PRESS RELEASE
May 6, 2024
Events Across District Celebrate the 23,000 Teachers of CPS
CHICAGO—Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will recognize the more than 23,000 dedicated educators this week, National Teacher Appreciation Week, with events and celebrations across the District. National Teacher Appreciation Week runs from today, May 6th, to Friday, May 10 and coincides with School Nurse Appreciation Week with celebrations also planned for nurses throughout the week.
“Teachers are at the center of our school communities and it is their hard work that sets our students up for success,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “As a former public school teacher, I know firsthand that it is no easy task to manage a classroom. And yet, tens of thousands of CPS teachers constantly overcome obstacles and work tirelessly to give our children the education they need and deserve. Our teachers go above and beyond every single day, so it is with great love and admiration that I wish them all a happy Teacher Appreciation Week.
Celebrations will begin tomorrow morning at McKay Elementary, where ABC-7 will donate Abbott Elementary-themed lunch boxes. On Wednesday, at Truman College, 350 CPS teachers will select luxury leather goods donated by COACH, including bags, wallets, and other items, during a 4EveryTeacher event organized by Soles4Souls. Throughout this week, the teachers’ lounge at Daley Academy will undergo renovation thanks to the generosity of IMC Chicago Charitable Foundation. Both initiatives were facilitated through a partnership with Children First Fund, the Chicago Public Schools Foundation.
“As a CPS graduate, I always say that teachers are the most powerful individuals because they help our students see themselves,” said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. “That is why every day, but perhaps especially during Teacher Appreciation Week, we are happy to celebrate our educators. I encourage everyone to take a moment this week to thank a CPS teacher in your life.”
Earlier this year, 12 CPS teachers were named Golden Apples Excellence in Teaching finalists, more than any other school district in the state. The Excellence in Teaching Award is a highly competitive and prestigious award that honors teachers who have lasting, positive effects on students’ lives and school communities and have significant, positive impacts on their students’ growth and learning. Last week, Alicia Carlisle, one of the five selected CPS winners and a first-grade teacher at Turner Drew Language Academy, was selected as one of 10 finalists in the state to receive a paid sabbatical and $5,000 cash prize. In February, Comfort Agboola, a middle school teacher at Poe Classical on the City’s far south side, was named the sole Illinois 2023-24 recipient of the prestigious Milken Educator Award and won $25,000.
“Our District is receiving national recognition for our academic progress and our distinguished high schools,” said CPS Chief Education Officer Bogdana Chkoumbova. “None of that would be possible without our determined teachers. On behalf of the entire District, we thank you for your commitment to our students.”
Community members can show support for CPS teachers on social media by using #ThankATeacher or #TheBestAreWithCPS and alumni can share thanks and memories of a teacher by submitting a message that the Children First Fund will share throughout the week on social media.
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About Chicago Public Schools (CPS)
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is dedicated to providing a high-quality education to all students, beginning with the District’s free full-day preschool programming for four-year-old scholars and continuing through neighborhood, magnet, and selective-enrollment elementary schools that provide a rigorous K-8 education with schools that specialize in the fine arts, world language and culture, dual language, STEM, International Baccalaureate (IB), classical programs, and more. The rising District-wide freshmen-on-track and high school graduation rates reflect the hard work of the CPS community, including families, staff, and students across 635 schools. CPS celebrates the diversity of its more than 322,000 students, who cite 182 home languages. Learn more about CPS at www.cps.edu and connect with CPS on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
