Dear CPS Family,

 

We won’t be the first to say that this has been a difficult school year. As leaders of our district, we know the anxiety about school being closed amidst a global health emergency can be exhausting. But we also know that we are a district on the rise because of our people—from our emergency personnel who haven’t taken a day off of work and our dedicated teachers to our remarkable students and families who remain involved every step of the way. We remain on the rise during this challenging time, and even when it feels like we have to be superhuman to provide our young people with the education they deserve, we only need to remind ourselves that we are strong enough to meet the challenge ahead. 

When our schools are open, their value to the community they serve is evident. But in some ways, this value is made clearest when the buildings are closed. Over the past few weeks, we have been amazed by the countless individuals across the district who have selflessly stepped up to assist our school communities. In particular, we want to recognize our food service staff, Safe Passage workers, and school administrators who have worked together to help our schools provide over 4 million meals to families so far. We will continue to support our students for as long as this crisis keeps us apart. 

 

As former CPS teachers, we know that the bonds formed between students, teachers, and administrators can often be best described as magical. It’s encouraging to know that though we are separated, that magic is uniting us in ways that we have never seen before. From Agassiz students leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance every morning to virtual story time with Principal Lavin at Brentano to the Art+ Challenge created by Lindblom art teacher Ms. Crone, our district continues to teach, learn, and grow together. We encourage those seeking inspiration to look no further than your classmates, colleagues, and fellow Chicagoans. 

 

Learning at Home
Today, April 13, marks the beginning of the next phase of this uncharted journey. Our remote learning plans are rooted in the same core values as our Five-Year Vision: providing students with high-quality learning opportunities that meet their unique needs and empowering educators to equitably provide student-centered academic experiences. These values have guided every decision behind these plans, including creating specific resources for engaging students in temporary living situations, diverse learners, and English learners; ensuring instructional resources are available in both digital and printed materials; and distributing more than 100,000 devices to families to support student learning. 

 

If there’s one word we want everyone to lock in on in the coming days, it’s engagement. We should think about how we can engage with and check in on each other to ensure everyone in our CPS family feels supported. Above all else, we need to engage our students so they can continue to reach their full potential. 

 

Even during our toughest days, we should find comfort in knowing this situation is not permanent and we will be reunited soon. Until that time comes, let’s focus on continuing to take care of ourselves and each other. Today, we will be attempting to do in weeks what would normally take years to plan, and we should practice kindness, patience, and grace with each other. There will, undoubtedly, be bumps along the road, but it’s critically important that we continue to support each other until we get to the other side of this global health emergency. Until then, let’s all work to ensure that we have created an environment where students can continue to learn and teachers can continue to teach. 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Janice K. Jackson, EdD        LaTanya D. McDade
Chief Executive Officer        Chief Education Officer
Chicago Public Schools        Chicago Public Schools