AUSL Blog
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Chicago’s Need for Special Education Teachers
If you’re considering a career as a teacher, you might find the most rewarding opportunities in special education. Over the past decade, Chicago and the nation have experienced a severe shortage of special education teachers. Special education teachers work with students who have a wide range of learning, mental, emotional, and physical disabilities. In 2019–20, […]
A Return to School Perspective from the Academy for Urban School Leadership
As Chicago Public Schools students head back to the classroom this month for their first full-time, in-person learning experience in 17 months, many will be grappling with significant learning and social emotional loss. After schools transitioned to remote learning in March 2020 and only partially reopened in spring 2021, an alarming number of students were […]
Twenty years of Transforming Lives in and out of the Classroom
AUSL is an equity-focused non-profit that works tirelessly with the belief that all students should have access to an excellent education. Since 2001, AUSL’s conviction for equity in education has impacted thousands of students and families who reside in under-resourced communities. This weekend the Chicago Teacher Residency celebrated the graduation of Diverse Learner, Elementary, and Middle School teachers. Hear from CTR graduate Amaziah […]
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Arne Duncan and Jayla Rufus Host Roundtable on Gun Violence at Collins Academy High School
Collins Academy High School students sat down with former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan as part of a Chicago CRED initiative to prevent gun violence in Chicago. Together they discussed their experiences with gun violence and their hopes for solutions. AUSL is proud to partner with organizations like Chicago CRED, who are doing important work in our school communities!
Orr Academy High School Students Participate in Women in STEM Event at the Field Museum
Images courtesy of the @OrrAcademyHigh Instagram account. These lady Spartans from Orr Academy High School are well on their way to STEM leadership positions! They participated in a Women in Science luncheon hosted at the Field Museum this month.
Orr Academy High School Student Athlete Commits to the University of Portland
Images courtesy of the @OrrSpartanBBall Twitter account. Congratulations to Chase Adams, a student athlete on the Orr Academy High School's basketball team. Chase has recently committed to bring his scholarly and athletic talents to the University of Portland, a private college in Portland, Oregon. Go Spartans!
CAHS Celebrates Middle-Eastern North African Culture
Images courtesy of the @ChiAcadHS Twitter account. The Chicago Academy High School celebrated it's first annual Middle Eastern North African assembly celebrating MENA culture this month. Students experienced Merwa's spoken word and 1001 Arabian Nights along with celebratory dancing and music. The tradition will forever be etched into Chicago Academy High School culture!
Future Founders Explore Computer Science at Solorio
Images courtesy of the @soloriohs Twitter account. Future Founders, an organization specializing in immersion-experience for youths, spent 10 weeks at Solorio Academy High School teaching the "Exploring Computer Science" students about entrepreneurship. Students completed the experience with a "Solorio Shark Tank" pitch for apps they designed themselves!
Solorio Students win competitive IST Coalition STEM Challenge
Images courtesy of the @soloriohs Twitter account. Congratulations to Solorio Academy High School students Edgar, Jason & Michael, were the Solorio winners at the IST Coalition STEM Challenge at the ISTI Showcase. These STEM scholars were able to present their project at Google.
Transforming Outcomes by Transforming Leaders: Part 4
Personalizing learning to meet the development needs of our school leaders is a key driver of our continuous improvement as a network.
Solorio High School Awarded Multiple Honors from Chicago Debates
Image courtesy of the @soloriohs Twitter account. Image courtesy of the @chicagodebates Twitter account. Congratulations to the Solorio High School Debate team, who won the Varsity title in a city-wide competition between 34 teams and 260 students. In addition, debate team member Kelvin C. was awarded Debater of the Year and Principal Iturralde was awarded Principal of the Year. Janice Jackson, Chicago Public Schools CEO, stopped by Solorio High School to visit the debate team and celebrate these incredible...
Howe SOE Unveils Newly Renovated Gym
On March 22, AUSL network's Howe School of Excellence unveiled their newly renovated gym. The gym received brand new floors, stage padding, and free-standing basketball hoops generously donated by the Lefkofsky Family Foundation.
The Winners Are In! Here’s who won at the AUSL 2019 STEAM Fair
We are so proud of the hard work of each and everyone one of our network students that participated in our 2019 STEAM Fair, sponsored by Boeing. Students from grades 4-12 from across our network arrived at Collins Academy High School ready to show off their hard work and dedication to their project. The event would not be possible without the time and talents of our many dedicated volunteers from the local community, R1, Americorps, Boeing and the AUSL home office. Below are the winners across grades: GRADE PLACE SCHOOL STUDENT 1 STUDENT 2 PROJECT TITLE 4th Grade 1st Carter Alanna Barrett...