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The Fund supports Chicago’s education leaders by listening to their needs and responding with our programming and policy work. Another way that we aim to impact them is through our events, which celebrate their hard work, elevate their voices and stories, surface innovative practices and otherwise meet their needs. We currently have no upcoming events.
Explore Past Events
Find highlights from our past events below.
2021 Principal Appreciation Happy Hours
In honor of the 2021 October Principal Appreciation Month, The Fund hosted four happy hours for Chicago public school principals on Thursdays. Each week, the happy hour rotated to a different part of the city: from Humboldt Park, to Lakeview, to Hyde Park, to the Loop.
Principals: Leading Us Forward Storytelling Event
On October 21, The Fund held a special three-hour principal appreciation month happy hour, taking place in the Museum of Science and Industry’s Henry Crown Space Center. This event ended with a live storytelling event titled, “Principals: Leading Us Forward.” In the Giant Dome Theater, four principals from across the city shared their personal stories of strength and leadership.
Leading Toward Tomorrow Virtual Panel
This Tuesday, May 25, panel centered on how COVID-19 and the fight for racial justice have forced changes everywhere, and leaders of local institutions have had to reimagine the roles they play in the city. Chicago Community Trust COO and Fund Board member Andrea Sáenz moderated the conversation between panelists:
-Dr. Janice Jackson, CEO, Chicago Public Schools
-Nykia Wright, CEO, Chicago Sun-Times
-Kedra Newsom, Managing Director & Partner, Boston Consulting Group
-Katya Nuques, Executive Director, Enlace Chicago
Common App Mixer
In March, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and The Fund hosted a virtual mixer for school leaders to learn more about professional development opportunities during the 2021-22 school year. During the event, school leaders heard directly from current and former program participants about their experiences and asked questions about the application process.
Return to Learn: Reopening Tools and Best Practices for CPS School Leaders
On November 23, The Fund partnered with Easterseals Chicago to host a panel about includes tangible resources and best practices for reopening schools for pre-k and cluster program leaders.
Resilience: A Night of School Leader Stories
This October 13 event sponsored by WBEZ, Fifth Third Bank, and William Blair featured four school leaders telling stories about strength in the face of adversity and loss.
Innovation Through Crisis
An August 27 event, co-hosted with The CAFÉ and A Better Chicago, where three principals told stories of school innovation in the face of limited resources and time.