Dear CPS Colleagues, Families, and Supporters,
I want to start by congratulating Beatriz W., an eighth-grader from Skinner North Elementary, on being crowned the winner of this year’s CPS Citywide Spelling Bee! The word that sealed the victory for Beatriz was “sauerkraut”, and she will now go on to represent CPS at the 100th Scripps National Spelling Bee later this spring in Washington, D.C. Best of luck to our District’s most accomplished speller!
Supporting Chicago’s Next Generation of Teachers
I’m excited to share that Teach Chicago Tomorrow—our District’s program for helping current CPS students become future CPS educators—is now entering its fifth year! Several members of the original TCT cohort are now student-teaching in our schools, which means that by the start of next school year, they will be taking charge of their own CPS classrooms!
Open to current 12th-graders and recent CPS graduates, TCT provides aspiring educators with the supports and resources they need to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Benefits include academic support while in college, career counseling within the education space, and financial support, including scholarships exclusive to students enrolled in TCT partner schools.
One of the primary goals of this program is to recruit and develop educators of color who our students can identify with, and who share some aspects of their life experience. One of the most powerful ways to do this is by cultivating the talent that already exists within our schools, which is exactly what TCT seeks to do.
The next TCT cohort begins this July, and the program is currently accepting applications from the CPS Class of 2025. I encourage any of our soon-to-be graduates who are considering a career in education to complete the TCT Interest Form and explore this opportunity through a virtual information session.
Options for Getting the Measles Vaccine
As you may have seen reported in the news, cases of measles are currently on the rise throughout the country. Measles is a dangerous virus that is highly contagious; if one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected.
While Chicago has thankfully not had a case reported this year, we want to ensure that everyone in our CPS community is protected against measles. The best way to do that is by making sure you and your children are up to date on the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which provides lifelong protection against measles.
MMR is a required vaccine for CPS. Most people will have gotten the MMR vaccine during childhood. But for those who have not, there are many opportunities to get the vaccine before, during, and after Spring Break. Those traveling internationally should ensure full protection with MMR prior to travel: infants (6 months to 12-month-old) should receive one shot, and anyone older than 12 months should receive 2 shots for full protection before traveling.
CPS offers school-required vaccinations like MMR, and other recommended vaccines at our school-based health clinics, and through our elementary, high school, and charter mobile clinics. Please use these links to schedule an appointment for a vaccine. The week prior to Spring Break is a perfect time to get vaccinated; some locations are even open during Spring Break. Vaccines through CPS are free for those who are uninsured, underinsured, or who have health insurance through Medicaid or Medicare. For those with private insurance, please contact the clinic for details on which insurance carriers they accept.
The Chicago Department of Public Health also offers no-cost vaccines for those who are uninsured or under-insured at four immunization clinics in the city. Click here for details on these clinics. Walk-ins are welcome, but registration is highly encouraged. Create an account and register for an appointment at https://getvaxchi.chicago.gov or by calling the clinic.
Individuals with private insurance or Medicaid/Medicare can also receive vaccines at health care providers or local in-network pharmacies throughout the city. Visit vaccines.gov to find a vaccine provider. Anyone unsure about which providers are in-network should call their health insurance company before getting vaccinated to avoid out-of-network charges.
Honoring 50 Years of Service to Chicago’s Children
Finally today, as we wrap up Crossing Guard Appreciation Month, I want to elevate someone who has been supporting the students of Garvey Elementary for nearly half a century.
Ms. Eugenia Phillips became a crossing guard in the mid 1970s because working with children made her happy. Fifty years later, she says that this is still the case, and that what brings her back year after year is keeping kids safe and giving them love.
There’s no telling how many lives Ms. Phillips has touched during her time with our District. You can read more about her extraordinary CPS journey here.
I urge everyone to nominate a crossing guard who has impacted your life for Chicago’s Crossing Guard of the Year Award by the deadline of Friday, April 25.
Sincerely,
Pedro Martinez
Chief Executive Officer
Chicago Public Schools
Help Us Highlight Your School
We love highlighting the amazing things that are happening day-to-day in our schools, along with the people who are making them happen! Please share your stories with us using our Good News Form so that we can share them with the District!
A few ideas to consider:
- What does your school have planned for the celebration of Women’s History Month in March?
- Spring is right around the corner! Tell us about the outdoor spaces that make your school special, or the programs and activities that see students spending time outside!
Use our Good News Form to help us showcase all the ways the best are with CPS!
