CICS Longwood Elementary -

Porald Harris's music classroom at CICS Longwood Elementary doesn’t have students; she sees a room full of musicians . This distinction is intentional, rooted in a pr...

At Distinctive Schools, academic rigor and success are the highest priorities driving our instruction every day. This year, we are investing deeply in new, targeted approaches and...

Imagine walking through a field of sunflowers, and you notice their seeds. This formation, like much of what we can find in nature, is a masterpiece of engineering . Math is th...

Student success is inseparable from family learning. When the adults in their lives have access to education, resources, and community, students show up stronger— academically, s...

January is National Thank You Month—a time to reflect on the people who shape our lives and the communities that sustain us. Distinctive Schools is incredibly grateful for our stu...

This blog is reposted with permission by NGLC. Find the original publication here . Michele Lansing, LCSW, is the network director for clinical services at Distinctive ...

As we welcome a new year, the energy across our campuses is palpable! We are looking at the journey , focusing on the intentional steps that uplift our students to lead, lear...

Family support through our Community Hubs is our heartbeat. This November and December, that heartbeat was louder than ever as our campuses transformed into centers of holiday mag...

The holidays are upon us—a time for joy, connection, and creating meaningful memories with loved ones. It’s also a season that can bring its own pressures, like planning visits, m...

Distinctive Schools today announced the appointment of Angela Sims as Chief Academic Officer (CAO) and Kelli Easterly as Managing Director of STEM, marking a bold new chapter o...

This blog is reposted with permission by NGLC. Find the original publication here . Marcell Kirk is Director of Culture for Distinctive Schools in Chicago, Illinois. As Direc...

At Distinctive Schools, we are reminded every day how much we have to be thankful for— this year has been filled with countless moments that remind us of the power of community, t...

Victoria , a senior at CICS Longwood High School , reflects the power of a familiar and supportive learning community. From a bright-eyed Kindergartener to a confident sen...

The transition from 8th grade to high school is an exciting and critical step in a student’s educational journey. Distinctive Schools is committed to preparing our students, and e...

This blog is reposted with permission by NGLC. Find the original publication here . Noemi Simons is the Bilingual Program Manager at Distinctive Schools. Noemi Simons has ...

This is Part III in a three-part blog series exploring how Distinctive Schools is approaching artificial intelligence (AI) in education. From building custom tools to supporting ...

October is Principal Appreciation Month , and at Distinctive Schools, we deeply honor and recognize the incredible leaders who guide our campuses every day. This year, we are giv...

Distinctive Schools has been accepted into the League of Innovative Schools (The League), a national network of school districts that connects and supports the nation’s most fo...

As part of both our Personalized Learning Model and our Community Hub work, Distinctive Schools is deeply committed to providing all learners with what they need, when they need i...

Distinctive Schools is thrilled to have been selected as a beneficiary from Invest for Kids , a vanguard philanthropic organization supporting Chicago's youth! This funding will...