, innovative middle school model to Michigan that will allow our students to reach greater heights," Nikki Mariner, Distinctive College Prep Board secretary shared.

“As an organization, Distinctive Schools is committed to equity and access, and as we continue to invest in the Distinctive Schools innovative learning model, this grant will support our work to provide personalized, supportive environments for all learners,” said Scott Frauenheim, Chief Executive Officer of Distinctive Schools, “We promised to bring innovative educational experiences to the metro-Detroit area, and we’re ready to open our doors to all schools, to collaborate and grow together as we continue to be trailblazers for our students and families we serve.”

To learn more about the DCP model, and the innovations coming to the school this year, tomorrow, Friday, July 24, DCP Harper Woods will host a Virtual Open House. More information can be found at https://www.dcpharperwoods.org/.

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Public Notice: Intent to Apply for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program

5/29/2020

Public Notice: Intent to Apply for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program

Distinctive Schools is in the process of applying for a 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant from the Illinois State Board of Education. This announcement serves as official public notice of this application process. Our application will be in partnership with Chicago Public Schools and in support of service to the following school sites: CICS Bucktown, CICS Irving Park, CICS Prairie, CICS West Belden, and Art In Motion.

Through our grant project, we will be able to provide students at the above named school sites with academic and enrichment after-school opportunities on a year-round basis. We will also be able to serve participating students’ family members with an array of support services.

If you are interested in learning more, supporting year long programming options, or serving as a potential partner, please contact Karin Breo at kbreo@distinctiveschools.org.

National Library Week | 2020

4/20/2020

Which #DistinctiveReads will you read during National Library Week?

“Because that is what Hermoine does. When in doubt, go to the library.” –Harry Potter, Chamber of SecretsPicture

Did you know that April is National Library Month? April 19-25 is National Library Week, and we're celebrating! It’s hard to believe that this month means not celebrating that milestone by visiting your local library or even the treasure-trove that is your very own classroom library. While we are all still staying home and safe this month, we can honor this special month by celebrating what libraries mean to cultures, humanity and even our school community!

Books are special and our very-own personalized learning tools! We choose the story, take a deep dive with the characters to take an adventure or learn something completely new. Books can transform a boring afternoon into a magical adventure. And it all started with the thought that a library can be the place where adventures begin.

Speaking of getting lost in a good book … want to read one? We are lucky to have Bluestem Award Nominees in Illinois or the Mitten Awards in Michigan as sources of great suggestions from librarians for young readers! Both award lists serve as a referral for works written specifically for our kids hungry for a story to spark their imagination or even to learn of real-life events.

Here are some fun facts you can share with your kids this month:

Where was the first known library? Egypt, of course, with records going back to 3rd millennium BC.
Which Founding Father helped to bring the concept of library to the colonies? Thank Benjamin Franklin, who helped to organize membership-based libraries. No such thing as a free borrow then…books were very expensive and hard to come by. Here’s a little bit more.
Who funded the first public library in America? That was Andrew Carnegie in 1833. In fact, he built more than 1,700 libraries between 1881 and 1919.
Wouldn’t you LOVE to see what some of the world’s most famous libraries look like? Now you can when you visit this page! Get inspired to seek out some of the world’s best-loved reads in some really inspiring destinations! It’s almost as fun to daydream about seeing some of these amazing libraries as it is to get lost in the pages of a great book!

Help us celebrate this month by letting us know what book you’re currently reading! Post a photo of your favorite book on your favorite social media platform and tag it #DistinctiveReads! We will share photos at the end of April to wrap up our celebration of #DistinctiveReads!

FREE BOOKS ONLINE – DIGITAL RESOURCES!

Music In Our [Digital] Schools

3/31/2020

Music In Our [Digital] Schools: Balance, Creativity, & Joy

Did you know that March is Music In Our Schools month? We reached out to our amazing Distinctive Schools music teachers to celebrate their work, and learn more about their classroom practice. This month brought a new set of challenges to our music teachers – we have experienced an unprecedented shift, flipping the paradigm of school overnight. Innovative, student-centered environments, student-directed learning, and a strong culture prepared Distinctive students and teachers to quickly shift their classrooms to focus on At-Home Learning.

