Distinctive Schools

Distinctive Schools is getting hands-on with Artificial Intelligence! Huge shoutout to Yusuf Ahmad, co-founder of Playlab, for equipping us with the knowledge and tools we need for a successful school year through AI innovation.💡

Come grab some popcorn, spin the prize wheel, take a picture in the Distinctive schools photo booth, and learn more about our schools!

See you this Saturday! Distinctive Schools is proud to sponsor the Bud Billiken Parade for the 6th year! Join us this Saturday, August 10th, for a day of fun, music, and prizes. Our team will be there to share our story and connect with students and families. Don’t miss out!

This month, the spotlight is on Kathy Clough, Assistant Principal of our CICS West Belden campus. We are so grateful for her longtime dedication and commitment to Distinctive Schools over the years.

Kathy has been a trailblazer in our personalized learning work, implementing strong innovative practices in her classroom and serving as a key member of our pilot teams for many years, helping us to scale. Kathy continues to expand her knowledge by joining summer Artificial Intelligence (AI) series, attending and presenting at conferences, and collaborating with CICS West Belden and Distinctive Schools leaders to keep innovation and excellence at the forefront. Congrats, Kathy! 🎉 This month, the spotlight is on YOU!

Looking for a fresh teaching opportunity? Our vibrant and creative Art in Motion High School, located on the south side of Chicago, is seeking a dedicated Spanish teacher to join our team. If you love inspiring young minds, fostering creativity, and sharing the rich culture of the Spanish-speaking world, we want to hear from you! Apply now at https://bit.ly/aim_hs_spanish or email [email protected] with any questions.
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¿Busca una nueva oportunidad de enseñanza? Nuestra vibrante y creativa escuela secundaria Art in Motion, ubicada en el lado sur de Chicago, está buscando un maestro de español dedicado para unirse a nuestro equipo. Si te encanta inspirar mentes jóvenes, fomentar la creatividad y compartir la rica cultura del mundo de habla hispana, ¡queremos saber de ti! Presente su solicitud ahora en https://bit.ly/aim_hs_spanish o envíe un correo electrónico a [email protected] si tiene alguna pregunta.

We’re celebrating education and community at Wicker Park Fest this weekend! Learn more about Distinctive Schools by visiting our booth!

We're here at Fiesta Del Sol, today and ALL weekend long! 📢Tell a friend to tell a friend!

Attention Families! CPS is hosting their Back-to-School Bash this summer where you can receive a backpack with school supplies, enjoy some delicious food, and get excited for the new school year!

Stop by and say hello to the Distinctive Schools team at the Bash on July 25th, July 30th, and August 1st, 2024! 🥳

Catch Distinctive Schools at Fiesta Del Sol and Wicker Park Fest this weekend! We can’t wait to see our Distinctive Schools family and meet new faces. Stop by our booth and say hello! 👋 🎈

Our 2024-25 Kickoff Retreat set the stage for a success school year!

Together, our leaders:
🌟 Dove into our unique leadership styles and harnessed our strengths as a unified team
🚀 Previewed key priorities for the upcoming school year
📚 Introduced and explored new frameworks, goal-setting processes and expectations
🤖 Continued to unlock the potential of AI

We are thrilled to share that Scott Frauenheim, CEO of Distinctive Schools, has been selected as a fellow for Leadership Greater Chicago’s 40th Class of the Signature Fellows Program! Scott shared, "I am honored to join the Leadership Greater Chicago Signature Fellows Program Class of 2025 and excited to engage with an incredible group of leaders from the corporate, nonprofit, government, and education sectors. Together, we will work towards building a better Chicago for all."

Read more about this exciting journey: https://bit.ly/SF_LGC2024
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Summer's not over yet! Share your plans with us! 🌻📋

Celebrating our leaders! JW Kuebler, Principal of CICS Irving Park, shared insights on 'Driving Excellence through Leadership' at the I&I School Leader Summit. We are so proud of our team's dedication to continuous improvement!

Have you seen our CICS Loomis-Longwood billboards yet? 🤩
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CICS Loomis ~ CICS Longwood Elementary ~ CICS Longwood High School

The CICS Irving Park and Distinctive Schools Teams will be at the Jefferson Park Festival this Friday through Sunday! Stop by and say hi - and encourage friends and neighbors to explore what the IP Experience is all about! See you there?

Learning and growing together at Distinctive Schools summer camp! ☀️

Be the one! "Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and resilience research shows that one positive relationship in school can change the trajectory of a child’s life. Be the one, regardless of your role." Kara May wrote "Educating at the Intersection of Purpose and Passion–Love Is the Answer" for Next Generation Learning Challenges. Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/KaraMay_NGLC_June24

Happy 4th of July from Distinctive Schools! All Distinctive Schools campus buildings will be closed this week, allowing our campus teams some well-deserved time off this summer. Wishing everyone a fun, safe, and joyful holiday weekend! 🎆✨🇺🇸

Happy Pride Month! 🌈
Our celebration and support for love, diversity, and equality extends beyond just these 30 days. We are so proud to celebrate the diversity of our students, families, and staff — not just this month, but every day, all year round! 🩷❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜🤎

This month the spotlight is on CICS Bucktown Principal, Kory Kliebert. Kory's dedication and leadership have been instrumental to our schools and network for over 13 years. From teacher and coach to Dean, Assistant Principal, and now Principal of CICS Bucktown, Kory consistently supports our students, communities, and teams with a proactive and optimistic approach. Under his leadership, CICS Bucktown has achieved remarkable outcomes this year. Kory drives efficiencies, maintains strong operational and academic processes, and fosters a positive culture focused on student success. His laser focus on school culture, academic growth and achievement and overall excellence is deeply appreciated.

Thank you, Kory, for your unwavering commitment and exceptional impact on our school community. This month, the spotlight is on YOU!

We couldn't be more excited to announce the expansion of our partnership with American College of Education! Our combined efforts will continue to enhance the professional experiences for our students, team members, and community while creating accessible pathways for our teachers to become licensed special education professionals.

Read more about this collaborative effort here: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-college-of-education-and-distinctive-schools-join-forces-to-develop-special-education-teachers-302180025.html

Grateful for those who made this school year unforgettable! ❤️ Who was your rock this year? Shout them out below ⬇️

How Is Google Workspace for Education Digitally Transforming K–12 Environments? Hear from Roberto Vargas, Managing Director of IT & Data Systems for Distinctive Schools in this EdTech Magazine article –https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2024/06/google-workspace-for-education-perfcon

Summer camp at Distinctive Schools is a perfect blend of fun and learning! Just look at these joyful faces having a fantastic time with friends and diving into the wonderful activities planned by our dedicated leaders. ☀️

Distinctive Schools is closed today in honor of Juneteenth. We recognize the significance of this day in American history and stand in solidarity with our staff, families, and students. As an organization, we are closing our offices and campuses for a day of remembrance and response to systemic racism, reaffirming our commitment to continued progress in our own equity work as an organization.
We remain dedicated to fostering an inclusive and united community that embraces all differences. We encourage everyone to take time to reflect, honor, and observe this important day.

Partnering with PlayLab AI has opened up a world of possibilities for us! We're prototyping AI tools that could revolutionize our work in education. We envision AI tools supporting students through personalized learning, adaptive tutoring, and automated feedback, ultimately empowering them to reach their full potential. We also believe AI can aid educators in efficient and innovative ways.

A big thanks to Yusuf Ahmad, co-founder of Playlab, for leading our team in exploring these amazing opportunities for Distinctive Schools to develop our own chatbots. 🤖