Dear Paris and Daviell and all of the students in room 405,

 

You are all amazing citizens and you are setting an excellent example for everyone J We have the benefit of having a very comfortable, relatively new school. Your situation is a reminder of the inequity experienced by children in Illinois. I will share your response with our Student Council and Project Citizen students and see if we can’t do more than simply congratulate you on your efforts. I believe that every child deserves a safe, clean school supplied with the necessary tools of learning.

 

I will ask students to send you a copy of anything they complete on your behalf so that you may add it to your portfolio!

 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Clinebell

Science Teacher

Waterloo Junior High School

Waterloo, IL  62298

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Fifth Graders-Byrd Academy [mailto:neednewbyrdschool@hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, April 23, 2004 1:51 PM
To: Clinebell, Deborah
Subject: Support for Project Citizen

 

 

Dear Ms. Clinebell,

We really appreciate you sending a note to our principal about our efforts with Project Citizen.  We are glad that you were able to read about us in Mr. Nader’s article on www.commondreams.org.  Thank you for your support of our efforts to rebuild our school. 

 

Below is the vision for a new school (we got it from our school improvement committee).

 

The vision of the NEW Richard E. Byrd Academy:

Applying a Math and Science foundation, Byrd Academy will provide our students with an integrated learning environment that promotes academic and social excellence.  Using best teaching practices, literacy as a multi-faceted tool, and incorporating advanced technology, Byrd Academy will ensure quality instruction for all students.  Through the integrated approach to curriculum, students will solve authentic curriculum problems and will become contributing members of society, enabled to meet challenges of the academic, social, community responsibilities. 

People are helping us in many different ways.

·        Some people are writing to the local decision makers on our behalf encouraging them to build us a new school.  The addresses are below.  If you decide to write please send us a copy so that we can keep it in our portfolio.

 

Mr. Richard M. Daley

Mayor, City of Chicago

121 N. LaSalle St., Room 507

Chicago, IL 60602

mayordaley@cityofchicago.org

 

Mr. Michael Scott

President, Board of Education

Chicago Public Schools

125 S. Clark, 6th Floor

Chicago, Il 60603

mscott@cps.k12.il.us

 

Mr. Arne Duncan

Chief Executive Officer

Chicago Public Schools

125 S. Clark Street, 5th Floor

Chicago, IL 60603

aduncan@cps.k12.il.us

 

Mr. Sean Murphy

Chief Operating Officer

Department of Operations

Chicago Public Schools

125 S. Clark Street, 17th Floor

Chicago, Il 60603

smurphy@cps.k12.il.us

·        

·        Others have donated money (some people don’t even know us!) to help us fund our own school since the Chicago Board of Education has said that there is not

en   enough money for us.  We have raised several thousand dollars already and our principal is working with some organizations and people to try and get

m    matching funds.  If you are interested in making donations you can send a check payable to Byrd Academy.  In the memo part of the check don’t forget to write

“P  "Project Citizen” so the money gets put into the New School Fund.  The address is below. 

 

Richard E. Byrd Community Academy

Project Citizen Fund-Room 405

363 W. Hill Street

Chicago, IL 60610

neednewbyrdschool@hotmail.com

 

·        Also, people are doing just what you did, sending letters of support to us.  That really helps since it shows other people care and want us to have a new school. 

It    It makes us want to continue fighting for what is right!

 

Thank you so much for your time and interest in us.

 

Paris and Daviell on behalf of all the students in Room 405