As families – and teachers– across the country have adapted to this new reality, Distinctive Schools music teachers are doing their part to continue bringing joy, student-centered curriculum, and artistic opportunities for expression to their students... only, now it's from their living rooms.

Nicole Chopp, music teacher at CICS West Belden, is making great efforts to support students and teachers during the school closures. In the classroom, Nicole’s approach to teaching music is centered around learning through play, imitation, and experimentation. Since moving to at-home learning, Nicole continues to keep play and experimentation central to her teaching. "While my primary role during at home learning is to support community teachers, I am still providing students with opportunities to have fun with music.” Nicole is engaging students through video, sharing recordings that allow students to continue building skills they’ve started to work on in class, and focusing on independent work for now. “I'm doing my best to provide students with access to content they're familiar with so they can be successful and have fun at home."

Amber Leitsch, Vocal Performance and Piano Teacher at Art In Motion, prioritizes culture in her classroom. Her goal is always to provide a safe and welcoming environment, where her students learn to make music an outlet for creativity, emotion, thought and energy. “Music can be an incredible tool to look into the past, learn about the world inside and outside of one’s own community, communicate with others, make a person’s day and create art," Amber shared. Now that her classroom has moved to the digital space, she is excited to see the many ways her students are embracing the challenges of e-learning. “My students are so creative, they are coming up with all of these ideas! My biggest goal, outside of using their craft as an outlet for emotions, is to make their voices heard. They are responsible for shaping the world.” Amber’s students are diving deep into music theory, and working on ways to take their practice to the next (digital) level.

We asked Frank Cademartori, music teacher at CICS Irving Park and Network Enrichment Coordinator, how things have evolved since making the switch to At-Home Learning. “The most exciting and interactive part are the Live Lessons that we host twice daily.” Frank shared, “These are open to all students and we help walk them through a simple activity from origami to a sing-a-long, to paper mache.” The enrichment team at CICS Irving Park is meeting through google hangouts to plan lessons, collaborate, and develop a new schedule for families to join in on every week. They are sharing resources with families, including independent, guided, and scripted activities, through a shared Google Classroom. What does the future hold for CICS Irving Park Enrichment? “We're working on developing smaller, more specialized, "opt-in" classes that students can sign up for. We all think it's more important than ever to give students time and space to be creative and explore!”.

Historically, during times of crisis, we turn to the arts to lift our spirits, express our feelings, and keep us balanced. We are so grateful to our enrichment teachers for striving to provide balance and a creative outlet for our students (and staff!) during this time of uncertainty. As a strong community, we know that we will get through this together, and we look forward to making music in our schools again soon!

Family Update re: COVID-19 Virus

3/8/2020

Dear Distinctive Schools Network Families,

This is an update to our last message from February 29th, 2020 regarding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) and the network's response and procedures. Because the status of COVID-19 is rapidly changing both here in the U.S. and abroad, we are continually monitoring the situation and will regularly update you with information as it becomes pertinent to what is happening at your school.

We are in close contact with our local school districts and authorizers and have actively engaged with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to ensure that we are following the direction of experts when it comes to safety and preventative measures for our students and staff. We do - and will continue to - follow their guidance. As an update, Chicago Public Schools has announced a confirmed case of COVID-19 and they are working with families and students to ensure tight protocols are in place. If you have a student or family member at Vaughn Occupational High School, we ask that you inform us and follow all IPDH, CDC and CPS guidelines. As stated before, there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Michigan, but as the number of cases in the U.S. grows, we are taking this very seriously. As testing of COVID-19 becomes more widely available, we may begin to see new cases in the coming days and weeks. Local health departments along with state and federal authorities and local school districts will issue new guidance in the coming days and weeks, and we will keep you updated on changes and its impact on your school. At this time, the local district is not considering closing schools based on the recommendation of local health authorities. We will likely follow local district and authorizer decision making throughout the next few days and weeks.

There are several proactive measures we are taking right now as preventative measures in our schools and beyond, and there are things that you - as families and members of the school community - can do that are critically important as well.

