CPS Attacks Excelling Clara Barton With Turnaround

PABUS Chicago
Published: April 2, 2013

Clara Barton Elementary Parent Action Council

Chicago Public Schools Board is arbitrarily clarifying Clara Barton Elementary School for Turnaround status. Usually the Turnaround process takes place after a school has been formally placed on probation and has a record of “no progress” in the deficit areas that placed the school on probation. In the case of Clara Barton, they were not placed in this category nor were they ever on the Turnaround list.

April 1 – CHICAGO, IL – Clara Barton Elementary School located at 7650 South Wolcott Ave in Chicago, IL is extending an invitation to all media investigative teams to come out to hear their story about the actions of the Chicago Public Schools Board to arbitrarily classify their school for Turnaround status. Usually the Turnaround process takes place after a school has been formally placed on probation and has a record of “no progress” in the deficit areas that placed the school on probation. In the case of Clara Barton, they were not placed in this category nor were they ever on the Turnaround list.

Securing two 50 passenger school buses, creating flyers, creating press release, posting info on Auburn Gresham Portal.org and Englewood Portal.org, and phone banking parents and local residents.

Since the assignment of their current administration, they have experienced constant and consistent improvement in their overall academic performance. Even successfully ending special education State of Illinois sanctions leveled on the school prior to their current administration. They have also increased enrollment, graduation percentages, and decreased the number of students being detained, detached and even suspended due to discipline problems. In addition, they have increased the after school and Saturday academic programs to strengthen and support learning. And extended teaching and program capacity through the establishment of strong, capable, sustainable partnerships with major universities and community based organizations, as well.

Fact Sheet Clara Barton Elementary

Another positive addition is that over the pass two years the present administration has increase the overall technology base of Clara Barton by installing new Smartboards for grades 3 to 8 and two new computer labs totaling sixty-six systems for in-school academic achievement each, this is a 52% increase in technology utilization at Clara Barton Elementary for all grades, which is directly contributing to their high quality science and technology programs.

As a result of their hard work in turning the school around, they have experienced an advanced academic achievement model that is working. Under the present administration they have gained an increase in several key areas, them being;

Increase in 3^rd grade ISAT scores by 18 %
Increase in 3 grade Math scores by 9%
Increase in school-wide ISAT reading scores by 9%
Increase in ISAT Composition by 5%

Fact-Sheet Clara Barton Elementary School

Clara Barton was also selected as a Lead School for the Common Core Start Standard.

This is why they are asking for your time and talent in helping to get their story told. The action of CPS is very unfair as it fails to acknowledge the hard work that has already been done at Clara Barton. Furthermore, this Turnaround action will place our learners at risk by destabilizing their learning environment and severing relationships that have been built over time.

So the Turnaround CPS is suggesting, is already taking place by the present administration. And the parents of Clara Barton and the community will show their presence in force, at the 1^st CPS School board meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 3^rd 2013, at 125 South Clark, to support their school and its administration on the exceptional job they have done and are doing.

Keywords: Auburn Gresham, City of Chicago, CPS, PABUS Chicago, Rham Emanuel, School Closings