Author: ChiArts Communications

Applying with GoCPS: A Guide for Incoming Families

by ChiArts Communications

Future ChiArts scholar-artists and families, 

Congrats on starting the 2019-2020 school year! Here at ChiArts, we’re getting excited to meet you at our upcoming admissions events, such as Backstage Pass, Family Visit Nights, Shadow Days, and more.

If you’re a parent of an incoming CPS freshman, from October 1 to December 15, 2019, you will have the opportunity to apply to ChiArts using Chicago Public School’s new application platform at GoCPS. That’s just around the corner, so now is the time to start getting ready to make these important decisions! Here is a guide provided by Chicago Public Schools to help begin your application process. 

Activating Your Account

In order to apply using GoCPS, you will need to activate your account. This will allow you to:

  • Create a username and password
  • Create your primary parent/guardian profile
  • Create profiles for each high school applicant in your family
  • Link student data records for current CPS students to the profile
  • View the programs to which your student(s) are eligible to apply
  • Verify that student records are accurate
  • “Favorite” top programs you are considering for applications in October

To begin the account activation process, click here. 

CPS Students During 2020-21 School Year

In order to activate your account, you will need to use the Activation Code from a letter sent home with your student at the end of the school year. If you have misplaced or did not receive this code, please contact the Office of Access and Enrollment at 773-553-2060 from a telephone number listed on your student’s CPS student information file to have it reissued. The OAE call center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Activation Codes will also be included with the Eligibility Letters that will be distributed to students at school in September 2019.

Application Advice

No matter who is activating the account, be sure to enter the name and address of the parent/guardian with whom the student resides. The address for this parent/guardian will be the address that is used for determining tiers, proximity boundaries, and attendance and overlay boundaries.

Web Browsers

GoCPS is optimized for view on Chrome and Safari web browsers. We recommend using one of these to access the site.

Need Help with GoCPS?

If you have any questions about the activation process, contact the Office of Access and Enrollment at 773-553-2060 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or gocps@cps.edu.

Theatre Faculty and Scholar-Artists In Merit’s Into the Woods JR.

by ChiArts Communications

On August 19 and 20, the Merit School of Music was buzzing with Sondheim sounds! Seven of our scholar-artists and three ChiArts faculty members were a part of Merit’s wonderfully magical production of Into the Woods, JR. Directed by Theatre Conservatory’s A.J. Wester, alongside ChiArts’ Music and Theatre Conservatory’s Julian Chin as the Music Director and Cat Wilson on Lighting Design, the cast of 22 young artists brought the audience through the hilariously intertwined adventures of fairy tales.

Merit School of Music provides students from all over Chicago the opportunity to achieve their personal and musical potential by removing barriers to high-quality music education. Congrats to the following ChiArts faculty and scholar-artists on a successful run!

A.J. Wester, Stage Director

Julian Chin, Music Director

Cat Wilson, Lighting Design

Jordan Davis as Cinderella’s Mother

Miranda Dianovsky as Jack’s Mother

Michael Poulosophos as Wolf

Daniela Reyes as the Baker’s Wife

Aliah Robinson as Lucinda

Niani Soto as Cinderella’s Stepmother

Joanna Starr Poulos as Little Red Riding Hood

Photos courtesy of Merit School of Music.

Merit’s production of Into the Woods JR. was partially funded by Caerus Foundation, Inc., a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and Shure Incorporated.

INTO THE WOODS JR was presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials were supplied by MTI.

 

Outstanding Alumni Working in Admissions, Theatre, and Visual Arts

by ChiArts Communications

With our first classes of scholar-artists graduating and pursuing professional development opportunities, ChiArts is thrilled to have hired four outstanding alumni in our Admissions, Theatre, and Visual Arts Conservatories! ChiArts is grateful for the knowledge, passion, and support our alumni community continuously gives back to our faculty and scholar-artists.

