Dear KIPP Chicago Champions, Educators, and Supporters,

The beginning of a new school year is always exciting; a time to reflect, refocus, and anchor ourselves in our shared vision for the year ahead. This school year, however, is extra special as we celebrate KIPP Chicago’s 20th anniversary. 

As we continue to adapt to the new and often trying times we live in, I have found great joy in reminiscing about KIPP Chicago’s history of impact and have felt re-energized, reflecting on what makes us who we are–our Team & Family. Twenty years ago, I began my KIPP journey as a math teacher in New York City as Paris Clark began hers as a founding 5th-grade student at the first KIPP school in Chicago. Today, Paris serves as a member of our Board of Directors, paying it forward and paving the way for future KIPPsters to succeed, just as she has. Paris is one of many KIPP Chicago alums who have come full circle, returning to KIPP Chicago to teach and lead our schools, a true testament to the community we have built. I look forward to continuing to build together alongside all of you in the years to come.

In this issue of the Whole Child Review, you will read about how we are centering joy in our classrooms, partnering with KIPP regions across the country to share our best practices, and building toward success as we embark on our next decade of excellence.

In deep appreciation,
April

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Our sister region, KIPP Detroit Imani Academy (KDIA), opened its doors to beautiful kindergarteners this year. To help families prepare for the new school year, Detroit Superintendent, Candace Rogers, and the entire KDIA team introduced the school to Detroit’s Cody Rouge community with a vibrant community wellness fair.

During the two-day fair on August 24th and 25th, approximately 15 vendors and community organizations provided wellness services for 300 community members, including KIPP families, across three generations.  

• One Sight provided free vision screenings for 102 children and 143 adults. Of those screened, 90% needed and received glasses. We even had some news coverage.
• Forgotten Harvest provided 126 boxes of fresh fruits and produce to community members.
• Wayne State Medical van provided parents and grandparents with blood pressure checks and comprehensive health screenings.
• Local hair stylist, Daniella Wallace, provided free haircuts and braiding services for more than 40 children, so they could start their first day feeling fresh and confident.
• Children played games, jumped rope, and ate all the ice cream they could.
• Beautiful community artwork was created by attendees that will hang inside the school to commemorate the event. 

This event was possible due to an amazing group of collaborators. Superintendent Candace Rogers and VP of Whole Child and Community Partnerships, Jennifer Hodges, co-created the vision. Former KIPP Chicago team member Erin Delaney led operations and logistics alongside VP of Impact & Innovation, Mariah Schroeder, who led project management, and KDIA teachers and Executive Director, April Montgomery, brought volunteerism and joy.

KAC & KACP Community Back to School Bash 

Our KIPP Academy Middle and Primary school campuses took their annual Back-to-School Bash to new heights this year. Sponsored by 10-year veteran linebacker and former Chicago Bears player Danny Trevathan, this partnership was rooted in community empowerment, outdoor play, and fun. This is Danny’s second engagement with KIPP Chicago to promote student well-being and joy on the heels of COVID-19, with a deep commitment to the Austin community.

The Back-to-School Bash was a joint event between KAC and KACP to welcome returning families and recruit new students. Approximately 300 people attended the event, and the entire community had a great time dancing, playing games, taking pictures, eating, and celebrating.  This was also a time to celebrate and welcome Camille Allen, KAC’s new Principal. Camille was promoted to the role after many years of service as a KAC teacher and Assistant Principal. Thanks to Danny’s sponsorship, students had access to game trucks, bounce houses, fun giveaways, free school supplies, catered lunch, games, and photography.

Danny Trevathan, on partnering with KIPP:

I’d previously supported programs on the south side, so I wanted to extend my reach to other city corners. So many kids could use a smile right now. Students have spent a lot of time on technology over the last couple of years, bringing face-to-face engagement down. There is power in reconnecting and having fun. When you’re excited and enthusiastic, that energy transfers to the classroom. If you can enjoy playing together, you can enjoy learning together. I appreciate KIPP’s focus on the Whole Child; it feels aligned with the supports and interventions that mattered to me as a kid. I just want to do my part. 

 

Penn Foster Program Celebration 

Penn Foster offers career-focused diplomas, degrees, and certificates to help people take the first steps toward their next career. KIPP Chicago is proud to have sponsored two cohorts of Penn Foster students to earn their high school diplomas. We are proud to announce that we had four graduates over the summer. Because of their dedication and commitment to their education, and with the support and leadership of their facilitator, these graduates completed the program within six months. We are so proud of each of our graduates and our facilitators. Please learn more about one of our facilitators, Tiffany Sommerio, and one of our first graduates, Matthew Walton. 

