Take Five with Nicole Milberg: Chief of Teaching and Learning

Take Five is a series that highlights some of the many members of the CPS community who are going above and beyond for our schools. If you know someone who is making a difference, nominate them to be featured here.

This week, we’re excited to spotlight one of our CPS leaders: Nicole Milberg, our Chief of Teaching and Learning! Nicole has more than 20 years of experience in education as a teacher, school leader, network chief, and now as a District leader. She is also the proud parent of two CPS students! 

Raised in Washington, D.C., Nicole’s passion around addressing inequities started in high school when she began tutoring in after-school programs in schools across the city. She benefited from high-quality teaching year after year, and she is committed to making sure that is a reality for all students. Fueled by her desire to make a difference, Nicole started her career as a teacher before going to business school, then brought what she had learned about high-quality leadership right back to education.

In her current role, Nicole provides leadership and strategic support to implement the District’s core instructional vision and goals. Nicole has always loved working in a team, and as a leader she prioritizes communication, transparency, and building strong systems and relationships. Learn more about Nicole below!

What inspired you to pursue leadership roles in education?

When I was a teacher myself, I was able to see first-hand the impact leadership has on schools—in both positive and negative ways. I also got the opportunity to be part of founding a school, and teacher voice was central to that process. Those experiences made me want to create more space for teacher engagement and collaboration in school systems.

What are your biggest goals as Chief of Teaching and Learning?

At CPS, we are in the amazing position of having so many incredible educators who are working in our schools and making a difference every day. My main goal is to make sure that we are supporting, engaging, and empowering our educators. I want them to feel supported and find joy in their jobs, and we have an opportunity to do that by creating really strong professional learning plans. I’m also really focused on distributive leadership—we want to help schools build strong teams and leverage the strengths that they have within their building.

What is one lesson you’ve learned during your career?

You can never accomplish anything alone.

What is something people might not know about you?

I have had the privilege of learning from and teaching students in Newark, New Jersey; Washington, D.C.; Buenos Aires, Argentina;  Kanchanaburi, Thailand; and Chicago.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I try to get outside and enjoy the lakefront as much as I can, which is the main reason I’m currently training for a triathlon. I also really like to travel; our next trip is to the Panama rainforest. Last but not least, I love sports—I’m in a tennis league, and we have made the difficult decision to raise our two sons as White Sox fans!