What Distinctive Schools is doing:

Reminding students and encouraging frequent hand washing with soap and warm water, as this is the number one way to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the flu and many other viruses. Also reminding students not to share food or drink.
Ensuring that we have hand sanitizing stations at all schools and in all classrooms.
Refocusing and increasing cleaning duties in all of our schools. Currently, all touch points (light switches, doorknobs, water fountains, etc.) are cleaned daily with an antimicrobial disinfectant on the EPA list of COVID-19 fighting products (VIRAL II/256.). Plans for additional focused deep cleaning of high traffic areas and buildings are in place and being deployed this week. Shared technology devices will also be cleaned frequently.
Suspending any student awards or incentives for “Perfect Attendance.” It is critical that you do not send sick children to school.
Suspending doctors notes from students for absences due to illnesses.
Maintaining visitor logs and protocols as well as sign in procedures at each campus.
Discouraging unnecessary physical contact, including shaking hands, hugging, etc. to limit the spreading of potential viruses. Please do not be offended if your child's teacher does not shake hands and do not feel obligated to offer a hand.
Closely watching attendance and daily illness reports at each of our schools. This is common practice during flu season for Distinctive Schools.
We are also actively monitoring any school-sponsored field trips to determine whether those should be postponed or cancelled. No decisions have been made at this time, but we are following alerts from the State Department, World Health Organization, local districts and CDC and will cancel, if necessary, to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
Cancelling all international business related travel for any DS employees.
Recommending DS staff to postpone, limit or cancel domestic business related travel for any DS employees.
Updating all of our emergency-response plans and procedures. If the situation worsens significantly, please know that we do have an Emergency Operations Plan in place. It is far too early to speculate about any school closures, but know that we are exploring various options and planning is ongoing to ensure that student learning will continue. We are ready to put these plans into action if we need to take additional steps in response to the coronavirus and local district decisions.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Keep your children home when they are sick: This simple guide gives good information about when to send students to school and when to keep them home, but if your child has any of the following symptoms, they should not come to school: fever (without medication), vomiting, diarrhea, undiagnosed rash, green or yellow discharge from nose, an inflamed throat, persistent cough, redness or discharge from the eyes, or an elevated temperature. Preventing the spread of any illness is all of our responsibility, and keeping sick children home will keep all kids safer and stop transmission within schools.
Have a plan in place to pick your children quickly should they become ill at school.
Encourage and help your children wash their hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water is not available, use hand sanitizer. Remind them to avoid touching their eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands and to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
Avoid contact with people who are sick and do not bring your children to visit with people who are ill.
If you travel outside the US, adhere to the CDEC Guidelines: This includes self-quarantines, avoiding non-essential travel & processes for re-entry to our schools: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/faqs.html
If your students travel to a level 2 or 3 CDC COVID-19 warning area, please notify your School Director before returning: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html)
If anyone in your household has traveled to level 2 or 3 CDC COVID-10 warning areas, please let us know and please follow all CDC guidelines.
If any of our school families are expecting to host students from other countries, as part of exchange programs, with recent international travel, we ask you to let us know. In addition, if anyone in your household has traveled to any level 2 & 3 travel notice locations, we ask you to monitor symptoms and follow all CDC guidelines for communication protocols.

Here are some helpful links if you would like more information on COVID-19:

Centers for Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Chicago Government: www.chicago.gov/coronavirus
Wayne County Health Division (including easy to read fact sheets): https://www.waynecounty.com/departments/hhvs/wellness/novel-coronavirus-information.aspx
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (latest data statewide): https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71550_5104_97675---,00.html

If you have any additional questions or are showing any signs of a respiratory illness (similar symptoms to the flu: fever, cough, shortness of breath) please consult your health care professional. We will also update you again as the situation changes and more information becomes available. Finally, COVID-19 does not distinguish between race, nationality, or geographic borders. Stigma and discrimination against the afflicted discourages early reporting of symptoms and further perpetuates community spread.
If there is a concern related to student discrimination, please reach out to your School Director.

