Principal Pride Campaign Launches Today in Chicago

The Chicago Public Education Fund, in partnership with Chicago Public Schools, invites city to participate in #PrincipalPrideChi Principal Appreciation Campaign

CHICAGO – Great public schools require great leadership, and across the city, Chicago’s public school principals are making a difference. To celebrate their work, in conjunction with National Principal Appreciation Week (October 16-22), The Chicago Public Education Fund (The Fund) and Chicago Public Schools have partnered to launch a principal appreciation campaign today to spur support of our city’s principals. “More than any other city, Chicago knows the value of our principals and the way that they can change students’ lives for the better, which is why we’re asking every Chicagoan to thank their principals,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “We’ve seen record graduation rates, record elementary math and reading attainment, record college enrollment – and we know that when principals set high standards for students, they meet them. We’re grateful for our principals today and every day.” “Principals are the CEOs of their schools, and so much more – and they’re one of the key reasons that Chicago students are doing better than ever,” said CPS CEO Forrest Claypool. “While we appreciate principals every day, we’re so happy to dedicate the next several days to their work, and invite Chicagoans to say thank you to their principals, too.” “As a former principal, I know just how demanding and complex it is to be a school leader- and at the same time, how much principals are driving the improvements we’re seeing for all of Chicago’s students,” said Dr. Janice K. Jackson, chief education officer, Chicago Public Schools. “We are deeply grateful for CPS principals’ continued leadership and for their steadfast commitment to providing the highest quality education for every child, in every neighborhood.” The #PrincipalPrideCHI campaign will celebrate the work of outstanding principals across the city. Anyone is invited to participate by:

• Thanking local principals via social media with a Facebook or Twitter message using the hashtag #PrincipalPrideCHI.
• Submitting a short video thanking a principal – The Fund will feature videos online at TheFundChicago.org/Principals and on its social media channels.
• Signing a digital ‘thank you’ card by texting “principal” to 39492 or visiting TheFundChicago.org/Principals that all of Chicago’s public school principals will receive at the end of the campaign.

“Innovative and effective school leaders are more critical now than ever in order to meet the evolving needs of public schools and students,” said Heather Y. Anichini, president and CEO, The Chicago Public Education Fund. “We want to showcase the incredible work principals are doing across Chicago and are excited to lead a citywide effort to thank our more-than-deserving school leaders.” For more information, contact:

• CPS Office of Communications
• Phone: 773-553-1620
• Website: http://www.cps.edu
• Facebook: ChicagoPublicSchools
• Twitter: @ChiPubSchools

For more information, contact:

• The Chicago Public Education Fund
• Media Contact: Bess Featherstone
• Phone: 312-573-5488
• Email: bess_featherstone@jtpr.com

Chicago Public Schools serves 381,000 students in 652 schools. It is the nation’s third-largest school district.