Catalyst Chicago

Principals yanked from 2 schools

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Clifton Hunt, principal of Oglesby Elementary in Auburn Gresham and Darreyl Young-Gibson, principal of Julian High School in Washington Heights were removed from their posts and, according to a district press release, will be reassigned to other administrative duties. Schools CEO Huberman cited shortfalls in student performance and safety concerns among the reasons for removing the two principals. Careda Taylor, chief of staff in the Office of High School Programs, was tapped as interim at Julian. Principal Rebecca Watson of Reed Elementary will take over at Oglesby. The announcement was made after 5 p.m. Friday, as spring break got under way. 

Catalyst Chicago

Early childhood teaching awards

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Four CPS educators have been named recipients of the 2009 Kohl McCormick Early Childhood Teaching Award for teachers who work with children from preschool through 3rd grade in the Chicago metropolitan area. This year’s winners are: Dayna Darby, a preschool teacher at Talcott Fine Arts; Elizabeth Gross, a 2nd-grade teacher at Legacy Charter School; Camia Hoard, a 1st-grade teacher at Frazier Preparatory; and Lourdes Molina, a preschool teacher at the Belmont-Cragin Early Childhood Center. (Patricia Twymon, a home care provider at Wee are the World Day Care in Calumet City, was also a winner.) The finalists were selected from among 200 nominees and will be inducted into the Kohl McCormick Academy of Outstanding Educators. They will also receive a classroom visit from the Kohl’s StoryBus, a museum on wheels; a classroom field trip and professional development from the Kohl Children’s Museum; a graduate-level course at Chicago’s Erikson Institute; and a $5,000 cash prize. Their school will receive a $1,000 prize. The winners will be honored at a luncheon on June 2 at the Westin Chicago River North.

Catalyst Chicago

College access expert leaves CPS for DC

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Greg Darnieder, the longtime head of the CPS Office of College and Careers, left the district this week to become special assistant on college access to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. While at CPS, Darnieder was credited with establishing a relationship with the National Student Clearinghouse that provided the district with specific information on college enrollment for CPS graduates. He also implemented a pilot program that put college coaches into high schools, with the sole job of boosting college enrollment. Darnieder had recently begun working to retool career and technical education in the district. Before joining CPS, Darnieder was executive director of the Steans Family Foundation and also headed up a youth program in Cabrini-Green called CYCLE. … Monica Rosen, formerly the district’s talent management officer, is now the acting chief of the Office of Principal Preparation and Development. Alicia Haller, the previous interim chief, is no longer with the district.

Catalyst Chicago

Where new schools will be located

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Seven new Renaissance 2010 schools will share space with existing CPS schools this fall, and four more new schools will move into buildings that now house schools slated to close, district officials announced at the March 25 School Board meeting. The seven schools that will share space are: Alcott Liberal Arts High with Schneider Elementary in North Center; Garfield Park Prep Academy with Faraday Elementary in East Garfield Park; Noble Street College Prep (campus yet to be named) in the Cregier Multiplex on the Near West Side; Betty Shabazz Charter Elementary—Barbara Sizemore campus, with Johns Elementary in North Lawndale; South Shore Fine Arts Academy with Fermi Elementary in Woodlawn; Chicago Talent Development High with Tilton Elementary in West Garfield Park; and Urban Prep Academy for Young Men—Garfield Park with Cather Elementary, East Garfield Park. … The four schools that will take over buildings are: Air Force Academy High and the Chicago Academy for Advanced Technology, in the Medill Elementary building, Near West Side; Epic Academy High, in the South Chicago Elementary building; Ogden International High, taking over the Carpenter Elementary campus in West Town.