News
Vedamo: Our Online Tutoring Platform
Since COVID-19 started spreading last March, Test Prep Chicago had to adapt quickly toward an online tutoring model. The platform we use, Vedamo, has several features and advantages over other online tutoring and provides an experience that’s much more active for our students than a simple Zoom call.
Vedamo was created in 2014 and was designed specifically for tutoring by tutors. The biggest benefit of this model is that online sessions are extremely intuitive; even the least tech-savvy of our students can jump into using the features of the classroom with ease. Just to name a few…
Video conferencing functionality (just like Zoom)
A virtual whiteboard that both students and tutors can interact with
A multi-sized and colored drawing tool along with a quick-fading pointer
Inserting shapes, text, and symbols
Sharing screens
Chat capabilities
Uploading a large number of file types
Recorded sessions available for classes missed
Students are also able to use all of these features and join the classroom just by clicking a link. There is no software to install, just a simple first time account setup. Students can also join the classroom from any device, whether it be their school laptop, or a family iPad.
Lastly, and we think most importantly, Vedamo allows us to provide all of Test Prep Chicago’s original test prep material easily and efficiently. Even in an e-learning environment, students will receive all of the benefits of an in-person session.
If you’d like to learn more about Vedamo, our original material, or Test Prep Chicago, give us a call at (312) 848-1266 or send an email to info@testprepchicago.com.
An Overview of Francis W. Parker School
Located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, Francis W. Parker School (also known as Parker) is a private school for students at every grade level: junior kindergarten to senior year of high school. It’s ranked the 5th best private high school in Illinois and has a student-teacher ratio of 9:1. The average SAT and ACT scores at Parker are 1420 and 31, respectively.
Parker offers a diverse and challenging curriculum which includes both general classes in math, science, reading, social studies, and more, as well as more specialized classes such as “Sociology of Sports,” “Literature and Censorship,” and “The Civil Rights Movement” among others. In addition to a rigorous course load, students are encouraged to explore the arts, as well as athletics in their “no-cut athletics program.” They also offer a Senior Seminar which “provides a safe space for seniors to reflect on their final year of high school and prepare for their next journey.”
Outside of the classroom, students also attend conferences and participate in a schoolwide Big Brothers and Big Sisters program. Students can also elect to participate in the Model UN program which competes locally, nationally, and internationally. Beginning in junior year, students also have the opportunity to utilize Parker’s College Counseling Office which provides a laundry list of meetings, advise, and thorough information to help guide students in their applications to the schools of their choices. To find out more about their College Counseling Office, curriculum, athletics, or more, visit their website at https://www.fwparker.org/.
Since Parker is a private school, students must take the ISEE to gain admission into the school as well as apply. In addition, Parker charges approximately $34,000 in yearly tuition to attend. Test Prep Chicago will offer both tutoring and courses for the ISEE beginning in the fall semester. Sign up for our newsletter on testprepchicago.com to be notified of new class offerings, including the ISEE course.
Lauren Lynch, Director of Tutoring and Communications
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266
An Update on Reopening Chicago Schools
On March 1st, after weeks of discussion and debate between the Chicago Public Schools, Lori Lightfoot, and the Chicago Teachers’ Union, elementary schools reopened in the city for opt-in in-person learning. The last wave of students, those in 6th to 8th grade, was welcomed back into schools on March 8th. Though the return to in-person learning has not gone as well as many CPS administrators had hoped, they are still confident that a return to normalcy is closer than ever.
Results from CPS data that were released in mid-March did not meet early expectations. Though in-person learning was reinstated, only 49,281 students that were given the in-person option returned to schools, leaving a total in-person attendance of 21%. This was about 10,000 students less than administrators predicted. To add to the negative effects, 1 in 3 of the in-person students were taught by remote teachers, according to a CPAA survey taken by 195 of the 415 elementary schools. It should also be noted that the students that returned to in-person learning and had teachers in the classroom were skewed heavily towards white students and students living in Chicago’s north and northwest neighborhoods.
Current discussions between CPS and the CTU have revolved around the reopening of CPS high schools. Many CPS administrators have been pushing for an April 19th reopening to match the start of the last quarter of the school year, which they announced officially on March 16th. However, the CTU made a statement that they have not been a part of the high school reopening discussion as desired, and that there are many issues left to be addressed, including information about vaccine availability for school staff and the current amount of elementary students back in school. It was later revealed that the president of the CTU, Jesse Sharkey, had seen the CPS announcement before it was released, and CPS made the edits she had suggested. This momentary win for CPS didn’t last too long though, as earlier this week they misplaced a reported 6,000 vaccine doses. Many teachers in the CTU are even afraid to reveal their vaccination status, in fear of losing their CPS accommodations that protect their loved ones.
