Our Fall Fund Drive is officially underway, and we are almost halfway to reaching out goal! Thank you to our families who have already donated to the Fall Fund Drive –we appreciate your generosity!

​If you have not participated this year, please consider making a donation! Every dollar helps us to meet our goal.

To read the letter, or for a Spanish version please click here.

​October 4, 2016
Dear CICS Irving Park Family,

The safety of Chicago International Charter School (CICS) students is our top priority. With the recent concerns raised about water quality throughout Chicago, CICS independently tested the water in each of its schools.

Based on expert advice, CICS determined that the best time to test the water is approximately 1-2 weeks into the beginning of the school year to help ensure representative samples. CICS followed the same protocol as utilized by Chicago Public Schools, which included pulling samples from every drinking fountain and all sinks within the kitchen and food preparation areas.

The tests from your student’s campus indicate that no lead was found above the action level, and the water in the campus is safe. The full results are attached for your review.
Children can be exposed to lead from several sources, including soil, paint, and some consumer products. Federal guidance specifies that children under the age of six are at the highest risk for harmful lead exposure, and if you are concerned about your children’s possible lead exposure risks, please visit your pediatrician or call the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) lead hotline at 312.747.5323. Additional information also can be found at www.cdc.gov/lead.

We value the confidence you place in us each day to educate your children, and we will continue to work to ensure our students have a safe and healthy environment to grow and learn. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at 312.651.5000 with any questions.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth Shaw CEO

A Note from Ms. Breo:

Dear IP Families,

Thank you to all of the parents for supporting us through the beginning of the school year!  We have had a strong start and we are excited for the months ahead.   
We are focused on our Breakthrough Schools grant and beginning our journey to personalize learning for our students. We are in our 1st year of implementation and our model is structured in the following four ways:

• Flexible Learning Environments → Classrooms provide students with comfort and many options for students to learn best
• Learner Profiles → Students identify interests and goals so that teachers may tailor their learning experience
• Competency-Based Progression → Teachers move at a student’s pace each day and provide your child with the content they are ready for
• Personalized Learning Plans → Students create daily and weekly goals to drive their own learning and monitor progress towards goals

As we begin, our first focus is flexible learning environments.  We have started to design our classroom environments.  We are looking at ways to balance technology with best teaching practices and we are also looking at grouping students in different ways during instruction.  During this time we will also be setting high expectations for students so that we can have solid transitions to maximize learning time.  

I am excited for Parent-Teacher Conferences at the end of the month.  It will be a great time for parents, students, and teachers to come together as a team and outline goals for the year!  I look forward to seeing you all.

Please know that I am always available if you have any questions, ideas, comments, or feedback to help our school be the best that it can be!  Don’t hesitate to reach out to me for anything that you need!
​
Sincerely,
Ms. Breo
Director, CICS Irving Park