TAKE THE leap 2023 ANNUAL REPORT
Iania Beemon’s ‘Leap’ Earns Her Prestigious Gates Scholarship I am Iania Beemon, a proud graduate of the Perspectives/IIT Math & Science Academy, Class of 2023. I took the leap with Perspectives four years ago when I started my high school journey. I did not know what was in store for me and my classmates, but we embraced every challenge that came our way and demonstrated perseverance to overcome them. When I reflect on my time as a Perspectives student, I realize how the 26 A Disciplined Life® principles improved my outlook when challenges arose. More importantly, these principles continue to help me conquer new obstacles. Principles like “be open-minded,” “demonstrate perseverance,” and “be a life-long learner” have allowed me to explore various angles and approaches to tackle problems and situations, seeking the optimal solutions.
Iania Beemon, First Gates scholar in Perspectives history
My path to becoming Perspectives’ first winner of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation scholarship was a long one, and I know the 26 ADL principles helped equip me to take the leap and persevere through the rigorous application process.
When my college counselor, Mrs. Choice, suggested that I apply for the Gates Scholarship, I had deep reservations. Submitting my application was more an act of trust in Mrs. Choice’s judgment than genuine self-belief. However, as I progressed through each stage in the application process and received email after email, I began to think differently, and the results turned in my favor. I was astounded upon receiving the email announcing my selection as a Gates Scholar. Now that I am in college, I understand the significance of having an “all-expenses paid” college experience. I could not have accomplished this without the support of the amazing Perspectives Charter School staff and my own dedication to applying the ADL principles to my life. Because our Class of 2023 experienced the start of the COVID-19 pandemic during our freshman year, we are, in fact, the first class of graduates for whom our entire high school experience was in a pandemic or postpandemic world. Thanks to the scholarship, I can attend college without worrying about paying tuition, and I am grateful to Mrs. Choice for pushing me to apply and helping me fulfill my dream. I will always take the leap!
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Panorama, cited by Tyton Partners, supported by CASEL and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as the #1 social-emotional learning measurement tool, in a 2022 report, confirms that our A Disciplined Life® model works. When compared to similar schools nationwide, Perspectives’ students fall into the following percentiles for their ability to:
80th Percentile
Use strategies to manage their learning processes and exhibit resilience
70th Percentile
Regulate and manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in difficult situations
Happy 26th Anniversary, Perspectives Family! Let’s celebrate! Perspectives Charter Schools celebrated its 26th year and counting. With our commitment to and continued use of the A Disciplined Life® education model, we “Take the Leap” every year with students and their families. In the 2022-2023 school year, we broke enrollment records, and we celebrated as students took the leap in academics, extracurriculars, and leadership opportunities, both on and off school grounds. We were grateful to have your partnership and appreciate the many ways that you took the leap to support Perspectives’ students, faculty, and communities. Last year, Perspectives saw impressive accomplishments across our network: • Over 1,800 Chicago youth learned to challenge themselves, grow, and thrive on Chicago’s South Side. •M ultiple scholarships were awarded to students through corporate partnerships, including Iania, who won the highly competitive Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation scholarship. • Student-athletes broke records and set new standards for charter schools in the Chicago Public League.
Academic Rigor
A Look Ahead
Our dedicated staff successfully supported students as they pushed forward in their academic journeys following pandemic-related learning loss. The Class of 2023 started their freshman year in the usual way in 2019 and finished the year amidst a global shutdown that forced an unprecedented transition to remote learning. Despite spending a year in remote learning, our scholars graduated on time: 100% of graduates were accepted to one or more colleges and/or universities. Scholarship earnings reached an impressive $20 million. Outstanding partners, including Horizon Therapeutics and Lundbeck, provided scholarships for our students.
We’re eager to welcome our newest staff members, who will help us strengthen our instructional practices and student support. We continue to offer a flexible educational model that will incorporate new curricula in Math, Science, English, History, and Spanish.
We’ve worked diligently to instill a culture of learning, strong instruction, and student ownership in our classrooms. As a result, our students’ academic recovery post-pandemic has been impressive, posting a 100-point PSAT/SAT gain over two years, restoring us to pre-pandemic levels.