It’s clear that the school system in Chicago has always been politically charged, but perhaps more so than ever during the pandemic. Parents and teachers are both suffering the effects of extended remote and hybrid learning periods, especially in minority communities. To add to the uncertainty, as of today, the CDC still has not determined fully whether or not any of the vaccines available offer complete protection against virus transmission to the unvaccinated. The solution to this complex and gargantuan problem may be murky, but at the very least, both sides should make strides toward honesty and transparency sooner rather than later.
Nate Hall, Tutoring Coordinator
nate@testprepchicago.com
312-848-1266
An Overview of Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (also known as IMSA) is located in Aurora, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. IMSA is a public high school that houses its student body (which is comprised of sophomores, juniors, and seniors) in dorms on the Aurora campus. Students who are eligible to apply must have achieved at least one year of ninth-grade science and Algebra.
IMSA prides itself on being one of the top-ranked math and science academies in Illinois and retains its academic vigor by teaching with an honors-level curriculum for all its students beginning in their first year. IMSA’s academic programming includes college preparatory courses in mathematics, science, arts, and humanities. Because the school’s teaching philosophy aims to arm their students with knowledge that emphasizes application over memorization, they do not offer AP classes. Instead, IMSA chooses to focus on how to best educate its students without having to teach to the specific standardization of Advanced Placement. However, students are still welcome to and often do take AP exams in order to earn college credit.
IMSA is unlike other schools of its caliber in the Chicagoland area because it provides the unique opportunity of offering dorms on campus to its students. IMSA highly encourages students to remain on campus for all years that they attend. In doing so, students get to participate in extracurricular opportunities that focus on various types of real-life learning strategies such as budgeting and conflict resolution. Beyond this, IMSA offers a vast curriculum of activities available to their students during the evenings or on weekends; including clubs, athletics, service, and research opportunities.
To find more information for Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, please IMSA’s website: https://www.imsa.edu/
Written by former Tutoring Coordinator, Ramisha Ejaz
For more information about Test Prep Chicago contact:
Lauren Lynch, Director of Tutoring and Communications
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266
NWEA MAP Test Information
The NWEA MAP test is a common-core-aligned, computer-adaptive test designed to quantify a student’s knowledge of math and reading. Unlike most other standardized tests, the NWEA MAP adapts its difficulty level based on whether or not a student selects a correct answer. If a correct answer is selected, the test becomes more challenging, asking out-of-grade-level questions.
After the student completes the test, both teachers as well as students and their parents will receive a RIT score which correlates to a percentile (both the RIT and the percentile should be included in the report from NWEA MAP). The percentile represents where a particular student’s level is compared with students across the country. NWEA’s website states, “NWEA uses anonymous assessment data from over 10.2 million students to create national norms…By drawing from an incredibly wide pool of anonymized test records (pulled from more than six million test events, 23,000 schools, and 49 states), we’re able to accurately represent the US school-age population.”
In addition, the RIT score is determined not by what kinds of questions the student can answer (for example, computation and problem solving), but rather at what level (for example, a simple addition problem versus an addition problem which has an imaginary number in it). To see examples of difficulty level compared to approximate RIT scores, visit the NWEA MAP website and search for the “RIT Reference Brochure.”
Furthermore, this test provides 1/3 of the points required to attend a Selective Enrollment High School or Academic Center. Each section of the test (reading and math) is worth 150 points, with a total of 300 points up for grabs based on their NWEA MAP score. While CPS has not yet announced the NWEA MAP test dates for this upcoming spring of 2021, we anticipate both CPS and non-CPS 5th and 7th-grade students will take the NWEA MAP during the testing window of mid-May to mid-June as was supposed to be the case last year (but was canceled because of Covid-19).
Visit Test Prep Chicago’s homepage (testprepchicago.com) to sign-up for our newsletter and receive up-to-date news. We’ll be sure to send an email as soon as CPS releases more concrete information about NWEA MAP test dates, as well as more information when we add one-day workshops to our website. As always, we offer one-on-one tutoring for NWEA MAP and can begin this at any time. Visit our website for more information on pricing, and how to reach out to us to set up sessions.
