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Chicago Teachers Union head Marilyn Stewart condemned school closing decisions.

Phillips and McCorkle under punishing vote
by Daschell M. Phillips

The Chicago Board of Education voted unanimously to alter eight schools including Phillips Academy High School and McCorkle Elementary School.
In January Chicago Public Schools CEO Ron Huberman compiled a list of 14 schools that he proposed for closings, consolidations or turnarounds including Phillips, 244 E. Pershing Rd., McCorkle, 4421 S. State St., and Mollison Elementary School, 4415 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, which was one of the schools later removed from the list.
Huberman recommended that the board close McCorkle because of the poor condition of its facility and have its students moved to Beethoven Elementary School, 25 W. 47th St. He said Beethoven will receive $8.5 million in capital improvements during the summer to accommodate the influx of students.
Due to its low performance, Phillips was recommended for an Academy for Urban School Leadership turnaround that will leave the students in place while restaffing the teachers and administrators.
“This is a sad day for public education in Chicago,” said Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd), who was the first to speak during the public testimony session of the board meeting last Wednesday. “This whole process was rushed, not transparent or inclusive.”
She said schools are being penalized for years of disenfranchisement from CPS and if Huberman would have adopted her resolution for a one-year moratorium on school closings for at least three months that would have “been a proper step.”
“I’m extremely disappointed but not surprised by today’s vote,” said Marilyn Stewart, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, who called CPS’ culture of calm a culture of chaos for announcing school closings a few weeks before ISAT testing began.
At the board meeting, Anna Paglia, wife of a McCorkle teacher, said if the McCorkle building is in such a dire condition why are the current students allowed to stay there until the end of the school year.
“If the building is not safe we should sue CPS for endangering our children,” Paglia said.
Martha Idewu, member of the Phillips Alumni Association, said she was in favor a school closing moratorium that was introduced by Dowell and Ald. Freddrenna Lyle (6th). Huberman agreed to work closely with the association to determine what changes would be made to Phillips in the turnaround.
d.phillips@hpherald.com


  Mollison spared closure
by Daschell M. Phillips

Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Ron Huberman has taken four schools, including Mollison Elementary School, off of his list of proposed school actions following a series of public and community hearings.
Mollison, 4415 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., was on a list of 14 schools proposed by Huberman for closure, phase-out, consolidation or turnaround. Due to chronic low performance, Mollison was being proposed for consolidation with Wells Prep, a Renaissance 2010 small school that shares space in the Phillips Academy High School building. Phillips was proposed — and recently approved by the board — for turnaround.
According to CPS’ new “value added” system, Mollison received probation status due to its attendance level of 92 percent —CPS requires at least 95 percent — and because of its declining ISAT scores in math between 2006 and 2009, its fluctuating science scores and the fact that none of the students in the school’s highest grade level met or exceeded state standards.
The value added system is a measure of a school’s impact on students’ yearly academic growth. The value-added methodology compares average student academic growth in a school to the average growth of similar students district-wide, according to CPS. The system has been using this metric for two years.
At its public hearing earlier this month Mollison staff and teachers refuted claims that the school was one of the lowest performing schools in the city. Mollison’s report showed that six schools in Bronzeville are lower performing on the ISAT and 14 schools in CPS’ Area 13 —Mollison’s school area — are lower performing on the ISAT. About 74 schools citywide received a performance policy index lower than Mollison’s 19 percent in 2009.
Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd) and state Sen. Mattie Hunter (D-3) also lent their support to the efforts of keeping Mollison from consolidation.
A week after the hearing, Huberman announced that Mollison would not be consolidated with Wells Prep because CPS officials questioned whether the Wells Prep’s educational model would transfer comfortably to Mollison.
Robert Runcie, chief administrative officer for CPS, said Wells Prep would remain inside the Phillips building with the same faculty and staff despite the high school’s turnaround.
“Our goal in fighting for Mollison was advocating for what is best for our kids, their families and their safety,” said Mollison teacher, Laura Meili, in a written statement.
Meili said it was satisfying that the Board of Education “listened genuinely to our case. It validated the efforts of the dedicated Mollison family to know our true story was heard.”
d.phillips@hpherald.com

