Oh yeah! I got sidetracked for a second

I hope you didn't forget that I spoke with my former principal at Bennett-Shedd School, Mr. John McCormick back in late February. I wrote one quick post about the possibility that back during the 1980s Shedd School itself would've been closed long before it happened by 2013.

It was a great chat about the start of his career with the Chicago Public School starting off as a substitute in 1971 and then eventually spending 10 years as a special education teacher until he was ready to advance his career as a school principal. He started at Bennett-Shedd in 1984 and left that role in 1995 to become an elementary school principal for a suburban school district.

What I enjoyed about the conversation was he definitely put together a vision of what he hoped to accomplish at Bennett-Shedd. He noted that both schools had been under a series of interim principals until he took on the role. He makes sure to note that when he left in 1995 he was confident in the team he put in place would continue the successes he had as principal. In 1995 he was succeeded by the late Mrs. Barbara Ellis.

Finally I wrote a few times earlier this year about the computer lab at Bennett School on the third floor. It was a place where my class from maybe about 4th or 5th grade and up spent at least an hour of time to do class based work on IBM computers. Mr. McCormick noted that they received a grant from IBM to put computers in our school and presumably they weren't IBM/PC clones they were IBM PCs. It's amazing to note that IBM is no longer in the PC business, though they were certainly one of the dominant players in the computer game for its time.

Regarding that computer lab, I opined that it could've been where I could have written and even preserved a copy of my autobiography that was necessary to graduate from the 8th grade. Even in the early to mid 1990s many people didn't have a computer at home. And for assignments like the autobiography many of my fellow students had to complete them by hand.

Either way I'm getting to work on the actual post starting as soon as I post this. This project I wanted got held up by current events in the world. Here's hoping Mr. McCormick is making out OK with the current pandemic. Hopefully all of you are as well.

Stay safe! Be well! 

Shedd School in mourning a month after death of Principal

This black bunting was over the windows to the gym at Shedd School last week. The night before the message for Mrs. Ellis was still up and the American flag was still at half staff. By the end of the week the bunting had been removed the sign had recorded future events at Shedd & Bennett. It appears the mourning is officially over as Shedd.

If you've been following this blog since early last January, Mrs. Ellis was the principal at Bennett-Shedd until her untimely demise last month.

This week on Wednesday at 3:30 PM at Bennett School will be an LSC meeting. The next one without Mrs. Ellis.

Rock for Reading Celebrates 500,000 donated books

Look at what I've found here. Another video about Bennett School and from the same organization that I blogged about earlier. Description:

Rock for Reading celebrates giving away it's 500,000 book at Bennett Elementary School in Chicago, IL.

Almost 20 seconds into this video (posted on February 1, 2010) you will see the late Principal Barbara Ellis talking about her love for reading and the books provided to Bennett students were what she used to read once upon a time. The duration of this video is about 3 minutes.

Scene outside of Shedd School after school Friday

Click the photos for a better resolution.

 The flag was at half-staff on the flag pole outside of Shedd School.

Then the tribune to Mrs. Ellis on the outside marquee. Bennett didn't sport this on their board outside of that school on Wednesay.

Difficult LSC meeting on January 12th...

I wrote in my notebook twice about people getting emotional :'(, it was a really sad meeting under the circumstances. I was actually looking forward to seeing Mrs. Ellis again, but I had no idea December was going to be it. Some of the staff said that she was actually on vacation and she even came in at some point before she passed on.

There was some business discusses such as new computers and the new copier at Shedd School that was agreed on the previous month. This was the first time I didn't speak at the meeting. It was easier to do being the only one there, but there were more people there. Not sure how many parents but none spoke or identified themselves as such. One man said he was president of the No Child Left Behind program at Bennett.

In public participation the ones who participated was a 5th Grade teacher at Shedd and the President of NCLB who discussed ways to reach out to the community. An issue I am concerned about, but on this occasion I chose to hold my fire at that time. Actually I wanted to tell Mrs. Ellis about this blog, and sadly I waited too long.

Any event the meeting was called to order at 3:55 PM and I left when the LSC went into closed session at 4:42 PM. Here's the acutal agenda.

Bennett Shedd LSC Agenda

The previous post has info on funeral services.

A current Bennett student found this blog...

Comment published in the Bennett/Shedd Elementary Wesbite post. BTW, the official Bennett-Shedd website link is now broken. It's the second comment in there:

I attend bennett elementary. I am glad to say that the class of 2011, always puts their best foot foward. Some people may think that what we do is not so great. But I disagree, as long as we try our hardest, and shoot for the stars we will always be great. And thats something I think everyone should no about my school.=D!!! And R.I.P to our principal MRS.Ellis she will always be apart of the class of 2011. Do to the fact that we are her last 8th grade class. love much ~Ms.Brown

[SIC]

Thank you for visiting Ms. Brown. By calling yourself that you should consider being a teacher. :P

Also know that Mrs. Ellis was my third grade teacher once upon a time before eventually becoming Bennett-Shedd's Principal. And I think she's earned the tribute your class will give her when you graduate.

UPDATE: I saw at a FB group Bennett-Shedd Elementary School that Mrs. Ellis, funeral will be on January 15, 2010 this saturday at Antioch Church on 6300 S. Stewart.

UPDATE 7:36 PM -  Went to the LSC meeting today here's a flyer for Mrs. Ellis' funeral services

Services for Bennett-Shedd Principal Barbara Ellis

Sad news!!!

Well this morning I found out that my former 3rd grade teacher and the current Principal at Bennett-Shedd Elementary School Barbara J. Ellis had passed away yesterday. I don't have anymore information than that, however, I called Bennett School today to ask about the LSC meeting tomorrow. Current information is that it will still be held tomorrow. I expect to be there tomorrow afternoon.

That being said, it's really unfortunate that she WILL not be there tomorrow.

RIP