Welcome Letter from Principal Wang

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

University of Michigan–Flint is Conducting a Social Media Audit

This June, graduate students from the University of Michigan–Flint are conducting a social media audit to evaluate our digital communication strategies. At the end of the month, the team of graduates will present a report of their findings to help us communicate effectively online!

Your input is greatly appreciated. Simply take this quick survey by Wednesday, June 14th. Thank you so much for your time!

Not familiar with our social accounts? Follow ChiArts on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Musical Theatre Senior Featured by DNAInfo

Musical Theatre major Ariana Burks was featured in DNAInfo for her starring role as Clara in the House Theatre of Chicago’s “The Nutcracker.”

In the piece, Ariana speaks about her dreams of a career on Broadway and how she hopes to help improve the perception of Chicago’s South Side as a place from which talented and successful people can grow. Read more here.

Arts Administration Club Shout-out in Crain’s Chicago Business

In a recent article in Crain’s Chicago Business about Enrich Chicago, a new organization striving for racial equality in management, funding, and artist support for diverse non-profits, the ChiArts Arts Administration Club was mentioned as part of the positive work it has begun in promoting careers in the arts for minorities.

Since it was founded last year, the Arts Administration Club has made exploratory field trips to Chicago arts organizations, five of its members have held paid internships through Enrich Chicago at Hyde Park Art Center, Joffrey Ballet, Black Ensemble Theater, Puerto Rican Arts Alliance, and the National Museum of Mexican Art, and it is planning to host its first major event this spring.