Meet Tiffany Sommerio
KIPP Ascend Primary, Penn Foster Facilitator 

Rep your school AND how you define yourself beyond your title. 

On the campus of KIPP Ascend Primary, I am the Department Chair of the Diverse Learning team, 2nd-3rd grade Diverse Learning teacher, mentor teacher, and Penn Foster Facilitator. I am confident that KIPP Ascend Primary is the best school in the North Lawndale area and by far the best school I have had the pleasure of teaching. My home life consists of being a wife, mother, and paw parent. In my leisure, I am a doctoral learner who has dedicated my career to disability studies focusing on ableism and social justice for people with physical and mental impairments. I define myself as an African American woman doing transformative work through education.

In addition to your role at KIPP Ascend Primary, you serve as a Penn Foster Facilitator. You are helping a cohort of five adults earn their high school diplomas. Describe a position you’ve held or experiences you’ve had that have prepared you for this role. 

My work as a social worker has prepared me for this role the most. I was a part of an adult cohort and tried to replicate the camaraderie and motivation I felt while in a cohort of like-minded individuals. After graduating from college with a BA in social work, I helped families in the Englewood area of Chicago find resources for economic, social, and educational advancement. During this role, I also developed a love for education and started my journey to becoming a teacher. 

Where have you experienced the most pride, joy, or resilience in leading this cohort within your community?

I find my pride in knowing that I come from a marginalized community in Chicago and can utilize my knowledge to assist people from similar situations. I find joy in knowing that I may inspire my Penn foster cohort to help others beyond my reach. Finally, I find my resilience in my ancestors, who were forbidden an education, knowing that I must stand in the gaps for as many people as possible.

As an educator, how do you make space for students to tell their stories and see themselves in the instruction? Ex. windows and mirrors (developing identity, exposure to others identities and cultures) 

As an educator, I ensure texts serve as both mirrors and windows. For a meaningful reading experience, I present my student with materials that display our intersectionality represented through stories, poems, and informational texts. I try to find reputable sources that reflect factual, current, and historical people, places, and events. I enjoy finding books and resources that are genuine and authentic to the culture and the human experience through diverse people telling their stories. As well as ensuring images support diversity and language choice. 

What is one thing you’d like our readers to know about our community?

I want people to know that KIPP Chicago is the place for your family if you have had an adverse experience with an educational institution. We send four key expectation messages explicitly and implicitly at all times, so families feel supported and known. 1. This is important 2. You can do it. 3. I won’t give up on you. and 4. You belong here. I believe that offering programs such as Penn Foster to our families and community is a testament to the abovementioned expectation.

Meet Matthew Walton
Penn Foster Graduate, Proud North Lawndale Community Member

Please tell us what you do and how you define yourself beyond your work or title. 

I currently work as an EVS Tech. Outside work, I would define myself as a loving and devoted father and husband.

Please share with us your motivation for earning your high school diploma.

My motivation for earning my high school diploma would be providing a more consistent lifestyle for my family and being more confident in not only the jobs I go after but jobs that I accept.

Matthew, you are one of our first graduates in the program —congratulations! Please share how earning your diploma impacts your life. What changes do you anticipate? 

Earning my diploma has impacted my life by allowing me to achieve a goal I let slip away from me in my youth. I anticipate better opportunities in the future and abundance for my family. 

Where have you experienced your most pride, joy, or resilience in yourself and being a part of this program? 

I am proud to attain my high school diploma in about 100 days. I could set a goal and complete said goal through the motivation of family, friends, and the staff at KIPP/Penn Foster. My diploma was in my mailbox in less than a week. I found joy in knowing that better days are ahead for my family and me. Being a part of this program wasn’t by chance. I had researched Penn Foster’s high school diploma program in the past, and when I received the flyer from KIPP about the same program for free, I felt blessed to make it through the interview process and all the learning modules.  

What is one thing you’d like our readers to know about our community?

I want everyone to know that I am thankful. Allowing others to assist me in creating a better future was hard (I usually go at things like this on my own), but it was worth it. I would find myself so motivated to finish the lessons that the system would prompt me to slow down. I was so excited to log into the student portal and learn something new every day, and I thank KIPP/Penn Foster for considering me in the selection process. You all have my sincerest gratitude.

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Molly Harris, former 6th grade Social Studies teacher and Department Chair at KIPP Academy Chicago, current graduate student, and KIPP Chicago UN leader.