Sabina Valenica graduated ChiArts in 2013 and is now working as our Recruitment Coordinator in Admissions. Sabina is currently pursuing a double major at Northeastern Illinois University. Christian Helem and Janyce Caraballo (‘13) have joined our Theatre Conservatory as Teaching Assistants for the Musical Theatre and Stage Production courses. Christian is pursuing a degree in Theatre Performance at the University of Illinois- Chicago and Janyce graduated as a Posse Scholar with a Bachelor’s in Theatre and Music Performance from Denison University. The Visual Arts Conservatory is excited to have hired Moises Salazar (‘15) as a Teaching Assistant for AP Sculpture. Moises just graduated from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and focuses on painting, ceramics, and fabrications. We look forward to watching these young professionals grow and thrive at ChiArts!

2017 Gwendolyn Brooks Youth Poetry Award Winners

by ChiArts Communications

This August, Illinois Humanities announced the first annual 2017 Gwendolyn Brooks Youth Poetry Award Winners. Out of the 260 entries that were received across the state, 19 young poets from kindergarten to 12th grade received awards and 25 students received honorable mentions. With ChiArts’ first class of Creative Writers graduating last May, we’re thrilled that Faith Moreno, Haley Cao, and Ruth Jones won for the sophomore, junior, and senior classes.

From 1970-2000, Gwendolyn Brooks hosted the statewide poetry awards and reviving the program was an initiative within the “Our Miss Brooks 100” collaboration. As a poet, feminist, activist, and the first African American woman to receive a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, Miss Brooks is one of the most authentic and significant literary heroes not only in Chicago, but throughout the nation. Huge congratulations to Faith, Haley, and Ruth on receiving a 2017 Gwendolyn Brooks Youth Poetry Award for the following pieces:

10th Grade: “Alcoholism” by Faith Moreno

11th Grade: “Prayer” by Haley Cao

12th Grade: “Untitled” by Ruth Jones.

For a full list of winners and more information on “Our Miss Brooks 100” programming, click here.

ChiArts Moves Toward a Trauma-Informed Arts Education Practice

by ChiArts Communications

ChiArts is committed to educating, embracing, and caring for every scholar-artist with as much knowledge and compassion as we can provide. We are proud to announce that ChiArts is becoming a trauma-informed school.

This August, we’ve hosted staff development days and formally introduced practices to cultivate a working model for the whole school. ChiArts aims to be an example for arts organizations all over the nation, where compassion is at the forefront of arts education. 

Click below to read our feature on Make It Better

Welcome Letter from Principal Wang

by ChiArts Communications

Dear ChiArts Students and Family,

Welcome to school year 2017-18! As we enter our ninth year as an organization, I would to like celebrate just a couple of our achievements. For the third year in a row, we have been recognized as a top high school by US News and World Report. This past year, our first scholar-artists, the Class of 2013, became our first college graduates. I’m excited at what we have achieved and look forward to what our future holds. Starting off this year, there are a few things for families to note:

  • PowerSchool has replaced TeacherEase as our Parent/Student Portal. Information on how to access chiarts.powerschool.com can be found in our electronic newsletters and under the ‘Parent Resources’ tab.
  • New Bell Schedule adopted allowing for a common lunch periods. We piloted this schedule last year with great success. Both students and teachers appreciated the opportunity to break up our long school day, additional time to meet with students outside a traditional class setting, and the ability to run student organizations/activities.
  • Arts Exploration Days scheduled on November 21 and April 19. For the first time in the history of ChiArts, we will be running a modified schedule to allow students to explore art forms in other conservatories. More details to come soon.
  • Back to School Night is scheduled for Thursday, August 31st from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. This event highlights our academic program and is a great opportunity to meet teachers, get a peek of what our courses offer, and simply to put faces to names. Our fantastic Parent Support Organization (PS0) will also be on hand to share ways to get involved.

