Distinctive Schools Blog - Distinctive Schools

Kasey Lewis: Trailblazer!

11/1/2018

Trailblazer teachers and staff hold a vital role in developing school reform, and we are grateful for their innovation, commitment, and dedication to our network! This month we are featuring a Trailblazing Teacher from CICS West Belden.

This month's Trailblazer works tirelessly to understand the needs of her students, and personalize the experiences they have each day. She builds close relationships with all of her students and makes sure the experiences they have at school each day match their personal needs - both as a student and as a person. She is so in tune with what her students need, and is their strongest advocate, mentor, and cheerleader. She serves as an incredible thought-partner and pushes all teachers at CICS West Belden to be the very best they can be. She is absolutely amazing and is truly a Distinctive Trailblazer!

The students and staff at CICS West Belden are so fortunate to have this Trailblazer teaching alongside them. Please join us in congratulating a Trailblazing Teacher, Ms. Kasey Lewis!

Ms. Kasey Lewis: Featured Trailblazer!

Dana DeMaria: Trailblazer!

9/5/2018

Trailblazer teachers and staff hold a vital role in developing school reform, and we are grateful for their innovation, commitment, and dedication to our network! This month we are featuring a Trailblazing Teacher from CICS Bucktown.

This month's Trailblazer has fully embraced personalized learning in her classroom. She takes the time to get to know each students' strengths and needs, both personally and emotionally. She sets high expectations for all and truly believes that, with ongoing and personalized support, all learners can achieve. This Trailblazer truly embodies what it means to be "Distinctive"! She worked tirelessly over the summer, partnering with the Academic Team, to plan and facilitate multiple sessions during New Teacher Institute. Her participation and natural leadership were instrumental in ensuring that our new teachers feel prepared and excited for the year ahead.

The students and staff at CICS Bucktown are so fortunate to have this Trailblazer leading and teaching alongside them. Please join us in congratulating a Trailblazing Teacher, Ms. Dana DeMaria!

Ms. Dana DeMaria: Featured Trailblazer!

The ISTE Experience

8/24/2018

Distinctive Schools at ISTE 2018

The International Society for Technology in Education, more popularly known as ISTE, held their annual conference in Chicago, Illinois this past summer. This conference is known to be the epicenter of everything edtech, and included powerful ideas, inspirational speakers, and networking events to connect with fellow innovative educators who share a passion for transformative learning.

One Distinctive Schools teacher, Matthew (Matt) Freiburger from Chicago International Charter School (CICS) Prairie, managed by Distinctive Schools, had the opportunity to attend the ISTE conference during his summer break. Matt shared his experience below:

What I Did This Summer:
One Distinctive Schools Teacher ISTE Experience

Guest Post by Matthew Freiburger

From robots to 3D printers to maker spaces, as a teacher I hear a lot of trendy tech integration being pushed these days. The innovations that exist in education through the deeper integration of technology is truly exciting but I find myself needing to sift through and find what I can integrate into the classroom.

At ISTE the first trend I noticed was a larger focus on STEAM for early learners. The expo featured many coding products that incited problem solving at early ages. My favorite of these products was a “bee-bot” it allows for children to program the robot by pressing a series of buttons and then pressing play. With it’s easy set up of just the robot and a pictorial grid it’s an easy activity to integrate into any kinder or first grade classroom. If you’re like me and concerned about having a cost effective way to do the same type of thing, consider making your own pictorial grid, and having students “program” each other to certain spaces. This will help them later apply the skill to programs like code.org.

The integration of virtual reality goggles into classroom settings is another trend that is on the rise. Virtual reality goggles can be used for virtual field trips and experiential learning opportunities, but the idea of every child in the classroom having access to them seems like a bit of a far fetched idea. Again, if you’re like me and want to expose kids to virtual field trips and virtual learning consider this idea, create a National Geographic account, or simply go on YouTube and look up “National Geographic 360 videos” then turn off the lights in the room and create a rectangular prism that can be placed on the outside of the screen. This will give children the experience of virtual reality through 360 videos while experiencing it on their own terms as they cut off the world around them for a while.

