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Thursday, August 30, 2012

Greater Chatham Alliance announcment: Free Dental Screenings

Here are some brief details about this event but refer to the flyer below
    • The Chicago Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures, Traveling Dental Bus is coming to Chatham: 
      September 1, 2012
      10 am - Noon
      8245 S. King Drive
      For school age children: 5-12
      Each child will receive a take home oral health bag with educational handouts and fun tips.

      Tuesday, August 14, 2012

      What our schools need? A few good men...

      I couldn't agree more! As I saw in another 60 Minutes story years ago, "where are the men?". Some statistics:
      Despite some inroads by men, teaching remains a female-dominated profession. This is especially true for younger children. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 2% of pre-K and kindergarten teachers and 18% of elementary and middle-school teachers are men.

      The situation is more balanced, but not evenly balanced, in secondary school, where 42% of teachers are men.
      There are three points to be made here, but I think the third one is key:
      Third, we especially need black male teachers in the classroom. As Education Secretary Arne Duncan has argued, "All of our students benefit from having a black male in the classroom. But particularly our young black males." Yet black males represent a mere 2% of the K-12 teaching workforce. If this were to change, we might begin to see better educational outcomes and life outcomes for young black males.
      That point is very important. Young Black males are struggling and they get into the most trouble. If only they saw someone who looked like them in the classroom and helping to build them up!

      Read the rest!

      Via Instapundit.

      ALSO, go back and read this post. One place among many to start recruiting Black male teachers.

      Tuesday, August 7, 2012

      ICE Theaters Community Day...

      Coming later this month at their locations in Chatham and Lawndale. ICE Theaters is holding this free family festival in conjunction with Black Pages International that features education, health & wellness, fitness, financial, business & economic development, and community empowerment resources, along with workshops, entertainment and $1 movies. Check out the flyer above for more information on this event.

      Don't forget about ICE Theaters Kids RULE Summer that continues this month. The last scheduled movie is Dr. Seuss' The Lorax!

      There are two albums at Concerned Citizen's of Chatham FB page that show scenes from the first two previous Community Day at ICE Theater's Chatham location.


      Wednesday, August 1, 2012

      "The Curators of Dixon School"

      Information on this short feature film had in fact been posted to the FB page for the The Sixth Ward blog. Basically it's about how administrators at a neighborhood public elementary school had a specific vision of how their school should look on the inside of their walls. More info below provided by the Art Institute's Gene Siskel Film Center as part of their 18th Annual Black Harvest Film Festival.
      THE CURATORS OF DIXON SCHOOL
      2011, Pamela Sherrod Anderson, USA, 80 min.

      Public schools don’t have to be a minefield of metal detectors, minimal expectations, and mind-numbing routine. An alternative exists right here in Chicago, at the Dixon Elementary Public School in the Chatham neighborhood, where former principal Joan Crisler and her successor Sharon Dale have implemented the idea that art should be an integral part of the learning environment, with museum-quality works openly adorning the halls. The results, in terms of student performance and morale, have been spectacular, but, as this inspiring but pragmatic documentary demonstrates, there are no miracle solutions: Crisler’s protégé Carol Briggs has an uphill battle applying the same approach at another school, and recent budget cuts have left even the most successful programs vulnerable to the axe. HDCAM video. (MR) FF

      Director Pamela Sherrod Anderson will be present for audience discussion at both screenings.

      EDIT: Forgot to note that the screenings for this film will take place on August 12th at 3 PM and August 16th at 6 PM at the Siskel Film Center located at 164 N. State Street. Click this link for info on how to get there!