We are grateful for your partnership in keeping your children - and all Distinctive Schools students and staff - safe as we navigate through this situation.
Sincerely,

Scott Frauenheim Mike McCarthy
Chief Executive Officer Executive Director of Student Services
Distinctive Schools Distinctive Schools

Actualización familiar sobre el virus COVID-19

Estimadas familias de Distinctive Schools:

Esta es una actualización de nuestro último mensaje del 29 de febrero de 2020 sobre el COVID-19 (coronavirus) y la respuesta y los procedimientos de la red. Debido a que el estado de COVID-19 está cambiando rápidamente tanto en los EE. UU como en el extranjero, estamos monitoreando continuamente la situación y lo actualizaremos regularmente con información a medida que sea pertinente a lo que está sucediendo en su escuela.

Estamos en estrecho contacto con nuestros distritos escolares y autorizadores locales y nos hemos comprometido activamente con los Centros para el Control de Enfermedades (CDC) para garantizar que seguimos la dirección de los expertos en lo que respecta a medidas de seguridad y prevención para nuestros estudiantes y el personal. Seguimos, y seguiremos, siguiendo su guía. Como actualización, las Escuelas Públicas de Chicago anunciaron un caso confirmado de COVID-19 y están trabajando con familias y estudiantes para garantizar la existencia de protocolos estrictos. Si tiene un estudiante o miembro de la familia en Vaughn Occupational High School, le pedimos que nos informe y siga todas las pautas de IPDH, CDC y CPS. Como se indicó anteriormente, no ha habido casos confirmados de COVID-19 en Michigan, pero a medida que aumenta el número de casos en los EE. UU., nos estamos tomando esto muy en serio. A medida que las pruebas de COVID-19 estén más disponibles, podemos comenzar a ver nuevos casos en los próximos días y semanas. Los departamentos de salud locales junto con las autoridades estatales y federales y los distritos escolares locales emitirán una nueva guía en los próximos días y semanas, y lo mantendremos informado sobre los cambios y su impacto en su escuela. En este momento, el distrito local no está considerando cerrar las escuelas según la recomendación de las autoridades sanitarias locales. Probablemente seguiremos la toma de decisiones del distrito local y del autorizador durante los próximos días y semanas.

Hay varias medidas proactivas que estamos tomando en este momento como medidas preventivas en nuestras escuelas y más allá, y hay cosas que ustedes, como familias y miembros de la comunidad escolar, pueden hacer que también son críticamente importantes.

Qué hace Distinctive Schools:

Recordar a los estudiantes y alentar el lavado frecuente de manos con agua tibia y jabón, ya que esta es la forma número uno de prevenir la propagación de COVID-19, la gripe y muchos otros virus. También recordando a los estudiantes que no compartan comida o bebida.
Asegurarnos de tener estaciones de desinfección de manos en todas las escuelas y en todas las aulas.
Reenfocando y aumentando las tareas de limpieza en todas nuestras escuelas. Actualmente, todos los puntos de contacto (interruptores de luz, pomos de las puertas, fuentes de agua, etc.) se limpian diariamente con un desinfectante antimicrobiano en la lista de la EPA de productos de lucha contra COVID-19 (VIRAL II / 256). Los planes para una limpieza profunda focalizada adicional de áreas y edificios de alto tráfico están en su lugar y se implementarán esta semana. Los dispositivos de tecnología compartida también se limpiarán con frecuencia.
Suspender cualquier premio o incentivo estudiantil por "Asistencia perfecta". Es fundamental que no envíe niños enfermos a la escuela.
Suspender las notas de los médicos de los estudiantes por ausencias debido a enfermedades.
Mantener registros y protocolos de visitantes, así como procedimientos de inicio de sesión en cada campus.
Desalentar el contacto físico innecesario, como darse la mano, abrazarse, etc. para limitar la propagación de posibles virus. No se ofenda si el maestro de su hijo no se da la mano y no se siente obligado a ofrecer una mano.
Observando atentamente los informes de asistencia y enfermedades diarias en cada una de nuestras escuelas. Esta es una práctica común durante la temporada de gripe para Distinctive Schools.
También estamos monitoreando activamente cualquier excursión patrocinada por la escuela para determinar si se deben posponer o cancelar. No se han tomado decisiones en este momento, pero estamos siguiendo las alertas del Departamento de Estado, la Organización Mundial de la Salud, los distritos locales y los CDC y cancelaremos si es necesario, para garantizar la seguridad de nuestros estudiantes y personal.
Cancelar todos los viajes internacionales relacionados con negocios para cualquier empleado de DS.
Recomendar al personal de DS que posponga, límite o cancele los viajes domésticos relacionados con negocios para cualquier empleado de DS.
Actualización de todos nuestros planes y procedimientos de respuesta a emergencias. Si la situación empeora significativamente, sepa que tenemos un plan de operaciones de emergencia. Es demasiado pronto para especular sobre el cierre de cualquier escuela, pero sepa que estamos explorando varias opciones y que la planificación continúa para garantizar que el aprendizaje de los estudiantes continuará. Estamos listos para poner en práctica estos planes si necesitamos tomar medidas adicionales en respuesta a las decisiones del coronavirus y del distrito local.