Lastly, in my time at ISTE my absolute favorite sessions to attend were “Google Education” sessions. They taught us selfishly how to access free programming that allows students to experience the entire world around them as well as become change agents in their communities. For teachers they offered ways to take data, store data and (boost) the curriculum we teach while still appeasing the common core state standards. The following are some of the programs google offers, and their functions:

Google translate: have conversations translated real time in conferences with microphone feature.
Google poly: create 360 tours pick locations, service learning projects.
Google expeditions: create classroom expeditions as a class
Google experiment: play guess who for science/ literacy/ history

The integration of technology in the classroom is amazing for our students, when the practice is done with cross disciplinary instruction in mind every student we come into contact with has the ability to broaden the way they learn, and make connections with the world and their own communities.

Matt was able to attend the ISTE conference through the Wired to Learn grant award from Relativity Gives. To learn more about the award, read our post CICS Prairie: Wired to Learn.

Distinctive Leadership | Executive Team

7/11/2018

Distinctive Schools is excited to announce an evolution to our executive leadership team structure, aimed to better address the needs of the staff, students, and families we serve.

“Growth of our leadership team is designed to best position Distinctive Schools for the future, so we can continue to grow student achievement and positively impact our school communities.” said Dr. Joseph Wise, Distinctive Schools Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “Ultimately, with these new roles, we will be able to make great strides in education and begin the 2018-19 school year with success.”

The additions to the executive leadership team include the appointment of Brianna Terrell as Chief Strategy Officer and Erin Lanoue as Chief Operations Officer. Terrell and Lanoue will join the executive leadership team, working closely with Scott Frauenheim, President, and Dr. Jennifer Ferrari, Vice President and Chief Schools Officer.

“Both Brianna and Erin bring a wealth of talent and invaluable perspective to our work, and their unique expertise will strengthen our collective efforts to offer high-quality public education opportunities for our students.” said Dr. Ferrari.

Terrell previously served as Network Chief of Staff for the past year. In her new role, she will be responsible for overseeing Distinctive Schools’ partnerships, development, school growth, and strategic initiatives. In bringing these components together, Distinctive Schools sees the opportunity to share best practices and leverage skills across the organization.

“After a thorough and thoughtful planning process, Brianna was the clear choice to lead strategy at Distinctive Schools,” said Frauenheim. “She is an accomplished, results-oriented, and high-integrity leader with a track record of improving organizational efficiency. We are looking forward to having Brianna lead our strategy and development work into the future.”

With experience as a management consultant at Deloitte and an Education Pioneers fellow, Terrell brings a new perspective to Distinctive Schools through valuable resources and best practices in organizational development and planning.

Newly appointed Chief Operations Officer, Erin Lanoue brings operational and charter school expertise to the executive leadership team. She will assume responsibility for operations, talent, finance, and marketing at Distinctive Schools, as well as be responsible for the alignment and prioritization of these teams to the schools to ensure operational excellence across the organization.

Lanoue is a seasoned and trusted leader who continuously delivers results. Prior to this appointment, she successfully led operations for Charter Schools USA and served in leadership roles with Chicago International Charter School for over ten years. She has overseen effective growth of school sites, as well as improved administrative and school procedures and strategic planning.

“Distinctive Schools will benefit greatly. We are excited to appoint a highly respected charter leader like Erin as COO, and be able to leverage her tremendous experience in education.” said Dr. Wise.

Frank Cademartori: Trailblazer!

6/1/2018

Trailblazer teachers and staff hold a vital role in developing school reform, and we are grateful for their innovation, commitment, and dedication to our network! This month we are featuring a Trailblazing Teacher from CICS Irving Park.

This month's Trailblazer is passionate about opening the minds of his students. He works to integrate the arts, to develop students' critical thinking, and works to make the world a better place. This trailblazer is always looking to improve his practice, and is always willing to share and learn from his experiences. He has developed partnerships within the CPS Arts Community, hosted and presented district-wide professional development opportunities at CICS Irving Park, and recently earned his masters in Teaching and Inquiry. He listens to his students, and adapts his instructional practice to meet student needs. He provides real-world experiences in the arts, and has truly made an impact on our community!