What inspired you to lead Model UN? 

I was inspired to lead Model United Nations from my experience participating in the club for four years in high school. I loved the bonds I made with other like-minded students who were also passionate about making a difference in our world. When I went to college at the University of Michigan, my experience through Model UN made me feel comfortable and confident speaking up in my classes. I was not intimidated to ask a question or participate in a 150-person lecture because I had spoken in front of that many people before at high school Model UN conferences. I knew that if I wanted to truly prepare my students for leadership opportunities in high school and college, Model UN would be one of the best ways to do so.

What were you looking to accomplish?

When I began teaching in New Orleans eight years ago, I quickly realized that Model UN was something my students would love and greatly benefit from. They loved sharing their perspectives on issues in their community and were passionate about finding ways to solve these problems. In addition, I wanted to provide my students with an opportunity to gain public speaking and research skills so that when they went to high school and college, they felt prepared and confident to share their voices and opinions. My students must know and believe in the power of their voices and the value of their unique perspectives. 

Can you tell us a little about the process for participating students? 

Every 6th-8th grade student is welcome to try out for Model UN in September. Tryouts are competitive since only 20 students are selected to make the team each year. This is our 5th year running the program at KIPP Academy Chicago, and we had the largest turnout, with over 80 students trying out! For the first year of tryouts at KIPP One, over 40 students tried out for the team.

Once the teams are solidified, for the first few months, students meet after school to share current events and “hot seat” or mini-debate exercises. Later in the year, our team is assigned a country to represent at the International Model UN Conference that we will attend in March. Students research topics they are passionate about, such as improving global literacy rates, mental health support for youth, or nuclear disarmament. Students work in pairs to explore this topic from the perspective of our assigned country to discover different problems within their topic and potential solution ideas. They use this research to write their Position Papers. Their Position Paper is a two-page research paper in which they will share their country’s perspective on their assigned topic. For the months leading up to the conference, students submit this paper and then prepare their speeches that they will present in New York. 

What impact does participation in Model UN have on students? Did you meet your intended outcomes last spring/summer? 

Students develop strong public speaking, writing, research, and leadership skills throughout the Model UN program. In addition, they build lasting relationships with their teammates and learn to give and receive feedback. Model UN alums often visit team meetings or tryouts to advise newer members. Every year, I see 7th and 8th-grade students step up as mentors and step into becoming the best versions of themselves. 

At the conference, students gain confidence, poise, and the ability to articulate their research in rooms filled with over 100 students. They learn to navigate and network with other delegates and build friendships that last far beyond the conference days. In addition, they will visit the United Nations Headquarters in New York and witness where our world’s most complex problems are discussed and resolved.

Due to COVID-19, KIPP Academy Chicago and KIPP Bloom participated in the International Model UN Conference over Zoom at our Children’s Museum of Art of Social Justice  last year. We had four students from KIPP Academy and five from KIPP Bloom win their committees. We also hosted our first-ever family banquet, where Model UN students presented their speeches to their families. It was an unforgettable night. I have already heard from three alums who plan to do Model UN at their respective high schools.

Are you looking to continue/expand this work? If so, what is to come this year?  

I plan to continue this work and hope to expand the program further. This year, the Model UN program is implemented at three KIPP campuses: KIPP Academy, KIPP One, and KIPP Bloom College Prep. I am coaching teachers at KIPP One and KIPP Bloom and co-leading the program at KIPP Academy. In addition, we all plan to attend the International Model UN conference in New York City in the Spring as one KIPP Chicago delegation. We are very excited.

S.P.I.T. (Spellbinding Performers In Training)
KIPP Chicago McNair Fellow & Assistant Principal, Heather Hawkins 

What inspired you to do this project? What were you looking to accomplish?

Institutional racism and lack of representation in schools often keep BIPOC students from experiencing the sense of belonging and recognition that leads to academic success. Addressing this inequity takes more than surface-level changes, such as hiring selection. We must commit to diversity and inclusion on a deep, ongoing level. Representation for the sake of representation alone does not allow for exploring the varying nuances and differences within the diaspora. Therefore, KIPP Ascend Middle School implemented a project-based spoken word curriculum that will explore different viewpoints of BIPOC poets and orators throughout time.  

What impact did this project have on students? Did you meet your intended outcomes? 

By partnering with Reconstruction, KAMS students’ academic gains in writing were further supported by deepening students’ current level of cultural representation.

