Shameka Jones

Shameka Jones was laid off from Tilden Career Community Academy High School. 
She taught in the Special Education/Science departments.

"Ms. Jones really cared about teaching me the way I could understand.  She really took the extra mile when it came to teaching me.  I love Ms. Jones and I will really miss her next year." -Dudley Miller, student

Iris Binor

VISUAL ART HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER: 

Qualifications: MFA Yale School of Art, BFA Israel's Bezalel School of Art & Design, National Board Certified, Rating: Excellent, Trained in MYP (IB), AP, and Inquiry Based Learning. Tenured with seniority. 8 years at same CPS high school (Hyde Park Academy HS). Laid off when school became an "all IB school".Not given a reason, pre-conference, or post-conference. Told she has 1 year to find a job before getting kicked out of CPS system altogether while some colleagues have more than 1 year (?)

Quote from colleague Meghan Matuz Head of IB English Department at Hyde Park Academy HS:

"

"

Jennifer Patush

Name: Jennifer Patush

School: Curie Metropolitan High School

Position: Science Teacher, 5 years

Extras: School Science Fair Coordinator, 2 years

             had 3 students qualify for State Science Fair competition; 2 gold, 1 silver

             Marie's Garden Club, co-founder, assistant sponsor

 

Quote from a former student:

 

"Thank you Ms. Patush
I never got the chance to tell you, but thank you for everything you taught me soooo much.

Everything you taught me has helped me out with my class now in college.
Thank you bunches  "

 

And you know what?

She was my student in Environmental Science (07-08) (her 1st semester was "taught" by

substitute teachers; lots of worksheets & no labs. This class was worked into my

 "new schedule" 2 weeks before the end of Semester 1.) and Earth Science (09-10) before all of the extra testing.

 

Her comment tells me that she was "college ready".

Our People

This is a blog to show the faces of teachers and staff affected by the Chicago Public School layoffs in 2013. According to the Raise Your Hand budget tracker, cuts are "totaling over $94 million"*

These are the people who dedicate their lives to educating our city's children, only to be laid off while public money is funneled elsewhere. We honor these people for all that they do for our public school students. We need them and want them back.

If you are a teacher/staff member who has been laid off from CPS, please submit your photo, position, school, years of service, and a statement (why you teach, how you teach, praise from colleagues/students, etc) to:
chiteacherpower@gmail.com
You will then be included in this blog. Together we will put a face on this travesty of the layoffs.

*http://ilraiseyourhand.org/content/budget-cuts-working-list-progress