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Check out this amazing feature done by one of our SMO partners, Distinctive Schools, highlighting CICS Prairie's amazing STEAM Lab!

Unleashing the Creative Genius: Exploring the Wonders of the STEAM Lab at CICS Prairie

As you enter CICS Prairie, there are a series of classrooms along a long, narrow hallway, and at first glance, you may not recognize the incredible exploration and development taking place every day. Our students are up to incredible, wondrous activities in –  one unique classroom truly bringing learning into the 21st century: the STEAM lab! STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, and in the CICS Prairie STEAM lab, instructor Mr. Victor Garbonkus considers himself a guide for his students, and they truly enjoy the experiences his class provides. The lab is hands-on and teamwork oriented, as students work together on project-based curriculum; building robots, learning to code, constructing bridges, flying drones and so much more!

This state-of-the-art classroom catches your eye immediately,  with a five-foot-tall ferris wheel constructed entirely of Connects pieces –  it incorporates a motor and actually moves on its own! The ferris wheel was constructed over 5 years by teams of students, as Mr. Garbonkus shared he provided guidance along the way, but the students built the wheel completely independently. 

“The ferris wheel was an accomplishment for me because I was one of the first ones to finish it, I was proud of the achievement,” shares 8th-grade student Gabrielle. 

EXPLORE THE WONDERS: Students are encouraged to explore their personal interests through different projects offered. When we visited their classroom last month, there was a wide variety of activities taking place at once. Students worked in groups, rotating through different projects over the course of the semester. One group of students built their own remote control, attached it to the computer, and used it to play a video game. Other students built and drove robotic cars, or worked with Connects pieces to build different structures. Out in the hallway, a group of students worked together to fly, direct and successfully land a drone precisely on a mark.

Mr. Garbonkus is proud of the way his students take ownership of their learning, and encourages students to see themselves as more than a participant in class – he inspires them to take their learning to the next level, and elevates the experience for each of his students, “Travis is my flight instructor, he was my first to succeed with figuring out how to fly the drone. He got the software, got the drone, and taught other students how to fly it. He communicated with his co-pilots so well that I wanted him to train other students to do the same. He’s an 8th grader, he's been doing this for years. He’s the guru of flying here at CICS Prairie!” 

BE CREATIVE: The classroom extends far beyond practical technical skills, as students learn to collaborate and communicate effectively with their peers. Through rotating groups and projects, students face different challenges to tackle together, encouraging creativity, communication, and out-of-the-box thinking.

“STEAM is not just building, it’s being around people in your community, working together to build up teamwork. That’s what STEAM is really about,” says 8th-grade student, Azaya.

Mr. Garbonkus explained what makes him feel most proud of his students, he said “ to see their experiences light them up, to see their eyes brighten, to see the excitement. To see them experience success in achieving their goal and then explaining their journey makes me extremely proud.” The next time you visit CICS Prairie, we invite you to take a moment to peek into the lab – you never know who you might see… a flight instructor? A robotics engineer perfecting their next invention? A product designer hard at work on their next dream? One thing is certain – you will see smiles, joyful collaboration, and students who believe in themselves and the power of their unlimited potential.

The CICS Prairie STEAM lab was generously sponsored through a partnership with Relativity. This grant was created to help youth gain access to the technology, equipment and training that they need to be successful in today's world. 

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About Chicago International Charter School 

Chicago International Charter School is a vibrant network of diverse Chicago charter schools that enable students to thrive every day, put them on a path to success in college and life, and empower entrepreneurial educators to pursue excellence through innovation. CICS is serving more than 7,400 students at 13 campuses across Chicago. To learn more, visit  www.chicagointl.org.

For 25 years, CICS has always been committed to launching and operating schools with diverse academic models throughout the different neighborhoods we serve, while providing support and resources to help our students achieve strong academic outcomes. 

In 2019, CICS made the decision to directly operate CICS Loomis-Longwood and CICS Lloyd Bond and is extremely proud of the progress made during that time in improving staff culture, increasing academic outcomes and addressing campus safety, especially during a pandemic.  

As CICS looks into the future, the focus has been on continuing to provide sustainable growth and improvement for the CICS Loomis-Longwood and CICS Lloyd Bond communities. Our focus has been on continuing to ensure sustainable improvement and support for the CICS Loomis-Longwood and CICS Lloyd Bond communities. We believe that this next phase for the CICS Loomis-Longwood and CICS Lloyd Bond communities is best led by an operator other than CICS.

 We released a Request For Proposal (RFP) publicly on December 23, 2022 for School Management Organizations (SMO) to submit their proposal to directly operate CICS Loomis-Longwood and CICS Lloyd Bond, beginning July 1, 2023. Our selection team, which consisted of members of the network and your school leadership, carefully reviewed operator applications and made a selection using a robust and transparent rubric. 

 The goal was to select an SMO that will collaborate with CICS to ensure a smooth transition for its school communities and one that gives its staff and students the support and resources required to exceed academic outcomes. CICS believes that through a partnership with the right SMO, it can accomplish these goals for its staff, students and their families. 

CICS leadership presented its recommendations to the CICS Board of Directors on February 16, 2023, and the Board selected Distinctive Schools as the next School Management Organization to directly-operate CICS Loomis-Longwood and CICS Lloyd Bond beginning school year 2023-2024 (July 1, 2023). This change will ensure that as these schools head into a new chapter, their students and families have comprehensive support that aligns with CICS’ organizational values of transformational academic outcomes for our students and strong support for all staff. CICS is confident that partnering with Distinctive Schools will build on the momentum we’ve established while setting up CICS Loomis-Longwood and CICS Lloyd Bond to thrive into the future. 