SPIT (Spellbinding Performers In Training) classes delved into Black triumph and tribulation through spoken word poetry, theater, and speeches of Black orators worldwide. Students also wrote and performed original works.

Are you looking to continue/expand this work? If so, what is to come this year? 

Absolutely. KAMS has plans to partner with Reconstruction for the 22-23 school year. We hope to enrich our Literacy Centers and Social Studies courses by incorporating a culturally relevant, writing-intensive curriculum.

As a Mcnair Fellow, how do you connect this work to your professional growth goals and expanded impact as a KIPP Chicago leader? 

As an educator and McNair Fellow, I actively challenge the [academic] achievement gap. Many students complete middle school without attaining proficiency in writing. Assessments used to measure these outcomes further reveal serious equity issues. African Americans, children living in poverty, and English learners score far below their peers in both writing and social studies. There are many causes of the achievement gap; systemic racism, lack of acculturation, socioeconomic status, sexism, and availability of technology are all factors. The root cause becomes even more complex when these factors intersect. Working to close the achievement gap allows current and future students a greater opportunity to access the benefits of a middle-class lifestyle most disproportionately afforded to white Americans.

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Environmental Justice: Rooting for Change is a multimedia exhibition by 6 to 14-year-old artists exploring environmental injustices around the world, from deforestation and contaminated soil to noise pollution and hazardous air quality. The Museum’s first exhibit since returning to school in-person, and 10th show overall, was created with visual arts, music, dance, and science classes across 8 KIPP Chicago schools. 

In 1982, an environmental protest in Warren County, North Carolina, sparked the national Environmental Justice movement after the State decided to dispose of toxic soil in a small community with mostly Black residents. Residents and Civil Rights activists quickly called this out as environmental racism, citing that while the state population is 20% Black, 75% of the State’s toxic waste sites are located in Black communities. The movement for Environmental Justice was born in the United States with this protest. 

While the issues explored in Environmental Justice: Rooting for Change affect us all, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and those with low incomes are disproportionately affected by the impacts of environmental hazards. As those in power make environmental policy decisions, the affected people should be included and centered in the discussions. Environmental Justice is realized when every person, regardless of race or income, lives in a healthy environment. 

As students explored Environmental Justice issues from around the world, they simultaneously studied the activist movements that are happening to combat the harmful effects of these injustices fiercely. As a result, the work you see in this exhibition is ultimately a celebration of the people using their voices, asserting their power, and organizing to create meaningful change. 

Coming Soon!

In our next edition, learn how one of our McNair Fellows is leading a partnership with KIPP Atlanta. Look for more about how the recreation of our Afrofuturism show is going in Atlanta!

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KIPP Ascend Primary School kicked off the school year with a Back to School BBQ and celebrated the ribbon cutting for a new mini-pitch. The mini-pitch was made possible through funding from the U.S. Soccer Foundation and The United for Girls initiative. Like us, these organizations know that extracurricular activities outside the classroom, like soccer, help kids develop healthy habits and critical life skills. Unfortunately, many children in underserved communities, especially girls, lack the resources, access, and encouragement to reap the rewards. In a message to our students, Principal Marquita Curry shared, “This mini-pitch is for you to have space to play because you are not only the future of soccer, you are the future of our community and our city.”

Once Upon Our Time Capsule 

In 2021, Once Upon Our Time Capsule partnered with KIPP Chicago and organizations across the city to support kids in telling their stories of living through the pandemic by contributing to a citywide time capsule. This year, they are partnering with us again to support students in Chicago and across the country to tell and share their stories annually to help them develop a stronger sense of agency, belonging, and empathy.

Three of our schools have started to participate in these workshops this school year. ​​Throughout the workshops, KIPPsters reflect on their life experiences over the past year, and utilize those reflections to tell their individual stories creatively so that they can be captured in the annual time capsule. With the leadership of teachers Angelica London, Essence Townsel, and Katie Schmelzer, this reflection and storytelling exercise helps kids strengthen their self-awareness and develop their sense of agency.

These workshops embed emotional identification and regulation as a primary focus. They also draw out students’ strategies for managing stress and negative emotions, focusing on their bravery and resiliency. Students then share those stories and use various tools to reflect on and appreciate their similarities, differences, struggles, and strengths to build a sense of belonging and empathy. In doing so, they build relational skills and social awareness. We are grateful to have this partnership continue to support our students’ social-emotional growth and our overall Whole Child Initiative. 

The post Integrating SEL appeared first on KIPP Chicago Public Schools.

