CONTRACT TALKS The Chicago Teachers Union advised its 35,000 members to return to their classrooms on Aug. 27 even though it had not reached a collective bargaining agreement with the Board of Education. (Students return to school Sept. 2.) While the union and school board have not publicly discussed the status of the negotiations that began in early May, union officials announced in late August that the two sides had reached agreement on several issues, but that they continue to negotiate over economic issues including salary increases, pensions, health insurance and the length of the school day. The teachers will continue to work under the old contract that expired June 30.
NEW TEACHER HIRES The Chicago Public Schools’ efforts to hire 3,000 new teachers for the 2003-04 school year have yielded 1,854 new hires through mid-August, with 125 applicants receiving job offers after attending a Teacher Career Fair at Navy Pier on July 24. Roughly 1,900 candidates attended the job fair, which was the district’s largest to date. (See CATALYST, June 2003)
MOVING IN/ON Shazia Miller, formerly of the Consortium on Chicago School Research, is the new associate director of research and evaluation in the CPS Office of Research, Evaluation and Accountability. … Gretchen Crosby Sims was named program officer for education at The Joyce Foundation, filling a year-old vacancy for that position. … Anne Hallett, executive director of The Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform, is leaving at the end of the year. A replacement will be named by December. … Mark Rodriguez, who previously oversaw recruiting and admissions for New Leaders for New Schools, an alternative principal certification program, was named director of Changing Worlds, a nonprofit that promotes diversity. A replacement has not been named. … The presidential election of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association has resulted in a run-off. Clarice Jackson-Berry, principal at Fiske, and Linda Layne, retired principal of Brooks College Prep, will face off on ballots sent to members on August 25.
PRINCIPAL CONTRACTS Interim principals who have been awarded contracts: Alejandra Alvarez, Roosevelt High; Gloria J. Fullilove, Ericson; Kenneth Hunter, Prosser High; Arthur Slater, Kenwood Academy; Sunday Uwumarogie, Hinton. … Karen L. Kerr, Bond; Richard D. Kerr, Nash; and Paul G. Ramirez, Stevenson have had their contracts renewed for four years.
PRINCIPAL RETIREMENTS Sandra Renee Satinover, Jenner; Zelma Woodson, former assistant principal, becomes acting principal. … Pierce N. Vaughn, Overton; Loretta Dent, former assistant principal, becomes acting principal … Richard A. Alexander, Woodson North, which closed in June. … Ronald C. Beavers, Chicago Vocational; Dolores Pidgeon, former assistant principal at Marshall High, becomes acting principal. … Franklin L. Blair Jr., Haley; Barbara Sims, former assistant principal, is contract principal. … Delores Rease, Schmid; Linda Langhart, principal administrator for Area 18, is interim principal. Langhart, who was awarded a principal contract at Songhai, will remain at Schmid until a replacement is named.