Social-Emotional Learning Enrollment surged by over 100 students to reach 1,857. This growth reflects our students’, families’, and parents’ trust in Perspectives’ A Disciplined Life® Education Model, a model that has proven, year after year, to empower students to learn and grow.
Experiential Opportunities Our students’ participation in corporate internships, afterschool activities, early college credit courses, hands-on certification programs (pharmacy technician, IT, patient care, etc.), and off-campus opportunities continues to enhance their academic performance and development.
Our commitment to restorative justice, our ADL principles, and our multi-tiered support system have laid the foundation for us to drive tremendous success. Now, we stand ready to further enliven A Disciplined Life® culture—to deepen our commitment to restorative justice, to enhance socialemotional learning, and provide even more comprehensive, measurable support to our students. While we’ve made significant progress in realizing our vision for our students, we will need your continued support. Together, we can continue to make a positive impact on students’ lives. We are so grateful for all you do for Perspectives students, and we hope you will continue to support and guide us as we continue to serve our school communities and instill the principles of A Disciplined Life®.
Deborah Stevens
Hall Adams
Chief Executive Officer
Board Chairman
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Celebrating Achievements Perspectives Charter Schools’ 26th year has been a year of resilience, in which our students continuously beat the odds. Perspectives’ legacy of excellence lives on as our students “Take the Leap” in their academics, social-emotional learning, and experiential opportunities. Every year, students find innovative ways to break through their ceilings and demonstrate resilience and grit. The Class of 2023 laid the groundwork for a post-pandemic student body to pursue their dreams. Let’s look at their achievements!
99% of Students graduated high school Iania Beemon, First Gates scholar in Perspectives history
The Class of 2023, collectively, earned
559 early college credits.
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CONTINUing EDUCATION
SCHOLARSHIPS Total number in scholarships earned (Network)
$20,000,000
59% of students plan to attend a 4-year college or university 17% of students plan to attend a 2-year college 13% of students plan to enter the workforce 10% of students plan to pursue a trade and/or certification 1% of students plan to enlist in the military
1/3 of PCS graduates earned Early College Credit Our seniors earned $20,000,000 in scholarship funds, including: 1 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Scholar 2 Horizon Scholarship Recipients 3 Lundbeck Scholarship Recipients
100-point PSAT/SAT gain over two years, restoring us to pre-pandemic levels
Three of our students contributed to our overall network total of scholarships earned with an individual sum of $1.2M in scholarships!
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Thank you for joining us on April 27th to celebrate our amazing staff and incredible scholars! Over 26 years ago, two public school teachers decided to “Take the Leap” and start one of the first charter schools in Illinois. Their goal was to educate the whole child by making social-emotional learning a core part of the curriculum. Since then, families continue to trust Perspectives with their students’ education. • Today, we serve over 2,000 students across 5 schools. • Perspectives is home to over 250 staff members. • We proudly offer more than 50 enrichment and athletics programs. We are grateful for your ongoing support and commitment to living A Disciplined Life® with us.
A Disciplined Life® Honoree Samuel Mendenhall is a highly respected trial lawyer with extensive experience in complex commercial litigation, product liability defense, and class action defense. He teaches law at Perspectives Charter Schools through the Chicago Bar Association’s Lawyer-in-the-Classroom volunteer program.
Please scan the QR code to learn more about Sam Mendenhall and read his full bio.
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Corporate Partner Spotlight EY’s College MAP, Mentoring for Access and Persistence program, is dedicated to opening doors to higher education for first-generation, college-bound students. Our program pairs EY employees with 11th- and 12th-grade students from historically under-resourced communities to guide them through high school graduation and on to college success. Our mission, together, is to demystify the college application and affordability process and build students’ self-confidence and resilience as they pursue their post-secondary goals.
EY's College MAP at a Glance: • Since 2009, we've mentored 2,500+ students. • Our dedicated mentors have invested 160,000+ hours in guiding and inspiring students. • Our program spans across 38 cities in the United States.
