Urban Teacher Education Program

We are currently recruiting our fourth cohort of early-career CPS teachers to join the 2026–27 UTEP Induction Program!

Know a new teacher—or a school looking for meaningful support for early-career educators?

A stipend of $500 will be given to participants.

Please share this opportunity and apply now: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdiwE9D4fU9-ZFWTudwYng871qKdme2-ESreKK5JrC7YtaSoA/viewform?mc_cid=ce9f77fdb8&mc_eid=3eece58324

Everyone loves an outdoor summer movie! Teachers, come join and spread the word!

The UChicago Office of Civic Engagement and the Chicago Park District are once again teaming up for Movies on the Midway, a South Side summer tradition featuring family-friendly films and free activities for all ages.

Beginning July 8, families can gather at 1130 Midway Plaisance, between Ellis and University avenues, for free movie screenings paired with themed hands-on activities. Activities begin at 7 p.m. and movies start at sunset.

RSVP: https://airtable.com/appKV8MHbRaNqom1q/pagkOXcxrB1yKcZMO/form

July 8: The Wild Robot
Meet your robot sidekick! Craft a one-of-a-kind robot friend like Roz. Give your creation special island-survival powers, a unique personality, and plenty of futuristic flair!

July 15: Zootopia 2
Crack a feathered case! Create a postcard from the perspective of a bird visiting the city and learn about the migration patterns of our flying friends . Plus, design a mask based on your favorite undercover Zootopia animal ally!

July 22: Hoppers
Infiltrate the beaver pond! Mind-meld into a robotic spy beaver and learn why they’re known as nature’s “ecosystem engineers". Craft a beaver or a habitat of your own to showcase at the next Chicago Beaver Festival and enter a raffle to win a cool beaver book!

July 29: How to Train Your Dragon
Ready to take flight? Get ready for a roaring good time with dragon-themed STEM activities led by UChicago scientists! Blast air cannons and explore the science of flight—fueling your mind before the movie soars!

August 5: Wicked: For Good
Pink goes good with green! Use pink, green, and everything in between to craft bewitching friendship bracelets. Then catch a live dance performance and learn some Wicked moves of your own before flying off to the wonderful world of Oz.

The Illinois State Board of Education approved a numeracy plan Wednesday aimed at helping educators improve how they teach math.

The plan offers districts and teachers resources, but does not mandate a curriculum or require schools to follow certain practices. Learn more from Chalkbeat.

Illinois hopes to improve math teaching with new numeracy plan The numeracy plan comes two years after the state adopted a literacy plan. Neither document mandates schools to adopt specific curriculum, but rather shares resources and best practices for improving instruction and student learning.

Know a new teacher or a school looking for meaningful support for early-career educators? We are currently recruiting our fourth cohort of early-career CPS teachers to join the 2026–27 UTEP Induction Program!

Please share this opportunity and apply now: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdiwE9D4fU9-ZFWTudwYng871qKdme2-ESreKK5JrC7YtaSoA/viewform?mc_cid=ce9f77fdb8&mc_eid=3eece58324&pli=1&authuser=0

The experts at the UChicago To&Through Project have a recommended summer reading list for educators. Check it out.

1) The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters
Priya Parker

2)10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People
David Yeager

3)The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups
Daniel Coyle

4) Acts of Liberation
Ebony Green

5)Thrive: How the Science of the Adolescent Brain Helps Us Imagine a Better Future for All Children
Lisa Lawson

6)Backtalker: An American Memoir
Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw

Summer is a time for educators to rejuvenate! Take time for you and enjoy everything the Chicago summer has to offer including these upcoming festivals and summer events.

2026 Chicago Summer Festival Guide Get ready for fun with this guide to neighborhood street fests, art shows, outdoor concerts, cultural celebrations and events of all sizes across Chicago and the suburbs.

We had an incredible launch for the UTEP Summer Institute on May 28!

A new UTEP offering this year, the Summer Institute brings together K–12 teachers and University of Chicago faculty in a collaborative, seminar-style setting that bridges academic scholarship and classroom practice.

In July, these committed educators will participate in a two-week professional learning experience for CPS educators, in collaboration with Dr. Allyson Nadia Field, Associate Professor of Cinema and Media Studies, University of Chicago. Designed to support teachers as thinkers, creators, and leaders, the Summer Institute will provide space for educators to examine Black cinema as a powerful site of cultural expression, political thought, and resistance, and offers rich opportunities for interdisciplinary, culturally-responsive, rigorous curriculum aligned to the needs and experiences of their students. We will also collaborate with district leaders to incorporate curricular components into Skyline offerings across grade levels and subject areas.

The Summer Institute represents an exciting expansion of UTEP’s vision to support educators across all stages of their careers through collaborative professional learning rooted in community, reflection, and practice. We look forward to seeing the powerful ideas and curriculum that emerge from this work with our first group of participating teachers:

Mrs. Daphne Meyer, Kellogg Elementary School
Mr. Erik Strentz, Back of the Yards College Prep HS
Mrs. Karen Y. Cameron-Ross, Anna R. Langford Community Academy
Nataniah Foster, Beethoven Elementary
Dr. Sharon Crowe, Anna R. Langford Community Academy
Ms. Chante' Bowns, South Shore Fine Arts Academy
Ahnnyshia Hibler, South Shore Fine Arts Academy
Mrs. Alexandra Pérez, Nightingale Elementary School
Mrs. Cynthia Gordon, Carnegie Elementary
Ms. Cherise Collins, South Shore Fine Arts Academy
Mr. Eddie Taylor, Jr., Simeon Career Academy
Ms. Jessica Mason, Anna R. Langford Community Academy
Ms. Heather Ingram, Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy
Ms. Laura Gillihan, Abraham Lincoln Elementary School
Dionne Victoria Milton, St. Angela School
Mr. Jonathan White, Jr., A.N. Pritzker Elementary

MARK YOUR CALENDARS for our August Workshop:
Launching the School Year Strong.

⭐️ Monday, August 10 | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Edith Abbott Hall – University of Chicago: 969 E 60th Street

Join us for a hands-on workshop designed to help teachers start the school year with confidence and clarity. While this session is tailored for teachers in our UTEP Induction Program, all educators are welcome!

We’ll focus on practical strategies to build a strong foundation in the first weeks of school, including:
🍎Classroom set up
🍎Culture, routines, and procedures
🍎Relationship building with students/families
🍎Teacher wellness

Whether you're a new teacher or simply looking to reset your classroom culture, this session offers time, tools, and community to plan intentionally—and feel ready. Register today: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe9VIvT13ienlIA8REsADlvX1ZbEYA4wbRyXSS8zD7eyeRdhA/viewform?mc_cid=ce9f77fdb8&mc_eid=3eece58324

Starting this fall, Chicago Public Schools’ eighth graders will take a longer and different standardized test to help determine where they get into high school. Learn more from Chalkbeat.

Chicago Public Schools replaces current high school admissions exam with the PreACT The new exam will take more than double the time to administer as the old HSAT and will include some additional subjects, CPS says.