Chicago Public Schools

Mayor Rahm Emanuel said at least former CPS boss Jean-Claude Brizard appreciated his sense of humor.

North Side Action for Justice is urging parents to keep students out of school Wednesday.

Parents said they are happy to have middle school grades at Ray, but will wait to see if it's successful.

Parents said they were happy with the attention to safety, but some said the school went overboard.

Even with mixed feelings over closures, students reported a positive first-day experience.

Class sizes in the fourth grade are up some 30 percent, and only one clerk will be in the office.

Salomon Lopez, 10, was supposed to be met with a one-on-one caregiver at his new school but was not.

Students said the first day of school at John Harvard Elementary School of Excellence went well.  

Principal Derrick Orr, whose school was spared from closing, wants to make the most of his second chance.

Many students were excited, but some parents hope transition will go well for special ed students.  

Parents walked their kids to school a block from where a 14-year-old boy was shot dead Sunday.

Students had plenty of company on their walks to several area schools Monday morning.

Chappell Elementary welcomed students and staff from shuttered Trumbull Monday morning.

There were no first day issues at Castellanos, which is accepting students who used to attend Paderewski.

Officials and volunteers reported no problems for students walking from shuttered Ross Elementary.