8th Annual Illinois Community Schools Forum
Creating a Community Vision for Our
Children's Success
-- October 19, 2025 --
Chicago, IL
Children's Success
-- October 19, 2025 --
Chicago, IL
Nearly 350 community school practitioners and supporters gathered in Chicago for an informative and energizing two-day conference focused on strategies that support high quality community school implementation. Teams of participants came from across the Midwest region, including Milwaukee and Osh Kosh, Wisconsin; Grand Rapids and East Lansing, Michigan; Evansville and Indianapolis, Indiana; and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. We were also fortunate enough to feature presenters from across the country as well as right here in Illinois. Thanks to everyone who presented, participated, and supported in the planning of the Forum. Everyone's willingness to contribute, learn, and lead is what ultimately made the Forum such a success. See you in 2013!
Below you will find all of the presentations and materials shared by workshop presenters at our 8th Annual Illinois Community School Forum, held on October 19, 2012.
Other Forum Resources
Below you will find all of the presentations and materials shared by workshop presenters at our 8th Annual Illinois Community School Forum, held on October 19, 2012.
Other Forum Resources
- Conference Program
- More info about our plenary speakers Jim Broadway, Ralph Smith, and Paul Schmitz
- Community School Leadership Awards and video
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Tell Us What You Thought - Forum and Workshop Evaluations
| Concurrent Workshops: Session 1 |
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Using Growth Groups to Mitigate the Impacts of Exposure to Community Violence
Stephanie Beiser, Center for Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy, Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis
Sarah Clarke, Center for Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy, Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis Aileen Schloerb, Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis Erika Schmidt, Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis - Bibliography of Resoures re: Trauma Groups for Children |
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Creating and Running an Effective Advisory Board
Heidi Dye, Sumner School & Children’s Home + Aid
- Creating and Running an Effective Advisory Board - PowerPoint |
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Data-Driven Planning - A Focus on Chronic Early Absence
Hedy Chang, Director, Attendance Works
Stacy Ehrlich, Consortium on Chicago School Research Carol Paine-McGovern, Kent School Services Network Elizabeth Sorice, Consortium on Chicago School Research - A Focus on Chronic Early Absence - PowerPoint |
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Higher Education & Community Schools: Engaging University Assets in Developing & Sustaining University-Assisted Community Schools
Jim Grim, Midwest Center for University-Assisted Community Schools at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
Dr. Monica Medina, IU School of Education Indianapolis Starla Officer, Midwest Center for University-Assisted Community Schools at IUPUI - Community Engagement Perspectives from a University-Assisted Community School - PowerPoint |
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Leadership in Community Schools: The Value of Human Capital
Akua Agyeman, Chicago International Charter School - Bucktown
Tina Ramirez, Woodlawn Children's Promise Community Patricia Redd, University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration Joanna Rudnick, ONEGoal - Leadership in Community Schools - PowerPoint - SSA Requirements |
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VIP - Very Important Parents: Engaging Your Parent Learning Community as a Resource to Increase the Literacy Achievement of ALL Students
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CPR - A Framework for Quality Arts-Based Lesson Planning
Rachel Culich, Columbia College Chicago
April Langworthy, Columbia College Chicago Jeneca Onikoyi , Columbia College Chicago - CPR Lesson Plan - Zone of Proximal Development Link - Liz Lerman’s positive critical response Link |
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Coordinating Community Based Learning
Holly Rottier, PhD Candidate in Leadership, Learning, and Service at Cardinal Stritch University
- Community Based Learning - PowerPoint |
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Aligning Community Schools with the new Common Core Learning Standards
Dr. Barbara Radner, Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
- Expand Core Connections - PowerPoint |
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Concurrent Workshops: Session 2
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Implementing Student Assistance Programs to Enhance Community Schools
Dale Gasparovic, Prevention First
- Implementing Student Assistance Programs to Enhance Community Schools - PowerPoint |
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Creative Communities: Using Arts-Integration to Refresh Relationships
Ryan Hurley, Arts @ Large
- Scaling Up Creative Communities - PowerPoint |
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Stick with It: Incorporating Small Business Skills into (Underfunded) Afterschool Programs
Jessica Decaro, Children’s Home + Aid & Salmon P. Chase Elementary School
Alison Connelly, Children’s Home + Aid & Salmon P. Chase Elementary School Joseph White, Children’s Home + Aid & Salmon P. Chase Elementary School Larissa Zageris, Children’s Home + Aid & Salmon P. Chase Elementary School - Stick With It - PowerPoint |
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Building a Web around Our Students: Using the Community School Strategy to Organize Community Resources
Dr. Cathlin Gray, Associate Superintendent for Family, School and Community Partnerships, Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation
- Community Engagement - PowerPoint |
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"We Are Family": Parent and Family Engagement in Urban Settings
Khalilah Bradford, Metropolitan Family Service & Everett Kerr Middle School
Janet Kelly, Metropolitan Family Services & Marcus Garvey Mathematics and Science School - Parent Engagement In Urban Setting - PowerPoint |
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Self-Care through Effective Time Management and… Zumba!