We feel so fortunate to have him at CICS - Irving Park, please join us in congratulating a Trailblazing Teacher, Mr. Frank Cademartori!

Mr. Frank Cademartori: Featured Trailblazer!

Follow up with Frank! Read more about his work on his blog, A Sound Mind.

Distinctive Schools Establishes National Board of Directors:

4/10/2018

Distinctive Schools National Board of Directors:

Chicago, IL (April 4, 2018) Distinctive Schools announced the establishment of its National Board of Directors that will help guide Distinctive Schools as an educational practice leader committed to social justice and the elevation of access and achievement for all students.

Distinctive Schools began its journey in May of 2011, with the mission to ensure successful futures for all of its students. Today, in partnership with Chicago International Charter School (CICS), Distinctive Schools currently manages four K-8 elementary schools in Chicago: CICS Bucktown, CICS Irving Park, CICS Prairie, and CICS West Belden. In the northern region of Minneapolis, in partnership with Innovative Quality Schools, Distinctive Schools manages Minnesota Excellence in Learning Academy (MELA), and at the start of the 2017-2018 school year, Distinctive Schools proudly partnered with Central Michigan University in the opening of its newest school, Distinctive College Prep – Harper Woods, a K-3 charter school, adding grade levels each year through grade eight.

“We are ready for an expanded set of minds to help us serve our students, families, communities, and staff. Our Distinctive Schools educational model is fueled by innovation and informed by cutting-edge research and best practice, and, we believe with the establishment of our National Board of Directors, we will be able to continuously innovate as a network,” stated Dr. Joseph Wise, Chairman of the Board and CEO at Distinctive Schools. “The board that we have assembled embodies the spirit of positively impacting K-12 education, and brings education expertise, talent and energy to the table. We expect them to help us continue to innovate, trailblaze, and collaboratively lead a public education transformation, as well as help build a new narrative for what our nation’s education should look like today.”

The Distinctive Schools National Board of Directors consists of leaders, representing a diverse group of institutions including acclaimed education organizations, universities and K-12 academies. The Distinctive National Board of Directors are

Nelson Broms, Strategic Advisor, Distinctive Schools Board of Directors
Jackie Cornelius, Executive Director, The Douglas Anderson School of the Arts Foundation
Dr. Denise Davis-Cotton, Florida Coordinator for the Partnerships for Arts Integrated Teaching, University of South Florida
Aarti Dhupelia, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, National Louis University
Scott Frauenheim, President and Chief Operating Officer, Distinctive Schools
Dr. Eric Smith, Former Florida Commissioner of Education
David Sundstrom, JD, Co-Founder and Chief Administrative Officer, Distinctive Schools
William Tudor, Former Executive Vice President, NWEA
Dr. Joseph Wise, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Distinctive Schools
Dr. Kenneth Wong, Walter and Leonore Annenberg Chair of Education Policy, Brown University

William Tudor greeting a CICS Bucktown student on the school tour.

Dr. Denise Davis-Cotton greets a student from CICS Bucktown

As national thought leaders in the area of personalized learning, Distinctive Schools fosters learning environments that honor each individual and nurture the whole learner, and through a highly personalized model of instruction and supports, students develop a strong sense of agency and confidence and consistently exceed national norms on both growth and attainment targets.

“We believe our National Board of Directors represent the apogee of education today. We are very fortunate to learn and work with them, and to utilize their unique skill sets and expertise to continue to strengthen Distinctive Schools,” stated Scott Frauenheim, President and COO at Distinctive Schools. “The new board will strengthen support in all areas of the organization while continuing to positively impact student achievement. It is an exciting step for Distinctive Schools.”

Ciara Cox: Trailblazer!

4/2/2018

Trailblazer teachers and staff hold a vital role in developing school reform, and we are grateful for their innovation, commitment, and dedication to our network! This month we are featuring a Trailblazing Teacher from Distinctive College Prep (DCP) - Harper Woods.

