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Lake View High School Gets Ratings Boost, Multimillion Dollar Investment

By Ariel Cheung | November 2, 2015 8:23am
 Lake View High School improved its school quality rating to level 1 in 2015.
Lake View High School improved its school quality rating to level 1 in 2015.
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DNAinfo/Ariel Cheung

LAKEVIEW — Following his first full year as principal at Lake View High School, Scott Grens got an extremely "validating" email last week.

A senior sent Grens a glowing note touching on the "huge positive change in Lake View" and "the work you and the entire staff are doing to try to make the school better," Grens quoted.

For her, their work has already paid off; she's heading to college after graduation.

"That's my level 1 rating right there," Grens told his Local School Council on Thursday.

But Grens has another level 1 rating to celebrate. Last week, Lake View's school quality rating rose from a level 2+ to a level 1, placing it in the top half of the 660 schools in the district.

 Lake View High School Principal Scott Grens at a local school council meeting.
Lake View High School Principal Scott Grens at a local school council meeting.
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DNAinfo/Erica Demarest

Level 1 schools rank just below the district's highest rating of level 1+, which it defines as "nationally competitive" schools. The boost in rating brings Lake View from "average" to "a good school choice with many positive qualities," according to CPS guidelines.

There's also a multimillion dollar investment coming to the school, Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) revealed Wednesday. With plans to increase the academic rigor of the school, build an honors program and provide stronger connections to area elementary schools, "this will further build on the efforts" by Grens, Tunney said.

On Friday, Tunney's office declined to release more details, including the total amount offered. The plan falls in line with efforts by Tunney and Ald. Pat O'Connor (40th) and Ameya Pawar (47th) to strengthen neighborhood schools.

"It's comforting to see others aware of our continued potential for even more academic success," Grens told DNAInfo in an email. "As a proud principal, I am looking forward to sharing developments with the community members as we serve students and ensure these investments from our city and community best support everyone — our students, staff and school."

The school will work hand-in-hand with the district and feeder schools to best allocate the money and ensure the Lake View stays "highly oiled and sustainable," Grens told the Local School Council.

Grens credits the improvement to a new outreach approach to connect with elementary students and support teams dedicated to priorities like getting into college and strengthening critical thinking skills. This year, the school lists 27 courses offering college credit and boasts 781 total college acceptances for 2015 graduating seniors.

It's a change that has parents like Peggy Herrington taking note.

With her oldest graduating from Blaine Elementary last year, Herrington has been testing the waters of local high school options for a couple years. They discussed DePaul Prep and applied to Lane Tech, but in the end, "we felt this was a better fit for his personality, his goals," she said.

As for Grens, "I was really impressed by his energy, and I think he's the right person to bring the school in the right direction," she said.

Grens was an English teacher at Lake View for three years and an East Garfield Park assistant principal before becoming Lake View's interim principal in April 2014. After previous principal Lilith Werner left for a network job amid internal tension, Grens was unanimously chosen for the permanent gig in June 2014.

"It was an emotional year for me, returning to the place I loved as a teacher," Grens said Thursday. "And now seeing all that progress take place is really phenomenal."

Compared to last year, the high school improved its ACT assessment growth, particularly for black students and diverse learners.

There were slight dips in the freshmen on-track rate — from 87 percent to 83 percent — and the percent of students graduating within four years — from 92 percent to 87 percent. The percentage of students who enroll in college increased slightly, to 68 percent.

Parents, students and educators surveyed on the "My Voice, My School" survey also boosted the school from being "partially organized" to "well-organized."

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