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Chicago Education Trailblazers Honored for Transforming Schools

CHICAGO DEFENDER — LEAP Innovations has announced the recipients of the Innovator in Education Awards, an impressive array of trailblazing teachers, inspirational school teams, and innovative leaders who are leading meaningful change in Chicago’s education. Recipients were honored on Tuesday, Aug. 27, at the LEAP InnovatED Summit, the annual innovation conference that brings together Chicago educators to energize them for the new school year, with a focus on student-centered learning.

Published

5 years ago

September 12, 2019

Oakland Post

LEAP Innovator in Education Awards Recipients (Photo by: chicagodefender.com)

By The Chicago Defender

LEAP Innovations has announced the recipients of the Innovator in Education Awards, an impressive array of trailblazing teachers, inspirational school teams, and innovative leaders who are leading meaningful change in Chicago’s education. Recipients were honored on Tuesday, Aug. 27, at the LEAP InnovatED Summit, the annual innovation conference that brings together Chicago educators to energize them for the new school year, with a focus on student-centered learning.

The award recipients have transformed their schools and classrooms through a student-centered approach to education, also known as personalized learning. Personalizing education creates rigorous learning experiences that are tailored to each student’s individual needs, strengths and interests. This approach helps every student develop leadership skills, critical thinking, and personal agency to guide his/her learning and mastery of concepts. Chicago is the largest urban demonstration site of personalized learning in the United States, with more than 140 Chicago schools having worked with LEAP to implement the practice.

“As part of LEAP’s mission to work with educators to transform education into a uniquely personal experience that prepares and inspires all learners to reach their unlimited potential, it’s an honor to recognize these exemplary educators who are inspiring positive change and impact for their students,” said Phyllis Lockett, LEAP Innovations Founder and CEO. “We applaud these trailblazing and passionate educators who have personalized the education experience to foster student agency, leadership and strong desire to learn that is critical for them to thrive in the future economy.”

Each of the award recipients excelled against specific criteria. They demonstrated high levels of team commitment, collaboration dynamics and implementation fidelity. Importantly, they also showed strong performance against NWEA attainment and growth, as well SQRP and 5Es.

2019 LEAP Leader Award Recipient: A catalyst for change, with the vision and leadership to inspire teams and transform their school environment to Personalized Learning.

Miyoshi Knox, Principal, Stagg School of Excellence (Englewood)

Ms. Knox, principal of Stagg for the last eight years, is a visionary who takes risks in order to optimize the learning environment for her students and staff. She has championed her team’s transformation to a student-centered approach to education. In concert with her school team, she has redesigned the experience for students to encourage more critical thinking, agency, and academic leadership, with a focus on developing social-emotional learning and human skills, such as collaboration and persuasion.

The work of Ms Knox and her team has yielded strong results with gains both in growth and attainment. Since implementing personalized learning, Stagg has progressed from a level 2+ school to a level 1 school.

2019 LEAP Educator Award Recipient: An early adopter of Personalized Learning, who thinks not only about how we might do education differently but puts it to work.

Jennifer Fedrick, George Washington Elementary School (East Side)

Ms. Fedrick, a 5th-grade teacher at Washington Elementary for 10 years, has been an instrumental member of the school’s effort to pilot the transformation to a personalized learning approach. She has created personalized pathways for her students that have given them the autonomy to design their learning experiences based on data. Her students lead their learning through self-reflection, collaboration and conferencing — and they track their progress daily. Her drive and passion to create a student-centered classroom have resulted in great success for her students.

2019 LEAP School Team Award Recipient: Exhibits creativity, commitment and persistence in building and implementing a vision for PL in their school environment.

Ashburn Community Elementary School (Southwest Side)

Ashburn Community Elementary School is in its second year of whole school transformation to personalized learning through the LEAP/CPS partner program, Elevate. This program is an integral part of Chicago Public Schools’ growing initiative to personalize learning. This year, the school team has made social-emotional learning a critical priority for its students, zeroing in on the development of self-navigation and agency in its students, particularly in fifth and sixth grades. Its work has resulted in impressive academic growth for its fifth and sixth graders. The entire school team rallied with purpose and collaborated tightly to ensure this transformation, with a deep commitment to insight-fueled progression as they worked through innovation cycles.

The LEAP InnovatED Summit, held at Chicago’s UIC Student Center East at 750 S. Halsted St., draws esteemed education experts from throughout the country to share the latest education innovations and energize educators for the school year ahead. The Summit experience is designed to immerse audiences into insights and strategies about key social forces that must undergird the future of education – such as digital transformation, opportunities and challenges in the future of work, issues of equity and understanding the impact of trauma.

