…AS ANOTHER WEST SIDE SUMMER COMES TO A CLOSE

BRAD CUMMINGS, VOICE EDITOR, ELECTED SECRETARY/TREASURER OF JOB CORPS COUNCIL

Brad Cummings, Associate Editor of THE VOICE Newspapers, was elected Secretary/Treasurer of the Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center Community Relations Council. He is also chairing the Community Support Subcommittee. THE VOICE Newspapers have been strong promoters of the local Job Corps Center, located at 3348 South Kedzie Avenue.
    Cummings and VOICE Publisher, Isaac Jones, are responsible for bringing Illinois Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon to the Center for her first visit to the U.S. Department of Labor campus named for her father, U.S. Senator Paul Simon. They also introduced the Chicago Job Corps Center to several West Side elected officials.
    THE VOICE Newspapers serve as a site for Job Corps Graphic Design students to complete their required Work-based Learning Internship composing, laying out, and typesetting editions of the West Side’s largest circulation community newspapers. The Chicago Job Corps Center is the only one in the country offering training in Graphic Design.
    “The Paul Simon Job Corps Center is one of Chicago’s gems,” Cummings declares. “At a time when everyone is talking about jobs, the Paul Simon Job Corps Center is preparing men and women ages 16 to 24 for rewarding high-paying careers in construction trades, nursing, materials handling, computer repair, pharmacy tech, office administration, and graphic design. And, it’s all free – the training, on-campus dormitory housing, food, GED or high school diploma preparation, childcare, job placement, and free tuition at Chicago City Colleges. We need more West Siders to take advantage of this terrific program. That’s why I am happy to help get the message out.”
    Free tours of the campus are offered weekly. For information on applying for the Job Corps, call Beth Allen at 773/890-3131.
    Other officers of the Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center Community Relations Council are: Ben Handy, Chairman, and Pleshette Hamb, Vice Chairperson.

ZENZA ANITA LAWS, WEST SIDE EDUCATOR, DIES OF CANCER AT 53

Zenza Anita Laws built a 30-year career in education as a teacher and principal in West Side and South Side Chicago Catholic schools. She died after a 2-year battle with cancer on September 21.
    She began her professional career teaching 5th grade at Holy Angels Elementary School. Ms Laws returned to the West Side where she grew up to teach at St. Mel, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Martin de Porres Elementary Schools. She built a reputation as an excellent and caring teacher who challenged her students to reach their full potentials. She was also a tough but fair disciplinarian. Ms Laws was known as a dynamic and passionate teacher. Her energy in the classroom was contagious. She strove to create discussion and debate whenever possible. She had a particular love for the English language and often grilled her students on grammar and punctuation.
    Her students frequently joined her and her family on weekends for family gatherings and on family outings. In addition to teaching, Ms Laws coached volleyball and cheerleading teams, directed student plays, and organized African American heritage observances.
    After almost 20 years in the classroom, Ms Laws became an administrator. After obtaining her graduate degree, she became the Principal of the Academy of St. Benedict the African on Chicago’s South Side, and served there for ten years. Just as she was a trailblazer and motivator, she brought the same strength and leadership to her role as Principal. She led St. Benedict through years of expanded growth and improvement. She spent the last years of her career as a Principal in Forest Park.
    Zenza Anita Laws was born in Chicago on November 25, 1958, to Lois and Milton Brown. She joined United Baptist Church under the leadership of Reverend Wilson Daniels, and remained an active member until her death.
    Zenza graduated from Lucy Flower Vocational High School. She earned Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Communications and Education from Rosary College. While attending college, she met and fell in love with Joseph Laws. They were married November 30, 1979. Nearly 20 years later, while teaching and raising her family, Ms Laws earned a Master of Arts Degree in Education Administration from Dominican University.
    Zen was preceded in death by her aunt, Erma Anthony, her grandmother, Ellen Ward, and her sister Yauletus Bridge. She is survived by her husband, Joseph W. Laws, Jr.; her son, Joseph W. Laws III; her two daughters, Zenita Laws and Veronique Laws; her mother, Lois Anthony Brown; her father, Milton Brown; her sisters, Paula Brownlee & Yaquala Gant (Timothy); her brothers, Yaumilton & Hesley (Angela); aunts, Willie L. Bryant, Ciritha Nathan of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Evelyn Taylor of Memphis, Tennessee, and Earsey Lottis of Fresno, California; and uncle William Brown of Memphis; plus numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, friends, and hundreds of former students who remember her fondly.
    The wake for Zenza Anita Laws is being held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, October 1, at United Baptist Church, 4242 West Roosevelt Road. Funeral service follows at 11:00 AM, with Reverend Wilson Daniels officiating. She is being buried in Oakridge Cemetery in Hillside.

DR. SHAWN JACKSON RECEIVES COMMUNITY BUILDERS AWARD

Dr. Shawn Jackson, Principal of Spencer Math, Science & Technology Academy, 214 N. Lavergne Ave., accepts the Comcast Outstanding Achievement in Education Award from Alderman Jason Ervin at the September meeting of Austin Coming Together (ACT). With them are Spencer Parent Coordinator Cynthia Peterson & State Representative Camille Lilly. The award was announced in June at THE VOICE Newspapers’ 2nd Annual West Side Community Builders Awards Luncheon. Presentation of the award to Dr. Jackson coincides with announcement that Spencer has been removed from academic probation. (Photo by Brad)

AFRICAN DELEGATION VISITS PREVENTION PARTNERSHIP TO DISCUSS HEALTH ISSUES & GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY

