Racism is drowning us,
Whole Child is anti-racist air for our children to live a life of choice,
Whole Child is for the dreamers and believers,
For those whose roots are Chicago or nowhere.
Whole Child is for Black and Brown children whose existence is greater than hungry stomachs and the contents of brown paper bags.

You are a THINKER of wealth and riches,
Rich in spirit!
Who needs potential when you have promise?
Who needs hope when you have certainty?
Know your truth. Speak your truth.
Whole Child is for you to live a life of choice,
To dream a dream you didn’t know you could dream!

Embrace your greatness and be spiritually free,
Design your wings and sing the song you want to sing, and sing it off-key!
Find your muse in the sun, or under the moon, live vivid daydreams.
Know the greatest state of your mind and write until the end of time.

Whole Child is for spiritual healing, mending broken hearts and deep soul breathing.
You are a manifestation of goodness and purity,
Breathe deep and release.

We say, “you are your ancestors’ wildest dreams!”
They say, “I am your foundation and you stand on the strength of me.”
On their shoulders you can reach and see your highest self,
Nobody built like you, you design yourself.

Teachers are your unsung heroes, they are artists of love,
Everyday superheroes.
They are your rock and shield,
When they speak life, you exceed your best,
They are artists of love!

Embrace your greatness and be spiritually free!
Design your wings and sing the song you want to sing
Sing it off key.
Find your muse in the sun or under the moon,
Live vivid daydreams
Remember, YOU are your ancestors’ wildest dreams!

The post Opening Letter appeared first on KIPP Chicago Public Schools.

A Visit from Stedman Graham

Last month, we welcomed Stedman Graham and Angelica Sturm to tour our KIPP Ascend Primary campus. Stedman and Angelica visited three of our third-grade classrooms, engaged with our teachers and school leadership and toured our (traveling) “Self(ie) Love” installation.

Stedman shared his day with members of our executive team and board members to discuss the foundation of his Identity Leadership Development program and curriculum. He delivers his identity message throughout the country and globally to corporations, professional associations, government and civic organizations, colleges and universities, and community groups’ senior leadership.

Our visit centered on the goals of the Identity Leadership Program, our Whole Child Initiative goals, and how KIPP Chicago’s parents, teachers, students and community members can benefit from the program. We are excited to explore the multiple facets of Identity Leadership with Stedman and pilot the content and curriculum to our community next quarter.

Stedman Graham is the chairman and CEO of S. Graham & Associates, a Chicago-based management and marketing consulting firm specializing in corporate and educational markets. Graham has authored ten books, including two New York Times bestsellers, You Can Make It Happen: A Nine-Step Plan for Success and Teens Can Make It Happen: Nine Steps to Success. Build Your Own Life Brand! which explores the concept of personal and professional branding. Here is a podcast episode featuring Stedman’s Identity Leadership discussion.

Angelica Sturm, Founder of Sturm Realty, specializes in portfolio advisory services, build-to-suit, brokerage, consulting, and representation for the real estate needs of corporate clients. Angelica is Chairman of Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, Former Chairman and Founding Board Member of Luster Learning Institute; Calm Classroom.

KIPP Parent Feature: Janise Alston and Bessie Conners

We concluded 13 weeks of virtual workshops in June, ending with a legal series with Winston & Strawn. As we continue to evolve our family workshop offerings, we are surveying families to gauge their interests and needs. We are excited to feature two KIPP parents who attended each one of the virtual workshops. Their presence and participation were a delight as they added humor, curiosity, and fun to the space.

Tell us about yourself and your connection to KIPP Chicago.

My oldest daughter, Holly Alston, was a founding KIPPster from the Bloom campus under Ms. Sale (I love her so much!). By the way, Holly graduated high school with honors and now attends Columbia College downtown Chicago.

What do you do for work and what are your interests? How did one or more of the workshops help you?

I’m in social services as a clinical facilitator for youth in foster care who experience disrupted placement or need additional support services for them or their caregiver. I meet with youth, ages 12- 21, hospitals, lawyers, caseworkers, school staff, their caregivers, probation officers, mentors, and anyone else involved with the youth.

I enjoy most things that don’t require me to problem solve or process dire circumstances! I love to laugh, so sometimes I make lame jokes, so beware.

The workshops that I’ve applied to my career from last year were: Womanhood/motherhood because it was so encouraging. Those women on the panel were absolutely powerful! The legal sessions were helpful as I support youth in detention. The Pride mental health was informative and I completed the cooking sessions with my youngest daughter, Ava Alston, who is now a 7th grader at KIPP Bloom College Prep.

