Three North Lawndale Schools Partner with Community to Launch STEAM Programming in SY 2024-2025

CHICAGO – Chicago Public Schools (CPS), in collaboration with many community partners, is honored to announce the creation of a science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) programming in North Lawndale for the 2024-25 School Year. The partnership involves three current CPS schools; Chalmers School of Excellence, Johnson School of Excellence, and The Collins Academy High School, and promises to provide students with a well-balanced education that deepens their knowledge in STEAM subjects, starting in elementary school and continuing through high school – yielding more graduates prepared for in-demand STEAM careers.

"We are excited to celebrate this strong academic opportunity in North Lawndale, which has been the result of years of community-led partnerships,” says CEO Pedro Martinez. “Our goal is to meet students and families where they are, investing in and strengthening our neighborhood schools and local communities. We look forward to seeing North Lawndale students thrive and graduate prepared to succeed in college and careers.”

Among those most excited are the school leaders who will oversee implementation: Principal Romian Crockett (Chalmers), Principal Steve Fisher (Johnson), and Principal LeKenya Sanders-Sharpe (Collins). These principals, in addition to their students and families, share enthusiasm for the program, citing a long awaited need for opportunities in the neighborhood.

"This new academic programming is a welcomed addition to our North Lawndale schools, enriching teaching and learning to support a stronger Chicago workforce for tomorrow," said Chief Shontae Higginbottom who oversees schools in Network 5 on the West Side of the city. "Our collaboration with our dedicated community partners, families and staff reminds us again that we are better together."

A nearly decade-long collaborative effort among community partners drove this programming forward. In 2015, North Lawndale Community Action Council (NLCAC)/North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council (NLCCC) Education Committee developed a Quality-of-Life Plan that included the creation of the STEAM Partnership. The group has sought investment to support this new educational opportunity, and since 2017, member organizations of the NLCAC/NLCCC and CPS have worked together to make the project a reality.
“It is exciting that the North Lawndale NLCAC/NLCCC Education Committee's six-(6) year-vision of transforming two elementary schools and one high school into STEAM Partnership Magnet Academies, is becoming a reality in the North Lawndale Community,” writes Dr. Betty Green and Dr. Leonard Moore, co-chairs of the NLCAC. “This was a community-led process to develop the “Next Chapter” for the North Lawndale’s Quality-of Life-Plan.”

The programming reflects the District’s focus on equity and commitment to strengthening neighborhood schools, which will be further outlined in the District’s next five-year strategic plan. Currently, 43 percent of all students in North Lawndale - and 63 percent of high school students - travel outside of their community to access their education. This new STEAM Partnership will not only mean shorter commute times for students to access a high-quality education, but it is a model that may be used in other parts of the city to ensure greater equity in the CPS educational experience.

Beginning in School Year 2024-25, students in the area will have access to a robust STEAM curriculum that will be integrated into the courses at these three schools. A STEAM curriculum promotes creative and critical thinking, cross-disciplinary problem-solving, and gives students the opportunity to investigate, analyze, solve problems and work in teams. To ensure students are prepared for post-graduation, they will also have opportunities to earn college credit or an associates degree in high school, mentorship and paid internships, industry-approved certifications, and scholarships.

These opportunities are available due to Collins’ conversion into an early college STEAM high school, becoming one of 14 such Early College STEM/STEAM High Schools. Another 37 elementary schools offer STEM and STEAM programming across the District. Career forecasts show that 80 percent of jobs created in the next decade will require some form of math and science skills.

The STEAM Partnership will evolve over the next few years in instruction, course offerings and enrichment experiences including engineering, robotics, chess, coding, Spanish and French, book clubs, and more. The District will invest in STEAM staffing and supports, including professional development, at each school over the next five years. The District will consider long-term capital improvements as part of the District’s Educational Facilities Master Plan.

Currently, CPS Office of Teaching and Learning and the three school teams are developing their specific curricula, training educators, and preparing the environments to best serve each program for the launch in fall 2024. Families can apply through the regular GoCPS process. Any student that lives in the attendance boundary is guaranteed admission.

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About Chicago Public Schools (CPS)
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is dedicated to providing a high-quality education to all students, beginning with the District’s free full-day preschool programming for four-year-old scholars and continuing through neighborhood, magnet and selective-enrollment elementary schools that provide a rigorous K-8 education with schools that specialize in the fine arts, world language and culture, dual language, STEM, International Baccalaureate (IB), classical programs, and more. The rising District-wide freshmen-on-track and high school graduation rates reflect the hard work of the CPS community, including families, staff, and students across 635 schools. CPS celebrates the diversity of its more than 322,000 students who cite 182 home languages. Learn more about CPS at www.cps.edu and connect with CPS on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.