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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The faculty, staff, and students of Perspectives
3 Charter School are celebrating the School's opening at its new
4 location at 1930 South Archer in Chicago; designed by the
5 world-renowned architect Ralph Johnson of Perkins and Will, the
6 bright angular building exemplifies the soaring vision of
7 Perspectives; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Perspectives Charter School was designed in the
9 small school tradition by teachers Kim Day and Diana
10 Shulla-Cose; after teaching for many years in the Chicago
11 Public Schools, both shared the desire to create a better
12 learning environment for the urban student; their vision for
13 Perspectives was grounded in basic beliefs about what students
14 in Chicago deserve from a public education system; Kim and
15 Diana wanted to create a school of high expectations, a school
16 where students are challenged, a school where students feel
17 safe, a school with a family-like atmosphere, and a school that
18 students, parents, and faculty could call their own; and
 
19     WHEREAS, The Perspectives Charter School is an agent of
20 social change and progress for urban students in Chicago; the
21 vision is to create a school of choice that satisfies the needs
22 of parents who wish to educate their children to meet the
23 challenges of a changing world through academic rigor and a
24 disciplined life; Perspectives will help students further
25 become intellectually reflective, caring, and ethical people
26 en route to a lifetime of meaningful work; and
 
27     WHEREAS, Perspectives' vision is to have the entire senior
28 class graduate and to have all of their students attend college
29 or technical school; the faculty and staff believes that they
30 can educate their students to be knowledgeable workers for the
31 21st century; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, This vision began to take shape in 1993 as a
2 "school within a school" serving 45 students; the co-founders
3 believed strongly in the advantages of a small school; a small
4 school environment would offer students more personal
5 attention and give them a sense of individual importance and
6 belonging; it would afford teachers a greater opportunity to
7 provide guidance, resources, and one-on-one time to students;
8 and
 
9     WHEREAS, In 2002, the school found a new home just south of
10 the Loop and working with Chicago Public Schools, Perspectives
11 had secured a lease at 1915 S. Federal for two years while a
12 permanent facility was built next door; and
 
13     WHEREAS, Perspectives is achieving great success; for the
14 past three years, more than 95% of the senior class has
15 graduated and continued on to college; in the past two years,
16 four students have been awarded the prestigious Posse
17 Foundation scholarship, in which students received $100,000 to
18 attend college; Perspectives students continue to be accepted
19 at more competitive schools including Sara Lawrence
20 University, Penn State, University of Michigan, and the
21 University of Illinois; and
 
22     WHEREAS, Perspectives has received both national and local
23 attention as a model of successful public urban education; both
24 Mayor Richard M. Daley and Chicago Public School's CEO Arne
25 Duncan have publicly acknowledged Perspectives; most recently,
26 Perspectives was featured in Chicago Magazine, The Chicago
27 Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times, Crain's Chicago Business, on
28 National Public Radio, and on Channel 5 news for its academic
29 success and innovation; and
 
30     WHEREAS, Perspectives has become a model for urban
31 education, given new meaning to quality education in public
32 schools, and is proving that public education works and works

 

 

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1 well; therefore, be it
 
2     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
3 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
4 congratulate Perspectives Charter School in the opening of its
5 new location, and we wish the faculty and staff continued
6 success in their endeavor of providing quality education; and
7 be it further
 
8     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
9 presented to Perspectives Charter School as an expression of
10 our esteem.