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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Middle School Football Kicks Off
In September, for the second year, AUSL kicked off its fifth and sixth grade flag football league. Students play at one of our four AUSL schools equipped with an AstroTurf field. During October, games are played every Wednesday and conclude on November 5th. The league has enjoyed tremendous appeal from both boys and girls. In consultation with the Chicago Bears, AUSL follows the concussion protocol allowing students to play only after twelve years of age. AUSL’s junior high school football league for seventh and eighth graders kicked off as well, for the fifteenth year.. This league is...
Phillips Academy High School Featured on NBC Sports Drive
The Phillips Academy Wildcats football team was highlighted on NBC's Sports Drive program. The Wildcats won the Illinois High School State Championships in 2016 and 2017. The Drive provides a behind the scenes look at the Phillips football program. The first episode can be viewed here. Your browser does not support...
Mayor Lightfoot Visits Solorio Academy High School
Today Mayor Lori Lightfoot held a press conference on Arts in Education at Solorio Academy High School, an Academy for Urban School Leadership school. Mayor Lightfoot was joined at the podium by Dr. Janice Jackson, CEO of Chicago Public Schools, Victor Iturralde, Principal of Solorio Academy, and Mark Kelly, Commissioner of the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). Mayor Lightfoot and Commissioner Kelly celebrated the Arts in Education, choosing to make the announcement at Solorio Academy because of the school’s commitment to arts education....
Chicago Teacher Resident Featured on ABC7
Resident teacher Rae Weatherspoon was interviewed and featured on ABC7 Chicago on her first day of teaching at National Teacher's Academy (NTA) in the Near South Side Neighborhood. The school is a particularly special place for Rae, as she lived in the neighborhood and attended NTA for middle school. NTA is also where Rae had Courtney Langston as a teacher, who encouraged her throughout her schooling and to apply to the Chicago Teacher Residency. Rae says Courtney, "is like my mom," and she wants to be able to give back to other students as Courtney has done with her as a teacher, mentor,...
Warren Family Foundation Donates Uniforms to Dewey School of Excellence
The Dewey School of Excellence, an Academy of Urban School Leadership (AUSL) network school and CPS partner, located at 5415 S Union in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood was the recipient of a special donation of school uniforms from Kevin and Greta Warren of the Warren Family Foundation. Kevin is the newly appointed Big Ten Conference Commissioner and the first African American Commissioner of a Power Five conference. Before his appointment to the Big Ten, Warren was the Minnesota Vikings' Chief Operating Officer. A statement released by the Warren Family Foundation: The Dewey School of...
Stagg Principal Miyoshi Knox Receives Leader Award at LEAP InnovatED Summit
Principal Miyoshi Knox received the Leader Award at the LEAP InnovatED 2019 Summit for her exceptional leadership as a principal at Stagg School of Excellence. Every year, LEAP Innovations recognizes, "an impressive array of trailblazing teachers, inspirational school teams, and innovative leaders who are leading meaningful change in Chicago's education." From LEAP Summit Press Release: Ms. Knox, principal of Stagg, an AUSL network school for the last eight years, is a visionary who takes risks in order to optimize the learning environment for her students and staff. She has championed...
CTR Class of 2019 Graduation
The Chicago Teacher Residency class of 2019 graduated in June. The CTR is committed to recruiting, training, and staffing high-need schools with a diverse population of resident teachers who are well versed in culturally competent teaching and can provide appropriate social-emotional support for students. In the last two years, over 60% of the resident class have been teachers of color -- well above the national average where only 20%of practitioners are racially diverse.
Phillips Academy Students Receive Youth Impact Award from CPS and Obama Foundation
Team TACTICS was awarded a Youth Impact Award from Chicago Public Schools and the Obama Foundation. The Civic Engagement Awards were meant to recognize school and community groups dedicated to improving civic engagement in their communities and provided $2,000 grants to winners to support their projects. The group was started by students from Phillips Academy High School to addresses school disciplinary practices and is working to strengthen the relationship between the community and law enforcement by developing workshops and a curriculum for the...
Solorio Academy Student Awarded Cubs Scholarship
Solorio Academy High School Student Alejandra became a Cubs Scholar! The program offers mentoring for disadvantaged Chicago high schoolers through Cubs College Prep and a $20,000 scholarship upon enrollment in college. We have previously had scholars from Solorio, Orr, and Phillips Academy (past scholars with Alejandra pictured right). More information on Cubs Scholars.
Network New Teacher Orientation Hosted by Deneen School of Excellence
New teachers to the network participated in a three-day new teacher orientation event. This included different teaching workshops and team-building activities with teachers, school administrators, and our staff. The three-day orientation included an introduction of AUSL by our Executive Director, Dr. Feinstein, cultural sensitivity programming, strategy and team-building with school teams, and social emotional learning programming. Our new teachers are so excited to meet their new students this year!
