CHICAGO (WGN) — Thousands of kids across Chicago are heading back to school Monday, and from new books to new teachers to familiar faces, there’s a lot to be excited about.
Back to school bashes are underway around the city to help families prepare, including one on the South Side organized by the Kindness Campaign.
“The Kindness Campaign is the community’s response to mobilizing and solving the issues in our own community,” Christopher Watts, CEO of the Kindness Campaign, said.
Watts says teens in the community, like Iyanna Jones, help come up with ideas for the event.
“A lot of kids my age, they are really not excited to go back to school, but if we hype them up, going back to school is fun and getting them ready for school,” Jones said.
The fun includes face painting, a petting zoo, lots of food and even fresh cuts and styles for the first day.
But the school year won’t be all fun and games for Chicago Public Schools.
SEIU Local 1 custodians are planning to rally on Monday as CPS looks to put some major cost-saving measures in place.
From Sept. 30, CPS will directly manage their own custodial services. As part of that switch, all part-time custodian roles are being eliminated.
Seven contracts with private vendors that employ about 1,250 people are being severed. CPS does, however, intend to hire 750 full-time employees.
Those moves, officials say, will save the district approximately $40 million in annual cuts — big bucks when you’re facing a $734 million deficit.
In a statement, CPS said in part:
“Chicago Public School remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting classroom instruction and putting students first…no cut to public education is ever made lightly. Every dollar we save centrally helps protect students, teachers, and classrooms from deeper disruption.”
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