Shedd School a satellite location for Chicago State...

Shedd School in Spring 2012

Back in September I wrote about my ideas about what to do with the closed Shedd School building. As of the current school year Shedd branch was closed and all students will be attending class at Bennett School.

A persistent report from the Roseland Heights Community Association (RHCA) was that Shedd School could ultimately become an annex for the nearby Chicago State University. So at least plans are being made to utilize this building, but I do need to ask some questions so I may have to get back to the RHCA about them.

For example will Chicago State own the building or will it remain a CPS owned property?

A question that no one could possibly answer is whether or not in the near future could Shedd School be used for the neighborhood children if enrollment changes for the better. That is if Bennett School exceeds their expected enrollment (and as stated in that earlier post Bennett School had been experiencing enrollment declines) could it re-open for students.

All the same stay tuned for any updates on this development.

CPS schools back in session on Wednesday

Well, it appears the two day extended vacation is over for CPS students. And perhaps the weather is starting to get better!

Message again via the CPS FB page where if you connect with them there will be updates on what's going on at CPS.

CPS school will be closed on Tuesday also...

Click for better resolution

You may have seen this posted at Chicago Public School FB page. It looks like CPS students get a two day extension of their Christmas holidays this year. And as always stay safe and warm. Be sure to check the information posted earlier with regards to those services available to you during this cold snap!

It's wintertime on the south side...

Cross-posted from The Sixth Ward and hopefully if you read this blog this information will be valuable to you as well!

Well we knew the winter weather was coming and hopefully many of us prepared for it. We got our salt and shovels ready for example in addition to putting fuel in our vehicles and buying extra food.

We also hope you fare well in your homes because if you're not there's a city warming center where you can stay warm until the cold snap ends. Please call 311, and we're sure they'll provide a ride if you're not able to get to one very easily.

Also, in light of the low temperatures expected on both Monday and Tuesday it appears CPS students will have their holiday break extended by one day. CPS has cancelled classes on Monday in light of the weather. On Saturday a report from the Tribune indicated that CPS were asking parents to use their discretion as to whether or not they want to send their children to school which were expected to be in session on Monday and Tuesday.

AGAIN call the CPS hotline if you have any questions (773) 553-3100

All the same here's hoping you stay safe and warm these next few days. Let's remember that Spring is almost two months away!

ALSO, we do have a weather widget in the sidebar so whenever you check this blog you will have an idea of the weather. For the time being it will be placed into the sidebar!

9th Ward Ald. Anthony Beale has sent an email about city warming centers in the city.

Tribune: Chicago schools to stay open during cold snap

UPDATE 1/5/2013 5:40 PM According a report by the Chicago Sun-Times media wire the Chicago Public Schools has cancelled classes on Monday. Please continue reading this post for the CPS Hotline at the end.

UPDATE 12:25 AM Forgot to post a link. My apologies!

What you see above I have on my ABC7 app for my mobile device. The temps you see for Monday & Tuesday are expected to get that low and CPS made the following advisory according to the Chicago Tribune:

Chicago Public Schools are leaving it up to parents to decide whether their children should go to school when wind chills drop to 50 degrees below zero or colder next week. Meanwhile, some suburban school districts expect to decide Sunday whether to stay open.

All Chicago Board of Education schools are scheduled to be open Monday and Tuesday, when highs are barely expected to reach zero degrees, according to a release from CPS.

"While all District schools are slated to be open on Monday, I strongly encourage parents to use their own discretion in deciding whether to send their children to school," schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett said in the release. "We will be working throughout the weekend to ensure that our buildings and school officiails are ready to receive students on Monday."

Building engineers were to head into city schools on Sunday to turn up heat to standard classroom temperatures in preparation for children going to school Monday, according to CPS. If heating systems are malfunctioning, CPS will take students to alternate sites.

The contractors who run the CPS bus system are checking their vehicles to make certain they will be ready to arrive on-time Monday.

Parents can call CPS hotline if they have any questions: (773) 553-3100.

BTW, there is an accuweather widget on this blog if you want to keep getting updates on weather, especially updates for the weather on the days in question.

EveryBlock is coming back?

EveryBlock.com coming back?

Crossposted over at The Sixth Ward on Dec. 20, 2013. I miss this application that showed various data such as crime, permits, etc. There was a widget that was at various times shown either in the sidebar or on it's own dedicated page here (also on it's own dedicated page at The Sixth Ward called the "Blotter"). All the same I look forward to sharing data around both Bennett & Shedd schools even if Shedd is closed currently.

EveryBlock was shutdown back in February of this year by NBC News for whom they were a subsidiary. Now, NBC News' parent company Comcast is considering bringing it back and Chicago Grid even had the opportunity to see a non-public version of the site. It appears the site might be revived in Chicago first and then ulitmately expanded to other cities around the nation.

In light of it's abrupt closure earlier this year, there have been a number of sites who sought to fill the void EveryBlock left. Many have chosen this site, Nextdoor which is a lot more hyperlocal than EveryBlock was thanks to this idea of wanting more information out of the user when they join the site.

Well when EveryBlock returns I look forward to bring back the old Sixth Ward Blotter even if in the future it might need some tweaks for more coverage areas.

Find them on social media and let them know you're glad they're coming back in the near future.

Twitter

• EveryBlock @everyblock
• EveryBlock Chicago @ebchicago

Sun-Times: Test-score gap widens between white, black students in Chicago

The report apparently not only discussed race, but also income according to those students who had free lunches.

Published Wednesday, the report shows that despite steady improvements over the last decade, Chicago still lags behind most major U.S. cities in math and reading at the fourth- and eighth-grade levels.

The gap in fourth grade math test scores between black and white students in Chicago widened to 40 points — the largest gap since the national study began in 2003, and significantly wider than the 31 point gap in the average major U.S. city.

Though the average white student was graded as “proficient” with “solid academic performance” in fourth grade math, the average black student had only “basic” understanding, or a “partial mastery” at that stage, according to the report.

The sobering statistics included a few bright spots for CPS officials, however. Despite the widening race gap, Chicago recorded the joint biggest fourth grade math bump in the nation.

Chatham 14 holiday party with free movies

December 14th is my birthday and it would be worth it to drop off some items at Chatham 14 for those neighborhood children in need. Everyone has got to eat of course and every child should have a toy to play with. On top of that since temperatures this month had dropped to record lows they also need a coat and through Dec. 20th you can also drop off a coat for a free large popcorn. That was mentioned in another post. Anyway refer to graphic below for more information and hopefully you would either have something to give or you may benefit.

Get a free popcorn, for donating a coat at Chatham 14 Theaters

Until December 20, 2013 if you donate a coat that's either new/clean but gently used please drop it off in the Chatham 14 lobby. The cineplex is located at 210 W. 87th Street and not only are they accepting coats they want toy donations as well. According to this article from DNA Info:

For every new or "gently"' used coat donated during the theater's first annual winter coat drive, the theater will give away a voucher good for a large popcorn.

Venisha White-Johnson, director of operations for the Chatham 14 Theaters, said while the theater has done food drives in the past, the coat drive started after she saw so many kids coming to the movies in shoddy jackets.

"I see kids coming to the theater with coats too small, worn out and in some cases not suitable for cold weather," she said. "Times are hard for everyone, especially single mothers, so having a coat drive seemed more appropriate."

The donations are being accepted daily 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Dec. 20 at the theater at 210 W. 87th St. A voucher that can be redeemed anytime is given for every coat donated, and there is no limit to how many coats a person can donate.

Well we call for donations to food pantries this year, and now donations for winter coats. More than one way to provide a blessing for someone this holiday season!