Empowering Future Leaders
choices. The result? All the groups successfully completed their tasks, each showcasing their unique imagination and creativity.
A Glimpse into Our Impact
Building Skills, Confidence, and Lifelong Learning
Last year, students from the Perspectives Leadership Campus traveled to downtown Chicago for a career exploration session hosted at EY’s headquarters. During this engaging session, EY mentors encouraged students to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset by challenging them to create their own lemonade stands in teams. This hands-on experience allowed our students to practice essential life skills, including budgeting, creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Working collaboratively in teams, they made decisions, faced challenges, and experienced the outcomes of their
students’ self-esteem and selfconfidence. Through EY’s College MAP, we are sowing the seeds of success, one mentorship at a time. We thank our dedicated mentors, partners, and supporters for their unwavering commitment to this transformative program.
At EY’s College MAP, mentors are not just guides but champions of skill-building and life-long learning. The EY program goes beyond Together, we are making strides preparing students for high school toward a brighter future. graduation. It equips them for life beyond the classroom. The career-related sessions led by trained mentors, combined with hands-on experiences like Scan the QR code to learn the lemonade more about our corporate stand project, packages and partnership significantly opportunities. enhance our
Thank you to our 2023 Corporate Sponsors & Partnerships
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COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHT Students at Perspectives Math & Science Academy launched an interdisciplinary study to understand more deeply the systemic causes of violence in Chicago.
Panelists
Their big question: “How has systemic injustice perpetuated violence throughout Chicago and our local community?
Algenoy Alexander Executive Director, WiseWorks, Inc.
The Perspectives MSA Peace Summit concluded with a panel discussion between students and different community members, staff, law enforcement, activists, and more. After viewing, what would you say to add to this impactful conversation? Comment below the video.
Paulette Jordan Director of Safety and Security, Perspectives Charter Schools
Dr. Phyllis West, Ph.D., MPH, M.S.W. Director, Social Justice Initiative, Governor State University Mitchell Davis Chief of Police, Village of Hazel Crest Adrienne Irmer AVP of External Affairs, Illinois Institute of Technology Nichole Carter Chief of Staff, Bright Star Community Outreach TyNeisha Banks Principal, Perspectives IIT/Math & Science Academy
Student PanelistS Elijah, 11th Grade Representative Tommie, 11th Grade Representative Martinique, 10th Grade Representative Kari, 9th Grade Representative
Scan the code to watch the one-hour featured presentation.
Ja’Vion, 10th Grade Representative Shaniyah, 12th Grade Representative
Recording Arts Program The recording studio is a new program offered at our Perspectives IIT/Math & Science Academy. This program is in partnership with the Minnesota High School for Recording Arts and the Remix Project. Principal Banks initiated this program to cultivate new academic leaders, while bridging social-emotional learning (SEL) through music recording: production, lyricism, and instrumentation. Over 30 students spend the last two hours of their school day working collaboratively on music production. There are two components to the program. The first component is in the classroom and focuses on SEL skills and their identity as an artist/individual. The second component transitions into students creating their brand, other content, and music.
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Alumni have returned to Perspectives Charter Schools and given their time and music mentorship; likewise, our current students have created a collaborative mini-album, expanded their individual portfolios, and improved their overall academic performance.
Athletics Network Highlights • Varsity Football qualified for IHSA 6A state playoffs and hosted a home 6A state playoff game, finishing with an 8-2 overall record. • PLC Girls Volleyball won the conference championship (2nd in team history). • MSA/Joslin Girls Volleyball won their first conference championship. • MSA/Joslin Boys and Girls Basketball made an IHSA 3A Regional Championship game appearance. • MSA/Joslin Boys Basketball made it to the IHSA 2A Regional Championship game. • Perspectives Leadership Girls Basketball won their first IHSA 2A Regional Championship. • Perspectives Leadership Boys Basketball won an IHSA 2A Regional Championship and Sectional Championship. They lost to DePaul Prep in IHSA super-sectional, one win away from a downstate appearance. • MSA Girls Track made a 3A state finals appearance thanks to MSA’s Ashley Thomas, who finished 9th in the state in the long jump. • Ashley Thomas received a Division I scholarship offer from Eastern Illinois for girls track & field.
