MOVING IN/ON Vivian Loseth has been promoted from assistant director to executive director of Youth Guidance, a social service agency that works with Chicago Public Schools students in low-income communities. … Mark Larson, former director of education for Lincoln Park Zoo, is the new director of partnerships for the National College of Education at National-Louis University.
AT CLARK STREET Bonnie Roelle is the new director of state-funded preschool and tuition-based preschool in the Office of Early Childhood Education. Roelle was an administrator in the office.
FUNDS FOR SCHOOLS The Chicago chapter of DonorsChoose.org, a national education nonprofit, has won the Amazon.com Nonprofit Innovation Award for raising the most money in an online contest. The group raised $790,000 and will receive a matching grant from Amazon.com. Donors who want to choose a classroom project to support, and teachers who want to submit projects to receive funding, should go to www.DonorsChoose.org.
NATIONAL BOARD INCENTIVES The Chicago Public Education Fund will spend up to $3 million to provide incentives of up to $3,000 to CPS teachers who earn certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. Candidates who successfully complete the year-long preparation process will receive $1,000, and those who go on to earn full certification within two years will receive $2,000.
PRINCIPAL CONTRACTS Interim principals Paula Jeske at Casals and Robert Deckinga at Byrne have been given four-year contracts. … Michele Barton at Metcalfe has had her contract renewed.
AWARDS Barbara Bowman, CPS chief early childhood education officer and co-founder and former president of the Erikson Institute, has won a Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education. Each winner receives $25,000. … Students from three Chicago public schools have won prizes at the National History Day competition in College Park, Md. Marissa Suchyta of Quest Academy won 2nd place and $500 for her documentary on the “Dewey Defeats Truman” Chicago Tribune headline mixup of 1948. Roosevelt High School senior Aruj Chaudhry won 3rd place and a $250 prize. Laura Muller-Soppart, Tomas Manghi, Elizabeth May and Sebastian Prokuski of Lincoln Elementary and Zoe Netter, Charlotte Cook, Eric Jacobson, David Gainski and Lucy Honold of Hawthorne Scholastic Academy won special recognition.
NEW BOOK John Simmons, president of Strategic Learning Initiatives, has written a new book, “Breaking Through: Transforming Urban School Districts.” The book offers guidance for those involved in helping schools raise achievement. Contributors to the book include Linda Darling-Hammond of Stanford University, Richard Elmore of Harvard University and Marc Tucker of the National Center on Education and the Economy. The book is published by Teachers College Press.
NEW LOCATION Designs for Change has moved to 814 S. Western, Chicago, Illinois, 60612. The group’s phone number is (312) 236-7252. The fax number is (312) 236-7927.