ONE STEP CLOSER
TO COLLEGE 2013-2014 ANNUAL REPORT
DEAR FRIENDS:
For the second year, all of our 8th grade graduates moved on to college prep high schools, including two in International Baccalaureate programs.
The 2013-2014 school year was the very first year….. that we didn’t have any “firsts”! We started our second year in our fully complete campus and a second group of 8th graders graduated from Erie and moved on to college prep high schools. To further support both our 8th graders, and also our growing group of alumni, we added a High School Coordinator who educates parents and students on the process of applying to high schools, supports students and families during the application process and tracks and supports alumni. For the second year, all of our 8th grade graduates moved on to college prep high schools, including two in International Baccalaureate programs. In addition to expanding our support of 8th graders and alumni, Erie’s dual language program grew up to 4th grade. Erie continues to be one of the very few true dual language immersion programs in Chicago’s public school system. In fact, Erie’s own dual language kindergarten teacher, Susan Pryor, now tours the country presenting on the topic of teaching for biliteracy.
EECS President Mary G. Boehler and Principal Velia Soto
We also spent the last year enjoying Erie’s newly completed space. Erie has become the host gym for the middle school basketball league, and we now have plenty of room to provide additional academic supports for struggling students. We’re so thrilled to fully use our space and to give our students the school facility they truly deserve. As we do every year, we thank you so very much for your support. With public funding so unsteady, your support makes an enormous difference to Erie. We would love to thank you in person, so please come visit us soon! Warmly,
Velia Soto, Principal
Mary G. Boehler, President
OUR STUDENTS
415 EECS students in 2013-2014
78% Hispanic 18% African American 2% Multiracial 1.5% White .5% Asian
With all the focus around standardized assessments, we thought it was a good time to get back to basics.
Our
15% receive Special Education services
48% live in the surrounding neighborhood
86% qualify for free or reduced lunch *earning less than $44K annually for a family of 4
48% receive government assistance
17 families live in situations so unstable they are considered homeless
goal is for every
Erie
graduate to succeed in high
performing college prep high schools and graduate from academically rigorous colleges.
In 2005, coincidentally the same year Erie Elementary Charter School was founded, The University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR) outlined a simple indicator based on a student’s 9th grade year that predicted a student’s graduation rate with 80% accuracy.
How do we know if what we are doing at EECS is working? Assessments certainly tell one part of that story, but perhaps a more important metric is the ‘on track’ rate of our graduates, as measured by the CCSR’s indicator. To keep students, ‘on track’ the CCSR suggests improved communication between schools, parents and students, and closer monitoring of student attendance and progress in class work by parents, teachers and counselors. Erie’s High School Coordinator regularly visits EECS alumni, checks in with alumni’s high school teachers and even tracks alumni’s grades. When an alumn struggles, someone at Erie is one of the first to know and can provide support to get that student back on track.
A student is considered “on track” to graduate (according to the CCSR indicator) if he or she earns at least five full-year course credits (10 semester credits) and no more than one semester F in a core course (English, math, science or social science) in their first year of high school.
90%
of Erie’s alumni are considered ‘on track’.
Erie students are very prepared
Erie has prepared me
for the rigor of a college prep high school classroom. We have been very happy with the work Erie has done preparing 8th graders in Chicago for success in high school, college, and beyond. Brendan Bedell, Assistant Principal Rauner College Prep High School
Mariah Maldonado, Class of 2014, 9th grader at Golder College Prep High School with 3.8 GPA
for high school and college because they’ve helped me develop qualities to be responsible for all of my actions. They taught me not only to use my mind, but to use my heart and to show integrity and speak for what we feel and for what’s right.
Dual Language at Erie: What the classroom pros have to say As a charter school and with an administration steadily focused on improving instruction, Erie has the ability and the will to continually adapt the classroom to improve outcomes. This flexibility means that teachers can dig into the emerging best practice movement of teaching for biliteracy. So Erie evolves as best practices evolve and as teachers we also evolve by integrating this new knowledge into our daily practice. In many schools, the dual language program is a “track” or part of the larger school and I’ve met teachers who feel very separate from the rest of the school. Not only has Erie resisted the isolationist tendencies that arise when a special program exists, rather we are actively trying to find connections between the dual language and Spanish as a Second Language programs. Susan Pryor, Dual Language Kindergarten Teacher Erie Elementary Charter School Susan is also a team member of the Center for Teaching for Biliteracy, an Erikson Institute Continuing Education Instructor, and a consultant to schools developing dual language programs.
Perhaps most importantly, Erie believes in the research: kids are capable of being bilingual, and teaching for biliteracy gives Erie kids the advantage they’ll need to succeed.
