Dear CPS Families,

Our 2019–20 school year is officially a wrap, and it was certainly unlike any we have experienced before. While this was a hard year, it was also full of immense growth, strength and accomplishment. Our staff and community members came together to support our schools through a difficult time. And I want to say a huge thank you to all of the parents, guardians, and family members who wore many hats these past few months and ensured our students continued their learning from home. I am so proud to be a member of the CPS family.

Please continue to keep your child engaged this summer.

As we all experienced firsthand this year, learning is not limited to the classroom. Keeping your child engaged over the summer is critical to ensuring he or she continues learning and is prepared for the next school year. We are fortunate to have community partners and educators from across the city working to ensure your child has access tofree and fun online enrichment learning opportunities all summer long. You can takevirtual field trips to Chicago’s most iconic museums and cultural institutions, attend avirtual online summer camp, and build stories through the Chicago Public Library'sSummer Learning Challenge.

Grab-and-go meal sites will remain open this summer.

As a reminder, our summer grab-and-go meal sites will be open Monday, June 22 through Friday, August 28, from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. every weekday. Find the most up-to-date list of meal sites near you atcps.edu/mealsites. Please note that meal sites will be closed on Friday, June 19 due to a scheduled day off for staff.

Be on the lookout for opportunities to provide input on our plans for the next school year.

As I shared last week, we will soon be launching a series of surveys to get your feedback on how we can provide a safe, welcoming, and productive learning environment for students this fall. We sent a student survey yesterday to students in grades 4–12. Please check your child’scps.edu email account. You and your family are critical partners in this work, and I look forward to hearing your feedback.

The district will move Local School Council elections to November.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the district was unable to hold the Local School Council (LSC) elections in April. LSCs play a critical role in our schools––making policy changes that directly impact student outcomes, selecting school leaders, and approving how school funds will be spent. Yesterday, Governor JB Pritzker signed a law that will allow the district to move the LSC election to November and extend current LSC terms until the new election takes place. The law also allows for flexible voting formats to protect the health and safety of all participants. We will share new election dates and voting formats with you as soon possible. Thank you to the dedicated, passionate members of our CPS community who are running for election to create positive, well-rounded learning environments where every child has the opportunity to succeed.

I hope you have a safe and healthy summer.

Sincerely,

Janice K. Jackson, EdD

Chief Executive Officer

Chicago Public Schools