Lauren Lynch, Director of Tutoring and Communications
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266
An Overview of The University of Chicago Laboratory School
The University of Chicago Lab School (also known as Lab, University High School, or U-High) is an Independent High School in Chicago. Located in Chicago’s Hyde Park Neighborhood, Lab is affiliated with the University of Chicago. Since Lab is an Independent high school, potential students must take the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) and interview with the U-High Admissions Committee to apply.
Lab believes that their high school students should have the skills to be able to balance their academic curriculum alongside their extracurriculars. It is their hope that students graduate Lab with not only the ability to exceed academically but also to practice the personal skills they will be needing once they enter college. Lab ensures this by providing a program that focuses on “analytical reading, writing, research, strong math and science skills, and broad access to the arts.” In tandem, the students are encouraged to spend their free time joining a variety of clubs or sports, where they have a “no-cut” policy to encourage as much participation as possible. There are also a variety of resources that are provided to the students at Lab in order to foster academic success including math tutors, a writing center, and college counseling.
Lab prioritizes the development of their students throughout their four years. They do their best to make sure that there are plenty of opportunities for academic and social success. High school students have class retreats planned for them every year that they attend in order for them to reflect with and enjoy their peers in an outside environment. Students are also provided an Advisory Program where they are assigned an advisor and a small advisory group that continues to work with them throughout their high school journey.
To find more information about The University of Chicago Lab Schools, please Lab’s website: https://www.ucls.uchicago.edu/
Written by former Tutoring Coordinator, Ramisha Ejaz
For more information about Test Prep Chicago contact:
Lauren Lynch, Tutoring Coordinator
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266
CPS Announces Fully Remote Return to School Through 11/6
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO Janice Jackson announced on Wednesday (8/5) that CPS would complete at least the first quarter of the school year (through 11/6) online. This comes a few weeks after CPS announced a possible hybrid learning plan where students would attend school for at least two days a week. However, as COVID-19 cases have begun to rise in Chicago again, Jackson said they were “not comfortable with the state of the pandemic and the national response,” and that they intended to revisit their hybrid model when it felt safe enough to do so.
The announcement also came a short two days after the Chicago Teachers Union made plans to potentially call its House of Delegates together to vote on a possible strike. However, Mayor Lightfoot contended the news of the CTU did not influence the city’s decision to go fully remote stating, “As we have now repeatedly said about every decision we’ve made in the context of this pandemic, we have to be guided by the science, period.”
This decision also came to light after weeks of CPS sending surveys and holding town halls to get the general consensus of the needs of the many families who will be impacted by moving to a remote learning model. For families of essential workers as well as other families who will not be able to stay home with their kids, the City of Chicago is looking into providing free childcare opportunities. Mayor Lightfoot also mentioned that free school meals would be offered around the city just as they were in the spring. CPS will also provide devices as well as free internet access for any family who needs them.
In addition, the Archdiocese of Chicago announced plans to move forward with reopening Chicago Catholic and parochial schools despite CPS’s announcement to go fully remote for the first quarter, stating that it is in the “best interests of children.” They will offer an e-learning component for students who want to opt-out, and more information for that will be released in the coming weeks.
CPS has not yet released any information regarding making up the NWEA MAP test for students testing into Academic Centers and Selective Enrollment high schools. Moreover, they haven’t released information on SEHS testing, and if the pandemic will affect these procedures in any way. Test Prep Chicago will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as CPS makes it available. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of our website’s homepage to receive email updates about selective enrollment admissions in Chicago.
Lauren Lynch, Tutoring Coordinator
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266
An Overview of Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy Academic Center
Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy (also known as Brooks or Brooks AC) Academic Center is one of seven Academic Centers in Chicago. Located in Chicago’s Roseland neighborhood, Brooks Academic Center resides in the city’s south side. Brooks seeks out high performing middle school students who are ready to take on a more intensive curriculum in preparation for high school. These students typically begin at Brooks as 7th graders and finish the AC program at the end of their 8th grade year.
Brooks AC takes a more personalized approach to their students learning; students are encouraged to utilize Brooks’ extensive academic resources in order to provide more than just an intensive Academic Center experience. By incorporating these resources into the students’ every day curriculum, students get a chance to learn at their own pace by receiving varying support and coaching dependent on the students’ learning abilities and needs. This goes beyond the conventional confines of a classroom by teaching the students to master content instead of focusing on completion and traditional participation. This reinforces the rigorous curriculum that Brooks is most well known for, but also allows for the students’ learning to be the first priority at Brooks AC.