QUÉ PUEDE HACER:

Mantenga a sus hijos en casa cuando estén enfermos: esta guía simple brinda buena información sobre cuándo enviar a los estudiantes a la escuela y cuándo mantenerlos en casa, pero si su hijo tiene alguno de los siguientes síntomas, no debe asistir a la escuela: fiebre (sin medicación), vómitos, diarrea, erupción cutánea no diagnosticada, secreción verde o amarilla de la nariz, garganta inflamada, tos persistente, enrojecimiento o secreción de los ojos, o temperatura elevada. Prevenir la propagación de cualquier enfermedad es nuestra responsabilidad y mantener a los niños enfermos en casa los mantendrá más seguros y detendrá la transmisión dentro de las escuelas.
Tenga un plan para recoger a sus hijos rápidamente si se enferman en la escuela.
Anime y ayude a sus hijos a lavarse las manos con frecuencia con jabón y agua tibia durante al menos 20 segundos. Si no hay agua y jabón disponibles, use desinfectante para manos. Recuérdeles que eviten tocarse los ojos, la nariz o la boca con las manos sin lavar y que se cubran la boca y la nariz con un pañuelo o una manga superior al toser o estornudar.
Evite el contacto con personas enfermas y no traiga a sus hijos a visitar a personas enfermas.
Si viaja fuera de los EE. UU., Adhiérase a las Pautas del CDEC: esto incluye las cuarentenas, evitando los viajes y procesos no esenciales para el reingreso a nuestras escuelas: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/faqs.html
Si sus estudiantes viajan a un área de advertencia de CDC COVID-19 de nivel 2 o 3, notifiquen al Director de su escuela antes de regresar: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html)
Si alguien en su hogar ha viajado a las áreas de advertencia de CDC COVID-10 de nivel 2 o 3, infórmenos y siga todos los CDC pautas
Si alguna de nuestras familias escolares espera recibir estudiantes de otros países, como parte de programas de intercambio, con viajes internacionales recientes, le pedimos que nos lo haga saber. Además, si alguien en su hogar ha viajado a cualquier lugar de notificación de viaje de nivel 2 y 3, le pedimos que controle los síntomas y siga todas las pautas de los CDC para los protocolos de comunicación.

Aquí hay algunos enlaces útiles si desea obtener más información sobre COVID-19:

Centros para el Control de Enfermedades: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Gobierno de Chicago: www.chicago.gov/coronavirus
Wayne County Health Division (incluidas hojas informativas fáciles de leer): https://www.waynecounty.com/departments/hhvs/wellness/novel-coronavirus-information.aspx
Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Michigan (datos más recientes en todo el estado): https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71550_5104_97675---,00.html

Si tiene alguna pregunta adicional o muestra signos de una enfermedad respiratoria (síntomas similares a la gripe: fiebre, tos, falta de aliento), consulte a su profesional de la salud. También lo actualizaremos nuevamente a medida que la situación cambie y haya más información disponible. Finalmente, COVID-19 no distingue entre raza, nacionalidad o fronteras geográficas. El estigma y la discriminación contra los afectados desalientan la notificación temprana de los síntomas y perpetúa aún más la propagación de la comunidad.
Si hay una preocupación relacionada con la discriminación estudiantil, comuníquese con el Director de su escuela.