A Look Around the District
Fifth through eighth grade students at Penn Elementary in Lawndale recently visited Chicago’s City Hall where they received an exclusive tour of the building, participated in workshops and activities, and had the opportunity to meet the mayor.
At Sawyer Elementary, located in the Gage Park neighborhood, students took part in a school “Test Rally,” to prepare themselves for IAR testing and bring up school spirit with fun activities, including a student dance-off.
In collaboration with the Office of Multilingual - Multicultural Education (OMME), the BAC Parent Group at Cameron Elementary in Humboldt Park helped organize a school-wide Coat Giveaway. Coats and sock donations were distributed to over 60 families in the school community.
At Murray Elementary in Hyde Park, families and staff participated in an array of cultural activities, performances, and global food tastings to celebrate National World Language Week.
And at Mount Vernon Elementary in Washington Heights, staff member Coach K was recently awarded $10 000 worth of sports equipment from Kellogg and Jewel Osco for National Cereal Day. The school received a special visit from sponsors and Tony the Tiger to celebrate!
Supporting Families Amidst Federal Policy Changes
With the transition to a new presidential administration, many in our school communities are experiencing anxiety, especially regarding immigration issues. CPS is committed to ensuring that our schools remain safe, inclusive, and welcoming educational environments that embrace and celebrate everyone in our diverse communities. CPS has strong protections in place for our students and staff; you can read about them here.
We have also created a website with many resources on immigration services, as well as details on “Know Your Rights” trainings and workshops that are being held throughout Chicago. Some of these sessions are being conducted by our District’s Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Team, while others are being presented by our community partners. Families can find complete details at cps.edu/newadminguidance. This website will be updated frequently to reflect new training opportunities and any changes to federal law, so we encourage everyone to visit regularly. Mental health supports are also available to students through their schools. Parents who feel their children could benefit from these supports should contact their child’s teacher, principal, or school counselor directly.
CPS Students Honored as Carson Scholars for 2025
Congratulations to the 10 CPS students who have been named Carson Scholars for 2025, along with the five alumni who were recognized this year by the Carson Scholars Fund (CSF) for their continued excellence. Each year, the CSF honors an elite group of students from grades 4-11 who not only demonstrate exceptional academic achievement, but also embody significant humanitarian qualities. Each scholar receives a $1,000 college scholarship and is honored at one of six CSF award ceremonies around the country. See a complete list of 2025 CSF Scholars at carsonscholars.org.
Explore Student Job Opportunities for the Summer
Online applications are now open for One Summer Chicago—the youth employment program that partners with local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and city agencies to provide paid work experience, work-based learning, and skill development opportunities for young people ages 14–24 over six weeks during the summer. Students should visit onesummerchicago.org for more information and to apply. An application and resource fair for One Summer Chicago is also being held on March 26, during the week of CPS spring break. Click here for complete details.
In addition, Navy Pier is hosting a summer job fair from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, April 7. It will be held at the pier across from the Amoeba in the Main Food Court Area. Further details can be reviewed here.
Annual School Food Survey Closes March 21, 2025
Don’t forget to complete the District’s annual School Food Survey before the deadline of March 21, 2025. Please take this opportunity to share your opinion on the food being served at your school each day. Tell us what you like, and what you think could be better. We will use your feedback to improve school meals for the remainder of this school year and beyond. As a bonus, the elementary and high school with the greatest participation in the survey will be part of a raffle for some exciting prizes. So please complete this brief survey today!
CPS Scoreboard: This Week in District Athletics
Kenwood Academy made school history last week as they captured their first-ever 4A Girls Basketball State Championship! The Broncos defeated Fremd High School in a tightly contested contest to capture the title in front of their family, friends, and fans at CEFCU Arena in Bloomington, Illinois! Congratulations, Broncos!
Phillips Girls Basketball captured 4th in the IHSA State Tournament, marking their best-ever finish in Girls Basketball history. The Wildcats were celebrated at the IHSA Super-Sectional in front of a sell-out crowd, honoring their historic season.
Dyett Boys Basketball is state-bound! For the first-time in school history the Eagles will be making their first trip to the 2A IHSA State Semi-Finals, taking place at State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. Dyett will be taking on Peoria Manual for a shot at the title game. The full schedule and tickets can be found here!
CPS SCORE! Elementary sports is inching closer to the playoffs and championships! The Elementary Cheer Championship took place on March 8—with Hoyne, (small), Ronald Brown (medium) and Bell (large) capturing the titles!Boys and Girls Basketball Championships will take place on March 20 at Phillips High School and Wrestling Championships will take place March 22 at Chicago Military Academy Bronzeville. Make sure to come out and cheer on our elementary student-athletes!
