Principals' Newsletter - January

Welcome back after a well-deserved winter break! We hope you all were able to be lazy, take naps, spend time with loved ones, binge watch tv shows, and anything else that brings you peace and joy!

As we return to the bustling halls of Ravenswood, we approach it with renewed energy and a shared commitment to our Ravenswood mission: High quality education incorporating culturally relevant curricula and practices, academically rigorous coursework, arts-integrated experiences, and socially progressive character education.

Prior to break, our school had a variety of school and community events that could not have been pulled off without our AMAZING staff, students, families, and FORS!

• The Winter Makers Market held on December 3, 2023 was a success. We appreciate all of our students and families support for our 8th grade students DC trip.

• The 8th grade versus Staff Volleyball game occurred on December 8, 2023. The 8th grade students played their hearts out, however, Team Ravenswood Staff took the W.

• The Bilingual Advisory Committee (BAC) met on December 12, 2023. Ms. Elisa Tavares-Bell, our English Language Program Teacher, presented on how Ravenswood is supporting our Bilingual and Newcomer families.

• The Mobile Care Chicago Dental Van visited Ravenswood on December 13, 2023. Many of our students had an opportunity to visit the dentist and a get a dental cleaning. We are thankful for this partnership.

• The Snowball Dance took place on December 15, 2023. PreK to 4th grade students and families joined DJ Guerrero to dance the night away. It was a special way to get into the holiday spirit.

• Our Multicultural Club completed their trip around the world. Students that participated in this after school program learned a variety of Filipino dances and were able to share their experience with their families on December 18, 2023.
  

• We appreciate all of the families that came to see their child perform at the Winter Showcase on December 20, 2023. Students showed off their dancing, improv, media, and animation skills.

Thank you for your continued commitment to our school's values and mission. Wishing you all a joyful and Happy New Year!

After School Programming

We are excited to continue after school enrichment opportunities for students in K to 8th grade. Homework help will continue for students on 1/8. If you would like to enroll your child in one of the academic and/or ELL programs below, please reach out to Ms. Mejia at samejia1@cps.edu

Programs that will continue the week of January 8th:

• Academic and ELL support for 5th & 6th with Mr. Fish (T &TH)
• Academic and ELL support for 1st to 3rd with Ms. Peterson (T & TH)
• Academic and ELL support for 4th grade with Mr. Cantorna (T & W)
• Academic and ELL support for 6th to 8th grade with Mr. Zavala (M-Th)
• Academic support for 4th-6th with Ms. Gaby (M, W, Fri)
• Academic support for 7th-8th with RMS teachers ( T, Th)

Programs that begin the week of January 22nd:

Our Winter/Spring Program Slide Deck provides the list of enrichment and teacher programs that are scheduled to begin the week of January 22nd. The flyer and registration links are found in the slide deck. Many of the programs have a limited amount of space and registration will be on a first come first serve basis.

If you are have any questions, please reach out to our afterschool coordinator, Ms. Mejia at samejia1@cps.edu

Mr. David Zavala, Diverse Learner Teacher and Mr. Amron Crowder, Teacher Assistant, brought their holiday spirit to our halls last month.

We wish you all a smooth close to the holiday season!

During inclement weather (extreme temperatures, rain showers, blizzard, etc.), Ravenswood will implement its indoor arrival protocol. The CPS Weather Guide is referenced when making this decision.

During this protocol, orange flags will be raised outside of Door 2, Door 7, and Door 8 to inform students of indoor arrival starting at 8:25am.

Lastly, Paulina and the alleys will not be blocked during indoor arrival protocol. For the safety of our students, Paulina and the alleys will remain blocked during regular drop off and pick up. This practice was approved by Alderman Matt Martin's office.

The doors below have been assigned to grade levels for a safe entry into the building.

Inclement Weather Arrival Protocol:

• Gym Doors: 5th-8th
• Door 2: K-2nd
• Door 7: 3rd-4th
• Door 8: PreK

Please see the following updates and action items:

• 1/8: First day back to school
  

• 1/9: Eye for Equity Community Meeting, 7:00pm
• 1/12: International Potluck, 4:00pm
• 1/15: Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, No School
• 1/22: LSC meeting, 6:15pm
• 1/26: School Tour, 9:00am
• 1/26: Principal Coffee Hour, 9:00am
• 1/27: Day of Service/ Chili Cook Off, 10:00am
• 1/29: Bilingual Advisory Committee (BAC) Meeting, 9:00am

Volunteering at Ravenswood

• Interested in volunteering, click HERE

ASPEN Parent Portal

• Aspen Excused Absences: Parents and guardians can now submit and track student absences electronically. Here is more about this new feature: E-Absence Flyer.

Ravenswood Rambler

• Use this LINK to subscribe to the Ravenswood Rambler and stay on top of upcoming school events.

Ms. Paredes and I are requesting your feedback. Please take a moment to provide us with some constructive feedback regarding our leadership thus far. The Google Form is anonymous and will be used to make shifts in our leadership for the remainder of the school year. The feedback form can be found HERE.

Carolina and I are grateful to be part of this AMAZING community of students, staff, families, and community members. We look forward to continuing our work in partnership with you all and supporting, sustaining, and enhancing Ravenswood!