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jason ervin
Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
12:49pm
Tue Apr 30

Delano Elementary Supporters, Ald. Ervin Blast Academic Performance Of Proposed Welcoming School

Supporters of Delano Elementary and Ald. Jason Ervin (28th) once again raised concerns about the Chicago Public Schools’ disclaimer that kids will be welcomed at Melody Elementary next year if Delano closes.

Under CPS' plan, Delano's teachers may be fired at the end of the academic year and the school turned into Melody Elementary as part of the the district's plan to address its reported underutilization problem. CPS says Delano is half full.

Although both of the West Side schools have CPS' second highest, Level 2, academic performance rating, Melody is on academic probation and Delano is not.

"I understand that there may have been higher levels of growth from Melody school, but guess what, they had a low point to come from," Ervin said at a public hearing last night regarding the proposal.

"It’s conceivable that you will make greater gains, because you have a larger distance from where you can make gains from." Read more »

Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
3:02pm
Thu Apr 11

Teachers, Alderman Speak Out Against Closure Of Delano Elementary At CPS Hearing

For the past 100 years, Delano Elementary has been a staple in the West Garfield Park neighborhood, but its teachers may be fired at the end of the year and the school turned into Melody Elementary as part of the Chicago Public Schools recent round of actions to address school utilization.

Under CPS’ plan, once Melody students and staff relocate to Delano’s building, the new school would offer air conditioning in every classroom, a library, an upgraded computer lab and iPads for students in 3rd through 8th grades, among other facility and capital improvements.

But West Side Ald. Jason Ervin (28th) said CPS officials didn’t have the “decency or courtesy” to offer any additional academic enhancements at the new school, such as a STEM or fine arts program. The only academic enhancement, he said, is an iPad.

“An iPad is a dime a dozen,” Ervin said at the first of three public meetings last night on the proposed school action. “More kids got iPads than adults have iPads.” Read more »

Quick Hit
by Aricka Flowers
5:49pm
Wed Mar 20

CPS Rumored To Announce Some 50 School Closures Thursday

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is set to announce Thursday that some 50 schools will be closed at the end of this school year. If this is accurate, it would be the largest number of schools in the nation to be closed at one time, the newspaper reports.

CPS has notified several aldermen to prepare for school closures in their wards, according to the Sun-Times.

Read more »

Quick Hit
by Matthew Blake
7:00pm
Mon May 7, 2012

Airport Living Wage Ordinance Can’t Get Off The Ground

There were a number of Chicago City Council committee meetings today in order to advance matters for Wednesday’s full council session. One committee that did not meet and has, in fact, only met once since the start of 2012 is the Workforce Development and Audit Committee, chaired by Ald. Patrick O’Connor (40th), Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s council floor leader.

That the workforce committee is missing in action means that Ald. Jason Ervin’s (28th) ordinance to guarantee the city’s 2,400 airport workers a “living wage” hasn’t moved since it was referred to the committee last October – even as the majority of airport concession workers head into contract negotiations this summer. Read more »

PI Original
by Aaron Krager
3:00pm
Fri Oct 7, 2011
2 comments

Airport Workers Make Plea For Living Wage (VIDEO)

Wages

Chicago airport workers face difficult times ahead with new contract negotiations for concession and passenger service employees up in the air. Midway and O'Hare International Airports serve millions of people each year, generating billions of dollars for participating corporations and the City of Chicago. Yet, many of the people making travel easier for airline passengers earn wages below living or even poverty levels.

PI Original
by Robert Dietz
12:27pm
Fri Feb 11, 2011

Checking In On The Aldermanic Races: The 28th Ward

2011 Municipal Elections

Education, jobs, foreclosures, and crime are all key issues as voters in the 28th Ward prepare to select a new alderman for the first time since 1983.