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AUSL’s LiberatED Way Hosts Second Annual Leaders LinkUp – The Unconference

AUSL’s LiberatED Way brought more than 80 school leaders from across the country to Chicago for their second annual LiberatED Leaders LinkUp (L3). The three-day event began with a sunset cruise along the Chicago River for the leaders to connect over dinner and views of the city. The workshops and discussions continued at The Metropolitan, lifestyle and business club on the 67th floor of Willis Tower. Taking on the style of an Unconference, the LiberatED Way team developed the sessions based on input from the attendees. The L3 Unconference centered Gen Z, the trailblazing generation of...

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Associates Board meets to discuss leading educational transformations

Terrill Wilkins was a high school history teacher before he moved to the Midwest to pursue a legal career. “I loved working with and coaching my students, and supporting them towards their academic and postsecondary goals,” Wilkins said. “Teachers are the foundation of a student’s educational journey and AUSL’s CTR is at the frontlines of ensuring Chicago’s students have equitable opportunities to achieve postsecondary success.” Wilkins joined AUSL’s Associates Board in 2013 and has become a champion of AUSL and teachers in Chicago. In March, the Co-Chair of the Associates Board hosted an...

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CTR Partnership School Job Fair

More than 50 Chicago Teacher Residency residents participated in the Partnership School Job Fair in March. The job fair brought in 20 schools to speak with graduating CTR residents. Some residents left the networking event with job offers in hand.  “It was a wonderful job fair, residents looked sharp and the schools brought their swag,” Kate Peterson, Director of the CTR said. “There was conversation, laughter and excitement. Many residents expressed their enjoyment in meeting school teams they hadn’t previously considered in their job search.” Carina Pruitt, Associate Director of the CTR...

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AUSL Celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week

Last week, AUSL celebrated Teachers Appreciation Week at several Chicago Teacher Residency Partnership and network schools. Dr. Annise Lewis, AUSL Chief of Schools, and Deputy Chief of Schools Tosha Jackson visited several schools to meet with teachers and school leaders to convey their gratitude for the overwhelming commitment school staff provide to their schools, students, and communities. Donald Feinstein, Ph.D., AUSL Executive Director, stated, “Teachers can change lives by instilling knowledge, confidence, self-worth, and patience. AUSL celebrates the alumni of our Chicago Teacher...

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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, the number of students ages 3–21 who received special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was 7.3 million, or 14 percent of all public-school students. Data shows that black and brown...

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The Academy for Urban School Leadership to hold its Twentieth Anniversary Annual Fundraiser on November 3, 2021

Philanthropists Mike and Robin Zafirovski and Corporate Champion Greg Case, CEO of Aon, Honored for Their Support of Equity in Education CHICAGO, November 1, 2021 -- The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL), an education equity-focused nonprofit, is holding its annual fundraiser to celebrate its twentieth anniversary on Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021, at 5:30 PM at the Four Seasons Hotel, 120 E Delaware Place Chicago, IL. Revenue raised from the event will fund incremental supports for AUSL’s Chicago Teacher Residency which provides educator training and professional development for...

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AUSL Board Member Named a CRAIN’s Notable Nonprofit Board Leader

AUSL Board Member, Cardelle Spangler Named a Crain's Chicago Business Notable Nonprofit Board Leader Congratulations to Cardelle B. Spangler on her inclusion as a Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Nonprofit Board Leader. The highly selective list is comprised of individuals who did not take time out during the pandemic and continued to carry out their organization's mission even as lockdowns made it difficult. "Cardelle exemplifies the kind of leader that inspires AUSL’s board and management to be their very best during these times for our students, families, and communities," stated Dr....

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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 absent from their classes and/or earned failing grades. Additionally, the isolation and stresses of stay-at-home protocols created gaps in their social-emotional skills. This is especially true in low-income communities on the South...

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AUSL Launches New Advertising to Appear in Crain’s Chicago Business and the Chicago Tribune

Educational Equity Nonprofit Brings Excellence to Chicago Schools The Academy for Urban School Leadership (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. AUSL's Chicago Teacher Residency (CTR) has trained 1,218 teachers. Over 80% of our 2021 CTR class graduates are teachers of color, and 54% are special needs teachers. The Path Forward - AUSL has...

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