Agradecemos su colaboración para mantener seguros a sus hijos y a todos los estudiantes y el personal de Distinctive Schools, mientras navegamos por esta situación.
Sinceramente,

Scott Frauenheim Mike McCarthy
Director Ejecutivo Director Ejecutivo de Servicios Estudiantiles
Distinctive Schools Distinctive Schools

The Secret to Mentoring | Distinctive Schools Mentors

1/21/2020

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The Secret to Mentoring

Our middle school students are learning about self-direction and self-management, facing challenges head on, and finding success – both inside and outside of the classroom. Distinctive Schools teachers and leaders recognize how mentoring is beneficial for both their students and their practice, “Being a mentor has impacted my practice, it has given me a whole new insight into learning from a student lens.” says Rachael Beucher, Assistant Director of CICS Prairie, “Mentoring has changed the way I hold students accountable in my class.”

Did you know that January is National Mentoring Month? We asked Distinctive leaders to nominate mentors who have made an impact on the teaching and learning in their schools. We’re excited to celebrate the impact of these mentors, and share a few keys for implementing a mentoring program in your classroom.

“You have to build trust and a strong relationship with students before anything else. Most of my beginning sessions don’t focus on academics as I get to know the students better. They need to know that, as their mentor, they can come to you about anything, not just schoolwork,” shared Frank Cademartori, music teacher at CICS Irving Park. Mentoring has allowed students to see a new side to Mr. Cademartori, “It’s totally different from my job as an enrichment teacher, and has allowed me to connect with students in a new and meaningful way. It allows them to see that I am more than the content that I teach.”

Building trust is an important component to mentoring. “It takes time to set a solid foundation of trust. Authenticity, transparency, and consistency in my actions helps students to identify who I am as an educator and mentor,” shared Le’Ka’le Darden, sixth grade science teacher at CICS Bucktown. “Starting the year with questions about who they are, what's important to them, and what support they think they will need allows me to learn more about them as well.”

When asked about her approach to mentoring, Traci McCullough, eighth grade teacher at CICS Bucktown, shared “My strategy is to help my students help themselves. I help them to build on their strengths, so they gain self-confidence to chase the challenge.” Being a mentor has impacted Traci’s classroom and the way she teaches; the relationships built through mentoring time deepens her understanding of student learning. It has changed the way Traci communicates with her students and families, and made it easier to assist students in meaningful goal setting.

If you are considering a mentoring practice for your classroom, we have three keys to help you get started:

Start small. Building relationships by taking a few intentional minutes with your students each week has incredible benefits. Students love having a specific person they can talk to and trust at school, and when they feel safe and cared for, it leads to increased attendance and academic performance. The amount you gain is exponentially more than what you put in!
Be patient and understand that mentoring is a process. It takes time to get to know your students. A great entry point in your conversation is to focus on goals that students set for themselves. Once you've identified personal goals, you can strategize with them to meet their goals, identify their strengths and areas of growth, and build a foundation of trust. With time and trust, you can start to peel back the layers and help them identify areas outside of school that might affect their performance. Once you're both ready, you can begin to dive into some social-emotional work that will not only help them academically, but in their life outside of school as well.
Focus on your students as individuals and problem solvers. Mentoring helps to satisfy so many needs that learners have today. In addition to the incredible insights you can gain as a teacher, meeting student needs for academic and social-emotional learning allows you to help students grow in immeasurable ways. Your role is not to solve problems for your students; mentors equip students with the tools they need, and remind students of the tools they already have to problem solve. By focusing on individual needs and problem solving, mentors help students to become more self-directed and successful in their education and beyond.

Self-direction, self-awareness, self-management – they’re qualities that so many adults struggle with, and so deeply embedded on the path to success. These complex and individualized concepts can be difficult to teach, but as a network committed to the value of student voice and self-directed learning, we recognize that students need someone in their corner to help students navigate.

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Distinctive Citizen 2019 – Diana Rauner!

10/17/2019

The mission of Distinctive Schools is to support each child in becoming an engaged and curious learner, as well as ensure that each and every one of our students thrive in college, career and life. Through community support, we are able to provide all our students the tools and resources they need to be successful in, and outside of the classroom. This year, Distinctive Schools is excited to honor an individual who truly embodies the role of a Distinctive Citizen.

