Roberto Clemente’s steel drum band opened today’s Neighborhood School Fair.
Sixty neighborhood schools and hundreds of parents turned out.
Photos: Fred Klonsky
I live in a city that is shutting down neighborhood schools, requiring neighborhood parents to travel miles to get fingerprinted before they can volunteer at their child’s school and where in opposition to the community’s wishes Rahm is spending millions building a new charter school across the street from a successful neighborhood public high school.
In a city such as this, a neighborhood school fair is a radical concept.
Sixty neighborhood public schools put their success at educating our children on display in the gyms at Roberto Clemente High School today.
Traditionally, CPS has put on fairs for gifted schools and magnet schools. And naturally there is also a yearly expo that focuses on charter schools.
“There’s never been a school fair for neighborhood schools,” Cassie Creswell said. Creswell was one of the parents that organized the event without the endorsement of CPS.
There were unconfirmed rumors that CPS had tried their best to kill the event.
I spent some time in the big gym in the art corner. But I wasn’t really needed as dozens of kids were working with each other making constructions out of cardboard boxes and scantron bubble sheets
Scantron bubble sheets, by the way, are a great art-making supply.
Best. Use. Ever.
Fred Klonsky 
Lincoln Elementary is to receive a $20 million addition when it is only moderately overcrowded, below 50th on the CPS overcrowded list, and many seats exist in other great, level 1 schools in Lincoln Park. A little redistricting or moving the IG program two blocks away could solve this problem, but instead the connected Alderman and Lincoln Park residents get an annex. We don’t need to make good schools bigger, we need to use the funds to make more schools better! Please help us get heard……write to CPS, your alderman, on your blog or the Mayor. Attend a rally at on 11/20 at 5;30 p.m. at 615 West Kemper. Help us pass the word and let CPS and the Mayor know that this is not a solution supported by the vast majority of stakeholders. CPS is one school district! Chicago is one Commmunity. Money going to Lincoln for this addition takes funds away from truly overcrowded schools on the Northwest and Southwest sides who have already gone through redistricting and are still overcrowded. For more info go to keeplincolnsmal.com or email lpneighborsforschools@gmail.com
Rahm told Karen Lewis on becoming mayor that he doesn’t care about 25% of Chicago students. Clearly the pictures of are those kids.
Hmm it appears like your blog ate my first comment (it was super long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I wrote and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your
blog. I as well am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new
to the whole thing. Do you have any tips for novice blog writers?
I’d certainly appreciate it.
Write about what you care about.
Don’t make the posts too long.
Use pictures.
Good Morning Mr. Klonsky,
I would like additional information if there will be a 2014 Chicago’s Neighborhood School Fair.
Thank you.
You would have to do a Google search. I was not directly involved in the organizing of the event.