HYDE PARK — Chicago Public Schools will host 12 community meetings at Kenwood and Dunbar high schools to address elementary and middle schools slated for closure in on the south lakefront.
Nine elementary schools in Woodlawn, South Shore, Washington Park and Douglas and three middle schools in Hyde Park and Grand Boulevard are expected to close after a round of community meetings in Hyde Park and public hearings at the CPS Central Office next month.
The south lakefront is already a hotbed for parent anger over the proposals.
“They’re dividing us. They should’ve sat down and asked us as parents, ‘How can we make your child's school better?’” said Darlene O’Banner, 55, a grandmother of one student and parent of two in schools in Englewood who traveled to Board of Education President David Vitale’s home in Kenwood March 21 to protest the proposed school closings.
Parents hoping to voice their displeasure will have chance to sign up for a two-minute slot to speak at a raft of upcoming community meetings hosted by CPS. Sign-up begins one hour before the start of the meeting.
Interested in attending a meeting?
Miriam G. Canter Middle School, 4959 S. Blackstone Ave., slated to close
Community meetings: 5-7 p.m. April 8 and 5-7 p.m. April 12 at Kenwood High School, 5015 S. Blackstone Ave.
Public hearing: 5:30-7 p.m. April 17 at CPS Central Office, 125 S. Clark St.
All returning Canter students will moved to Bret Harte Elementary School at 1556 E. 56th St. or Ray Elementary School at 5631 S. Kimbark Ave.
Betsy Ross Elementary School, 6059 S. Wabash Ave., slated to close
Community meetings: 7:30-9:30 p.m. April 8 and 7:30-9:30 p.m. April 12 at Kenwood High School, 5015 S. Blackstone Ave.
Public hearing: 8-10 p.m. at April 17 at CPS Central Office, 125 S. Clark St.
All returning Ross students will be moved to Dulles Elementary at 6311 S. Calumet Ave. CPS has partnered with the Academy for Urban School Leadership to provide educational services at Dulles.
William J. and Charles H. Mayo Elementary School, 249 E. 37th St., slated to close
Community meetings: 5-7 p.m. April 9 and 10 a.m. to noon April 13 at Kenwood High School, 5015 S. Blackstone Ave.
Public hearing: 5:30-7:30 p.m. April 22 at CPS Central Office, 125 S. Clark St.
CPS proposes closing combining Mayo Elementary and Wells Elementary into a new Wells in the current Mayo building.
Austin O. Sexton Elementary School, 6020 S. Langley Ave., slated to close
Community meetings: 7:30-9:30 p.m. April 9 and 12:30-2:30 p.m. April 13 at Kenwood High School, 5015 S. Blackstone Ave.
Public hearing: 8-10 p.m. April 22 at CPS Central Office, 125 S. Clark St.
CPS proposes combining Sexton Elementary and Fiske Elementary into a new Fiske in the current Sexton building.
Dumas Technology Academy, 6650 S. Ellis Ave., slated to close
Community meetings: 5-7 p.m. April 10 and 5-7 p.m. April 15 at Kenwood High School, 5015 S. Blackstone Ave.
Public hearing: 5:30-8:30 p.m. April 25 at CPS Central Office, 125 S. Clark St.
CPS proposes combining Dumas Technical Academy and Wadsworth Elementary into a new Wadsworth in the current Dumas building.
Enrico Fermi Elementary School, 1415 E. 70th St., slated to close
Community meetings: 7:30-9:30 p.m. April 10 and 7:30-9:30 p.m. April 15 at Kenwood High School, 5015 S. Blackstone Ave.
Public hearing: 8-10 p.m. April 25 at CPS Central Office, 125 S. Clark St.
All returning Fermi students will be combined with South Shore Academy, also located at 1415 E. 70th St. The geographic boundary currently associated with Fermi will be reassigned to Wadsworth Elementary, which is moving into the current Dumas Technology Academy at 6650 S. Ellis Ave.
Pershing West Middle School, 3200 S. Calumet Ave., slated to close
Community meetings: 5-7 p.m. April 8 and 5-7 p.m., April 12 at Dunbar High School, 3000 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Public hearing: 5:30-7:30 p.m. April 19 at CPS Central Office, 125 S. Clark St.
CPS proposes combining Pershing Middle and Pershing Elementary into a new Pershing Elementary in the current Pershing Middle School building.
Anthony Overton Elementary School, 221 E. 49th St., slated to close
Community meetings: 7:30-9:30 p.m. April 8 and 7:30-9:30 p.m. April 12 at Dunbar High School, 3000 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Public hearing: 8-10 p.m. April 19 at CPS Central Office, 125 S. Clark St.
All returning Overton students will be moved to Mollison Elementary at 4415 S. King Drive. Children currently served by the Child Parent Center located at 4935 S. Indiana Ave. will remain in that building but will be affiliated with Edmond Burke Elementary School at 5356 S. King Drive.
Francis Parkman Elementary School, 245 W. 51st St., slated to close
Community meetings: 5-7 p.m. April 9 and 10 a.m. to noon April 13 at Dunbar High School, 3000 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Public hearing: 8-10 p.m. April 19 at CPS Central Office, 125 S. Clark St.
All returning Parkman students will be moved to Sherwood Elementary at 245 W. 57th St.
Crispus Attucks Elementary School, 5055 S State St., slated to close
Community meetings: 7:30-9:30 p.m. April 9 and 12:30-2:30 p.m. April 13 at Dunbar High School, 3000 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Public hearing: 5:30-7:30 p.m. April 18 at CPS Central Office, 125 S. Clark St.
CPS proposes Attucks not enroll a new kindergarten class this fall or in fall 2014; Instead, those students will go to Beethoven Elementary School. Attucks will close in June 2015 and Beethoven will accept all returning students in fall 2015.
Williams Multiplex Elementary School, 2710 S. Dearborn St., slated to close
Community meetings: 5-8 p.m. April 10 and 5-8 p.m. April 15 at Dunbar High School, 3000 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Public hearing: 5:30-8:30 p.m. April 26 at CPS Central Office, 125 S. Clark St.
CPS proposes combining Williams and Drake Elementary, with the new Drake in the current Williams building.
Williams Preparatory Academy Middle School, 2710 S. Dearborn St., slated to close
Community meetings: 5-8 p.m. April 10 and 5-8 p.m. April 15 at Dunbar High School, 3000 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Public hearing: 5:30-8:30 p.m. April 26 at CPS Central Office, 125 S. Clark St.
CPS proposes combining Williams and Drake Elementary, with the new Drake in the current Williams building.