Students are also invited to participate in select extracurriculars at Brooks Academic Center. These can range from selected sports, Math Team, ComEd STEM Club, and more. Students are also offered a variety of tutoring and support services to ensure that their transition into high school curriculum is as smooth as possible. These include resources such as an After School and Lunchtime Tutoring program, a mentoring program, and an in-class Learning Assistant program. These programs and more are all to ensure the academic success of all the students in the AC program.
To find more information about Gwendolyn Brooks Preparatory Academy Academic Center, visit Brooks’s website: http://brookscollegeprep.org/academic-center.
Written by former Tutoring Coordinator, Ramisha Ejaz
For more information about Test Prep Chicago contact:
Lauren Lynch, Tutoring Coordinator
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266
CPS To Require Face Coverings and Temperature Checks in Fall, May Hold Classes in Alternative Locations Such as McCormick Place, Park District Fieldhouses
Chicago Public Schools released a statement on their social media on Friday, June 12th that they are launching a series of surveys to provide a well-rounded, comprehensive set of guidelines for the upcoming school year (2020-21). CPS noted, “A school district as large and complex as ours requires thorough guidance that accounts for the wide variety of needs in our schools, and we are working through those scenarios so that in the weeks ahead, we can present you with draft guidelines for reopening school buildings.”
In addition, they provided the following guidance recommended from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that they already know will be enacted in the fall:
Everyone will be required to wear face coverings. Schools will be given a limited amount of coverings for students and staff members at the beginning of the year.
Hand sanitizer will be made available throughout all CPS buildings.
Strict cleaning and disinfection rules will be in place.
Students and staff members will receive temperature checks every day.
WGN9 Chicago also reported on Friday, June 12th that according to the chairman of City Council’s Education Committee, the City Council has begun looking into alternative locations to hold classes to give teachers and students the appropriate amount of space in the classroom to adhere to six-foot social distancing guidelines. Possible locations for classes include McCormick Place, Navy Pier, and Park District fieldhouses, among others. However, a spokesperson for McCormick Place said she had not yet heard of these plans.
CPS has not yet released any information regarding making up the NWEA MAP test for students testing into Academic Centers and Selective Enrollment high schools. Moreover, they haven’t released information on SEHS testing, and if the pandemic will affect these procedures in any way. Test Prep Chicago will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as CPS makes it available. Be sure to subscribe to our website on our homepage to receive email updates about selective enrollment admissions in Chicago.
Lauren Lynch, Tutoring Coordinator
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266
An Overview of Loyola Academy
A part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, Loyola Academy is a private, co-ed school located in Wilmette, IL, a northern suburb of Chicago. The school was originally founded on Loyola University’s campus in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood in 1909 but moved to its current campus in 1957. Loyola is rated as the 6th best Catholic school in Illinois and the 4th best school for athletes in Illinois. The school has a student population of approximately 2,050 with a student to teacher ratio of 14:1. Not only does Loyola have a graduation rate of 99%, but 99% of those students go on to attend a four-year college after high school.
The curriculum at Loyola provides a challenge for high achieving students, and even allows them to further specialize in their interests in the form of two honors programs: The Dumbach Scholars Program and the Clavius Scholars Program. As their website states, “The Dumbach Scholars Program is rooted in the humanities, while the Clavius Scholars Program is grounded in math and science.” Each program is competitive and requires specific AP and honors classes, service hours, and includes several interdisciplinary field trips. Loyola also uniquely offers a Global Studies Program with academic trips to France, China, Greece and Italy, Spain, Central America, or England as well as the opportunity to take a service trip to Mexico.
In addition to other resources, Loyola Academy also has a 1:1 iPad initiative which began in 2013 and continues today. While students must purchase their own, the initiative makes Loyola an Apple Distinguished School which, among other things, offers a discount to families. The school also has a proud tradition of athletics for students to participate in including 34 different sports and over 80 different teams. Many students at Loyola go on to play for reputable college teams across the nation.
As with most other Catholic schools, tuition is required for admission into Loyola Academy. Tuition for Loyola is approximately $15,260 with financial aid and payment plans available. To find out more about Loyola Academy’s tuition, how to apply, or to read more about their academics or athletics, visit their website at goramblers.org.
Lauren Lynch, Tutoring Coordinator
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266