REMINDER: New Year… New Platform—Chicago Public Schools Athletics is excited to announce their official launch on Instagram and Facebook, highlighting the incredible accomplishments of our student-athletes and programs across the District! Make sure to follow these accounts and interact with us on these new social platforms in addition to the already existing X account.
Opportunities from the Chicago Park District
Teens: Get your summer plans set now! Attend a Teen Opportunity Fair. Join the Chicago Park District on March 15 at Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave., to learn about summer opportunities in the parks for Chicago youth ages 13-19. Teens age 16+, apply for a summer job. Youth age 13-15, learn about RIT (Rec Leader in Training) & CIT (Counselor in Training) paid stipend-based programs, teen camps and other opportunities. New Deaf & Hard of Hearing Fair takes place on March 22. Learn more & register: www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/teen-opportunity-fairs/cps
Work for the Parks this summer, apply now! A number of positions are now open for the summer, including Recreational Leaders (for day camp), Lifeguards, Junior Laborers (landscape maintenance), and Special Recreation Leaders, all open to Chicago residents who are age 16 and older by July 1, 2025. Additional positions are available for residents age 18 and older. Enjoy your perfect summer job in the parks! Learn more & apply: www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/summer-jobs/cps
Register for Spring Break Camps in the Parks. Keep your kids active and engaged over spring break at a Chicago Park District camp. Campers will participate in recreational activities, arts and crafts, and sports along with other fun activities. Offered at various parks across the city, kids will enjoy a week with other kids their age, in a fun and supervised environment, at an affordable cost. Most camps run March 24-28, for ages 6-12. Times vary, but many of the camps run six hours each day. Learn more & register now: www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/spring-break-camps/cps
Register for Chicago Park District Spring Programs! Find something to work your mind and body this spring in the parks. There is something for every age group throughout the city, and classes are very affordable. Most programs run March 31 through June 8. Learn more here: www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/spring-programs/cps
For questions, please email play@chicagoparkdistrict.com.
Discounted Tickets for CPS Staff and Families
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs invite CPS teachers, administrators, and staff to visit Wrigley Field on Monday, May 5 at 6:40 p.m. for Teacher Appreciation Night! Discount tickets are available from $24 and include a Cubs quarter-zip. Get your tickets here!
Chicago Fire FC
Wrap up Teacher Appreciation week with the Chicago Fire on Saturday, May 10. Each ticket purchased through this link includes a special-edition scarf. The 1:30 p.m. match at Soldier Field is also the Fire’s annual Family Day and the first 5,000 fans receive a plush giveaway of their mascot Sparky!
Chicago Stars FC
CPS students, families, and staff are invited to kick off spring break with 50% off tickets to the Chicago Stars FC home opener against the Houston Dash on Sunday, March 23 at 2 p.m. at SeatGeek Stadium. Click here to purchase tickets!
Chicago Bulls
CPS staff are invited to cheer on the Chicago Bulls with an exclusive ticket offer for upcoming games. Get your tickets here for the below games!
- March 29: Bulls vs. Mavericks
- April 1: Bulls vs. Raptors
- April 11: Bulls vs. Wizards
Plus, cheer with us and celebrate educators on Friday, April 4! This special ticket offer includes your ticket to Bulls vs. Trailblazers game and an exclusive educators-themed tumbler. Get tickets here!
CSO Civic Impact Concert
Be inspired by the musicians who are learning, growing, and serving Chicago through the programs produced by the Negaunee Music Institute at Impact — a showcase of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s education and community engagement programs. On March 17, enjoy performances by the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, musicians from the CSO, Percussion Scholarship Program students, Young Artist Competition winner Jaden Teague-Núñez, and more. Use promo code IMPACT to get $12 tickets.
Enter the promo code before selecting your seats and the pricing will be adjusted after you have added the seats to your order. Not valid on previously purchased tickets or in combination with other offers. Eligible for adult tickets only; additional restrictions may apply.
Purchase tickets here: https://cso.org/performances/24-25/civic-orchestra/impact/
Important Dates
For more upcoming events around the District, visit cps.edu/calendar.
- Thursday, March 20: Board of Education meeting. Learn more at cpsboe.org.
- Friday, March 21: End of the third quarter.
- Monday, March 24–Friday, March 28: Spring break for all CPS students and teachers.
- Monday, March 31: School improvement day for staff; no classes for CPS students.
- Tuesday, April 1: Parent-teacher conferences; no classes for CPS students.