Community School Leadership Awards - 2012 Honoring the vision and commitment of Illinois’ exceptional community school leaders   A visionary principal.  A purposeful community member.  A dedicated district administrator.  A committed partner agency manager.  How does each of these individuals lead community school development? The Community School Leadership Awards acknowledge the role that four individuals play in their community schools – in leading comprehensive community school development, and in keeping stakeholders focused on achieving a shared vision for student success. Each of the Community School Leadership Award winners demonstrates the capacities and qualities critical to the development and sustainability of community schools – those that change outcomes for students and families – including:  Stewardship of a vision of success for all students. Effective collaboration with a diverse group of stakeholders invested in the success of students and families. Shared leadership, encouraging transparency and empowering those around him/her. Engaging in creative, but practical, problem solving that ensures effectiveness. Operating from a strengths-based perspective. Keeping children and young people at the center of each partner’s efforts. In 1996 the Polk Bros. Foundation began the first formally funded “Full-Service” Community School initiative in Chicago with three schools. Today Illinois is home to more than 250 community schools, in suburban, urban, and rural communities. Regardless of their geography, community schools rely on a shared leadership structure to create a framework for individual schools and organizations to work in collaboration and achieve powerful impacts on student academic achievement and youth development.  But while community schools can be seen as a function of collaborative teams and teamwork, individual leaders play a vital role in shepherding a shared vision of student success and maintaining momentum around creating schools that work for students and families. Whether it’s a visionary principal, a strong resource coordinator, a committed parent or community member, or a dedicated district administrator, a strong leader is instrumental in ensuring the breadth, depth and sustainability of community school efforts. This year’s Community School Leadership Award winners serve as examples of the powerful role that we all have to play in developing and sustaining comprehensive community schools. Marcelo Caplan Marcelo Caplan is Associate Professor of the Department of Science and Mathematics at Columbia College Chicago. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, he is involved in the outreach programs and activities of the Science Institute. He serves as the coordinator of three outreach programs, including 1) the NSF-ISE project “Scientists for Tomorrow,” which promotes Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning in 15 community centers; 2) the Junior Research Scientists program funded by After School Matters of the city of Chicago which promotes Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics for high school students; and, 3) a collaboration with the Chicago Teachers Center – Northeastern University to promote STEM learning in their Upward Bound Math & Science program, which is also oriented for high school students. Fanny Diego Alvarez Fanny Diego Alvarez is a longtime resident of the Little Village community in Chicago. At an early age, she became an active advocate for her community through school-related and environmental justice issues.  Fanny is a proud graduate of Rosario Castellanos Elementary School and Farragut Career Academy.  Both are schools that she currently works with as part of the Community Schools Program at Enlace Chicago. After high school, Fanny attended undergraduate school the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is currently enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Chicago. Fanny has worked with and for Enlace Chicago in different capacities for a decade, starting as youth advocate, then program coordinator and now Director of Community Schools. When she is not working, at school, interning, or reading, she enjoys taking walks around her neighborhood with her Jack Russell Terrier puppy, Ramsey. Tanika Island Tanika Island is director at the University of Chicago Charter School North Kenwood-Oakland (NKO) Campus.  Prior to becoming director of NKO, Island was the intermediate/upper grades literacy coordinator at NKO, where she provided professional development and created literacy tools with researchers from the University of Chicago. She eventually took on the role of 5th-grade literacy teacher. Before joining NKO, Island held the position of adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University's Teaching Practicum and Field Experience Seminar and facilitated weekly discussions on educational practice and theory.  From 1997 to 2001,Island held the position of 4th-grade team leader for Martin L. King Experimental Laboratory School in Evanston, IL, where she took on the roles of Language Arts district representative, School Literacy Committee member, Teachers as Readers Committee member, a Sisterhood Project mentor and coordinator of Battle of the Books inter-school competition. Island received a B.A. in education with a concentration in psychology from National Louis University in Chicago. In May 2008, she received a M.A. in literacy education from Loyola University and, through the Urban Education Institute, received a leadership fellowship. Marjory Lewe-Brady Marjory Lewe-Brady, LCSW is currently Director of Partnerships for Safety, Wellness and Achievement in West Chicago Elementary School District 33 in West Chicago, IL.  As the Director of Partnerships, Marjory facilitates a large community collaboration, WeGo Together for Kids which addresses the health, safety and well-being of students and families through a collaborative, coordinated and comprehensive approach for West Chicago schools and community. Marjory’s career started with the DuPage County Health Department in the Child and Adolescent Division as a family therapist. After years of providing therapy to families with children with severe mental illnesses, she led a county wide initiative to reduce untreated depression which included public awareness, education, and coordinating mental health providers to use similar and consistent treatment protocols and outcome measures. Marjory’s experience as a licensed clinical social worker, community advocate and parent of three children brings a unique expertise to working with the community school philosophy.