Tell us about yourself and your connection to KIPP Chicago.

My name is Bessie Conners, and I’m a proud parent of KIPP Chicago. My children, who are 10 and 7, attend KIPP Academy and KIPP Ascend.

I am currently attending Culinary Arts classes at Michael Barlow Center, learning knife skills and making food from scratch. I also graduated from there in 2016. They help people who were once incarcerated get back on their feet. And I am an online student at Purdue University Global and will earn my Bachelors of Science in Organizational Management in June or July of 2025.

What do you do for work and what are your interests? How did one or more of the workshops help you?

What I enjoyed/learned from KIPP Chicago is how to cope after having a mental health disorder due to the loss of my sister, grandma, and mother. KIPP Chicago gave me a reason to keep my head up. I had a chance to talk to people from Rush Hospital about my mental health. I also got a chance to speak to Winston & Strawn about learning my rights. I also learned how to cook/eat more healthily with their cooking series, and I got a chance to discuss the LGBTQ+ community, which helped me not trespass against others. And I could never ever forget about Fifth Third Bank teaching me about Financial Literacy and how to keep me and my household growing.

OneSight Eye Exams and WNBA Chicago Sky

This summer, in partnership with OneSight, we hosted a free vision clinic at KIPP Bloom for the Englewood community. Our goal was to provide 150 Bloom families with free vision screening and glasses on site. We exceeded that goal by serving 194 residents! We watched three generations of families receive the vision care they needed but weren’t able to easily access.

“I’ve been getting emails from the school for about a month telling me they were going to have an event here,” said Deanna Berry, who was at Bloom with her son and daughter. “I was so thankful I didn’t have to call and make an appointment at a doctor’s office to get both of my kids’ glasses.”

OneSight demonstrated both expertise and heart as they provided this service to families. They treated our space and our families with respect and genuine care. From carrying residents across the street in chairs to singing happy birthday to children, they went above and beyond to care for our students and families. In addition, they graciously cleaned every spot their 60+ volunteers occupied and asked for feedback on our partnership and performance over the two-day clinic.

Oakley and WNBA’s Chicago Sky’s Diamond DeShields sponsored the event. On site, Diamond ran basketball drills with students, signed autographs and toured the vision clinic. In addition, Chicago Sky provided complimentary tickets to the Saturday game, including transportation to and from the event.

Rheaply Partnership

Supporting the Whole Child also means supporting the environment we inhabit. We are identifying solutions that allow our organization to minimize our waste and carbon footprint. One of the ways we are minimizing our environmental impact is by identifying opportunities to reuse and repurpose items no longer in use.

Rheaply is a Chicago-based company designed to empower people to save money and the environment. The foundation is built on the pillars of “the circular economy”, which is a new economic system in which we design out waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use, and regenerate natural systems. Rheaply uses their digital platform to facilitate the exchange of goods when needed and catalyze the new connections to ensure nothing goes to landfills.

As KIPP Ascend Primary and KIPP Academy Chicago filled classrooms with updated desks and chairs, Rheaply utilized their platform to recirculate and reuse all 500+ pieces of furniture to local Chicago organizations and schools such as: the Carole Robertson Center for Learning, Richardson Middle School, Hearst Elementary School, Sidney Sawyer Elementary School, the Alternative School Network, Dirksen Elementary School and the Chicago Public School System. Because of this partnership, we were able to recirculate approximately $76,000 worth of goods in our community and divert over four tons of waste from the landfill.

The post Increasing Family and Community Partnerships appeared first on KIPP Chicago Public Schools.

Model UN Winners

KIPP Academy Chicago and KIPP Bloom students gathered at our Children’s Museum of Art and Social Justice (CMASJ) to compete in the Model United Nations (Model UN) via Zoom. Students involved in the Model UN after-school club were on the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) committee, the Human Rights Council (HRC) committee, and the Disarmament and International Security (DISEC) committee, representing the United States, The UK, Paraguay, and Cuba.

From our KIPP Chicago team, we had 5 committee winners! On the Food & Agriculture Organization committee, winners included: Bri’Asia Jenkins (KIPP Academy), Darrious McCray (KIPP Bloom), and Angelo Henderson (KIPP Bloom). The winners of the Human Rights Council Committee included Dereon Pyles (KIPP Academy) and Raymond Fox (KIPP Academy). Congratulations to these winners and all Model UN students for participating in such an important, educational, and rewarding program.

