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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AUSL STEM Successes Presented at the 100kin10 Conference
Dr. Alissa Berg, Dr. Cynthia Brunswick, Danielle Otto (Tarkington School of Excellence), and Melannie Chan (Stagg School of Excellence and alumna of the Chicago Teacher Resident) represented AUSL STEM innovation at the prestigious 100kin10 Summit in San Diego, California in March. Dr. Berg and Danielle Otto presented on creating effective strategies to build administrator support for science standards-aligned instruction for grades K-8. Dr. Brunswick and Melannie Chan were joined by our generous partner, Kassie Davis of CME Group Foundation, to share their work on teacher-led...
Solorio Teacher Wins Prestigious 2019 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching
Image courtesy of @goldenapple_il Twitter. Golden Apple surprised Solorio Academy High School Teacher and former Chicago Teacher Residency alumnus Greta Kringle during the annual STEM fair to award her with the prestigious 2019 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award was given to only 10 teachers in Illinois who were selected from over 550 nominated teachers.
Part 2: Leading with the Learner at AUSL
Learn about AUSL’s personal learning initiative through Ms. Jarrell’s classroom
Bringing Arts and Culture Experiences to Our Students
AUSL believes that a robust arts education is essential to developing the whole child. Learn more about what we’re doing to bring the arts to life for our students.
Johnson SOE Students Win Competitive Dusable Commemoration Essay Competition
Image courtesy of @TheJohnsonWildCats Instagram account. On Chicago’s 182nd Birthday, Jayla J. and Meliyah N. were honored for winning the Jean Baptiste Pointe Dusable Commeration Essay Competition. Both students had to answer the question: If Dusable lived today, what kind of person would he vote for as the next mayor of Chicago to make it a fair and safe place for all people? Jayla and Meliyah took home the 1st and 2nd place grand prize! We are so proud of both of these incredible...
Announcing the Black History Month 2019 Art Contest Winners!
Congratulations to the talented student artists who have won the 2019 Annual Black History Month Art Contest! The top 3 entries in each grade were awarded the following cash prizes: K-3 Grade First Place: $100 Second Place: $75 Third Place: $50 4-8 Grade First Place: $100 Second Place: $75 Third Place: $50 9-12 Grade First Place: $100 Second Place: $75 ThirdPlace:$50 The winning art will also be showcased at the Annual Battle of the Choirs on March 16 at Collins Academy High School. Take a look at the winning pieces below: First Place - K-3 Maya S., The Chicago Academy, Third Grade First...
Orr Academy High School Men’s Basketball Team Heads to State Finals
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="7406" img_size="full"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Congratulations to the Orr Academy High School Men's Basketball team for making it to the 2019 State Finals! The team was named the IHSA Super-Sectional Champions for Boys Basketball Class 2A. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Solorio High School Robotics Team Heads to State Finals
The Solorio Academy High School FIRST Teach Challenge (FTC) team has made it to the State Finals as part of a winning alliance at the Chicago South League's qualifying tournament for robotics. Congratulations to these hardworking students!
Collins Academy Students Win the Competitive Louder Than a Bomb Poetry Contest
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSxFUBM_PIs"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Congratulations to these Collins Academy High School poets who won the competitive Louder Than A Bomb Contest! The students, who call themselves the Missing Pieces, performed their spoken word poetry at The Chicago Youth Poetry Festival. ...
AUSL Network Students and Teachers Celebrate Black History Month
[vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="7388" img_size="full" alignment="center"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="7392" img_size="full"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="7390" img_size="full" alignment="center"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="7391" img_size="full"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Students and teachers across the AUSL network celebrated Black History Month with art, music, dance and learning! Above are a selection of creative blackboard...