A Distinctive Citizen is someone who embodies the Distinctive Schools Mission & Vision:

A Distinctive Citizen is committed to social justice, and the elevation of access and achievement in underserved communities.
A Distinctive Citizen is a creative problem solver, hold high expectations, and honors diversity, collaboration, and optimism.
A Distinctive Citizen is a civic leader, with a longstanding influence of community-enhancing laws, regulations and policies, who has made a positive impact on the communities they serve.
A Distinctive Citizen is a role model who has a measurable impact on the vision and transformation of communities.
A Distinctive Citizen contributes to innovation; the betterment of an existing or new program that helps to improve the lives of America’s children and families.

Diana Mendley Rauner, Ph. D., learned early from her parents the importance of participating in the community. As a young adult, Diana spent time volunteering at a settlement house in New York to help teach ex-offenders to read. After witnessing the education inequities in our country first-hand, she realized this was an issue she wanted to focus on long term. Today, Diana serves as President of the Ounce of Prevention Fund, based in Chicago, with impact across the country.

The Ounce is a public-private partnership that provides and advocates for the highest-quality care and education for children in poverty from birth to age five. With an operating budget of approximately $74 million, the Ounce develops direct center-based and home-based programs and services to children and families, provides professional development tools and trainings to scale best practices within the field, innovates new solutions for continuous quality improvement, and advocates for effective public policies and funding.

Diana joined the Ounce staff in 2007 and was appointed president in January 2011, having previously served as an Ounce board member. Prior to joining the Ounce, Diana was a Senior Research Associate at Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago and an associate at private equity firms in San Francisco and Chicago.

Diana holds a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of Chicago, an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a B.A. from Yale University. She and her husband, Bruce, are the proud parents of six children and grandparents of Ella, aged one.

We look forward to sharing more about the impact Diana has made in Chicago and throughout the country as we honor her at the Distinctive Schools Gala! To learn more about the Gala and purchase your tickets, visit: https://www.distinctiveschools.org/gala.html

SEL & PRIDE at Distinctive Schools

6/19/2019

Guest post by Sarah Gaw, SEL Network Coordinator for Distinctive Schools. Sarah works to support positive student behaviors, social-emotional learning, and coaching teachers across the Distinctive Schools network. Her work ensures that the PRIDE framework is aligned with PBIS and integrates SEL competencies into the school culture in order to support broad student growth and development.

PRIDE at Distinctive Schools

PRIDE at Distinctive Schools stands for: Problem Solving – Responsibility – Integrity – Drive – and Empathy, all traits we look to instill in our students. Problem Solving: Student ability to plan, strategize, and implement complex tasks. Responsibility: Student disposition and ability to reliably meet commitments and fulfill obligation of challenging roles. Integrity: Student quality of being honest and exhibiting strong moral principles. Drive: Student capacity to take action, sustain motivation, and persevere through challenges toward an identified goal. Empathy: Student ability to relate to others with acceptance, understanding, and sensitivity to their diverse perspectives and experiences.

At the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year, Distinctive Schools welcomed new members to our community, the PRIDE Mascots! These characters shared the PRIDE characteristics with our youngest scholars. To help celebrate their arrival to the Distinctive Schools family, the PRIDE Mascots hosted a design contest for all students. Students were encouraged to write a story, song, comic strip, movie, (anything!) that shared the story of one or more of the PRIDE Mascots as they demonstrated the characteristics of PRIDE. Three submissions were chosen as winners and I had the pleasure of interviewing their creators.

Students Edwin, Giovanni, and Isabella, from the 3rd and 4th grade Team Ohana at CICS West Belden submitted a booklet of cartoons.

When you heard about the design challenge, what were you most excited about?

Isabella: I was excited when I heard about problem solving because I always problem solve in the classroom. I had the perfect idea for the challenge!

Edwin: Me and another friend are always talking about cartoons, so I was ready for it.

How did you decide or come up with your comic strip? The story?

Isabella: I had different ideas in my mind, like using the different mascots. I was like, why don’t I do problem solving, because it’s kind of like drive at the same time.

