As lead partner in six community schools, Urban Gateways: Center for Arts Education is taking on a critical role in its recent establishing of four additional schools. Working in collaboration with school administration, parent groups, community members, and the student body, Urban Gateways’ work is integrated on multiple levels in order to impact student development.
With 115 community schools opening their doors this past fall, Chicago Public Schools has become the home of the largest community schools initiative in the nation. Community schools build on the basics — families, neighborhood, and academics. Urban Gateways currently coordinates all out-of-school hours’ activities with these schools, including artist residencies, academic enrichment, computer literacy, continuing education and health/wellness workshops. Classroom teachers are encouraged to participate in these activities and are offered professional development opportunities to learn to incorporate arts-infused learning into their in-school core curriculum delivery. Initial stages of the four new partnerships include the design of out-of-school hour programs which includes the hiring of resource coordinators and the establishment of advisory committees for each school. These committees consist of representatives from the administration, faculty, Urban Gateways staff and the community surrounding the school. With the additional schools Urban Gateways is serving ten schools in ten communities across Chicago. Current Urban Gateways community schools include: Chavez Multicultural Academic Center (Back of the Yards) Esmond Elementary School (Morgan Park) Greeley Elementary School (Lake View) Pilsen Community Academy (Pilsen) Sherman School of Excellence (Englewood) Tanner Elementary School (Grand Crossing)
The four new schools are: New Sullivan Elementary School (South Chicago) Owens Community Academy (West Pullman) Stewart Elementary School (Uptown) Woodlawn Community Academy (Woodlawn)
For more information about community schools, please contact Jordan LaSalle at 312.922.0440 x.2746 or jlasalle@urbangateways.org. Urban Gateways: Center for Arts Education is a not-for-profit organization that provides culturally diverse literary, performing and visual arts programs for children, teachers and parents. As the largest, most comprehensive arts organizations in the country, Urban Gateways works with schools and artists across the metropolitan Chicago area to promote arts learning, engagement in and appreciation for the arts.