Everett, Evergreen Schools Pegged for New STEM and STEAM Programs

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has named the McKinley Park neighborhood's Edward Everett Elementary School and Evergreen Academy Middle School as participants in the school district's largest-ever expansion of learning programs. The two schools are among 32 that will receive funding from the program's $32 million investment budget, which will go toward STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs at Everett and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) at Evergreen Academy.

"High-quality programming opens a world of opportunities for our students," said CPS CEO Janice Jackson. "These community-driven investments are a big step toward that goal."

Edward Everett Elementary School at 3419 S. Bell Ave., Chicago, will receive investment in a new STEM program from Chicago Public Schools.The $32 million project budget will be spent across all participating schools over the next six years, according to a CPS press release about the new program. This will go toward staffing, training, learning resources and other elements needed to successfully implement the program.

Recipient schools were chosen in a first-of-its-kind application process that included community and parent engagement, a needs assessment, interviews with school staff, letters of support from community stakeholders, and approval by each school’s Local School Council. The review process assessed this against the just-released CPS Annual Regional Analysis, which includes a specific Annual Regional Analysis for the Greater Stockyards Region inside which McKinley Park schools reside.

In addition to expanding STEM and STEAM options for CPS students, the program is expanding International Baccalaureate and dual language programs across the district, with new programming set to roll out in fall 2019 for the start of the 2019/2020 academic year.

The press release noted that the program is ongoing, with a new round of applications from prospective schools set to begin later in 2019. Any unsuccessful applicants were provided with specific feedback, including objective rationale behind the decision and areas for improvement, the press release noted.