[Chicago, IL] – [August 1, 2024] – º£½Ç¹Ù·½Ê×Ò³ (CICS) is thrilled to announce the appointment of Beth Purvis, Ed.D. as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective August 1, 2024. Returning to CICS, where she previously led for over a decade, Dr. Purvis is set to guide the organization into an exciting new phase of growth and impact.

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Check out CICS'  "Thriller" performance on  as they help promote some exciting Halloween events happening in Chicago! This was an awesome performance led by one of very own, Jazmine Cooper, who was also honored as a 2022 Chicago Defender Woman of Excellence. Keep dancing into the hearts of all!

Click the link to check out their full performance: 

#EveryChildEveryday #WeAreCICS #Wrightwood #Halloween

You might have seen their welcoming back the community and students for SY 22-23 and now they have done it again. Our leaders, educators and students continue to impress! Academics and hard work puts possibility in the hearts and minds of every person who walks onto our campuses. That's why CICS Lloyd Bond continues to press the envelope and share the wonderful things they are doing that are preparing our students academically and socially.  

Thank you Tobias Black and the good folks of Lloyd Bond for always going above and beyond for your students, families, and community. Check out our video  

To learn more about CICS Lloyd Bond, please visit for more information!

#EveryChildEveryDay #WeAreCICS

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In honor of Black History Month, CICS is highlighting the latest Innovation Spotlight video showcasing ChicagoRise-the bold school model integrating identity-affirming pedagogy with a rigorous intentional curriculum.

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Our students are tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, designers and civic leaders, and they need opportunities to develop and exercise their skills and knowledge through problems in real-world situations and circumstances.

At CICS ChicagoQuest, seniors are in a 6-10 week long project, the Civitas Community Impact Experience (CCIE), that addresses authentic issues, tasks, and topics proposed by sponsors and community partners. Students earn high school credit and may also have opportunities to pursue professional certifications.

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iHeartRadio interviews Dr. Kenyatta Starks, Co-Founder of Empowered Schools, discussing why rising 9th graders should apply and rank CICS Longwood #1 on their GoCPS application!

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iHeartRadio interviews Takia Hylton, Director of CICS Ralph Ellison, discussing why rising 9th graders should apply and rank CICS Ralph Ellison #1 on their GoCPS application!

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iHeartRadio interviews Tim Anderson, Director of CICS ChicagoQuest, discussing why rising 9th graders should apply and rank CICS ChicagoQuest #1 on their GoCPS application!

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Learn more about CICS Bucktown.

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Learn more about CICS Northtown Academy.

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NBC 5 recently featured CICS Education Entrepreneur Fellow Stephanie Crosier discussing ChicagoRise’s innovative arts-infused program, Guitars Over Guns at CICS-Lloyd Bond.

Check out the video: 

Chicago, Illinois (September 11, 2018) - º£½Ç¹Ù·½Ê×Ò³ (CICS) has launched an Open Call for applications for the next cohort of its Education Entrepreneur Fellowship program. CICS’ flagship innovation and incubation program, the Fellowship, supports education innovators by providing them with the tools, networks, and resources necessary to bring their innovative classroom and school model concepts from ideation to transformational impact. Launched in January 2018, the Fellowship has resulted in the successful launches of the school transformation ventures, ChicagoRise and Empowered Community Schools, and the micro-lab ventures, Boy’s Lab and the Civitas Community Impact Experience.

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Chicago, Illinois (August 28, 2018) - º£½Ç¹Ù·½Ê×Ò³ (CICS) is proud to announce that Stephan McClain, Co-CEO of CICS school management (SMO) partner, Empowered Community Schools, and LeeAndra Khan, CEO of SMO partner Civitas Education Partners have been selected as Fellows in the 2019 class of the Chicago Urban League’s IMPACT Leadership Development Program. Additionally, Darrious Hilmon, CICS’ Chief of External Affairs will serve as a program mentor.

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Chicago, Illinois (August 13, 2018) , in collaboration with º£½Ç¹Ù·½Ê×Ò³, announces that , managed by Distinctive Schools, has been awarded a Wired to Learn grant from Relativity, a Chicago-based technology company.

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º£½Ç¹Ù·½Ê×Ò³ (CICS) has been closely monitoring the performance of its CICS Washington Park campus and anticipated that it would be put on a warning list by the Chicago Public School district.

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º£½Ç¹Ù·½Ê×Ò³ (CICS) announces the addition of two exceptional leaders to lead its innovation strategy. Eric Lavin will serve as the network’s first Chief Innovation Officer and Stephen McClain as the network’s Chief of Staff.

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