WHAT IT COSTS
To our many friends and supporters who made contributions between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014.
WHERE IT COMES FROM
$100,000 and above Perkins Malo Hunter Foundation
Public (87%)
$25,000 to $99,999 Crown Family Philanthropies
Private (9%)
Other (4%)
TOTAL $4,922,251 WHERE IT GOES
Programs (91%)
Administration (7%)
Fundraising (2%)
TOTAL $4,845,128 Figures taken from the Statement of Functional Expenses for the period of July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014 and exclude revenue and expenses related to New Market Tax Credit financing as well as depreciation. For complete audited financial statements, visit www.eriecharterschool.org or call us at 773.486.7161.
$10,000 to $24,999 Advocate Bethany Health Community Fund Geary Rimmer Vincent Wolf Foundation John R. and Patricia A. Hall JaMel and Tom Perkins Family Foundation Fund Jeffrey R. and Jodi J. Kautz John W. Madigan Madigan Family Foundation Kenneth V. and Leola H. Perkins Springboard Foundation The Sumac Foundation $5,000 to $9,999 Anonymous Charles H. & Beverly E. Shaw Foundation Goose Island Beer Co. Edgar and Deborah Jannotta, Sr. The Pauls Foundation $2,500 to $4,999 William P. and Mary G. Boehler Keating and Caroline Crown Steven and Nancy Crown Donald and Gail Curtis Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP George and Charlene Locasto William A. and Deborah S. Montgomery Victor S. and Mary R. Nelson Norcon, Inc. Robert R. McCormick Foundation Chris and Tammy Roehm John and Jane Schreiner Wells Fargo Advisors Wintrust Logan Square $1,000 to $2,499 J. Brian and Kathleen Barnett Brown Paper Tickets, LLC Bert A. and Sandra M. Getz
Anne Carlson Hallett Hispanic Housing Development Corp. Jeff and Molly Keller Keller Family Foundation David and Andrea Kinnear Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. Dorothy A. Oremus and John H. Lindauer Jeffrey and Molly Lowe Patrick and Sara Nash Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Foundation Hieu Ton-That and Maricruz Ponce de Leon Ricardo Estrada and Beatriz Ponce de Leon Alejandro Silva, Jr. Garth and Susan Moseley Taylor $500 to $999 Toby Bernstein Thomas F. and Crystal Pruess Bush James and Tiana Carter Steven D. Fox Lee and Kitty Freidheim Richard and Janice Geddes Eugene Golub Raleigh G. Hegwood Stephen and Joan Hermes Patricia and Christopher Horsch John Ronan Architects Russell and Elisabeth Kinnel Mary McClure Miller Foundation Michael and Tonya Milkie Celena Roldan Moreno Charles Niemier Kenneth L. Perkins John and Mary Helen Ray Sassetti, LLC Peter W. and Janet Voss Voss Equipment Euguene and Anna Woroch $100 to $249 Ryan and Sarah Airola Ernesto Avina John and Mary Coyle Stuart and Adrienne Foler General Mills Box Tops for Education
Mark Hallett and Carmen Vidal Hallett Hernandez Distributor Inc. Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture David and Jennifer Kelly Michael J. and Ellis Krick Kevin Hochberg and James McDaniel Stephen and Rita McElroy Gerry and Penelope Miller Kathleen Moore Maureen A. Mosh James and Suzanne Neaylon, III
With the underfunding of Illinois’ pensions reaching critical levels, public education funding is increasingly unstable, which means private support is essential to ensure the resources at-risk students need to succeed. Eleanor Nicholson Daniel G. and Chiquita P. O’Leary Patrick and Katherine Perkins Puerto Rican Cultural Center Alberto Rodriguez Solano DeCarrier Management Richard A. Swedberg Sue and John Tansey Debbie and Clive Topol U.S. Cellular Mark and Vanya L. Weglarz James and Bonita Wilkes Ivan Yee Chris and Sarah McNamara Zweidinger $100 to $249 Dianna and Val Adams Charles W. Armstrong