Nasir Graham, Joslin Alumnus
$1.2M Scholarship Earner, Wolves Basketball Player
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ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT Manuel Whitfield
Manuel Whitfield graduated from the Perspectives Rodney D. Joslin Campus in 2012 and currently serves as Director of Community Engagement with the Community Safety Coordination Center (CSCC), an office conceived during Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s term that now continues under Mayor Brandon Johnson’s leadership. Through the lens of violence as a public health crisis, Whitfield seeks to bring support and solutions to fifteen of Chicago’s most troubled communities on the south and west sides. These communities, Whitfield explains, “...Have historically been disinvested in, so there’s a need to focus heavily on working with the community to devise a plan to help reduce the violence from a holistic approach with the full support of the government.” Whitfield’s journey from Perspectives’ middle school classrooms to Perspectives’ high school graduation stage to college prepared him for his current civic leadership. After receiving the Baldwin Richardson scholarship, Whitfield studied in Babson College’s nationally recognized business and entrepreneurship program. Whitfield chose Babson not only for its excellent academic programs, but also because he believed that the network he would develop there would give him a global perspective on business. The A Disciplined Life® principles were a touchstone for Whitfield during his time at Perspectives. Reflecting back on his middle school years, Whitfield describes, “At that age, you must be very intentional to outline these principles and make them a part of a student’s life while they’re still in the phases of developing.” Today, Whitfield still uses the A Disciplined Life® principles as he continues his professional and leadership journey.
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The Perspectives
A Disciplined Life Awards
®
The perfect candidate for an A Disciplined Life® Award is a staff or faculty member who consistently embodies the principles of A Disciplined Life®, goes above and beyond their everyday job responsibilities to make a positive impact on the lives of students, and is skilled at building relationships that maximize our students’ academic achievement, social-emotional learning, and experiential opportunities. Each fall, the nomination process opens. There are two winners from each local campus and an additional two winners chosen from among the Perspectives network staff. One winner is student-selected, the other staff nominated. Winners are announced at each winter’s CORE Day and given a celebratory plaque.
Lindsay Dowdy
Reginald Patrick
PLC
Denise Moore
Joslin
MSA
Additional candidates not pictured:
Natalie Hudson PLC
Alexa Cafferey MSA
Terrence Little PMA
Sophia Romano Joslin
Thomas Harris PMA
Antoinette McGhee SHOP
Lauren Youngblood SHOP
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DONOR LISTING $250,000-$499,999 Akuna Capital, LLC Horizon Therapeutics
$100,000-$249,999 EY Loop Capital Markets, LLC*
$25,000-$49,999 Hall^ and Julie Adams Laurence ^^ and Doris Ashkin Axion RMS The Boyce Foundation* Citi Exelon Rick^ and Molly Fezell
$10,000-$24,999 Ballarie and Tony^^ Anderson* Rita and John Canning, The Canning Foundation Michael Clune* Baldwin Richardson Foods GCM Grosvenor Lundbeck, Inc. David and Amanda Mabie Deborah Stevens^ LaMarr Taylor^ and Bruna Neves Winston & Strawn, LLP Judy Wise and The Baskin Family Foundation
$5,000-$9,999 AAR Ann Andrews Stacia Beyl Anthony Carmello CIBC Kevin Cole Ronald Genty
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Ikram^ and Josh Goldman Goldman, Sachs & Co. Matching Gift Program Illinois Tech John and Kathleen Schreiber Foundation DeEtta Jones^ and Associates Samuel Mendenhall Christopher Morris Kathleen Murray The William Heard Family Fund Andrew S. Ward^ Loren^ and Diane Weil
$2,500-$4,999 Shanelle Brown William Mack^^ Kristie Paskvan Donald and Julie Rocap