Must-see chamber event tomorrow

The Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce wants Hyde Parkers to know they don’t have to leave the neighborhood to get many of the goods and services they need — but the product might be tucked away.
“We have a lot of hidden gems that people don’t know anything about,” said Lenora Austine, executive director of the chamber.
To shed light on some of those businesses, the chamber is launching a “First Thursdays in Hyde Park” series this week, which will explore Hyde Park businesses street by street.
“We’re doing this business street by business street,” explained Austin.
The chamber highlights 47th Street in its first meeting. Austin noted that C’est Si Bon, 641 E. 47th St., moved to the street from Harper Court.
“C’est Si Bon moved over there, and people may not know that,” Austin said.
She also said Hyde Parkers might not know about all of the products and activities at Little Black Pearl, 1060 E. 47th St.
Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce Board President Susan Walker said the event is an opportunity for both businesses and residents to get to know each other.
“There’s always a little more you can know about your community, even in a place as close-knit as Hyde Park,” Walker said.
The Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural “First Thursday in Hyde Park” event will be held on March 4 in the mansion at 4750 S. Drexel Blvd. from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

  Ickes goes the way of neighbors
by Sam Cholke

After 55 years, Harold Ickes Homes’ last six buildings will be demolished before the end of the year.
Only 203 units remain of the public housing complex after 536 units were torn down last year.
Though the remaining buildings at and around 2326 S. Dearborn St. have been fixed up, there has been an exodus of residents from the public housing complex. Fifty-one families still live at Ickes, down from 96 families this time last year, according to Matt Aquilar, a spokesman for the Chicago Housing Authority, or CHA.
Families that still live in Ickes two residential buildings will be offered temporary or permanent Section 8 vouchers to subsidize rent in the private housing market or will have the choice to move into a rehabbed public housing building.
For most families, the Chicago Housing Authority Board of Director’s Feb. 16 decision to pursue demolishing Ickes will mean a move out of the neighborhood. The closest remaining public housing is the Dearborn Homes complex, including and around 2840 S. State St., which is not accepting new tenants, according to the CHA Web site.
The CHA applied last week for permission from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, to demolish the two residential and four other remaining buildings at Ickes, according to Donna White, a spokeswoman for HUD.
Aguilar said there are no plans yet for the site.
“A working group consisting of resident and community stakeholders and CHA will be formed to assess the plans for the site,” he said.
The CHA does not need to have any redevelopment plans in place for the site for HUD to approve demolition. In most situations the CHA need not provide a plan for replacement housing.
According to HUD documents forwarded by a department spokesman, the development can be disposed of if “the location of the development is no longer conducive to residential use.”
“It takes anywhere from 30 to 90 days to obtain HUD’s approval. The demolition will not begin until HUD’s approval is obtained,” Aguilar said. “Demolition will take up to six months. It is going to be funded by capital funds.”
The application also requests approval for the demolition of four nonresidential buildings on the site that are used as management offices and warehouse purposes.
The application marks only the second request from CHA to demolish any residential buildings in a year. Last month the CHA submitted a request to demolish 291 units at the LeClair Courts complex in the Archer Heights neighborhood. The trickle of applications is in marked contrast to the flurry of demolition at the start of the last decade, including the teardown of many Bronzeville family housing developments. The formerly notorious State Street Corridor no longer exists and is currently largely replaced by huge swaths of vacant land.
On Feb. 24, CHA also applied to demolish the Washington Park Apartments Resident Service Coordinator Building, 4949 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
s.cholke@hpherald.com

Weekly Outlook - the week starting March 3, 2010

ONGOING

Open houses at Dawson Tech. The Dawson Technical Institute is currently conducting informational sessions about its Construction Technology Center and its programs for bank tellers and cable TV installers. 3901 S. State St. To register, call 773-451-2049

Wednesday, March 3
Jazz masters series. Congo Square featuring Art “Turk” Burton (percussion), with Taalib-din Ziyad (flute/vocals), Leon Q. Allen (trumpet), Ed House (tenor sax), Harrison Bankhead (cello/bass), Sammy Torres (percussion); 9:30 p.m. / Velvet Lounge, 67 E. Cermak Rd. / 312-791-9050 / velvetlounge.net

Craft time. Afterschool crafts for elementary school kids. 3:30-4:30 p.m. / King Branch Library, 3436 S. King Dr. / 312-747-7519

Toddler time. 45-minute lap-sit program designed for children ages 6 months to 3 years. Each emergent literacy program for toddlers will feature books, movement, songs and finger plays. Adults are encouraged to attend and participate during Toddler time. Adults must remain in the library with their children. Free. 11-11:45 a.m. / Hall Public Library Branch, 4801 S. Michigan Ave. / call Jason Driver at 312-747-2541 for registration and availability

Singing salutation. “A Salute to the Divas of Song & Stage” starring Terisa Griffin. Terisa Griffin and special guest Ellis Foster take a musical journey highlighting the accomplishments of such singers as Dinah Washington, Lena Horne, Aretha Franklin and many more. Appropriate for all ages. $5 per person. One chaperone or teacher is admitted free with each 25 students. 10:30-11:30 a.m. / Dusable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th Pl. / 773-947-0600 / dusablemuseum.org