PARADE FOR JESUS LARGEST EVER

BUILDING A HEALTHIER AUSTIN BEGINS WITH A WALK

BUILDING A HEALTHIER AUSTIN

VOLUNTEER WALK CLUB LEADERS
Carolyn Ball
Larry Chandler
Laverne Grayson
Carolyn Mack
Steven McKinley
William Nelson
Willy Earl Pullen
Johnny Sandifer
Phyllis Stewart

BUILDING A HEALTHIER AUSTIN
Planning Committee

Director: Elizabeth Jarvis LeBreton, HHS
Athena Williams
Hermese Bryant
Janice Henry
Victoria Prewitt

ELLA FLAGG YOUNG STUDENTS TREATED TO WORLD CULTURE ASSEMBLY

MORTON SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE RISING LIKE A PHOENIX FROM ITS OWN ASHES

 Angel Turner explains that it is her job as
an elementary school principal not just to
prepare students for high school, but for
college and to compete in a global economy.
(Photo by Isaac Jones)

 Morton Librarian Kristy Rieger says she
works to introduce students to a variety
of different texts and genres, including
graphic novels – good literature in
comic book format. (Photo by Isaac Jones)

 Morton School of Excellence is a Teacher Training
Academy where Resident Instructors learn beside
experienced Mentor Teachers. (Photo by Isaac Jones)

 Morton teachers are carefully
selected to meet differing
learning styles of students.
(Photo by Isaac Jones)

 Faye Jett, Athletic Director & Phys. Ed. Teacher,
uses creative techniques for keeping kids fit, active
& involved. (Photo by Isaac Jones)

 As an AUSL school, Morton benefits from extra resources, such as offering Spanish classes through Language Stars. (Photo by Isaac Jones)

Morton School of Excellence surged from one of the state’s worst-performing schools to a
top academic school with over 90% of students Meeting & Exceeding state standards under
AUSL management. (Photo by Isaac Jones)

It is almost impossible to believe that in three short years Morton School of Excellence, 431 North Troy, has gone from being one of the very worst performing schools in the state of Illinois to making the second-largest test score gains in the city of Chicago. In 2008, the Chicago Public Schools contracted the Academy for Urban School Leadership to manage Morton. AUSL is a private company that specializes in repositioning underperforming schools, relaunching them for success. AUSL manages Dodge Renaissance Academy, Bethune School of Excellence, Howe School of Excellence, Johnson School of Excellence, Orr High School, and Collins High School on Chicago’s West Side, as well as several South Side schools.
The schools managed by AUSL remain Chicago Public Schools – not charter schools – and all instructors are members of the Chicago Teachers Union.
Usually, the turnaround schools are closed and AUSL personnel repair and upgrade the plant facilities. The administration and teaching staffs are also replaced by specially selected educators expert at promoting student achievement. AUSL operates several Teacher Training Academies with Resident Instructors assigned to experienced Mentor Teachers. Morton is now a Teacher Training Academy for AUSL.
AUSL also makes resources and partnerships available to which other Chicago Public Schools do not have access. For instance, on the Martin Luther King holiday in January, the Illinois Lottery and WGCI Radio teamed with volunteers to transform Morton’s library into a modern multi-media center. Through the Community Schools Initiative, the YMCA is housed inside Morton, providing after-school programs for students. Morton participates in a partnership with the Joffrey Ballet, teaching Hip-Hop dance to middle school students four days a week. Language Stars brings a Spanish teacher to the school. AUSL has a Fine Arts & Performing Arts Director who assists Morton in obtaining programs in drama, music, and the visual arts. In addition, a partnership with Merit Music brings music classes to Morton students, while other public schools complain that budget constraints are removing the arts from their schools.
AUSL operates the only tackle football and baseball leagues in the city for elementary level students, and provides equipment. In spring, an athletic practice field was created adjacent to the Morton building through a creative land swap with a neighboring agency. A former collegiate all-star runs Morton’s football program. Morton’s Double-Dutch Team placed #1 in the city.
Angel Turner is the visionary Principal of Morton School of Excellence, guiding the 20 instructors, 30 support staff, 350 students, and members of the Local Parent Advisory Council. When she came to Morton in 2009, Turner says, “Students and parents were totally out of control.” She met with school stakeholders and let them know the school needed a change in culture and climate. Turner said it took a long time to establish a regular in-school routine and get parents to understand that they could not run the school and disrupt classes. Before she arrived, police were called to Morton daily because of students fighting and disruptive parents.
Turner explains that children yearn for structure, routines, and systems. She says it is important for adults to model for kids and help them channel energy positively. She and the staff promoted the slogan: It’s Not Playtime – It’s Crunchtime!
As a result of the changes made in the school, Morton was named #1 in the city for improvement in safety and security by the University of Chicago. Turner emphasizes that the same students are attending Morton now as when the school was failing academically and conditions were out of control.
Another gauge of change at Morton is that children are arriving before school opens, going to the library to read and study. “The building is open every day until 6:00 PM,” Turner notes. “But, we have to tell students that we are closed and they have to go home.”
Morton proudly proclaims itself a 90-90-90 School: 90% low income, 90% African American, and 90% of students Meeting and Exceeding state academic standards.
The first year Turner was Principal, three Morton students were accepted to selective enrollment high schools. This year, 20 Morton graduates are attending prestigious high schools.
Ms Turner explains, “The responsibility for elementary school principals is not just to prepare students for high school, but to prepare them for post-secondary and college.” She says her job is to prepare students to compete in a global economy by developing their critical thinking methodologies.
With 350 students in a building that accommodates 1,000, Morton has the luxury of room for special programs and projects. As a Balanced Literacy School, Morton is open seven days a week for teachers to come in and plan innovative lessons. Morton provides Pre-K3, PreK4, and Kindergarten through 8th grade. For information on enrolling children at Morton School of Excellence, call 773/534-6791.