$1,000-$2,499 Ankin Law Offices LLC Anonymous John Arena Jeffrey Bilek Alex Debbink Ethan Frank Irina Konstantinovsky JoAnn S Lilek Darren Ludwig John Mabie Butch and Janice^^ MacVicar Morgan Stanley David and Nancy Napalo Anthony^^ and Regina Robinson Skender Construction LLC Kim Waller^ Charmaine Williams Hank Zanarini
$500-$999 Maria Bazakos Andie Bruzzone Jarret Crusor Evan Demchick Wendy DuBoe and Leon Heller Kim Dugan Ian Else Tracy Fletcher High Tech High Graduate School of Education Gayle Jones Connor Kelch Terrence McWilliams John Musachia^^ Julie Scott Michael J Steinmann II Bruna Neves Lawrence Thomas Raynell Vaughn Allison Ward William Blair Foundation Shuijing (Crystal) Zhang
$101-$499 Kamelia Abolverdi Joanna Acosta Aracely Aguilar James Allen Jenna Aman Brandon Bailey Amanda Barbera Shawn Bartel Robert Bedore Natalie Berry Carolyn Bickham Jackie Blankman Beth Blistan Michael S. Blount Stephen Bond Karen Boyajian Bryan Boyd
Leslie Brieck Mark Brown Laporscha Buford Joedy Cahill Gerard Callahan Christopher C Capitano Kim Carle Jennifer Carlozzi Casey Carpenter Melanie Chaisson Angela Chalberg-Pool John Crawford Kevin Crimmins Michelle Crooks Rafal Darzynski Jerry Davis Andrew Debbink Lundbeck Christie Dickson Jorge Dominguez Thomas Dowd Dual Path Maria English Joan Fatino Jera Kate Fezell Chris Fontenot Pedro Franco Kristen and Mark Freund Matthew Garman Amberly Garrison Christen Gatton-Stinnett Nicole Gerges Stephen Gillett Giron Family Heather Goyette Anonymous Steve & Toni Gruenwald Leigh Haefle Kristina Harshbarger Tonya Hartwich Natalie Herring Kevin Hundal Illinois Tool Works, Inc. Steve Isaki
Kenneth Jackson Kimberly Jacoby Jacquelynne Jason Holmes Paul Jones Mr. Joe Larry Kennedy Jr. Erin Kingshill Alison Knysh Mark LaRocque Deb Lawson Emma Lazar George Lieb Stephen Lindsey Tim Liston Jason Long Jennifer Luce Luna family of Plainfield, IL Kari Lusardi Delia Mancoci Erica Mann-Tallon Tammie Martin John McGaw Mary Ellen McGrath Seth McNary Ms Michelle Mentuck Jaquann Merriweather Kyle Middlebrooks Mark & Sarah Miller Heidi Minnihan Donna Mitchell Terry^^ and Gina Mullen Julie Nease Michael Niedzwiecki Dennis O’Dell David and Peggy Orloff Milagros Perez, MS Kasey Phillips Michele Pierce Michelle Pillsbury Cheryl Procter-Rogers Ralph Quintana Phil Ra Bob Rose Drew Ryan Amy Saddler Carla Saggese Drew Sampson Ron Sampson Ginny Sanchez Josh Sax John Schillo Gregory Schnitter Keisha Scott Tiffany Seel
Marvin Sepulveda Daniel Shiflet Corey Smith Brian Starr Laura N. Stern Jerry Stovall Christine Sullivan Lori Swanson Rebecca Tantillo Jason Tebeaux Ms Ann-Felice Thiel Darren Thompson Kristen Thornton Catherine Twomey Josh Udelhofen Nina Vantell Rod Villanueva Nicholas Voltolini For all future chemists and pharmacists Toni Walkowski Colleen Warner William White Ms Williams Insana Johanns Williams Laura Wombolt Daniel Womer Stewart Young Lauren Elizabeth Zanarini Lisa Ziemer
$100 & BELOW Amazon Smile Foundation Jaylen Bell Stephanie J. Biearman Anthony Calabrese Emily Costillo Samuel Cutrara Margaret Dugan Trilise Evans Evolve Giving Group Elyse Flynn Meyer Maya Hardy Norris James Lokesh Kataria Katherine Kurtzman Sakinah Kushmir Amissah Seals Chilufya Mashambe Mae Mister Raphael Moreen
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR DONORS! ^ = CURRENT BOARD MEMBER ^^ = FORMER BOARD MEMBER * = MULTI-YEAR GIFT
Mark Muniz Eigo Okada Megan Rafferty
Gifts in Honor Hall^ and Julie Adams Deborah Stevens^
Gifts in Memory Sandi Bangert Virgina Bedore
Donald Brown Justin Brown Mr. Jerome Carvajal Irene Green Paul Lanning Mrs. Dionisia Perez Maryam Sanandajian Otto von Schirach
FINANCIALS FiscAL YEAR 2023
Revenue
To accomplish our mission, we invest over 92% of our resources in programs and services that positively impact our students, including spending over $5M on wraparound services. Perspectives relies on funding from Chicago Public Schools; state and federal dollars; and generous contributions from our partners—including individuals, corporations, and foundations— to support our A Disciplined Life® education model.
