Chicago Academy for Advanced Technology
Opening: Fall 2009; location TBD
Management: Contract school, Center for Polytechnical Education
Description: The city and backers of Austin Polytech will open an Information Technology high school in partnership with dozens of tech companies, including heavy hitters like Google and Boeing. The school, an offshoot of high-tech manufacturing apostle Dan Swinney’s Center for Labor and Community Research, will train graduates for entry-level work in computer networking, programming, interactive media and database management. Coursework will align with national standards developed by two recognized computer science and machinery associations, and students will have the opportunity to earn nationally recognized credentials in the field. Designers also are partnering with the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and a group in Seattle to develop fast-track interventions to build students’ basic skills.
Transportation Academy of Chicago
Opening: Fall 2010; location TBD
Management: Performance school, CPS
Description: The district will launch the Transportation Academy in collaboration with the Chicago Transit Authority and other transit groups. Arlana Bedard, slated to be the school’s first principal, says the school is aiming for a downtown location. The academy, she adds, will focus coursework, professional learning experiences and student credentialing on electronics, computer networking and logistics. Affiliations with community colleges and professional training programs will allow students to take college-level coursework and help the school find certified and knowledgeable teachers.
Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy
Opening: Fall 2010; location TBD
Management: Contract school, Instituto Del Progreso Latino
Description: Instituto Del Progreso Latino, a family services organization that helps immigrants settle on Chicago’s Southwest Side, will open a healthcare career academy in partnership with the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council, National Louis University and other groups. With the help of Chicago LEADS (Leading Economic Advancement, Development and Sustainability), the school is building relationships with hospitals, biotech firms and other healthcare outfits that planners say will translate into meaningful internship experiences. Students will have a chance to earn certification in nursing, health technology and health services administration. Instituto President & CEO Juan Salgado says the school will focus on family engagement, also providing workforce development programs for parents.
UNO Charter Academy
Opening: Fall 2010; location TBD in Gage Park
Management: Charter school, UNO Charter School Network
Description: If the city wins its bid to host the 2016 Olympics, graduates of the UNO Charter Academy in Gage Park will be well positioned. The school will stretch its college preparatory curriculum to include career training for the hospitality business—an industry expected to blossom with the hosting of the Olympics.