As an organization, we at ChiArts are grateful for the diversity that each and every student brings to our school. We recognize that while our world is often fraught with ignorance, violence, and racism, it is our duty to foster a safe, diverse and civically engaged school community. As we reflect on these core beliefs and plan for the future, we have rededicated our practice to compassion and understanding.

Thank you for believing in ChiArts.

Sincerely,

Michael Wang, Principal

ChiArts Hosts Second Annual Summer Camps

by ChiArts Communications

The building was buzzing with young scholar-artists this summer! Over 100 students from our three summer camps (Exploratory, ChiArts Jr., and Summer Dance Intensive) completed their final showcases this past July. 

The second annual Exploratory Summer Camp was themed ‘People, Places, and Things’ and campers worked on building their creative skills in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts. Our ChiArts Jr. students (6-8th grade) trained five hours each day in the conservatory of their choice! With performances of original songs to acting exercise demonstrations, we’re excited for these young scholar-artists to continue their artistic journeys. In addition to our Friday summer camp showcases, the Summer Dance Intensive performed on July 22 in the ChiArts Auditorium. This summer also marked the inaugural ChiArts Band and Guitar Camps. Check out some of our highlights below!

City of Chicago Announces Rising Star Honor Roll

by ChiArts Communications

On July 13, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events announced the 4th Annual Fifth Star Honors! The event celebrates the contributions of four Chicago artistic giants, Common, Jeanne Gang, Kerry James Marshall, and Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Three of our scholar-artists will be honored in the City of Chicago’s Rising Star Honor Roll as well!

The City of Chicago “will recognize 25 outstanding young artists as members of the Rising Star Honor Roll.” ChiArts is proud to announce that Damayanti Wallace (Creative Writing Major) will be honored for Literary Arts, Jayda Perry for Dance, and Freedom Martin for Theatre. These three scholar-artists have shown exceptional leadership and passion within the arts and will be inducted in an awards ceremony at the Chicago Cultural Center on Monday, August 28. For more information, visit www.fifthstarhonors.org.

 

Theatre Majors Experience an Amazing Night of ‘Something Rotten’

by ChiArts Communications

On July 18, a group of ChiArts Musical Theatre and Acting Majors had a theatrical experience of a lifetime! Thanks to the generosity of ChiArts Board Member and Broadway Producer, John Yonover, scholar-artists spent an evening with the touring cast of Something Rotten. Before seeing this hilariously amazing show, scholar-artists networked with the cast at a private dinner hosted by Mr. Yonover. Cast members shared stories about their education, experiences, and career highlights. After the dinner, scholar-artists attended the show at the Oriental Theatre and were cackling and cheering throughout the production. One student exclaimed, “I’ve never had a favorite musical, but now Something Rotten is!” Following the show, our students met with the entire cast and asked questions ranging from “How does a swing memorize tracks?” to “How do you support your fellow cast members?” One of our acting majors even received a “mini master class” from Rob McClure (actor in the leading role of Nick Bottom) on how to deliver your lines authentically.

We are so grateful to Mr. Yonover and the cast of Something Rotten for this memorable and inspiring opportunity!  

Tyehimba Jess Performs Pulitzer Prize Winning Poetry

by ChiArts Communications

On June 19, our Creative Writing Conservatory welcomed Tyehimba Jess for a presentation and reading of poetry from his 2017 Pulitzer Prize winning book, Olio. 

The evening opened with current Creative Writers reciting original pieces, leading into an introduction of Tyehimba’s previous work and awards. Throughout the evening, Tyehimba presented his research on minstrel shows of the 19th century and the historical significance of the individual’s featured in his poetry. Audience members were completely fascinated with Tyehimba’s synergy of words and design within the book. Tyehimba’s poetry in Olio can be read in many different directions and at every reading, he improvises the order in which he reads. In response to a student question on the topic of African American minstrel performers, Tyehimba talked about the poetic value of their circumstances and the relevance to racism in our society today. ChiArts is grateful to Tyehimba for sharing his incredible work, creative process, and historical insight!