This article originally appeared in the Chicago Defender.

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OP-ED: The Illusion of Allyship. White Women, Your Yard Signs Mean Nothing to Me

NNPA NEWSWIRE – “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 9, 2024

Oakland Post

Political yard signs can symbolize intentions and allegiance. But this year, they’ve also symbolized betrayal. During this general election, Black women were led to believe that more White women would stand with us. Exit polls, however, told a different story. Despite overwhelming displays of support, more White women still chose to vote for the convicted felon, reality TV star, and rapist. White women answered the call but left us hanging at the polls.

A Familiar Disappointment

I live in DeKalb County, Georgia, and the abundance of Harris-Walz yard signs could’ve fooled me. But I’ve seen this before, back when Stacey Abrams ran for governor. White women showed up, put up signs, attended rallies, knocked on doors, and phone-banked. Yet, when it came time to vote, they let us down—not once but twice. I’ve been here for over 15 years, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s that political signs are symbols without weight.

In every election, I’ve talked with White women. Most aren’t the primary earners in their families and vote along party lines, aligning with the preferences of their fathers and husbands. These conversations reveal a reluctance to break from tradition, even when their votes affect women and certainly when their votes impact the lives of people who look like me.

The Illusion of Solidarity—Symbols Are Not Enough

On social media, I’m seeing White women posting pictures of blue bracelets to “prove” they didn’t vote for Trump. “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

I’ve seen Black Lives Matter signs and black squares posted on Instagram to “prove” support for Black people, but we now know that was a lie, too. Will those same people who claimed Black lives mattered now take down their Harris-Walz signs and show their true selves?

Navigating these truths is a daily struggle for me—professionally and socially. White women often misuse their privilege, supporting us only when it’s convenient. Seeing overqualified Black women sabotaged or abandoned by White women at critical moments is a constant emotional challenge. It’s exhausting to live with this reality, especially when solidarity seems like something they pick up and discard at will.

One clever campaign ad from Harris-Walz that spoke directly to White women. “Your Vote, Your Choice” emphasized that their vote was private—independent of their household situation. Another was from Olivia Howell Dreizen, the “Vote Without Fear” campaign, which empowered women to consider the greater impact of their choices. But it seems many still couldn’t choose the roadmap to freedom—even when it was handed to them.

A Call for Action Beyond Words

White women, I want to believe you care, but actions speak louder than yard signs, bracelets, or Instagram posts. Show up in our communities, advocate in your workplaces, and stand up to dismantle the structures that uphold white supremacy. Only through real action will we know where you stand.

If you choose not to act, we see you—and we know exactly where you stand. Good luck these next four years.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of BlackPressUSA.com or the National Newspaper Publishers Association.

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Supernova Parenting Conference Empowers Over 100 Parents with Resources for Neurodivergence and Mental Health

The inaugural Supernova Parenting Conference was co-hosted by Natasha Nelson, known as Supernova Momma, and Yolanda Walker, founder of Parenting Decolonized. It brought together over 100 parents, caregivers, and educators dedicated to fostering understanding and support for neurodivergent children and mental health challenges. The conference provided invaluable resources, expert insights, and a collaborative space for […]

Published

2 weeks ago

November 7, 2024

BlackPressUSA.com

The event featured a variety of workshops, panel discussions, and keynote speeches from leading experts in neurodiversity and mental health. Attendees left with practical tools and strategies to enhance their parenting journeys, emphasizing the importance of understanding and supporting the unique needs of neurodivergent children.

“While the conference was a tremendous success, we believe that our work doesn’t end here,” said Natasha Nelson. “It’s crucial to continue providing ongoing support and resources for parents as they navigate this important journey. We want to ensure families can access the tools they need long after the conference.”

To extend the momentum generated at the conference, Natasha and Yolanda are excited to announce the launch of the Supernova Parenting Community. This membership-based initiative aims to offer a safe and supportive environment for parents and caregivers to continue their growth as conscious parents.

Membership is available for as little as $5 a month via Patreon, making it accessible for all families seeking support.

“We know that parenting can be a challenging journey, especially when navigating neurodivergence and mental health issues,” Yolanda Walker added. “Our goal is to build a community where parents feel seen, heard, and supported. We hope you’ll join us in this vital work.”

For more information about the Supernova Parenting Community and to sign up for membership, please visit supernovaparenting.org