LEE’s Policy and Advocacy Summer Fellowship - Apply!
Applications are LIVE for LEE’s 2025 Policy and Advocacy Summer Fellowship. Learn more about this eight week, paid opportunity and how to submit your application now through January 31. Learn more
Teach for America Alumni Career Design Fellowship - Apply!
You’re already making an impact in your career, curious how you can grow?
Join the TFA Alumni Career Design Fellowship, a flexible online program that will give you the support, clarity, confidence, and plan you need to figure out what comes next for your career and how you can grow your impact. Enroll by February 1, 2025 to save $50. Limited spots available. Learn more: https://www.missioncollaborative.com/tfafellowship
25th Anniversary Gala
Please save the date for Teach For America Greater Chicago-Northwest Indiana’s 25th Anniversary Gala, which will take place on Thursday, May 1st, 2025, at Navy Pier Aon Grand Ballroom. We are excited to host our special Anniversary celebration at such an iconic venue in our city!
Power Hour Monthly Workshop - Join us!
Join us and Leading Educators on December 12 at 5:30pm ET for a FREE workshop on using coaching to nurture instructional success! Learn how multi-layer coaching connected to high-leverage instructional practices can promote leader and teacher growth over time in pursuit of great opportunities for students. Share with a friend or colleague! Open to Teach For America alum and non-alum. Register at bit.ly/powerhours2425.
Jingle Mingle
Come and celebrate a festive gathering at Avondale Bowl! Join us for empanadas, drinks, holiday fun, and more! RSVP using the link HERE
Aspire Fellowship Information Sessions
Attend an Aspire Fellowship Info Session
Jointly run by TFA and UIC's EdD program in Urban Education Leadership, The Aspire Fellowship is a 10-month program that prepares teachers of color to enter principal certification programs in the next two years. The Fellowship is free to participants and Fellows receive ongoing support after completing the Fellowship, including scholarship and career coaching opportunities. Prospective applicants and those looking to support teachers of color in their school or network are encouraged to join a virtual Info Session on November 13th, February 5th, or April 2nd to learn more.
PowerHour Upcoming Session
PowerHours Monthly Workshop - AI Literacy
Join us and ISTE + ASCD on October 23 at 6pm ET for a FREE workshop on cultivating AI literacy for students! Come ready to engage, experiment, and leave with practical approaches and resources to make AI an integral yet balanced part of student learning.
Multilingual Knowledge Café Professional Learning Series
The Multilingual Knowledge Cafe is a yearlong professional learning series hosted virtually by National Louis University’s Office of Teacher Development. This series supports pre-service educators, veteran teachers, faculty, and other key education stakeholders in building a collaborative community of practice.
We focus on a theme shaped by student and community feedback each year. This year’s theme, Multilingual, Multiliteracy, and Multicultural Knowledge Café, addresses the increasing need for support as more immigrant children and families arrive in Illinois. Many educators will be welcoming newcomer students for the first time.
Our goal is to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact in their students' lives. Whether it's enhancing teaching strategies for equitable outcomes or building advocacy skills for these students and their families, this series offers valuable resources and practical tools that can be applied immediately in the classroom.
Why Attend?
Earn 1 hour of PD and/or Gateways Professional Development credit per session.
Participate in 8 engaging sessions, one each month from October through May. All sessions are optional.
Build a supportive network of peers and experts who are passionate about multilingual education.
First Session: October 15th, 6-7 pm CST. Our opening session, Welcoming Newcomer Students, will provide resources and strategies to support newcomer students’ educational journeys.
