School and community leaders gathered Wednesday evening for the dedication of the new Carter G. Woodson Middle School and praised the work of the celebrated African-American educator and the school's namesake.
"He believed in the power of education," said James Crown, Chair of the University of Chicago Board of Trustees. One of the first African-American graduates of the University, the 1908 graduate founded Negro History Week, which became Black History Month.
The school, located at 4444 S. Evans Ave. in the Bronzeville neighborhood, is a new campus for the University of Chicago Charter School and serves grades six through eight.
Speaking to several hundred students, teachers and administrators, Jared Washington, Director of the School, praised the University's commitment to the school. Calling it a collaboration of the University, parents, students and the community, he said the school aims to prepare students for success in school and beyond. "Our motto is, lead yourself, lead your school and lead the world," he said.
President Robert J. Zimmer said establishing the campus and the University Charter Schools helps the University find solutions to problems facing urban education. The charter school is part of a broader effort, which includes research and efforts aimed at school improvement under the umbrella of the Urban Education Institute. "Nothing is more important than the education of our children," said Zimmer.
Those attending the dedication also visited classrooms, where they learned about online preparation for college, chances to work on special projects and opportunities to boost their digital skills.
Carter G. Woodson Middle School is located next to an existing Chicago Public School, the Carter G. Woodson Elementary School, which serves grades kindergarten through eight.
Pat Dowell, Third Ward Alderman, told the students, "We have great expectations for you," adding that students would learn about historic Bronzeville as part of their studies. "I am pleased to welcome the University of Chicago Carter G. Woodson Middle School to the Grand Boulevard community," she said.
The new middle school is organized into groups of five classrooms clustered to serve as the home base for middle school teaching teams in literacy, mathematics, science and social studies, as well as academic support.
The classrooms have been upgraded with flat-screen monitors and "Smartboard" computer displays in the mathematics classrooms to add multimedia flexibility. In addition, the school has projection screens to create flexible workspaces for students and teachers, and newly installed glass walls in the interior pods to increase the amount of natural light in the hallways.
The Urban Education Institute supports and sustains four charter schools, operates the Consortium on Chicago School Research, oversees teacher preparation programs dedicated to training outstanding urban educators and creates innovative approaches to urban schooling, such as the Digital Youth Network. The institute draws together the intellectual resources of the University with expert practitioners who work daily with children to better clarify the practices, supports, tools and research necessary to ensure all children engage in ambitious, intellectual work.
—Prof. Chuan He