21st Century Summer Programming

KIPP Chicago utilized 21st Century funds to provide summer engagement opportunities for KIPPsters. Throughout the summer, KIPP Chicago engaged students in summer activities across all campuses. Activities focused on subjects like math, ELA, art, fitness, sports, reading, writing, financial literacy, and STEM. Summer programs were 4 hours a day, 3-5 days a week, and lasted for 3-4 weeks.

Evonne Bankston Secures a Vocal Justice Teacher Fellowship!

Congratulations to KIPP Bloom College Prep’s Mx. Bankston for pursuing a teaching fellowship with Vocal Justice. This fellowship means that Mx. Bankston will be trained and can deliver their program to students. Rather than targeting “high-achieving” students of color, Vocal Justice’s programming intentionally focuses on those who feel disengaged in school. They believe these students have incredible ideas for how to change the world precisely because the status quo has failed them.

From Mx. Bankston’s proposal:

Research has proven that students of color who engage in programs like Vocal Justice, which focuses on building their critical consciousness, perform better academically. This fellowship helps me help students develop an important life skill, communication, that they can use to thrive in any workforce and anywhere in life. This fellowship empowers undervalued Black and Brown youth to become socially conscious leaders by teaching them how to communicate authentically and persuasively about Social Justice issues. This fellowship has a unique, research-informed, culturally affirming, public speaking program that provides Black and Brown youth with a safe space to (1) reflect on and share their personal stories, (2) learn about the causes and consequences of oppression, and (3) practice talking about Social Justice in ways that are true to who they are and persuasive to their intended audiences.

The post Embracing an Inclusive and Challenging Curriculum appeared first on KIPP Chicago Public Schools.

Once Upon Our Time Capsule was founded by Stacey Gillett and Stephanie Hodges to celebrate Chicago’s children and to foster new ways of building community as we continue to navigate the pandemic. In collaboration with over 35 youth-serving organizations, engaging thousands of children ages 5-12 from over 70 different communities, this project encourages youth to create time capsules to capture their experiences of living through a pandemic. Approximately 70% of participating children represent Chicago’s BIPOC communities. Once Upon Our Time Capsule is supported by the generosity of Bloomberg Philanthropies, Chicago Public Library Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Polk Bros. Foundation.

Students from KIPP Bloom Primary’s art classroom participated in illustrating the joys and challenges of living through a pandemic before placing them inside decorated time capsules. Check out the NBC5 feature with our students! Look for time capsules on display soon at our CMASJ.

KIPP Metro Atlanta Visits the Museum

This summer, we had the pleasure of hosting KIPP Metro Atlanta’s Executive Team at our Children’s Museum of Art and Social Justice! We know that strong partnership and collaboration is the cornerstone of excellent schools and school communities, so we were thrilled to welcome this team for a day of inspiration, collaboration, and community. The intention of the visit was to share the vision, mission, and growth of the museum over the last five years. In addition, KIPP Metro Atlanta’s Executive Team was able to tour the museum and learn more about The Whole Child Initiative.

Coloring Book

Our coloring book is full of 30 + pages, all designed by KIPP Chicago students. Copies of the coloring book can be ordered here. All proceeds from the book will help us to install identity-affirming, positive murals in our schools, like the mural shown here from KIPP Ascend Primary. Also, check out how KIPP Forward’s Ms. Weldu created a bulletin board at KIPP Academy Chicago using pages from the coloring book!

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As we introduce new SEL Chair roles across the region, we’re so excited to highlight the leaders in these positions who are transforming school culture. For example, Faith Anderson-Bullock has been with KIPP for 10 years in various roles. We are so thrilled to have her as the SEL Chair for KIPP One Primary, Upper School.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m Faith Anderson-Bullock. Many of the KIPPsters like to call me Mrs. FAB. I am a mom of 3, with one on the way. I have my degree in Psychology. I heavily focus on the high-risk youth. I worked for Hartgrove Hospital as the Program Specialist for 7 years before joining KIPP on the learning support team. I’m the founder of L.O.V.E. Girls. I am a mentor in the community to many young ladies ages 8-21. I’ve partnered with many nonprofit organizations in the North Lawndale community. I strive to be the adult that I needed when I was a child. I really embody “it takes a village to raise a child.” I definitely have a strong village and I make sure I’m that same resource for my community.

