Schools


Volunteer Teaching Corps

Corps members teach in Catholic elementary schools and high schools within the Archdiocese of Chicago, specifically in those schools supported by the Big Shoulders Fund.  The Big Shoulders Fund, like ICTC, seeks to provide support to the Catholic schools in the neediest areas of inner-city Chicago.  We consistently partner with Big Shoulders schools every year to provide excellent teachers for students that need them most.

A snapshot of Big Shoulders schools, many of which host our Corps members:

  • Nearly 25,000 students are enrolled
  • Of them, approximately 80% are racial/ethnic minorities
  • Students come from a wide range of religions, and roughly 35% are non-Catholic

icon Map of 2009-2010 Big Shoulders Schools
icon St. Malachy School: A Profile

UNITE

The UNITE program is unique in its outreach to public schools that face challenges to student learning. UNITE helps to place its teachers in every type of public school in Chicago, including nontraditional charter schools, and works with CPS and school principals to support new teachers in becoming effective, life-time professional practitioners.

A snapshot of Chicago Public Schools:

  • Over 90% of students are children of color, and 85% are from low-income families
  • Approximately one out of every three CPS high school students does not earn a diploma each year
  • Only six out of every 100 freshmen entering a CPS high school will earn a bachelor's degree by the time they reach their mid-20's.

  

Alain Locke Charter Academy


The Alain Locke Charter Academy (Alain Locke), named for the first African-American Rhodes Scholar, models "Absolute Excellence" in Chicago's historically underserved East Garfield Park neighborhood. With a learner-centered approach and a focus on preparing students for a successful college experience, the goal of Alain Locke is to serve as a model for innovative urban education and to produce students who are globally competitive.

Offering an extended day, year-round program, Alain Locke provides elementary education for children in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.  A rigorous academic curriculum includes

  • Strong focus on literacy and math
  • Enrichment programs for all students in art, music, technology, foreign language and physical education
  • Experience-based learning that engages students at every grade level in a wide range of field experiences including in-school workshops, visits to learning sites throughout the metropolitan area, and an annual 7th grade trip to Ghana.

Alain Locke places emphasis on character education, along with a positive, disciplined, and nurturing school culture, and support for students in establishing patterns of success and becoming lifelong learners.
Talented and dedicated educators are drawn to Alain Locke because of its commitment to providing quality professional development, as well as opportunities for leadership and to work collaboratively with colleagues.

With the consistent introduction of innovative programming, Alain Locke Charter Academy now ranks among the best public elementary schools in Chicago.