This past Thursday, the  Illinois Democracy Schools Network concluded its C.L.A.D. (Civic Learning Across Disciplines) webinar series with a session that featured several of the projects that DSN members have been working on during the past school year. 

The Democracy Schools Network is enthusiastic about supporting members’ ideas for improving the civic learning experience of their students.  Each year, the DSN makes grants available to its schools so that they can consider projects that improve the civic landscape in their schools.  This year’s proposals reflect many elements of the Illinois Democracy Schools model and range from classroom activities to schoolwide programs to school-community partnerships.  They reflect the innovation, student focus,  and the collaborative spirit that are essential ingredients in civic engagement:

• Hinsdale South, Service Learning (Kelly Van Hout and Kathy Lencioni)
• Granite City, Veterans’  Museum Collaboration (Vince Willaredt)
• Collinsville, Inclusivity in Extracurricular Activities (Barbara Lindauer)
• Hinsdale Central, Hinsdale South, Neuqua, Waubonsie, Metea: Youth Equity Summit (Billson Rasavongxay, Tom McManamen)
• Curie, Human Trafficking Public Awareness (Melinda Wilson)
• Sullivan, Student Voice Summits (Jocelyn Vale)
• Wheaton-Warrenville South, Support for Latino Connection Group (Dan Korntheuer and Richard Burrell)
• Hancock, Student Voice and Close-Up (Andrew Martinek and Alexis Mata)
• Normal West, Multicultural/Social Justice course implementation (Tracy Freeman, Jenn Hamler, and Kylie Black)

If you missed the webinar, you can access a recording here.  

This is the last webinar of the school year in this series, where we have done a deeper dive into several of the elements of the Democracy Schools model.  It has been an honor to host some of the top experts in the field of civic education. We hope that you will use the recordings of these sessions as a rich resource for your own professional development. (Illinois Democracy Schools Network Webinar archives.)

 The Illinois Civics Hub and the Illinois Democracy Schools Network continue to offer free after-school PD from many of the organizations highlighted above, including the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), the Stanford History Education Group (SHEG), and the Civic Education Research Group (CERG). A description for each webinar and information to register for professional development credits through the DuPage Regional Office of Education is available on the Illinois Civics Hub Professional Development Calendar. 

The Illinois Civics Hub also has a newsletter that shares our free PD that is open to all. You can subscribe here!