Tell us about your KIPP journey (when did you start, what position, your kids in KIPP, where you are now with KIPP, etc.)

I’ve been a KIPP family for a really long time! My little brother attended KIPP Ascend Middle School in its founding years. He was in the class of 2014 (graduating high school). After that amazing experience, I always wanted to continue to be a part of KIPP. in the 2012-2013 school year I was honored to be hired at KIPP Ascend Primary on the learning support team. I then taught 4th grade (Writing, Science, ELA) for the last 5 years. This is my 10th school year with KIPP. I’m currently the SEL Chair at KIPP ONE Upper Primary. I have two middle schoolers at KIPP ONE Academy, Yashua in the 7th grade class of 2027 and Zakai in the 5th class of 2029, excelling and doing exceptionally well.

As SEL chair for KIPP One Primary’s upper school, what ideas, programs, teaching are you most excited to bring students?

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life success. Research shows that people with strong social-emotional skills are better able to cope with everyday challenges and benefit academically, professionally, and socially. From effective problem solving to self-discipline, from impulse control to emotion management, SEL gives a great foundation for positive, long term effects on students, adults and communities. With SEL in place students thrive, schools win, the workplace benefits, society strengthens!

Some ideas I have to make this successful are educating more teachers on stages of development and developmentally appropriate behaviors. I would love to bring about more trauma-informed classrooms. I’m excited to create spaces where students feel safe, secure, and comfortable enough to express their feelings and emotions adequately. I’m excited to give students the language to express themselves and advocate for what they need in those moments that are not the easiest. I’m excited to start creating small communities of students that can support each other through community circles. I also would love a world where there’s a bridge for parents to also have resources on SEL materials and classes on how they can support and implement these things at home, and have community circles that allows them to strengthen the relationship of the extremely diverse community we share at KIPP ONE. Finally, excited to support teachers, students, and parents in providing the tools needed for such a long-term impact on our future trajectory.

What do you believe is needed for a student to thrive in a KIPP school, from an SEL perspective?

CONSISTENCY – knowing what to expect, high expectations, open and honest communication both ways (teacher to student and student to teacher), and feeling physically, emotionally, and mentally safe. I know that seems like a lot! But, unfortunately, our community is rooted in trauma that didn’t start during this pandemic. Unfortunately, there’s no magic pill to cure trauma. Still, there are many practices, especially through SEL, that can reset and reshape the brain to help students feel successful and tap into their highest selves.

Tell us a bit about your own journey and how that informs your work as an SEL chair?

I will try not to be long winded. I worked at Hartgrove Hospital as the Program Specialist on the Adolescent Girls unit. We got a high number of our referrals and patients from schools. I would often ask patients to name 1 adult that they trusted that they could go to at school, and way too often they felt they had no one. I would hear story after story of teachers speaking negatively out of frustration, feeling hated by school staff based on the tone and approach used, being labeled as the bad kid. I began to wonder where the break down was happening and even wondered if teens were just being teens. Then the more I got to talk to and know these patients personally, they were all humans that yearned for structure, in a firm but fair way. They wanted to be seen and heard but also helped with tools to be successful when they struggled. They wanted a listening ear and guidance. Wanted help but did not feel judged for doing wrong. I then made my unit with high expectations, firm but fair consequences, and a space to RESPECTFULLY disagree or create a trusting space where patients could come to me if needed. I was strict and hard on them but it was deeply rooted in love and nurture. And as adults we fail to realize children can sense when adults are nasty or nurturing. Once I was at KIPP, I was interested in doing the same thing I did in the hospital but in an academic setting. Could I create a space where students felt safe, but there was a high level of expectation and a balance of firm but fair consequences? Over the years, as I learned the structure of an academic setting (totally different from a hospital) I realized it was not only possible but a game-changer for the students that needed it the most.

In my homeroom, Central State, I created a space that felt calm and safe. Mindfulness music to help with regulating the brain for focus, essential oils that help us feel calm and relaxed, journals every morning for check-ins, real conversations around choices and consequences, community circles discussing the outside community and school community and Mrs Bullock put on her momma hat to discuss hygiene and self care and how it makes you feel better and perform better. To be able to have a space to do all of that made teaching that much easier. Did I have tough students? I did, but even more they were the ones who benefitted the most from these tools. Getting to a place where they could sit and learn, not because I created anything magical, but they had a place to feel safety, consistency and firm, but fair expectations.