RSVP Form: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/78d57f6509b5461abfbfbe6e7028f1be
Full Program Calendar: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Z8cgFm_Nw8mZtZ6zc7k-gQXr_DWOrKKrD1jt2R8STk4/edit?usp=sharing
2025 Those Who Excel & Teacher of the Year Awards
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) sponsors the Those Who Excel & Teacher of the Year program to honor educators who have made significant contributions to our state's public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools. Awards are presented in seven categories:
Classroom teachers (teachers with 5-plus years of experience)
Early career educators (teachers with 1-4 years of experience)
School administrators
Student support personnel
Educational service personnel
Community volunteers
Teams
ISBE announces the Those Who Excel & Teacher of the Year Awardees in February. All awardees are honored at an annual banquet in the spring. The tentative date for the 2025 Those Who Excel & Teacher of the Year banquet is Saturday, May 17. Send a message to awards@isbe.net if you have questions about the program requirements or application materials.
Fall Career Acceleration Virtual Event Series
Join the Teach For America Career Center Team for our upcoming Career Acceleration Series series October 9th-29th, 2024. Presented alongside featured mission-aligned organizations, these virtual events will cover engaging topics meant to support, inspire, and develop the knowledge, mindsets, and skills to accelerate your career advancement. We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event. If you are interested in any session, but can’t attend, please register and we will send you the event recording and resources.
Elena Aguilar's In-Person Workshop- $200 off for TFA Alumni
Here’s a special offer from Elena Aguilar, author and CEO of Bright Morning, for the Teach For America Greater Chicago Community:
Use code TFA200 at checkout for $200 off your enrollment for Elena’s in-person The Art of Transformational Coaching workshop, based on her forthcoming book, Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching.
This workshop will support you in seeing sustained changes in your coaching practice. You’ll learn Elena’s holistic coaching approach, Transformational Coaching, which includes skillfully exploring someone’s beliefs and ways of being, engaging and working with emotions, and viewing every conversation as an equity conversation.
Save your seat:
Chicago - October 8-9
In addition to two transformational days together, all participants will receive three months of complimentary access to Bright Morning’s new Learning Library and Transformational Coaching PLC (a $295 value)!
This offer is only valid for in-person occurrences of this workshop between August 2024 and October 2024 as long as seats remain available.
Seeking Participants for a study on k-12 educators engaged in education policy co-creation
A doctoral candidate at Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology is conducting a study that aims to identify strategies for preparing K-12 practitioners to steer the co-creation of education policy at the state level.
Teach for America (TFA) and its Leaders of Color for Systems Change (LoCSC) support the development of educators and educators for policy advocacy and education systems reform. This network represents an invaluable resource for identifying K-12 educators who fit the criteria for inclusion. The criteria are as follows:
Participants are 22 years of age or older;
Participants hold a K-12 classroom teacher credential and have served in this capacity for five years or longer;
Participants have been recognized as a teacher or educational leader or self-identify as one based on their activities beyond the classroom;
Participants are currently or have previously engaged in co-creating education policy at the state or regional level (i.e., beyond the school or district alone but not solely at the federal level).
Email robert.d.reyes@pepperdine.edu for more information.
Setting Up For Success in Special Education
This is an event for those interested in working to advocate for their children at school.
Link to register is here: https://tinyurl.com/Sept262024
Belonging is hosting a new event with 1Point86's Carllistus Obeng, and we’d love to see you there.
Parents/guardians and interested educators are invited to join us for Setting Up for Success in Special Education, September 26, 2024 at 7:00 PM.
All registrants will receive a recording of the presentation.
We hope you’re able to join us!
*Sliding scale fee/donations appreciated
ALLÍ: Aspiring Latinx Leadership Institute Application Open
Looking to connect meaningfully and build community with other Latinx Alumni Leaders ? Gain access to strong professional development with ALLÍ! The Aspiring Latinx Leadership Institute (ALLÍ) is a free, hybrid, six-month cohort experience for teachers and early career school leaders who identify as Latinx. Applications are now open for the 2025 cohort through Sunday, October 20th.
Take your development to the next level and apply today!
Deloitte and Schools to Learn From
Attention Alumni School Leaders eager to enhance their skills! Two opportunities for development just launched: Schools To Learn From (STLF) and Deloitte Courageous Principals Weekend. Interested in applying? Apply here by October 4th!