Thursday, March 4
Live jazz. Juli Wood (soprano/tenor sax), Harrison Bankhead (bass), Robert Barry (drums). 8:30 p.m./ Velvet Lounge, 67 E. Cermak Rd. / 312-791-9050 / velvetlounge.net

Friday, March 5
Live jazz. Matana Roberts’ Chicago Project featuring Matana Roberts (saxophones), Jeff Parker (guitar), Harrison Bankhead (bass), Chad Taylor (drums). 9:30 p.m./ Velvet Lounge, 67 E. Cermak Rd. / 312-791-9050 / velvetlounge.net

Saturday, March 6
IIT Admission Visit Day. Prospective students and their families who would like to visit the Illinois Institute of Technology campus can take a tour with one of the student ambassadors and attend a group information session about the admission and financial aid processes. Illinois Institute of Technology, 3300 S. Federal St., Perlstein Hall, Rm 101 / 312-567-5189 / iit.edu/undergrad_admission/visit

Live jazz. Matana Roberts’ Chicago Project featuring Matana Roberts (saxophones), Jeff Parker (guitar), Harrison Bankhead (bass), Chad Taylor (drums). 9:30 p.m./ Velvet Lounge, 67 E. Cermak Rd. / 312-791-9050 / velvetlounge.net

Sunday, March 7
Great Black Music Ensemble. Artistic director Mwata Bowden (woodwinds/ percussion), 7-9 p.m./ Velvet Lounge, 67 E. Cermak Rd. / 312-791-9050 / velvetlounge.net

Jazz jam. Featuring Isaiah Spencer (drums/percussion), with Kevin Nabors (saxes/percussion), Norman Palm (trombone), Adrian Ruiz (keyboards) and Junius Paul (bass/percussion). 9:30 p.m./ Velvet Lounge, 67 E. Cermak Rd. / 312-791-9050 / velvetlounge.net

Monday, March 8
Preschool story time. Story time and craft program for children between the ages of 3-5 years old. 10:30-11:30 a.m. / King Branch Public Library, 3436 S. King Dr. / 312-747-7543

Neighborhood Writing Alliance. The Journal of Ordinary Thought presents a free writing workshop for adults. 4 p.m. / Hall Branch Public Library, 4801 S. Michigan Ave. / 312-747-2541

Tuesday, March 9
Writing workshop. Neighborhood Writing Alliance and the Journal of Ordinary Thought present a free writing workshop for adults. 6 p.m. / King Public Branch Library, 3436 S. King Dr.

Library Web series. How to use the library’s Web site and catalog. Explore the Chicago Public Library’s Web site and its many resources. Get recommendations for books, movies, and music and locate and request them. Discover programs and events, read magazine and newspaper articles, connect to government forms and social services, and much more. No previous computer experience required. 6-7 p.m. / / Hall Branch Public Library, 4801 S. Michigan Ave. / to register call 312-747-2541

Wednesday, March 10
Masters series. Black Earth Ensemble featuring Nicole Mitchell (flutes/vocals). 9:30 p.m./ Velvet Lounge, 67 E. Cermak Rd. / 312-791-9050 / velvetlounge.net

MEETINGS

Thursday
CAPS Beat 234. 6:30 p.m. / Washington Park Field House 5531 S. King Dr. / 312-747-5109

Saturday
RainbowPUSH weekly forum. Rev. Jesse Jackson’s live broadcast is on CAN-TV Ch. 36 and WGRB-AM radio 1390. 10 a.m. / RainbowPUSH headquarters, 930 E. 50th St.

Monday
CAPS Beat 2112. 6:30 -7:30 p.m. / College of Optometry, 3240 S. Indiana Ave., in the conference room / 312-747-2930

Tuesday
CAPS Beat 211. 6:30 p.m, / Davis Apartment Complex, 3632 S. Indiana Ave., in the community room

CAPS Beat 2123 6:30 p.m. / Kennicott Park, 4434 S. Lake Park Ave., / 312 747-2930

Beasley LSC. 6 p.m. / 5255 S. State St. / 773-535-1230

Dyett LSC. 6p.m. / 555 E. 51st St., room 139 / 773-535-1825

Wednesday
CAPS Beats 214/221. 6:30-7:30 p.m. / St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, 4058 S. Michigan Ave., / 312-747-5109


The Weekly Outlook covers community events occurring from Wednesday, the date of this issue, through the following Wednesday. The deadline for event information is noon, Thursday before Wednesday publication. Address details of local events to: Calendar editor, Lakefront Outlook, 1435 E. Hyde Park Blvd., Chicago, IL 60615