WICKER PARK — Ready or not, it's time for school to start and there are several new updates for Chicago Public School families in the Wicker Park, Bucktown and West Town areas.
Here's a sampling of what we know that's new at schools set to welcome students back on Tuesday.
If we missed your school's "new news," add it as a comment on NeighborhoodSquare.com
Jose de Diego Community Academy, 1313 N. Claremont Ave. in Wicker Park. New principal Jackie Menoni, after serving as the school's interim leader last year, signed a contract in July to become de Diego's permanent principal, succeeding another interim leader, Patricia Gonzalez. The school is also in the midst of a new roof and tuck pointing project and construction is expected to last until the end of October, according to workers onsite on Thursday.
Pulaski International School of Chicago, 2230 W. McClean Ave in Bucktown. New leadership at the International Baccalaureate school includes principal Diana Racasi, who succeeded Arlana Bedard and assistant principal Liz Wontor-Leach, who most recently worked at a STEM Academy High School, according to a blog post on Pulaski's website.
Wells Community Academy High School, 936 N. Ashland Ave. in East Village. Despite a decline in enrollment — with around 400 students projected to be attending, as compared to 560 last year — Wells is seeing improvements in graduation and attendance rates, according to principal Rita Raichoudhuri, who previously described the school as a "lone wolf surrounded by charters." On Tuesday morning, the public is invited to the school campus lawn to welcome the students back between 8:15 and 8:40 a.m., Raichoudhuri said.
Drummond Montessori School, 1845 W. Cortland St. in Bucktown. About $110,000 worth of new furniture from BrainSpaces, a school design firm was donated to the school by a parent and was installed last month. The school is also in the midst of raising money to pay for renovations to create a passageway between two middle school rooms; folks can donate here. And a not-so-fun fact: The family of a Drummond student who gets around by wheelchair has filed a civil rights complaint over the school's lack of accessibility, WBEZ reports.
A.N. Pritzker Elementary School, 2009 W. Schiller St. in Wicker Park. This neighborhood school and fine arts academy grew by 50 new students and has a total enrollment of 730 students in grades pre-K through 8th grade. This year, a new resident principal, Tanyelle Reed, will be training under longtime principal Dr. Joenile Albert-Reese and assistant principal, Barbara Abdullah-Smith.
Jonathan Burr Elementary School, 1621 W. Wabansia Ave. The growing school, which increased by about 40 students and is projecting to serve around 485 from pre-K through 8th grade, will focus on the concept of "embrace diversity" this year, principal William Klee said on Friday. "There is racial, economic, ability and gender diversity. It's a loaded word. Exploring diversity will help with social and emotional learning and furthering our mission of creating global students." he said. And everyone is invited to follow Burr's journey by using the hashtag #embracediversity on Twitter. The school staff also produced a music video to welcome students back to class, too.
Burr School/YouTube
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