Black Educators Promise Alumni Fellowship 2024-2025
Apply for the Black Educators Promise Alumni Fellowship <due 9/30> - Applications are open for the Black Educators Promise Alumni Fellowship! This professional development opportunity includes programming with the Children's Defense Fund's Ella Baker Child Policy Training Institute or Profound Ladies and includes a $1,000 participation award. Apply here!
3rd and 4th Year Alumni Teacher Awards
If you self-identified as Black and are in your 3rd or 4th year of teaching, you received an email from our Office of Equity and Belonging on September 9th with a link to register for this opportunity. Please check your email for the link to the survey.
To support early career Black teacher’s leadership, this year, $1,000 grants will be disbursed to recent alums who meet the following criteria:
Corps years 2020-2022
Identify as Black
Teach in a predominantly low-income school for a third or fourth year in school year 2024-2025.
This investment does not need to be paid back so long as you complete year 3 or 4 of teaching in the school year 2024-2025.
For this grant, we are defining predominantly low-income schools as those included in the Teacher Cancellation Low-Income (TCLI) Directory*
Please complete the personalized form that was sent to you on September 9th to verify your eligibility. After you complete the form, eligible folks will receive instructions on how to e-sign the promissory note and receive their funds in a separate email.
To receive your grant for the 2024-25 school year, please submit the Qualtrics Survey by 11:59pm EST on October 25, 2024 (note: disbursals will be processed on a rolling basis. If you are eligible, the earlier you complete all steps, the earlier your award will be disbursed). If you are eligible, you will receive an email with instructions on signing your promissory note and receiving the funds (Note: emails may go to junk folders).
We hope that your Black Educators Promise 3rd & 4th Year Teacher Award will assist you this academic year, impacting students in the classroom.
Chicago Elected School Board- Upcoming Candidate Forums
If you live in Chicago, you will get to elect your CPS Board Member in the November Election! The ballot is finalized. Make sure you do the following
1. Find your district: bit.ly/4dIz7KC
2. Research your candidates: https://bit.ly/3X4oScw
3. Attend a Elected School Board Forum (depending on your district).
Stay informed and active! Below are some of the candidate forums so far that I have seen:
District 5 Candidate Forum: Thurs. Sept 19th from 5:30-7:30pm - Join Kids First Chicago and the Austin CAC for a District 5 Candidate Forum at BUILD (5100 W Harrison St.) Register here. https://bit.ly/3TDpogT
Districts 6, 9, 10 Candidate Forum Sat., Sept 21, 2024, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Englewood STEM High School, 6835 S Normal Blvd, Chicago, IL 60621. Co-hosted by Englewood CAC, Mr. Dad's Father's Club, Teamwork Englewood, and Raise Your Hand. Register here. https://bit.ly/4e9RnfW
Districts 1 & 3 Candidate Forum Sun. Oct 6, 2024, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Steinmetz College Prep, 3030 N Mobile Ave. Register here. https://bit.ly/4es6KR5
Information provided by Ellen Moiani, TFA Alumna, 2008, D.C. Region
Paid Review Opportunity for Early Childhood Professionals
Researchers at the TMW Center for Early Learning and Public Health are looking for early childhood professionals to provide feedback on short informational prompts that will be shown to parents after completing a survey about early childhood brain and language development. These prompts will reinforce areas where parents did well as well as highlight areas for growth, and we want to make sure they are clear, concise, and relatable. Participants can receive up to $40 for reviewing all prompts. More information can be found here: https://bit.ly/SPEAKQuestionnaires
Renewal Grants for Indiana K-12 Educators
The Lilly Endowment is accepting applications for its Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program. This program supports educators throughout Indiana by providing resources for them to take time for meaningful renewal. The Endowment believes that through new experiences, exploration, and reflection educators can generate renewed energy in their careers, innovative approaches to teaching and educational leadership, and thoughtful ways to encourage students’ creative thinking. The Endowment expects to award approximately 125 grants, each totaling up to $15,000, in 2025. The application deadline is 5 p.m. EDT on Monday, September 9. Four information sessions will be held in 2024 on May 16, May 30, August 8 and August 13.
