ROGERS PARK — The new school year is quickly approaching for Chicago Public Schools, with classes scheduled to begin Tuesday.
Here are a few quick reminders of changes at schools in Rogers Park, Edgewater and West Ridge that parents should know about before school starts.
1. Eugene Field's fourth-grade class moved to New Field: In the last week of the 2015 school year, CPS announced it was moving the fourth-grade class from Eugene Field Elementary, 7019 N. Ashland Blvd., to New Field Elementary, which is now a pre-K-4 school at its 1707 W. Morse Ave. building. Eugene Field will still teach grades 5-8.
2. Eugene Field could close and merge with Kilmer; Decatur could move into Field's old building: This week a community meeting was held to decide the future fate of Eugene Field Elementary, which has seen large declines in enrollment over the last decade. Up for discussion is the proposal that remaining Field students could merge with student from Kilmer Elementary, 6700 N. Greenview Ave., leaving the vacant Field building to be used by the overcrowded Decatur Classical School at 7030 N. Sacramento Ave. in West Ridge.
3. Far North Side CPS schools have a new Network 2 Chief: Eduardo Cesario, former principal at Clinton Elementary School, 6110 N. Fairfield Ave., in West Ridge, has moved up the CPS ranks to chief of Network 2 schools, which covers CPS buildings across the Far North Side.
4. Gale Elementary School has a new principal: Gale Elementary School, 1631 W. Jonquil Terrace in Rogers Park, will have Sullivan High School's Augustine Emuwa serve as its interim principal after the unexpected departure of former principal Cassandra Washington in early August. At a recent community meeting, Emuwa said he was "excited" to take on the new role at Gale.
5. Jamieson Elementary got a new annex: A new 2-story annex and over a dozen new classrooms will be open to students at Jamieson Elementary School, 5650 N. Mozart St. in West Ridge, this year. The addition, which replaces mobile classrooms, will also offer a new playground and better access to the school for students with disabilities.
6. Senn's swimming pool should get much-needed repairs: The small but historic swimming pool at Senn High School, 5900 N. Glenwood Ave., will get essential repairs that will help get it back up-and-running for the school's swim teams and physical education classes. The pool was shut off and drained during the winter after it was discovered the extent of repairs was more than originally thought, causing some swimmers to worry it would be closed for good. In the future, it may become open for other community members to use, Ald. Harry Osterman (48th) said.
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