REAVIS REBIRTH - LISC Chicago

Needs assessment
The first step in creating effective support systems will be
a needs assessment to target programs. To gain honest
and useful information from students and their families,
Reavis will use its health partner, Komed, to do the needs
assessment and coordinate services. The initial focus will
be the 147 children enrolled in middle school. Interview
guidelines will be developed and agreed upon between
Reavis, Komed and our neighborhood partner, Quad
Communities Development Corporation (QCDC). Komed
and QCDC will help administer different aspects of the
survey to maintain confidentiality within the guidelines of
the various partners.
We envision that some of the identified needs will be:
> Connect students with services.
> Establish a resource center for students.
> Educate staff about adolescent growth and
development to better recognize indicators of normal
behavior and signs of problems.
> Ensure that social emotional learning standards are taught.
> Engage students and parents on adolescent issues.
Unity Project
The Unity Project was used in schools throughout New
York City after the 9/11 tragedy, helping students develop
resilient and healthy responses to the crisis. The program
will be used at Reavis to help our students develop a
heightened ability to turn challenges into opportunities for
personal and community growth. Drawing on research of
the Resilient Responses to Social Crisis Inter-Faculty at
Harvard University, the project involves training of
teachers, staff and students in the skills necessary to
create a resilient school culture. By engaging students in
structured service-learning opportunities and transformation
exercises, the program provides a framework for integrating
social and emotional goals into the academic curriculum
and extended-day programs.
Mentoring
Effective mentoring can be an important part of a child’s
life and Reavis is looking to incorporate a solid program.
Reavis will start by implementing an in-school mentoring
effort that focuses daily teacher attention on those
students with the greatest challenges. Each staff member
will have responsibility for one or two students. Such a
program is already in place at neighboring North Kenwood
Oakland Charter School and will be used as a model.
Daily check-ins will be utilized and the extended-day
program will provide additional opportunities to connect
the youth with teachers and other caring adults.
Another way we will provide stronger adult-child contact
is through a program being negotiated with the nearby
University of Chicago School of Social Services
Administration. The school places student interns in
community and school settings. We are designing an
advisory program that will be supervised by Reavis
personnel and includes an advisory period for 90 minutes
that connects students to their education in informal
ways. We are also exploring a mentoring partnership with
Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Inclusion
Reavis does not currently meet the best-practices
standard for the inclusion of children with special needs.
We are committed to meeting this standard and providing
every child with the optimal learning environment. Through
Reavis Elementary School ISS Plan
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