Edwin: I did drive because you go above and beyond what is usual.

Giovanni: I always lose my stuff, then I clean up and then I find it. So, I used a personal example.

What do you want other students to know about PRIDE or the PRIDE Mascots?

Isabella: They should start showing PRIDE and should do it everywhere, not just in the school, but at home or outside.

Giovanni: Respect the PRIDE mascots, always do what they do and keep working hard.

What was a lesson you learned because of the PRIDE Mascot Design Challenge?

Edwin: I learned that I wasn’t really looking for the award, I was just looking forward to drawing. I know that you don’t always win.

Isabella: I didn’t think that I would really win, but I put in lots of effort and believed in myself.

Giovanni: I enjoy coloring and making comics, because it’s my favorite thing to do. I learned to always keep your things neat and organized.

In addition to the 3rd and 4th graders in Team Ohana at CICS West Belden, CICS Irving Park 3rd grader Sophia won for an individual submission. I sat down with Sophia as she shared her design process with me:

Sophia, you are a very talented artist. What were you most excited about when you heard about the contest?

Sophia: I knew I was going to do it because I was really good at drawing pandas and I knew a problem solving situation already, and so when I got home, I told my Mom about it and I got my markers ready, and got started on it.

Where did the idea for your story come from? What was your inspiration?

Sophia: I was jump roping with friends. My friend Ava was in line for the jump rope and she found a cool hula hoop and she played with it, but when she came back she wanted to have her spot back in line, and she had a conflict with a person in the line already. They came up with the idea of doing rock paper scissors, and that’s how they decided who would go first in line.

Which is your favorite PRIDE mascot? Why?

Sophia: The problem solving panda because I am a problem solver and I like problem solving and I like pandas, and so I like Problem Solving Panda because she likes to problem solve and I like to problem solve in class.

What do you want other students to know about PRIDE or the PRIDE Mascots?

Sophia: I would like students to know that even when the teacher isn’t looking, you can still show PRIDE. We should show PRIDE so that we can show our classmates that we care about them. You can show PRIDE not just at school, but anywhere.

Can you share something that you learned as a result of the design challenge?

Sophia: I learned that I can be a drawer even though I thought that I was not good at drawing when I was younger. It taught me that I can be confident in my drawing and it also helped to teach me about PRIDE through my story. People in the world can show PRIDE in the world to strangers, but if someone needs help you should be an upstander, and if they take it offensively, you can say sorry, but you should be an upstander to your community, to your teachers, and your friends.

Finally, our grand prize winning submission was awarded to Ms. Gupton’s first grade class at Distinctive College Prep: Redford! The first graders shared a compilation of skits that incorporated the PRIDE Mascots helping students display each of the characteristics. I had the pleasure of interviewing three of the actors, Maliyah, Aiden, and Jo’Lla.

Thinking back to when Ms. Gupton explained the design contest, what were you most excited about?

Maliyah:I was excited when we got to work on Integrity.
Jo’Lla: I was excited about everything, and we never gave up. I liked the part that I was in.

Which is your favorite PRIDE mascot?

Aiden: Integrity because when you have to do the right thing when the teacher isn’t looking.
Maliyah: Problem Solving Panda because he solves problems and you help people when they are having problems.

What do you want other students to know about PRIDE or the PRIDE Mascots?

Jo’Lla: I want students to know about integrity because it’s my favorite and I want them to know that it’s important to do right even when the teacher isn’t looking.
Aiden: I want them to always listen to the teacher- you can always listen, you just have to try every time.
Maliyah: I want students to make good choices and to listen.

The design challenge was a big project. What was something that you learned?

Aiden: We learned more about PRIDE.
Jo’Lla: I learned that we can always listen and you can always show the PRIDE characteristics. I really love this school because it’s like a friend to me. My school is the best ever!

This year, we were so proud to welcome the PRIDE Mascots into our communities. Students spent the year thinking about the PRIDE Mascots and encouraging PRIDE behavior in each other. The PRIDE Mascots look forward to next school year and continuing to celebrate each student and the PRIDE they show every day!

–Sarah Gaw, Distinctive Schools SEL Network Coordinator

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