I truly feel all classrooms can create this space and each one can and will look unique to the teacher but the environmental experience of it will be the same. As SEL chair I know that the more teachers are set up for this type of success the more success will come.

Anything else you’d like us to know?

I’m honored to be able to share a brief statement with you of something I’m truly passionate about. I’m thankful that KIPP is taking steps in an amazing direction. Being a part of an institution for so long allows you to be a part of the many strengths and challenges that may come. I just hope and pray I continue to be impactful to many children and families that I engage with daily and constantly be a tool for my teammates throughout the region, near and far.

The post Integrating Social and Emotional Learning appeared first on KIPP Chicago Public Schools.

KIPP Chicago teachers continue to raise the bar with their creative, thoughtful, and approachable visuals that live inside classrooms and throughout the hallways. Walk into any school and you will continue to find more examples of identity-affirming imagery, words, and displays. Thank you, teachers and staff, for creating welcoming, safe, and beautiful spaces for our students!

McNair Kickoff

Due to COVID-19 we extended The McNair Fellowship pilot through the 21-22 school year. On September 30th, as part of the kickoff of our McNair program, we hosted some of the Fellows and Mentors at our Executive Director, April Montgomery Goble’s home. Enjoying an unusually warm, late September evening, we shared dinner, enjoyed live music, and came together for a night of connection and fellowship.

This fall, fellows will be designing their Impact Projects, which target the needs of KIPP Chicago students and families. These projects will allow each Fellow to create something that aligns with their skill sets, vision, and interests. Impact projects can include programming (such as identity curriculum), the installation of physical space (such as a food pantry or mural), or learning (such as LGBTQIA curriculum).

Fellows will have one-on-one time with mentors to help develop the vision for their Impact Projects. They will also meet with April to help set the direction for KIPP Chicago. We are so excited to see the output of our 12 incredible McNair Fellows.

Transformation Peer Leadership Cohort (PLC)

The KIPP Foundation’s KIPP CARE (Culturally Affirming and Responsive Experience) Initiative has organized a program for School Leaders, The Transformation PLC. This train-the-trainer model centers on a community engagement partnership to support schools in building identity-affirming culture policies and practices. School Leaders will participate in monthly training that includes: monthly coaching calls, resource development, technical support, and peer collaboration.

The post Cultivating Identity Development Practices appeared first on KIPP Chicago Public Schools.

We are projecting a Spring opening for our KIPP Academy Chicago food pantry. We are currently surveying families with Students in Temporary Living Situations (STLS) to gauge needs and we know the Austin neighborhood is particularly in need of nutritious, convenient food options. This pantry will be in partnership with RUSH and Indeed.

Extra gratitude for Tonya Jefferson

To extend extra gratitude to foodservice providers, Stephanie Morimoto, owner of Asutra, brought some self-care gifts for Tonya Jefferson of KIPP Bloom College Prep. We are beyond grateful for all of our foodservice providers for working extra hard to make and distribute breakfast and lunch each day to our students!

The post Addressing Food Justice appeared first on KIPP Chicago Public Schools.

This award is given to just 10 KIPP teachers from across the country each school year. We are ecstatic to announce that Carla Crespo, Assistant Principal & Diverse Learners and English Learners Teacher at KIPP One Academy, was one of ten recipients of this prestigious award! Read the full speech given by fellow educators to honor Carla: Sylvia Ibarra-Delgado, Emily Janik, Briana Jocelyn, Maggie Lee, Whitney Paul, and Gabby Tate.

Ms. Crespo is known for helping her students make remarkable academic strides. Last year, her 5th grade students advanced nearly 30 percentage points in math and reading in just the first four months of the school year. In addition, on the rigorous “Access Test” to test out of the English Language Learner program, Ms. Crespo’s students’ passing rate is nearly six times the state average. Outside of the classroom, she leads after-school Government and Spanish clubs, provides tutoring four days per week, and regularly helps students and families connect with community resources on social media.

“I truly cannot overstate just how laser-focused Carla is on the academic growth and success of her students,” says Whitney Paul, KIPP One Academy’s School Leader. “Carla is the kind of teacher who truly does whatever it takes to support all students and families in a variety of ways, and does so with a positive and loving attitude.”

Wellness Workshops

In tandem with our 13 weeks of parent content and curriculum, we offered similar wellness workshops for our teachers. We offered nine staff workshops through the 2020-2021 school year. We concluded this season of workshops with panel discussions centering Black Motherhood, Womanhood, and Critical Thinking (May) and a panel discussing Pride, Identity, and Mental Health (June).

