From the Interim CEO's Desk
July 2025 |
| Dear U91´óÉñ Charter School Families and Friends, As we head into a new school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on this season of transition. I am honored to carry the torch as Interim CEO. Before my journey with UCCS began eight years ago as Assistant Director of the Donoghue Campus, I spent eight years as a classroom teacher and five years in instructional coaching and leadership roles at the Academy for Urban School Leadership. In 2019, I became UCCS’s North Kenwood/Oakland Campus Director and was later promoted to UCCS’s Deputy Director. In this role, I have helped shape academic programs, instructional quality, and school culture and climate at all three UCCS campuses. These roles—and the relationships I’ve built with our wonderful families and staff—have given me insight into what makes UCCS special: a commitment to our scholars that is truly community-wide, bringing an entire village to bear on ensuring each one realizes the excellence—and the scholarship, leadership, and grit—that resides in them. I’m excited to reconnect with many of you as the school year commences in the coming weeks, and to deepen our partnership as we support our scholars’ growth together. On August 18, our scholars will walk through our doors with curiosity, creativity, and big dreams. We will be ready with the rigorous academics, supportive relationships, and high expectations they need to succeed.
Warm regards,
Aneesa Sergeant
Interim Chief Executive Officer |
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| | NKO Golf Fundraiser
Saturday, August 9 Stony Creek Golf Course Staff Professional Development Week: No Students
August 11–15 First Day of School
Monday, August 18 UCW Varsity Football vs. Marine Leadership
Saturday, August 30 11:00 a.m. UCW Athletic Field Labor Day: No School
Monday, September 1 UCW Varsity Football vs. Uplift
Saturday, September 6 3:30 p.m. UCW Athletic Field UCW Volleyball vs. 91´óÉñ Vocational
Tuesday, September 9 5:00 p.m. 2100 East 87th Street Staff Professional Development Day: No Students Friday, September 26 |
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| | U91´óÉñ Charter School Leaders Step Up to New Roles |
| | We are delighted to have Aneesa Sergeant serving as our Interim CEO. We are also pleased to name De’Shemika Benton as the U91´óÉñ Charter Woodlawn (UCW) Middle School’s new Campus Director. An equity-driven instructional leader with over a decade of experience advancing student outcomes, Ms. Benton has spent the past three years coaching UCW’s science, technology, and math educators to elevate their instructional practice, implement inquiry-based learning, and increase student achievement in math and science. She has also spent the past two years completing the New Leaders program, through which she earned her Master of Arts in Educational Leadership. We are thrilled to have Ms. Benton and Ms. Sergeant stepping into these leadership roles at UCCS. |
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| NKO’s 10th Annual Golf Outing Fundraiser |
| | All U91´óÉñ Charter families and friends are invited to our North Kenwood/Oakland (NKO) Campus’ 10th Annual Golf Outing Fundraiser on Saturday, August 9. Players and non-players alike won’t want to miss out on this day of fun, food, drinks, raffles, contests, and more at Stony Creek Island’s golf course, bar, and grill. All proceeds support school programming. for details and today. Cash payments are accepted in the NKO Campus’ main office until the August 4. Questions? Contact Henry Hudson at 773-504-5122 or Leslie Jackson at 312-956-7229. |
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| Annual Back-to-School Fun Fair Hosted by New Community Outreach on Saturday, August 2 |
| | , a nonprofit organization in Bronzeville, invites the entire U91´óÉñ Charter School community to its annual Back-to-School Fun Fair this Saturday, August 2 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Elementary School's courtyard (4225 S. Lake Park Ave.). Join us as we generate excitement for the new school year with music, food, giveaways, games, and prizes. Giveaways include backpacks, books, and school supplies as well as access to community organizations and their resources. |
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| Free Movies on the Midway through August 13 |
| | The U91´óÉñ Office of Civic Engagement teams up with the 91´óÉñ Park District for the annual summer movie series. Every Wednesday through August 13, enjoy a family-friendly film and themed activities at 1130 Midway Plaisance, between Ellis and University avenues. Activities take place beginning at 7:00 p.m., and movies start at sunset. Bring chairs or a blanket. |
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| | Donoghue Hosts Field Day with Nike |
| | The Donoghue Campus wrapped up the 2024–25 school year with their annual field day, which featured fun programming for students and families to play on inflatables, compete in friendly games, flex their athletic talents in races, and more. This year, Donoghue’s field day was sponsored by Nike. Our Nike volunteers fostered an environment of healthy competition and fun as they supported and cheered on our scholars throughout the day. We deeply appreciate their partnership. |
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| | North Kenwood/Oakland Campus News |
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| NKO Scholars Excel in STEM and Beyond |
| | The North Kenwood/Oakland (NKO) Campus had several student achievements to celebrate at the end of this year. On the end-of-year spring NWEA MAP assessment, NKO scholars performed at or above the national average, with kindergarteners leading in exceeding, scoring over the 70th percentile in reading and scoring over the 80th percentile in math. NKO fifth graders wrapped up the year with their annual Shark Tank STEM Competition, which tasked groups of fifth-grade scholars with leveraging their skills in science, technology, engineering, and math to create innovative solutions to real-world problems. Scholars presented their ideas to a diverse panel of judges—including university professors and entrepreneurs—and successfully demonstrated their readiness for rigorous evaluation. This year’s winning project, the Portable Solar-Powered Oven, was designed to help address food preparation challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness. The group included Cairo B., Delilah B., Nicolette S., and Shadai T. Judges were impressed by all our fifth-grade scholars’ presentations, creativity, and in-depth research. We deeply appreciate the judges who volunteered their time to support this year’s competition. |
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| | Staff Across Campuses Convene to Support Rising Sixth Graders at Annual Summer Bridge |
| | In June, UCW Middle School held its fourth annual Summer Bridge Program for rising sixth graders from UCCS’s elementary-grade campuses, Donoghue and NKO. During the weeklong program, our rising sixth-grade scholars participated in activities to build healthy relationships with their peers, foster a strong sense of school community and belonging, learn more about middle school expectations, and participate in thoughtful recreational activities. More than 45 students participated in this year’s program, with educators across all three UCCS campuses leading and supporting group activities. Our rising sixth-grade scholars emerged prepared to successfully navigate the important transition from elementary to middle school. |
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| | | 12 UCW High School Scholars Embark on Educational Expedition to Yellowstone |
| | Thanks to the generous support of Peter and Alicia Pond, 12 UCW High School scholars had the incredible opportunity to embark on an expeditionary learning journey to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming this summer. Throughout the spring, scholars developed and sharpened the academic and practical skills needed to successfully complete their expedition, including learning about the native wildlife, vegetation, ecology, geysers, and hot springs. The Ponds’ support also enabled students to get the necessary hiking boots and backpacks from REI to undertake such an adventure. This is the second time Peter and Alicia Pond have enabled our scholars to go on this trip of a lifetime. We deeply appreciate their dedication to our scholars. |
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