User:Cclamas

Little Village area (South Lawndale)

Little village or La Villita has reach 91,071 residents in 2000. 13 percent African American and 83 percent Latinos. The retail district in little village is 26th street where Latinos from all over Chicago come and purchase products that would be found in Mexico. The housing in Little Village is a mix of 2 and 3 flat buildings, with some cottages, and frame houses. In 2005, 44 percent had an income over 35,000and 23 percent had an income of below 15,000. History

On March 13, 2001 fourteen community residents of Little Village neighborhood went 19- day with only drinking water and juice. This hunger strike demanded the construction of a new high school. Mothers of high school students wanted their children to have the high school their children were promised three and a half years ago.

Little Village Lawndale high school is a new high school that is putting a twist on a typical high school. With the doors just opening in 2005 Little Village Lawndale has its first four year students graduating in the spring. Lawndale High is a campus with four different schools within it.

Overview

The idea of a high school with a campus feeling came directly from the parents. Before the high school was built parents in Lawndale and in Little Village were surveyed to find out what kind of school they wanted their children to attend. The parents came up with many different ideas that were put together to make four different schools. Each school has its own principal and teaching staff. Each school has around 385 to 400 students. The high school holds 1,400 students from the Little Village/ North Lawndale community. Even though the schools are separated they do share some facilities such as library, swimming pool, dance studio, child care center, gyms, health center, long distance learning labs, and the literacy center.

Multicultural Arts High School

The first school the campus offer is a Multicultural Arts high school, a school that celebrates art, dance and music as part of the curriculum.The Multicultural Arts School mission is to honor the students’ creativity. The staff at the Multicultural Arts high school is currently made up of 34 teachers and one principal. The staff is committed in providing opportunities to their students to learn life skills, achieve high academic standard, and demonstrate cultural proficiency. The students at MAS use art to put into practice the ideals of freedom, justice, equality, equity, and human dignity. Students will learn to interpret and express historic, scientific and literary concepts thought the arts. The small school gives students an opportunity to have a student- teacher relationship. The small school helps them interact with their peers who have the same interest as them. It also gives the teachers a better relationship with each other because they are teaching in a small school.

MAS has four main guiding principles. The first one being multicultural education, this concept states that students and their life experiences should be part of their teaching and learning process. The context in which they learn in should be familiar to the students and should address multiple ways of thinking. The second principle is art integration, this states that visual and performing arts will be used to provide students a learning experience that connects them with their culture and that engages their minds and bodies. The third principle is the way they teach at MAS its called inquiry- based instruction. This kind of instruction starts with a question that guides the topic and through the process of exploration ends with the students taking social action after they draw conclusions. The last principle is the performance assessment, which refers to a variety of task and situation where students demonstrate knowledge and skills.

Infinity Math Science & Technology High School

Infinity Math, Science and Technology high school, is the second school that the campus offers this school is to prepare students for jobs requiring strong math, science and technological skills. The infinity math, science and technology high school is made up of 33 staff members and one principal. The staff assist all students set and achieve goals to become life-long learners. This school purpose is to encourage career paths in math, science, and technology. The school’s curriculum is a problem and project based. Students along with test have projects that add up to a total grade. The infinity math science and technology high school is a network that is run by team work.

World Language High School

The third school that the campus offers is the World Language high school it is a school that values bilingualism and biculturalism. Students learn through world’s languages. This high school currently has 34 staff members and one principal. Staff help student who aren’t familiar with the English feel comfortable talking with peers. They help students become successful in society with both languages.

Social Justice High School

The fourth and last school they offer is the Social Justice high school which is a school that wants students never to forget the physical, spiritual and communal struggle it took to achieve justice. Project based and problem based learning that addresses real world issues through the topics of race, gender, culture, economics, peace, justice, and the environment. This school currently has 34 staff members and one principal. Staff help students prepare for college and implement a post secondary plan

Sports

Little Village Lawndale high school offers 9 different sports for their students to participate in. Little Village Lawndale high also has a cheerleading team. The teams are made up of students from all four schools.

Boys & Girls track

Boys & Girls basketball

Boys & Girls cross country

Baseball

Football

Boys & Girls soccer

Swimming & Diving

Boys & Girls volleyball

Wrestling