Investing in our future Get Involved a mentor, participate in 1 Ba ecome career panel, or become a corporate partner.
a tour of one of our 2 T5ake schools.
88% 8% 2% 2%
City & State Federal Philanthropy Other
Expenses
isit our website to learn more: 3 Vpcsedu.org
4 B ecome a donor:
Recurring Giving Workplace Giving Planned Giving Honor Gifts Donate Stock Donor Advised Funds
1413
92% Direct Student Expenses 6% General Administration 2% Fundraising
At Perspectives, our A Disciplined Life® Education Model teaches the whole child.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
We combine academic rigor, social-emotional learning, and experiential opportunities to create a culture of trust, curiosity, and achievement.
Hall Adams Chairman
LaMarr Taylor Vice Chairman
Loren A. Weil ACADEMIC RIGOR Our college-prep curriculum leverages strong group instruction, a culture of learning, student ownership, and personalized learning. Students can also take advantage of certification programs, career development, and early college credit.
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING The foundation of Perspectives, A Disciplined Life®, is our socialemotional learning curriculum and set of 26 principles. Our 26 principles teach students positive self-perception, healthy relationships, and the tools for productivity.
EXPERIENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES We use the city as a classroom. Students at Perspectives gain skills, confidence, and insight from field studies, community action initiatives, and career shadowing.
Secretary
Rick Fezell Treasurer
Dr. Angela Brooks Holly Copeland Ikram Goldman
Michelle Handy Razia Hutchins Adrienne Irmer DeEtta Jones Andrew Killion William Mack Kathleen Murray Sheree Speakman Deborah Stevens Valencia Turner Kim Waller Andrew Ward George Wright
Perspectives Charter Schools fosters an inclusive, equitable, and anti-racist network through our Race, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (REDI) work. REDI committees at the network and campus level collaborate to support Perspectives’ commitment to reducing barriers and fostering a non-discriminatory school and work environment. We do this by internalizing the core values of A Disciplined Life® and ensuring that our practices allow our diverse population of students and staff to grow, thrive, and excel. We are committed to continuing to cultivate a school network culture that seeks to elevate diverse voices and create a sense of inclusion and fairness, ensuring equitable outcomes for all.
26 Principles of A Disciplined Life
At Perspectives, we study the 26 principles of A Disciplined Life®, which help all of us develop:
Positive Self-Perception
Healthy Relationships
Accept only quality work from yourself Take responsibility for your actions Seek wisdom Be open-minded Think critically and be inquisitive Love who you are Demonstrate honesty and integrity Be generous Be a lifelong learner
Communicate effectively Challenge each other intellectually Show gratitude Solve conflicts peacefully Respect differences Be positive and supportive Show compassion
Live a healthy lifestyle
Tools for Productivity Demonstrate a strong work ethic Use your time wisely Listen actively Be punctual and prepared Be organized Be reflective Be reliable Take initiative Demonstrate perseverance
To learn more about Perspectives or to find out how you can get involved, call 312.604.2200 or visit pcsedu.org.
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