Both workshops featured the voices of KIPP teachers, senior leadership, and alumni or parents. The Black Motherhood, Womanhood, and Critical Thinking workshop elevated the resilience of Black women and their evolution navigating identity, self-actualization, and mental health. Our Pride Identity and Mental Health centered the needs of members of the LGBTQ+ community, individuality, and building a safe community for LGBTQ+ students.

We thank our teachers, staff, parents, and alumni for their vulnerability and willingness to share their personal experiences with our community. The content of the conversations, diversity of voices, and perspectives provided joy, safety, and bonds when connection is deeply needed.

Surge Fellow, Sameka Gates

Sameka Gates of KIPP Academy Chicago has been named a 2022 Surge Fellow! The Surge Fellowship is the signature program of the Surge Institute and serves as a best-in-class, cohort-based experience that unites, accelerates, and empowers 20-25 emerging leaders of color in education. Surge Fellows go on a journey, not just learning the hard skills needed to function at the executive level and navigate complex systems but also joining a vast network of mission-driven leaders of color who understand and support each other’s needs. Congratulations, Sameka, on a much-deserved fellowship! Check out Sameka’s profile here!

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2021 Summit CMASJ Exhibition

On the heels of its 5th anniversary, our Children’s Museum of Art and Social Justice was invited to be featured at this year’s ASU+GSV Summit! With the incredible help of our awesome interns from the Duke Engage program, we installed two separate, interactive exhibitions. The ASU+GSV Summit connects leading minds around education and skills to ensure a new era in which ALL people have equal access to the future. The exhibits presented replicated artwork from our most recent exhibition, Self(ie) Love. Self(ie) Love, an interactive portrait exhibition exploring ideas of identity and self-love, showcases work created by student artists ranging from ages 5 to 13. The work was inspired by the belief that when children are invited to express their identities through art, they can reflect on the many factors that contribute to who they are, ultimately celebrating all parts of themselves. Conversely, when we view someone else’s story through their artwork, we experience more connection, compassion, and empathy.

“Learning to stand in somebody else’s shoes, to see through their eyes, that’s how peace begins. And it’s up to you to make that happen. Empathy is a quality of character that can change the world.” -Barack Obama

2021 Summit Panel Discussions

In conjunction with two feature exhibits, KIPP Chicago Executive Director, April Montgomery Goble, curated a rich panel discussion to examine re-imagining transformation through the intersection of art, history, philanthropy, and Social Justice. The intention was to highlight the museum’s ongoing work while engaging the esteemed panel members to discuss their experiences of evolved ways of being at work, school, and in community as we continue to grapple with the ongoing impact of COVID-19, systemic oppression, and racialized violence. Panel participants included Dr. Mahalia Hines (President, Common Ground Foundation), Brittany Jones (Managing Director of Justice Initiatives, KIPP Chicago), Suree Towfighnia (Prairie Dust Films), and Acasia Wilson Feinberg (The 1954 Project, The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education).

Jennifer Hodges, our Vice President of Whole Child Fund & Community Impact, participated in a panel to discuss how learner variability and Whole Child learning is the key to supporting all learners. Most, if not all, communities and education practitioners have come to understand the needs of students. Many are leaning on field experts to bring a “whole child” construct to support students’ academic and social-emotional needs. This panel addressed how schools, in partnership with leading providers and experts, are supporting all learners.

Panel participants included Jean-Claude Brizard (Digital Promise), Christina Theokas (Turnaround For Children), Sunil Gunderia (Age of Learning), and Sujata Bhatt (Transcend/ Penn GSE).

2021 Summit Dr. Hines Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Mahalia Ann Hines has worked in the educational field for more than 35 years as a teacher and principal. During her 15 year stint as a principal, she serviced grade levels from elementary through high school in the Chicagoland area. Dr. Hines also worked as a coach for first-year principals, a mentor for current senior network leaders, principals and prospective principals in Chicago and nationally. Dr. Hines continues to work with leaders of public and charter schools in urban areas throughout the country to develop influential leaders who will guide others to provide the best possible education for the children least likely to receive it. In addition to working with schools and school leaders, she travels speaking to single mothers on raising successful sons.

Former CPS CEO Dr. Janice Jackson and KIPP Chicago Executive Director April Montgomery Goble had the honor of presenting Dr. Hines a Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s ASU+GSV Summit. She mentors both leaders and has had an immense impact on their leadership journeys.

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