Nyela Malone, Metropolitan Family Services
Terra Murray, Certified Zumba Fitness Instructor - Finding Balance through Time Management |
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How to Incorporate Career Development and Exposure into Your Curriculum
Jamal Austin, BridgePrep
- Incorporating Career Development - PowerPoint |
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Building Champions for Community Schools: How to do it and Why it Matters
Samantha Hedges, Voices for Illinois Children and ACT Now Coalition
Julie Schifeling, Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service, Bradley University - Act Now Coalition One-Pager - Peoria's Full Service Community Schools Initiative - H.R. 3545 Full Service Community Schools Issue Brief - How to Conduct a Site Visit with Policymakers - How to Contact Your State Legislator - Sample Letter to a Policy Maker |
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Rethinking Youth Development: Relationships, Leadership, and Power
David Castro, Southwest Organizing Project & Merrill Elementary School
Andrea Ortez, Southwest Organizing Project Joel Rodriguez, Southwest Organizing Project Shoshanah Yehudah, Southwest Organizing Project - Rethinking Youth Development |
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A Seamless Learning Day: Successful Academic Alignment of Extended Day and Year with the School Day and Year
Tony Stahl, Sycamore Community Unit School District
- Seamless Academic Alignment PowerPoint |
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Concurrent Workshops: Session 3
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Early Intervention in SEL: The Partners Achieving Student Success (PASS) Program
Daniel Anzelone, Children’s Home + Aid
Marc Atkins, PhD., University of Illinois, College of Medicine & Director of PASS Program Erin Starkey, SGA Youth & Family Services - Partners Achieving Student Success - PowerPoint |
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Cooling Down Your Classroom: Just 1, 2, 3 Breathe
Lara Veon, Mindful Practices
- Cooling Down Your Classroom Handouts |
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Scientists for Tomorrow - Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in After School Programs to Enhance Academic Enrichment
Marcelo Caplan, Department of Science and Mathematics, Columbia College Chicago
- Scientists for Tomorrow - PowerPoint |
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Using the Community School to Impact the Whole Community: Engaging Area Schools as Partners in Development
Tenisha Jones, Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation
Jai Luster, Luster Learning Institute - Our Impact at Auburn Gresham Schools |
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Finally! A Tool to Help you Develop and Deepen those Community-School Partnerships
Jamie Harris, Center for Strategic Community Innovation
Kendall Jones, Center for Strategic Community Innovation - Workshop Overview - SFUSD Partnership Tool - Partnership Tool - PowerPoint |
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I Can Problem Solve - Teaching Kids HOW to Think Not WHAT to Think!
Julie Ann Love, Director of Human Resources, Prevention First
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Using Performance Arts to Help Young People Explore their Identity and Develop as Leaders
David Cherry, All Stars Project of Chicago
Tiffany Jones, All Stars Project of Chicago |
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