Posts

Showing posts from October, 2015

Do neighborhood schools make the grade?

Image
West Town schools: Hover over the dots and click for more information. How would you score neighborhood schools: They strive to reach their full potential? Or, they need improvement? Wells Community Academy, the default high school for East Village teens, could draw either comment. Illinois School Report Card Rita Raichoudhuri, its principal, will talk Monday with East Village Association members about progress and challenges at Wells and the city's other open-enrollment schools. She'll be joined by Ernesto Matias, her predecessor as principal, who is working on a bid to launch a citywide language academy . The 7pm meeting is at the Happy Village, 1059 N. Wolcott Ave. The Illinois School Report Card , issued Friday, gives the school at 936 N. Ashland Ave. high marks for professional development and teacher collaboration. Wells' learning environment is graded on the 5Essentials scale, which the University of Chicago developed to predict student success. Wells co

Wells talks language academy to fill classrooms

Image
Enrollment dropped by 90 students to 467 at Wells High School, 936 N. Ashland Ave. East Village Association board minutes for Oct. 12, 2015, by Michael VanDam Library restoration Jordan Marie received an e-mail from the city Department of Buildings saying it would cost $1.5 million to restore the city-owned Goldblatt's Building at 1625 W. Chicago Ave. Gladys Alcazar-Anselmo mentioned that the building was restored only in 1999. However, windows appear to have been out of the renovation's scope. Wells High School Stephen Rynkiewicz will check with a representative from Wells Community Academy to present at the Nov. 2 membership meeting. A drop in enrollment will cost $900,000 this school year, and if not reversed makes Wells a potential target for closing. The high school at 936 N. Ashland Ave. has a number of turnaround options. It has offered to host a citywide language academy, and already provides programs in teaching, logistics and law. The open-enrollment schoo

West Town library window repairs not in budget

Image
East Village Association membership minutes for Oct. 5, 2015, by Michael VanDam Welcome from EVA Vice President Catherine Garypie Presentation by John Wawraszek of Chicago Publishers Resource Center Located at 852 N. Ashland, the Chicago Publishers Resource Center is a two-year-old non-profit hosting literary and artistic workshops and community events. Wawraszek is very interested in partnering with EVA on events, including an upcoming Ashland art walk scheduled for Nov. 7. More information can be found at chiprc.org . Library façade Garypie has reached out to the city to get more information about the scaffolding in front of the West Town Branch Library at the Goldblatt's Building, 1625 W. Chicago Ave. (The Department of Fleet and Facility Management confirms a DNAinfo report that the scaffolding protects pedestrians from deteriorated windows.) Repair funds, estimated at $1.5 million, are not in the 2016 city budget. Ald. Proco Joe Moreno has mentioned the potential

Toward civil, inclusive meetings

Image
The city operated a bathhouse at 1019 N. Wolcott Ave. from 1918 through the 1960s. East Village Association board minutes for Sept. 21, 2015, by Michael VanDam Membership Meeting Given Ald. Proco Joe Moreno’s statements regarding EVA at the Sept. 14 general meeting, the board and guests discussed ways to ensure that meetings remain civil and changes to ensure that EVA remains inclusive of all neighborhood voices. Suggestions included: Issuing a statement about civility at the beginning of each meeting. The alderman hosting a separate community meeting to discuss issues like Golden Arms, instead of simply sending it to EVA. Ensuring that aldermen send representatives to attend EVA meetings. Instituting a series of educational sessions on zoning and other planning issues. Improving outreach and awareness of EVA through brochures and other collateral. Re-establishing or changing key EVA principles through discussion with membership. Bathhouse on Wolcott Michelle Hayward,
Tom Tomek business card
Anselmo @properties business card,
Ask Nagel business card.