 CICS’ partnership and history with Distinctive Schools started in 2011. Distinctive Schools currently manages four CICS campuses, CICS Bucktown, CICS Irving Park, CICS Prairie and CICS West Belden. Their mission is to create diverse, joyful, welcoming communities rooted in social justice and rigorous learning. They support all learners to be engaged, curious and to achieve their full potential. Their academic outcomes are for students to become confident advocates, creative problem-solvers and collaborative leaders. Distinctive Schools leads a collaborative and innovative public education transformation that elevates access, achievement, and belonging for every student so they may thrive throughout their education, career and life.

 CICS looks forward to its continued partnership with Distinctive Schools and is energized about what’s to come. 

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About Chicago International Charter School 

Chicago International Charter School is a vibrant network of diverse Chicago charter schools that enable students to thrive every day, put them on a path to success in college and life, and empower entrepreneurial educators to pursue excellence through innovation. CICS is serving more than 7,400 students at 13 campuses across Chicago. To learn more, visit  www.chicagointl.org.

About Distinctive Schools 

Distinctive Schools is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and accelerating the work of charter schools serving kids from traditionally underserved backgrounds. The team includes passionate educators and determined leaders who innovate, trailblaze, and collaboratively lead a public education transformation, as well as ensure that each and every one of Distinctive Schools students thrive in college, career, and life.

CICS is extremely excited to announce that we have our own 2022 Posse Scholar at CICS Northtown Academy, Ahmed Patel. Ahmed recently shared his excitement for this honor and credits his strong support system during this time.

So, what's next for Ahmed? Ahmed's post-graduate plan is to attend a 4-year university and pursue a master's degree in Computer Science. "One day, I hope to work for a high-tech company like Google, Apple, or Microsoft. The reputation for these companies are undeniable, so it would be a huge goal of mine to work for them one day," says Ahmed. Ahmed wanted to become a Possee Scholar because he saw the degree of young students the organization has inspired and assisted in their journey to success. He also wanted to become one of those students so that he can help his family one day. During this exciting time, there has been a lot of support in place for Ahmed, but he would like to give a special shout-out to his family, friends, and Posse Organization for the help they gave him through this process, it wouldn't have been possible without them.

Congratulations again, Ahmed! We know that your future is bright and we can't wait to see you soar to all that awaits you. 

Are you next? Come find your superpower at CICS. 

Click here to learn more about the wonderful things our campuses do every day to cultivate our Changemakers. 

#FindYourSuperpower #EveryChildEveryDay #WeAreCICS 

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About Chicago International Charter School 

Chicago International Charter School is a vibrant network of diverse Chicago charter schools that enable students to thrive every day, put them on a path to success in college and life, and empower entrepreneurial educators to pursue excellence through innovation. CICS is serving more than 7,400 students at 13 campuses across Chicago. To learn more, visit  www.chicagointl.org.

The Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS) announced that Lindy Mandel, middle school teacher and instructional coach at Chicago International Charter School Irving Park, has been named Elementary Teacher of the Year! 

“Charter schools thrive on innovation and adaptability. With everything our community has gone through with the pandemic, we’ve still seen some of the most creative and thoughtful approaches to modern education in years,” explained Andrew Broy, president of INCS. “The 2022 winners of the Charter Excellence Awards embody everything that makes the charter public school community such a force for good. We are so proud of all they have done and will continue to do.”

Mandel has been part of the CICS Irving Park community since 2009 and has served in various roles from teaching assistant to the director of operations to middle school educator and instructional coach. As an innovative practice leader, Mandel led the implementation of the Summit Personalized Learning Platform for CICS Irving Park, and served as a Summit Learning Lead, developing training modules for and introducing the platform to new Distinctive Schools teachers.

“Lindy has been an incredible asset for CICS Irving Park, and Distinctive Schools,” shared Chief Talent Officer, Sami Baugh, “her leadership and passion for education is exactly what her students, families, and colleagues respond to – she makes a lasting impact on all she encounters, and we are incredibly grateful for her continued commitment to her students and Distinctive Schools.”

Mandel was nominated for the award by Peggy Diaz, CICS Irving Park Bilingual educator and parent, who has taught under Mandel’s mentorship with Distinctive Schools. On November 30, 2022, CICS Irving Park students and staff gathered in the school gymnasium for their weekly community meeting, the time the school takes to connect as a community, discuss school events, and recognize students of the week. At the top of the assembly, Diaz stepped up to the microphone and spoke about her nomination.

“It is the unquantifiable that sets her apart. It is the kind and patient words. It is the determined spirit to make sure everyone learns, and the wholehearted investment to understand the feelings and situations of others,” said Diaz. She continued, “How do you measure a year in a teacher’s life? How about love? Love is exactly what makes this teacher [Mandel] excellent.”

Mandel was presented with the award along with a check for $10,000, surrounded by her students, peers, and family members, and celebrated during the 2022 INCS Charter School Excellence Awards Reception on Monday, December 5, 2022 at the City View Lofts. CICS is incredibly proud of Mandel’s success as an educator, colleague, and leader. This year, INCS received over 120 nominations for leaders, teachers, parents and students from across Illinois’ charter sector, which spans 137 schools throughout the state. As with years past, 2022’s nominations were fiercely competitive.

About Chicago International Charter School 

Chicago International Charter School is a vibrant network of diverse Chicago charter schools that enable students to thrive every day, put them on a path to success in college and life, and empower entrepreneurial educators to pursue excellence through innovation. CICS is serving more than 7,400 students at 13 campuses across Chicago. To learn more, visit  www.chicagointl.org.

About INCS

The Illinois Network of Charter Schools advocates for the improvement of public education by leveraging the charter school model as a catalyst to transform lives and communities. As the voice of Illinois charter schools, INCS engages a diverse coalition of policymakers, school leaders, parents, and community members to create systemic change and secure high-quality schools for underserved communities.