May 23, 2012

Mayor Emanuel Announces Partnership with DePaul University and Loyola University Chicago to Improve Lake View and Senn High Schools

DePaul Signs on as 4-Year College Partner for Early College STEM Program at Lake View; Loyola Offers Teacher Training and Curriculum Support as Senn Transitions to Wall-to-Wall IB Program

Mayor's Press Office    312.744.3334

DePaul University and Loyola University Chicago are providing academic support, teacher training and improved educational opportunities for Chicago Public Schools students under new partnerships with two neighborhood high schools on Chicago’s north side, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced today.

“By partnering with two top universities in Chicago, these neighborhood schools will provide students with a better education and the skills they need for a successful future,” said Mayor Emanuel.  “Through these efforts, DePaul University and Loyola University Chicago are demonstrating their commitment to providing Chicago students with a quality education, which has made them pillars in their respective communities for many decades.”

DePaul University is partnering with Lake View High School as the four-year college partner to the Early College STEM School program. When students in the program are eligible for college courses, DePaul will provide dual enrollment opportunities for students.  DePaul is also supporting curriculum development in alignment with college standards, providing data analysis and on-going education for teachers.

“For many years, DePaul University has been deeply committed to enhancing the educational experiences of Chicago Public School students and teachers through a wide range of initiatives, from training science and math teachers to providing classical music instruction for grammar school students,” said the Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M., DePaul president.  “This new partnership between Lake View High School and DePaul bolsters that bond and furthers our mission to be an institutional anchor for Chicago. By providing Lake View students with greater access to DePaul’s high-quality faculty and facilities in science and technology, we hope to ease their transition into college and send them on the path toward entering careers in these fields.”

Loyola’s School of Education will work with the school principal, administrative team, and faculty at Senn High School in Edgewater to improve its curriculum and support teacher training, while also helping Senn transition to the first wall-to-wall International Baccalaureate program offered by CPS. 

“This partnership will be a University-wide effort, led by our School of Education, but also involving our schools of social work and nursing, the Center for Urban Research and Learning, and the departments of fine and performing arts, school counseling, computer science, and more,” said Michael J. Garanzini, S.J., Loyola’s president and CEO. “Our School of Education has a number of other successful partnerships throughout the CPS system, including the Principal Training Program, IB Certification, and the Center for Math and Science Education. We also have a very strong presence in the Senn feeder schools, including Swift and Hayt especially, making this partnership with Senn a great fit.”

In February, Mayor Emanuel announced that Lake View High School would be one of five Early College STEM Schools (ECSS) that focus on technology skills and career readiness under a partnership agreement with technology companies, CPS and colleges and universities.  DePaul is the first four-year university to offer college courses through ECSS and joins Microsoft Corporation as a partner at Lake View.

The announcement of ECSS was followed by an expansion of International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programmes in March. CPS is creating 10 new IB programs in high schools across the city, including new IB programs in existing neighborhood high schools. Senn High School will expand its current IB program as the first wall-to-wall IB school in CPS. This decision was made after discussions with stakeholders in the communities served by Senn.

“We look forward to working with DePaul University and Loyola University Chicago and are already anticipating the tremendous impact these institutions will have on our students and schools,” said CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard. “This collaboration will provide our students with a rich and unique curriculum and help prepare them for college and successful careers.”

 

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