To learn more or register for one of these sessions, visit the Lilly Endowment website. Contact Lilly Endowment staff at teachercreativity@lei.org with any questions.
Alumni Teachers: Professional Development Programs for You!
To support your continued impact, Teach For America is dedicating resources to invest in your professional development, offering a curated selection of opportunities designed specifically for teachers! This year, we are prioritizing alumni teachers in their 3rd to 5th year of teaching. We will also consider teachers further in their careers, but early career teachers will be prioritized in assigning spots. To be eligible, all alumni will need to submit the application statement and then can preference their program choices. We will try our best to give you your first preference, but due to the competitive and limited nature of some offerings, we may offer you other options. All opportunities are fully sponsored by Teach For America.
Review the options below and then fill out this interest form by September 9th, 2024!
2024 Alumni Hiring Campaign
For Teachers: Take a look at these open roles posted by Alumni school leaders and find a community of like-minded, mission-driven educators! If you’d like support with your search for a teaching role, reply to this email or put time on my calendar.
For School Leaders/Hiring Managers: If you have an open role at your school for the 2024-2025 school year, please share it here.
School Leader Coaching
TFA Greater Chicago-Northwest Indiana is continuing to offer individual coaching to current and aspiring principals. Types of coaching offered include New to Leadership, CPS Principal Eligibility, and Aspiring School Leader consultations. If you’re interested, please fill out this form by August 2nd and you can expect a follow up soon!
We Belong Everywhere: A 4-Part Summer Discussion Group for BIPOC Educators
BIPOC Educators of all experiences are invited to participate in this 4-part discussion series that is focused on strenghtening your connectedness to other educators and your sense of belonging in the profession.
In this virtual discussion group, we will delve into the framework presented in "An Evolutionary Roadmap for Belonging and Co-Liberation" by Sonali Sangeeta Balajee.
Together, we will explore the six critical areas of belonging outlined in her work: beloved, be still, behold, believe, becoming, and belonging, co-liberation, and well-being.
These guideposts serve as a roadmap to understanding and cultivating spaces of belonging. As Sonali asserts, each area is interconnected, rooted in recognizing the beloved and our shared interconnectedness.
By engaging with one another and exploring the reading and supplementary mateirals, participants will deepen their understanding of the framework and explore practical applications within their educational contexts. The goal is to enhance ongoing personal and professional development in a trusting, low-risk space.
Open discussion and reflection will enrich the collective learning experience.
Surge Chicago is Accepting Applications
Chicago Calls: Surge Forward with Your Application!
We’re excited to announce that applications for the 2025 cohort of the Chicago Surge Fellowship will officially open on May 1, 2024!
The Chicago Surge Fellowship is the flagship signature program of the Surge Institute. The Fellowship is a best-in-class 10-month program for emerging leaders of color in education. For this program, Surge Institute identifies and supports promising education leaders of color to go on a collective journey that centers freedom dreaming, learning about and loving themselves, knowing the landscape of our city and educational system, and cultivating their leadership abilities and skills.
Click here for the Chicago 2025 Application!
Apply for the Aspen Young Leaders Fellowship
Aspen Young Leaders Fellowship (known as AYLF) is a leadership development program for young people ages 18-22. Drawing from the Aspen Institute's 70-year history of cultivating values-based leaders, AYLF provides a whole-systems approach to offering its Fellows the chance to think deeply, explore their values and society, and develop the skills needed to effect change in their community. Fellows gain the tools and network to achieve their goals — for their career, education, or community.
The year long program includes:
10 leadership seminars
Individual coaching
A community impact project
A financial stipend
Wraparound support
Lasting connections with their cohort and other alumni
APPLY TODAY!
AYLF is a placed-based program, with active cohorts in Chicago, Miami, and the Mississippi/Arkansas Delta.
Application Deadline
AYLF accepts applications on a rolling basis through August 23, 2024 for the 2024-2025 cohort.