This month's Trailblazer uses personalized learning to create an engaging and rich classroom environment. Her students take ownership of the progress they are making, guided by a combination of their own goals and standards-based targets. Student ownership and independence allows this trailblazer to individualize instruction, provide intervention, and give feedback to her students. She is willing to do whatever it takes to motivate her students, even working their personalities into daily classroom routines. She encourages her students to think, question, and connect, and she is bringing out the best in her students every day!

We feel so fortunate to have her at DCP - Harper Woods, please join us in congratulating a Trailblazing Teacher, Ms. Ciara Cox!

Ms. Ciara Cox: Featured Trailblazer!

Keona Roberts: Trailblazer!

3/1/2018

Trailblazer teachers and staff hold a vital role in developing school reform, and we are grateful for their innovation, commitment, and dedication to our network! This month we are featuring a Trailblazing Teacher from CICS Prairie.

This month's Trailblazer is leading the way for personalized learning at CICS Prairie. She serves as a thought partner with the LEAP Learning Network, participates in the Frontier pilot for second grade, and was featured as the very first Frontier All-Star teacher in February! This Trailblazer incorporates student choice and voice in her daily practice. Her students use a variety of menus and surveys to explore how they want to learn and demonstrate their learning. Her leadership is helping to trailblaze a strong personalized learning path for everyone at CICS Prairie.

We feel so fortunate to have her at CICS Prairie, please join us in congratulating a Trailblazing Teacher, Ms. Keona Roberts!

Ms. Keona Roberts: Featured Trailblazer!

Rachael Beucher: Trailblazer!

2/1/2018

Trailblazer teachers and staff hold a vital role in developing school reform, and we are grateful for their innovation, commitment, and dedication to our network! This month we are featuring a Trailblazing Teacher from CICS Bucktown.

This month's Trailblazer is passionately committed to education. She is a leader at CICS Bucktown - both in teaching 8th-grade and coaching middle school. Her knowledge and experience with the Summit Learning Platform is incredible. She uses the platform to differentiate materials, meet each of her students at the pace that is right for them, and grade students based on mastery. This leader is a wonderful resource for both students and staff; she spends much of her time mentoring students and building relationships. She is incredibly hardworking, dedicated, and an asset to the team!

We feel so fortunate to have her at CICS Bucktown, please join us in congratulating a Trailblazing Teacher, Ms. Rachael Beucher!

Ms. Rachael Beucher: Featured Trailblazer!

Jamel McNutt: Trailblazer!

12/1/2017

Trailblazer teachers and staff hold a vital role in developing school reform, and we are grateful for their innovation, commitment, and dedication to our network! This month we are featuring a Trailblazing Teacher from our Minnesota campus, Minnesota Excellence in Learning Academy (MELA).

This month's Trailblazer is someone who puts relationship building at the very heart of his work. He is dedicated, always willing to lend a hand, and goes above and beyond for his students and colleagues, even going as far as to ride the bus home to ensure safe travels of his students! This trailblazer is leading the way, and we are so grateful for his commitment to supporting and serving at MELA!

We feel so fortunate to have him at Minnesota Excellence in Learning Academy, please join us in congratulating a Distinctive Trailblazer, Mr. Jamel McNutt!

Mr. Jamel McNutt: Featured Trailblazer!

Kelly Pollack: Trailblazer!

11/1/2017

Trailblazer teachers and staff hold a vital role in developing school reform, and we are grateful for their dedication to our network! This month we are featuring a Trailblazing Teacher from CICS West Belden.

This month's Trailblazer is someone who has a passion for teaching. She has been teaching at CICS West Belden since it first opened in 2002. She is a dedicated leader, who has pushed herself to grow as an educator every year. She is always willing to be a mentor and goes above and beyond for her students and her colleagues. Her energy is contagious, she is a true innovator, and she makes learning so much fun!

We feel so fortunate to have her teaching at CICS West Belden, please join us in congratulating a Trailblazing Teacher, Ms. Kelly Pollack!

Ms. Kelly Pollack: Featured Trailblazer!