The Gift of Reading Fostering a love of reading is at the heart of what WITS does. At the end of each school year, WITSummer Books sends WITS students home … Read More
Back to the Office and Back to the Classroom: How WITS Creates Community across Chicago’s Neighborhoods
For 791 days (give or take what you will) we have been working in some form of professional athleisure; repurposing surfaces in our home normally reserved for eating or sleeping … Read More
WITS Beginnings: A Story from Founding Volunteer Ginny Carlson
Editor’s note: Ginny and Roger Carlson are long-time WITS supporters and volunteers. As WITS CEO Tena Latona espoused in 2020, “As the CEO of an organization you hope for Board … Read More
A Letter from WITS CEO, Tena Latona
Community and Consistency, Now More than Ever Hello WITS Community, As you may know, students have been experiencing a lot of change since winter break. The surge in COVID-19 cases … Read More
A Note from the Daughter of WITS Co-founder, Joanne Alter
As a current board member and the daughter of WITS co-founder, Joanne Alter, I am admittedly biased, but I am continually impressed with the organization’s welcoming approach to change. I … Read More
Happy Holidays from WITS!
WITS is officially closed for Winter Break and will reopen on January 4, 2022. During the time off, we here at WITS do a lot of reading! We want to … Read More
WITS at 30: Rochelle Lee Teacher Award
Working in the Schools (WITS) began in a single classroom in 1991. The founders’ intent: to provide in-person, one-on-one literacy mentoring to Chicago students. A second similarly-missioned commitment, spearheaded by Librarian … Read More
WITS – The largest provider of literacy programming
WITS began in a single classroom in 1991. Today we are the largest provider of literacy programming to teachers and students in Chicago Public Schools. There was a moment over … Read More
Native American Heritage Month
November is National Native American Heritage Month. The Library of Congress site is a great starting point for finding virtual events, online art exhibitions, and classroom resources. Native American Heritage … Read More
What Our Students Need Is Us
Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the third largest school district in the country, is just about one month into the 2021 – 2022 school year. Students have returned to classrooms after … Read More