The 2024 ISBE Career Connections Conference
Registration for the 2024 Career Connections Conference is now open! Join hundreds of educators from across Illinois as they engage in a variety of breakout sessions and learn directly from an expert industry panel. Early bird and group rates are available!
Conference participants are invited to attend a pre-conference event: SkillsUSA ConneCTEd Social on Monday, June 17 from 6 PM - 8 PM at the North & Maple Kitchen + Bar in Tinley Park. This event is free for all conference participants. Registration for this event is included as part of conference registration.
To register, please visit the conference registration page.
ISBE CAREER CONNECTIONS CONFERENCE
The Illinois State Board of Education Career Connections Conference offers educators the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with educators from across Illinois. At the ISBE Career Connections Conference, CTE educators come together to exchange ideas, share best practices, and foster meaningful connections with their peers in order to improve opportunities and deepen learning for all students.
TICKET GIVEAWAY: LiberatED Way presents: Word on the Street
LiberatED Way's virtual summit is happening on June 13th, 2024. This event is all about leveraging street data to transform education and co-create with students and community members, and 2 TFA Chicago alumni are presenting (Joyce Pae and Brittanee Rolle). TFA Chicago has 10 tickets to give away. You can register here and use the discount code: TFA-GC-NWI-Partner-24-Ticket.
Aspire Fellowship Application Open!
"We are seeking the next class of aspiring school leaders of color to join our 2024-2025 cohort of the Aspire Fellowship! Aspire Fellows are teachers of color who:
👉🏾 desire to start a principal certification program in the next two years
👉🏽 envision a future where they are leading a public school in Chicago
👉🏿 are seeking to build the hands-on experience, knowledge, confidence, and support network needed to embark on the journey into urban school leadership
The Aspire Fellowship is a joint effort between the UIC Ed.D. Program in Urban School Leadership and Teach for America Greater Chicago-Northwest Indiana. As partners, we built this program upon the shared belief that our students need transformational leaders who reflect the diversity of our local communities and have designed every element around the experiences of leaders of color.
Learn more and begin your application at https://www.tfachicagonwi.org/aspire-fellowship. Join an upcoming Info Session on April 3rd to learn more. Deadline to apply is June 2nd.
2024 TFA GREATER CHICAGO-NORTHWEST INDIANA ANNUAL BENEFIT EVENT
Join us on Wednesday, May 8 at Morgan Manufacturing for an engaging and enlightening evening featuring the impact of Teach For America. TFA finds, develops, and supports a diverse network of leaders who expand opportunities for students from classrooms, schools, and every sector and field that shape the broader systems in which schools operate. Teach For America’s network of over 3,200 talented and diverse leaders goes above and beyond for students. We are excited to welcome you as we showcase the courage and commitment of our corps members and alumni educators, school leaders, and nonprofit leaders. Business attire is recommended and valet parking will be available; however, we do encourage using a rideshare service. For more information, please contact ándrea férnanda serrano at andrea.serrano@teachforamerica.org We hope you can join us for an evening of conversation, connection, and inspiration. 5:30–6:30 PM - Welcome cocktail reception with hors d’oeuvres 6:30–7:15 PM - Seated program 7:15–9:00 PM - Open reception featuring signature cocktails, full bar and themed food stations
Surge Chicago Applications Are Now Open!
Applications for the CHI25 cohort of the Surge Fellowship are officially open today! We encourage you to apply if you are passionate about driving meaningful change in Chicago. Applications close June 28, 2024 @ 11:59 pm
LEE Networking Reception
Teach For America has partnered with LEE to invest in all our alumni’s ongoing leadership development. If you haven’t registered with LEE yet, I encourage you to register today at wearelee.org to gain free access to supports to help you grow your career, expand our network and take action on issues in our community that matter to you. LEE provides 1-on-1 coaching, workshops, fellowship opportunities and professional and robust supports if you are considering running for elected office.
This networking opportunity will highlight an array of resources, best practices and tools to support you on your leadership journey. Get immediate access to the event and bring a fellow alum/na.
RSVP for the LEE Networking Reception today!