Dorothy H. Ballantyne John Barker Hector and Rose Basurco Eric J. Bell Bensinger Dupont & Associates William and Beverly Bolsen, Jr. Lee A.and Kim Clair Michael and Lauren Crandall Eric Fox and Charolette Crane Christopher and Denise Dell Isola William H. Doughty, Jr. Joanne Earnhardt Henry and Rhoda Frank Edward and Mirja Spooner Haffner Thomas R. and Nancy A. Hanson Maureen Hellwig, PhD Stephen M. and Lail Herman Edward Hines Laurie Holmes Illinois Network of Charter Schools Bryan W. Jackson Kenneth and Sally Jones Walter and Joan Kasten R. Jackson and Meredith Kinnel Bruce R. and Karen Lange Valerie S. Lewis Julius and Elaine Loesser Margaret S. & Phillip D. Block, Jr. Family Foundation Jean A. McCaffrey Tom McDougal Melvin E. Guthrie, Jr. Trust Blythe and David Mendelson Robert L. and Jean G. Meyers John R. and Lynne D. Montgomery, III David and Dorothy Myers, Jr. Elizabeth and Christopher Nash Eric Nelson Ray and Judith O. Newton Patsy O’Kieffe Alberto Ortega Fred and Susan Perkins Steve and Ellen Quast A. Rafael Ravelo Jimmy W. Reyes Tanner and Marion Rice Bernard B. Rinella Thure Ross Roy Strom Refuse Brownyn Poole and Peter Schmitz Elizabeth A. Shay David and Suzie Shoub
John Sirek Marvin L. Smith Ricardo and Consuelo Soto Teresita Soto Velia Soto John and Judy Stevens James and Stephanie Sullivan H. Woods Bowman and Michelle M. Thompson $1 to $99 Angelica Alfaro Jaime Arteaga AT&T United Way Employee Giving Campaign Clark W. Bell Matthew Broscio Frankie Brown Elizabeth M. Burba Robert & Patricia Burt Howard A. and Katrina Chandler Max and Kirstin Chernawsky Chicago Run Norm and B.J. Chimenti Douglas P. Dow & Pamela Fiebig Susan and Bob Friedlander John Ireland Charlie Jaimes Ryan and Laura Kraus David and Phyllis Kupperman Adrienne A. Lange Marisol Martinez Amanda Menjivar Nancy Menjivar Alex Montgomery Patricia O’Connell Faiza Omer Justin Proctor Dr. Ruchi Gupta Ed and Blanca Ruiz Susan Shabica Thomas C. Smith and Sara R. Slaughter Samuel Smith Claudia Torres Tim Urquhart Veronica Villapando Issa Webb Johannes and Julia Weertman Sandra B. Whitman
IN HONOR OF MARK HALLETT Thomas C. Smith and Sara Slaughter IN HONOR OF MELANIE MADIGAN Bert A. and Sandra M. Getz John W. Madigan Ray and Judith O. Newton IN HONOR OF KEN PERKINS Eleanor Nicholson IN HONOR OF SUSAN TAYLOR Douglas Dow & Pamela Fiebig IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS Arreola Rental Company CBS Radio Costco Deseo Events Frost Chicago Fullline Printing, Inc. Anne Carlson Hallett Juniper Boutique John and Holly Madigan Palmer House Hilton Telemundo Chicago Toys For Tots U.S. Cellular
Also, a big THANK YOU to all the EECS parents who fundraised for Erie in the 2013-2014 school year.
EECS Board of Directors JANETTE ALVAREZ, PARENT REPRESENTATIVE MARY G. BOEHLER, PRESIDENT, Northern Trust, Retired MICHAEL BROWN, Goldman, Sachs & Co. CRYSTAL BUSH, Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP RICARDO ESTRADA, CHAIRMAN EMERITUS, Metropolitan Family Services AGUSTIN GOMEZ-LEAL, Wallin-Gomez Architects, Ltd. MARIA GUERRA, Mayor’s Office, Office of Legislative Counsel and Government JOHN R. HALL, Goose Island Beer Co., Founder PATTY HORSCH, PH.D., VICE PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, Erikson Institute
MICHAEL MILKIE, Noble Network of Charter Schools COREY NELSON, First Presbyterian Church VICTOR S. NELSON, TREASURER, Northern Trust, Retired AMANDA PAZ*, TEACHER REPRESENTATIVE Erie Elementary Charter School CHARLES D. O’KIEFFE, Retired Investment Executive, RBC Dain Rauscher KENNETH PERKINS, CHAIRMAN EMERITUS Retired Insurance Broker CELENA ROLDÁN-MORENO, Erie Neighborhood House ALEJANDRO SILVA, Silva Capital Management, LLC MARVIN SMITH, US Cellular
BRYAN W. JACKSON, GEMS World Academy Chicago
VELIA SOTO*, PRINCIPAL Erie Elementary Charter School
DAVID S. KINNEAR, VICE PRESIDENT, Kinnear Family Wealth Management Group
SUSAN M. TAYLOR, Fidelity Investments, Retired
MELANIE MADIGAN, SECRETARY, Psychotherapist, Private Practice
*Non-voting member
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE
1405 N. Washtenaw Chicago, IL 60622 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
www.eriecharterschool.org
PAID
CHICAGO, IL PERMIT NO. 3008