Mayor-Elect Rahm Emanuel Visits UIC College Prep and Muchin College Prep

Mayor-Elect Rahm Emanuel visited UIC College Prep on December 7 to increase his knowledge about charters in Chicago.  Mr. Emanuel took a school tour, answered students' questions in a freshman civics class, and discussed his education strategy with Principal Oliver Sicat, CEO and founder Michael Milkie and other Noble staff. He wrote about his visit on his blog. Mr. Emanuel visited Muchin College Prep to participate in a roundtable discussion with teachers on December 15.  Noble congratulates Mayor-Elect Emanuel on his victory and looks forward to strengthening Chicago through his education agenda.

Left: Rahm Emanuel answers students' questions in a freshman civics class at UIC College Prep.  Right: UIC College Prep Principal Oliver Sicat talks with Rahm Emanuel.

Noble Parents Rally for Chicago Charters

More than 100 Noble parents, plus teachers and staff, joined thousands of charter supporters in the downtown area surrounding Chicago Public Schools' headquarters, on January 26. Thanks in part to this demonstration of widespread charter support, the CPS Board approved four amendments to Noble's charter at their board meeting that day. These amendments will allow us to increase capacity enrollment to 750 or more at Chicago Bulls College Prep, Muchin College Prep and UIC College Prep campuses and to add grades 6-8 at the Gary Comer College Prep campus.   

Left: Rowe-Clark parents.  Right: Noble parents marching outside CPS headquarters.

Record-Setting Demand for Noble's Class of 2015

Above: Gary Comer College Prep principal James Troupis reads names at the enrollment lottery.  GCCP received 441 applications for 300 seats.

More than 3100 rising freshmen turned in applications for one of 2200 seats in the Class of 2015 at Noble's ten high school campuses. This is 22% more applicants than in 2010 with only a 1% increase in available seats.  Noble's southside campuses, Gary Comer College Prep and Johnson College Prep, experienced the greatest increase in applicants - an average of 107% growth. Five campuses - Gary Comer College Prep, Muchin College Prep, Noble Street College Prep, Pritzker College Prep and UIC College Prep - held lotteries on February 5 to determine admission and waiting lists because the number of applications submitted far exceeded the size of the freshman class.   This is the most lotteries that the Noble Network has had to conduct in its history.  

Vittum Human Spirit Awards Recognize Students' Character

On January 31, the first class of Vittum Human Spirit Award winners was honored for their character. More than 80 supporters, family members, principals and advisors celebrated the winners: Daisy Alvarez (Rowe-Clark), Lorena Amarillo (Noble), D'Marco Brown (Comer), Daniela Don (UIC), David Mielnik (Golder), Justice Mosquera (Pritzker), and Jose Munoz (Rauner). These students were selected because they embody the characteristics of Noble's late Board Chairman, Dan Vittum: Generosity, Genuiness, Mission-Driven, Learning, Diplomatic.   

Left: Rahm Dr. Christine Jacobek Vittum presents the Vittum Human Spirit Award to Rauner College Prep student Jose Munoz.  Right: 2011 Vittum Human Spirit Award winners.