This past Monday, WITS was invited to appear on WGN Spotlight Chicago to talk about empowering CPS students to find themselves through reading and the WITS 2024 Blackboard Affair. WITS … Read More
Marzano Research: What’s Next For WITS
Last month, WITS wrapped up an intensive 12-month engagement with Marzano Research, a leading external evaluator in the field of education. This first-of-its-kind partnership for WITS focused on an exploratory … Read More
CPS Strategic Plan & WITS Mission: How They Align
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) recently unveiled its five-year strategic plan, Together We Rise. Over the past year, members of the WITS staff provided input through surveys, town halls, and focus … Read More
What Keeps Employees Happy: Erica Keswin & WITS
In the summer of 2023, at the peak of the “Quiet Quitting” and the “Great Resignation” movements, I was connected to Wall Street Journal best-selling author Erica Keswin while she … Read More
WITS School Coordinator: Mary “Mighty M” Miller
The WITS Workplace Mentoring program, is an afterschool literacy mentoring program for 4th-8th grade Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students. After school students are bussed to a downtown corporate office to … Read More
Welcoming Migrant Students Into WITS Programs
WITS centers our work around the core value of building community. Every WITS program is its own special community, a place where all students are welcome and mentors and students … Read More
Reading Isn’t Just Fundamental; It’s Grounds For A Solid Education (A Note From Our CEO)
The lead picture on the front page of this Sunday’s New York Times is a group of kindergartners sitting on the floor of their classroom holding up tiny dry-erase boards … Read More
Building Community In the City and The Office
Building Community Working in the Schools (WITS) is the largest volunteer corps providing yearlong mentorship to Chicago Public School elementary students. The cornerstone of WITS student mentorship programs is their … Read More
“WITS builds foundational literacy skills” – WITS CEO Tena Latona
For the last three and a half years I have been the CEO of WITS and I have been proud to support the WITS staff in creating opportunities for every … Read More
Back in the Classroom: How to Honor Student Experience
It’s that time of year again; the smell of fresh marble composition notebooks, unaware of their temporary pristine condition. Fingers delicately configuring locker combinations and brains taking on the daunting … Read More
