Greetings & Welcome to Henderson

WE WELCOME ONE AND ALL BACK TO SCHOOL YEAR 2027!!!
It is with tremendous excitement that I congratulate everyone on Henderson Academy’s great academic accomplishments in SY26.  We can not wait to see what scholars achieve in SY27!
After embracing new strategies and initiatives, and with heavy investments in TEACHER growth practices, Henderson staff learned and fine tuned:

• Skyline Unit Internalization with Intentional Planning
• SOLTA aligned lessons coupled with Success Criteria
• SIOP strategies to meet the needs of Multilingual and below level Learners 
• Quarterly Learning Cycles driven by data 
• MTSS Cycles and
• Increased Vocabulary and Writing in every content area

Our practices WORKED!  Henderson’s IAR data soared.  Our scholars performed and out paced many other schools in Network 8.   TEACHERS and STAFF are to be commended!  
Henderson’s CIWP Goals are fully aligned with District goals. 
Goal 1. Effective Instruction and goal 2. Systems for Student Experiences are in place to support and celebrate all scholars.  Last year, we centered on effective instruction and made tremendous gains.   

The Instructional Leadership Team met all summer creating Learning Cycles to ensure we implement, monitor and adjust instruction to drive scholars towards even great achievement.  (Thank you ILT Leaders!)  We will keep our focus on teaching and learning!
Despite ICE issues Henderson scholars continued to come to school daily!  Our teachers made efforts to transport students to school to protect kids.  Office and Support staff contacted parents everyday to get kids in the building.  Home visits by Security, Admin and daily encouragement by TEACHERS got and kept kids in their seats.  Thank you, thank you teachers and staff. 

In SY27, we will continue the growth practices outlined above.   Now, we are ready to begin again making an impact on the lives of every scholar who enters our doors. 
What matters most is 1. “What are teachers doing? and 2. What are students doing?” to move the growth needle. 

Every day at Henderson Academy we:

• Will treat everyone with dignity and respect in speech and action
• Create a sustaining culture of Joy, Rigor and Equity 
• Provide high quality standards-based learning that is intentional and data based
• Co plan with Gen Ed, Special Ed and English Learner Teachers to ensure meaningful access to core content instruction (Bilingual services, Differentiation)
• Prioritize 80% of students master Tier I content with 15 min Rigor blasts every lesson
• Track students’ performance (using data) to form/rebuild small groups  
• Provide opportunities for student to student collaboration consistently
• Embrace all scholars as “our” students where they are free to discuss and use their voice
• Keep our focus on students’ needs and their growth 
• Monitor all systems daily to ensure we are doing what works. If practices are not working, we will revise based on data 

As you know, there have been many changes in CPS due to District Budget cuts.  Henderson lost some valuable team members, which caused shifts in staff placements.  But thankfully, we were able to save more than we lost.   All decisions made are to ensure that the very best CPS staff is placed in front of our most valuable asset- “our Students.”   Some decisions were made solely based on seniority, but we press on. 

Let us begin again with fresh insight, perseverance and best practices grounded in what has worked and what scholars need. 
We hope you have enjoyed a wonderful summer!  The best is yet to come!
Thank you, team Henderson, for staying the course and for trusting us!   Remember: This is the hardest work you will ever love…. We thank each of you for being the difference in the lives of all Chas. R. Henderson Tigers.  Get ready for even greater gains!

Blessings as we come roaring back!

Marvis Jackson-Ivy, Proud Principal of Chas. R. Henderson Academy
​Tawanda L. Brown, Proud Assistant Principal of Chas. R. Henderson Academy