Tell us a bit about yourself. 

I am Evonne Bankston. I teach 7th Grade Social Studies at KIPP Bloom College Prep, where I  also serve as the SEL Chair, boys basketball coach, Enrollment Officer, Model UN Advisor, and Vocal Justice Fellow. If it sounds like a lot, it’s not. Believe it or not, all of these roles intertwine with one goal; coming together to support the best intentions for the lives of inner-city youth so they can promote and push their best selves to the world.

One of the many hats you wear is Vocal Justice Fellow. Can you share a little about that? 

Vocal Justice is an anti-oppressive organization committed to social equity. The fellowship program helps teachers like myself advocate and help individuals who identify with groups that have been historically marginalized. Teachers like myself are taught how to effectively support youth learn how to speak out against injustice, and understand what caused it. Rather than just learning to name social issues, students learn why these problems persist. Understanding the root causes of social injustices enables my students to advocate for appropriate solutions. I teach students how to explore the wide range of negative impacts that stem from structural oppression, including those that are not immediately apparent, so that they can advocate for changes that others may not recognize are needed. 

How has your work with Vocal Justice impacted your teaching? 

I purposefully teach culturally affirming history that provides Black and Brown youth opportunities to understand their history and identity and reflect on their personal lives to advocate for themselves. I push these students to learn about the causes and consequences of oppression and advocate for social justice to promote change in ways that are true to who they are and persuasive to their intended targets. Our very own KIPP students have done a fantastic job in this program because it gave them a voice, and time after time, students let me know they felt heard on issues they thought they did not affect.

Rather than targeting “high-achieving” students of color, I intentionally focus on children and work in schools to reach the children I feel are forgotten about by policy. Many students from this spectrum become disengaged in school. These students, however, have incredible ideas on how to change the world precisely because the status quo has failed them. I push to educate them because they deserve a space to cultivate their voice, be heard, and learn how to do so. 

I hope to continue this fellowship curriculum for years to come at this school because we have a lot of work to do. It embodies my passion with my “ why” I teach and do what I do, which helps me wake up with positive vibes and energy every morning. 

Tell us about your role as SEL Chair. 

I advocate for SEL in inner-city communities to help children and adults identify problems that a child could be struggling with to summon the appropriate way to help. I did not have these resources when I was in school. However, I could have appreciated and grown from the support. Due to that, I must establish foundations of supportive communities within the schools that are safe for the child. Through SEL, I inspire and prepare youth to become socially conscious by helping build their confidence, communication skills, and critical consciousness. It is possible. Identifying that schools are communities and residences of diversity, it is only natural to embody a school curriculum and practice that teaches to the whole child and all children.

What SEL ideas, programs, and teaching are you most excited to bring students?

I am motivated to help and educate students to understand and identify their emotions to have a healthy sense of empathy, self-control, and stress management. Because children experience stress from things and traumas, they have no control. Implementing SEL also helps them build better relationships and interpersonal skills to serve them in school and beyond, helping them succeed as adults. Within this role, I hope to continue to address the continued racial and gender disparities in school systems. With our children being on the frontline within communities that many issues affect, I push to promote and create change because my school team and I are dedicated to understanding and recognizing the root causes of barriers to equitable educational outcomes for each child. As an SEL chair, I am also one of the coordinators with our Social Worker for my school with Communities in School, giving tools, training, and information so our school can remove barriers to underserved students.

Why are you passionate about your work with SEL and Vocal Justice?

As a gender-nonconforming person in Chicago working within a public school system and dealing with everyday problems as an African American, I face discrimination and hardships daily. I realize there are laws to protect LGBTQ people and children, but honestly, there are not enough. I continue to see state legislatures advancing bills that target transgender people, limit local protections, and allow the use of religion to discriminate. It’s unfair to people like me, and I would like to use my voice to advocate for and educate people. There are children like me within KIPP, so I use my voice and leadership to say we exist in urban areas and need support and a sense of belonging. So while I’m clearing that path, why not educate and teach it?

In this recap video, Patrice Freeman, KIPP Bloom College Prep 2021 graduate, shares an electrifying poem. Bankston is featured near the end, speaking about what Vocal Justice can do in Inner City Chicago.

