Support CICS - Chicago International Charter School

Support CICS

We believe in a future where all children have access to a high-quality public school, and all families have a choice in determining the most impactful learning experience for their child. Join us to advance this important work and vision.

Donate

Help CICS expand our impact.

For nearly 30 years, CICS has supported a portfolio of partner organizations that employ their unique academic model to run tuition-free public charter schools that best serve the needs of their communities.

Today, CICS partners with three organizations that collectively operate 13 public charter schools across Chicago, enrolling more than 7,000 students from Kindergarten through the 12th grade.

The generous support of our CICS community allows us to thoughtfully and strategically invest in our schools, educational leaders, students and their communities. Your investment enables CICS to support experienced, innovative and dynamic educators who are looking to change the way their schools partner with the community, engage with families and educate young people.

Your Contributions Cultivate Innovation

Donate Now

Thank you for believing in this important work and being a part of our CICS community. At CICS, we are passionate about our work - and we can’t do it without you.

Donate By Mail

To donate by mail. please send a check, payable to “Chicago International Charter School” to:

Chicago International Charter School

Development Department

11 E. Adams, Ste. 600

Chicago, IL 60603

CONTACT US

If you have any questions about your donation or additional ways to give, please contact Meaghan Jennings, Chief Development Officer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Volunteer

Got passion? Connect with CICS.

We’re always looking for talented interns and enthusiastic volunteers passionate about supporting our vision.

Internship Opportunities

Our interns work with our professional staff in our network office in downtown Chicago. If you’re an emerging leader eager to hone your strategic, planning, operations and communication skills pursuing educational equity, innovation and excellence, please contact Liz Williams-Clark.

Liz Williams-Clark

Director of Human Resources
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Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers enrich our students’ experiences and support our 14 school campuses in multiple ways, including:

Participating in college fairs and career days
Organizing and judging science fairs
Providing job shadowing opportunities for students
Reading to students
Mentoring and/or tutoring students
Organizing community clean-up campaigns
Assist high school seniors with college applications and/or resumes

Please contact Liz Williams-Clark if your company or organization is interested in partnering with us on a volunteer program. We welcome your involvement.

Liz Williams-Clark

Director of Human Resources
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Advocacy and Engagement

Share your enthusiasm with your legislators.

Calling or visiting your legislators offers an excellent opportunity to make your voice heard. To find or contact your legislators, please click on the link below.

Find and contact your legislators

Parents:

Talk about your school and how it has made a difference in your child's life. Use examples to illustrate this - e.g., does your student have special learning needs that are met exceptionally well by your school's teachers? What are the positive changes you have seen in your child since he/she started at a CICS campus? Does your child participate in extra-curricular activities?
Are you willing to drive two hours a day to make sure your child has access to the high-quality education that only your school can provide?
Why did you choose a charter school over a neighborhood school?
How is your school preparing your child for college?

Teachers:

Share stories of how your school culture helps make you a better teacher, and how the flexibility of charter schools empowers you to take creative approaches to making a difference in your students' lives.
How has the longer school year influenced your curriculum?
Why is autonomy in the classroom so important? Use examples from the classroom to the athletic field.

Staff:

How would extra funding make a difference at your school? Be specific - could you hire a teacher's aide to help improve differentiated instruction? Update your learning resources? Offer a more competitive salary to retain your best and brightest educators?
Can you describe the communities (both within and outside of your school's walls) that your school serves?

Supporters:

Speak about your involvement with CICS or a CICS campus. What do you like about working with our schools?
If you are a program provider or vendor, how many jobs have you created in Chicago communities thanks to your partnership with CICS?
How is the educational environment at a CICS campus different?

Do you appreciate your charter school choice? Make your voice heard.

Our voices are heard when we find opportunities to publically promote charter schools. To join the conversation and stay informed on legislative issues that affect charter schools, we encourage you to join our email list, "Follow" CICS on Twitter and "Like" us on Facebook.

CICS is energized by the fact that so many of our parents have joined charter families from across the city who want their children to continue to have the option of a high-quality, college preparatory charter public school education. We have all seen the positive impact charter schools have made in our children’s education and we believe that charter school families deserve equality in funding and a voice in the future of our children’s education.

For ways to get involved with CICS’s advocacy work, please contact Luis Sanchez.

Luis Sanchez

Director of Communications and Public Affairs
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312-651-5000

Chicago International Charter School

11 E. Adams
Suite 600
Chicago, IL, 60603

P: (312) 651-5000
F: (312) 651-5001
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.