Issue

Chicago is in the midst of a variety of reform efforts, one of which is the development of small schools and smaller learning communities. Transforming a large school into small schools is challenging, and it requires a reworking of systems and a change in school culture on many levels. Since January 2003, Millennia has collaborated with the Chicago Public Schools: New Schools Development Department and the Chicago Public Schools Office of Small Schools to provide wide-range technical assistance and professional development activities to the small high schools as they undergo this transformation process.

Millennia’s Approach

Millennia consultants guided the full faculty of a CPS small school through an intensive Summer Institute. The week-long series of participatory professional development activities focused on curriculum mapping, team building, and image change. Following the Summer Institute, Millennia provided participants with a document designed to inform curriculum and evaluation efforts for the next school year.

Client Benefit

Two months following the summer institute, the school’s Area Instructional Officer commented on the marked progress she saw in the school. She attributed the positive movement towards creating a pleasant learning environment directly to the teachers' experiences at the summer institute. “Students were eager to please their instructors and were eager to share their work with the Walk-Through team members. There was also evidence of alignment with the CPS Program of Study. There was evidence of use of bell ringers and a greater sense of student preparedness for learning (notebooks, books etc.). Objectives were present in most classrooms, and some were written in student friendly I Can statements. In some rooms lesson plans and syllabi were available.”

The Chicago Public Schools case study is an example of Millennia's Leadership Development and Program Design services.