It’s Principal Appreciation Week! #PrincipalPrideChi

The greatest person we could ever think of. Someone who made me happy and always pushed me to never give up. They are always nice to everyone and always good at leading teachers. A really kind person who cares a lot. 

These are just some of the ways CPS students described their principals this year. Even as they learn from home, they continue to see the impact of their selfless school leaders who are going above and beyond to make sure they have everything they need to succeed academically. 

CPS principals are among the best in the world because they know that creating student-centered learning environments that prioritize equity and set academic excellence as the expectation is the key to improving student outcomes. Many of them learned this as CPS students themselves, and nearly all of them bring years of experience as CPS teachers to their current role. 

Take Principal Terea Peoples at Till Elementary. She has created inclusive partnerships and increased professional development opportunities for teachers to help her school reach new levels of academic growth. Or Principal Clariza Dominicci, whose efforts to increase parent involvement at Camras Elementary has helped her community take ownership of finding ways to meet the school’s needs. 

Our school leaders are a big part of why CPS is a district on the rise. They reflect the district’s diversity and display a willingness to listen to and work with their school communities to transform their schools for the better. This year has certainly been a challenging year for all of them, but they have stepped up to the plate, collaborated to develop solutions to unforeseen problems, and ultimately kept our district moving forward. 

So, to all of our school leaders, it’s time to celebrate YOU! Principal Appreciation Week is meant to remind you that your hard work does not go unnoticed and that you are touching so many lives every single day—probably even more than you think. 

We hope that every member of our CPS family can take at least one opportunity this week to thank a principal who has impacted their life for the better. Need inspiration? Check out this toolkit for some ideas on how to celebrate your favorite principal. 

Happy Principal Appreciation Week!