Latinx Heritage Month 2022

On Saturday, March 15, 2022, we culminated Latinx heritage month with a beautiful Fiesta Final at KIPP One Academy! The day started with welcoming families with breakfast. With the help of Rush hospital, families participated in informative workshops. There was a special performance of “Oye” by 3rd-grade students from KIPP Academy Chicago Primary, led by music teacher Katie Schmelzer. The event concluded with a grand finale Mariachi performance! Families were able to leave with free bags of clothing. We appreciate our partner Allies for Community Business, Sylvia Ibarra Delgado (Managing Director of Multilingual Learner Services), the team at KIPP One, and all the families and staff that came out to support the event.

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In 2018, we committed to removing barriers to food access for our students by setting a goal of having a school-based food pantry at each of our schools. In partnership with Rush University Medical center and funding through A Better Chicago, we launched our pilot pantry in KIPP Academy Chicago (Austin) middle school, May through June of 2022.

During that time of operation, we determined service efficiencies, logistics and delivery, best practices for communication, and the types of foods families desired. Our results were consistent. We served 100 households for four weeks. The food options included fresh fruits and produce frozen proteins and shelf-stable items. Each family received enough food to support their households for approximately 1.5 weeks (for a family of four). In cases where more than four individuals were in a home, we provided two boxes and two bags of food. 

Beginning October 24th, we will reopen our pantry doors and offer quality foods and consistent services for our families. We are also planning a fun-filled ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the establishment of the school-based food pantry.

KIPP One Orr and Rush Joint Food Pantry 

Keeping in our commitment to school-based food access for our students and families, we are collaborating with Rush University Medical Center, Orr High School and KIPP One campuses to establish a school-based pantry. The pantry will be an extension of our blossoming and robust relationship with Rush. The opening date is to be determined. We are thrilled to have food access for three of our eight campuses and are continuing to make strides toward 100% of our campuses having onsite access to quality food. Great things to come.

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KIPP Chicago piloted a new lifestyle and benefits platform for our staff. In response to staff feedback, we heard the desire for autonomy in their wellness journey. As a result, we partnered with Fringe as a meaningful solution and tool for their wellness journey and would offer the necessary autonomy.

The pilot ran from May-June 2022, during which 112 staff members of all professional levels of the organization accessed the portal and 221 lifestyle benefits were selected. The benefits included wellness classes, subscriptions to various lifestyle organizations and services, personal development, activities for children, and so much more!

Based on staff survey responses, we’re happy to report the pilot was a success.

“Transparently, with the rise in the cost of so many things and being a parent of 4, I simply, at times, don’t have the funds to do a lot of things. So the options Fringe offers got me excited, and I actually waited to combine my points, and now I’m deciding between something for myself or the family.”

“Fringe allows you to choose how you are being appreciated based on your needs. Appreciation can look different at different times so the flexibility to choose based on your current needs or wants is a huge benefit.”

“I think this is a great way to give teachers and staff something they may need. I love having so many options for how to spend points. From groceries to fitness support, there is something for everyone. I wish we had something like this after I had my baby; having options like support with postpartum or finding childcare is amazing for mothers or expecting mothers. I think this could really benefit staff!”

We are very grateful to our teacher wellness sponsor, Stephanie Morimoto, owner of Asutra, for bringing this to KIPP Chicago.

Marquita Curry – CPS Principal Advisory Committee

Marquita Curry was elected to the CPS CEO Principal Advisory Council (PAC) in May. The PAC is a group of elected principals from across the district who provide input and feedback on key district initiatives and policies. The PAC has 28 members who engage in regular meetings with CEO Martinez and Chief Education Officer, Bogdana Chkoumbova so that principals’ voices are centered on decisions that directly affect their staff, students, and community.

Marquita serves on the PAC as one of only three principals representing fellow charter/contract/and options schools in Chicago. She is excited to strengthen the connections between our schools and the district by sharing the great work happening at KIPP Chicago while also deepening her understanding of the strengths and challenges of the district as a whole. She is honored to serve!

Latinx Motherhood Womanhood and Mental Health

We centered the voices of our Latinx teachers and parents through a panel discussion celebrating Latinx motherhood, womanhood, and mental health. The panel included Sylvia Ibarra-Moderator, Managing Director of Student Services- ML, Kayla Vigil Nuguid, English Learner Case Manager & Bilingual Teacher, Jennifer Torres and, Diverse Learner Teacher and Maria Quiroz, KIPP Chicago Parent. During the conversation, the panelists shared their joys, challenges, desires for inclusion, and vulnerabilities. In addition, we reflected on the fullness of their respective experiences faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and post-COVID. Thank you to our Whole Child Wellness Champions, Chantell Denney and Alanna Bonfiglio for your support in planning and organizing this impactful event!

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