Maine South honored as - McCormick Foundation

Niles-Morton Grove
14 AUG 2014

64°
Clear
Maine South honored as “Illinois
Democracy School”
By Maine Township High School District 207 (User)
 Updated September 18, 2012 at 6:28 pm
 0
Maine South High School High School was recognized today by the Illinois Civic
Mission Coalition as an Illinois Democracy School. This honor appropriately
coincides with the 225th anniversary of the signing of the United States
coincides with the 225
anniversary of the signing of the United States
Constitution. Illinois Democracy Schools are recognized for providing students with
authentic experiences in the rights, responsibilities, and tensions inherent in living
in a constitutional democracy. Through these experiences, they strive to equip
students with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for informed,
effective engagement in our democracy.
Since 2006, seventeen Illinois high schools have successfully completed a schoolwide civic assessment and have been subsequently recognized as Democracy
Schools by the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition, currently convened by the Robert R.
McCormick Foundation’s Civics Program. Maine South High School is one of six
high schools that earned this distinction in 2012 and joins Maine West, which has
previously earned this designation.
As a recognized Democracy School, Maine South will receive a stipend from the
McCormick Foundation to invest in high quality civic learning initiatives, along
with a banner for public display. Maine South will also receive a certificate signed
by the Chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education, Gery Chico, the Chief
Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, Thomas L. Kilbride, and the schools’ state
legislators, Senator Dan Kotowski and Representative Rosemary Mulligan.
“The availability of high-quality, school-based civic learning opportunities for all
Illinois students is vital to sustaining democracy in our state and beyond,” said
Shawn Healy, chair, Illinois Civic Mission Coalition and civic learning and
engagement scholar, Robert R. McCormick Foundation. “The committed students,
teachers, administrators, and school board members of these six schools should be
commended for living their civic mission and joining the growing ranks of Illinois
Democracy Schools.”
Illinois Democracy Schools embrace their mission to provide high quality civic
learning opportunities for all students. Their leadership emphasizes civic learning
through development of professional faculty and staff capacity, and proven civic
learning practices are woven throughout the formal curriculum. Democracy
Schools foster a school climate that nurtures and models civic dispositions and
build reciprocal relationships within the surrounding community.
Democracy Schools provide numerous opportunities for students to participate in
the democratic process through a range of classes and clubs. From class discussion
on current issues and democratic simulations to extracurricular and service
learning opportunities, students are able to experience first-hand the critical role
they can play in shaping their government and society.
Maine South Social Science Department Chair Brendan Gaughan said: "In
becoming a Democracy School, the foundation of the process is based upon ‘Six
Proven Practices’ that are integral in high school level civic education: Classroom
instruction, Current Events, Service Learning, Activities, Student Voice, and
Simulations. An audit of these Six Proven Practices took place throughout each and
every department of Maine South. In sum, this recognition is a true evaluation of
the many great contributions that all faculty members at Maine South contribute
each year."
Principal Shawn Messmer said, “Maine South is incredibly proud of the work of the
teachers in our Social Science Department who helped us gain this designation.
The Democracy School designation recognizes our commitment to helping our
students become active and informed participants of our democracy and the
world.”
Maine South serves approximately 2,600 students, primarily from Park Ridge and
Niles along with portions of Harwood Heights, Norridge and Norwood Park
Township. Maine South offers a comprehensive and rigorous education program,
along with a host of extracurricular opportunities. Additional information about
the school may be found at http://south.maine207.org/.
The Illinois Civic Mission Coalition is a broad non-partisan consortium including
educators, administrators, students, universities, funders, elected officials,
policymakers and representatives from the private and non-profit sectors. Formed
in 2004 by the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago, the Illinois Coalition is
part of the Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools, a national initiative to
restore a core purpose of education to prepare America’s youngest citizens to be
informed and active participants in our democracy. The Robert R. McCormick
Foundation has convened the Coalition since 2010. For more information, please
visit www.McCormickFoundation.org/DemocracySchools.
Share This Article
 Back to Top
ACROSS AMERICA
1
Record-Breaking Rainfall at MacArthur as LI Gets Pummeled Overnight
2
Is the New Sketch Factor App Racist?
3
Random Act of Kindness Goes Viral
4
Watch Robin Williams Laugh It Up with Talking Gorilla Koko
5
Ellicott City Blogger's Daughter to Be Tried as Adult in His Murder
STATE NEWS
Former Oak Park Woman Killed at Posh Bali Resort and Stuffed into a
Suitcase
 Updated August 14, 2014 at 10:15 am
Sheila von Weise-Mack, well-known in local arts circles, was 62. Her teen
daughter and a young man are suspected of beating her to death.
Who is Your Every Day Hero?
 Updated August 7, 2014 at 1:36 pm
Nominate the coach or mentor who made a difference in your life to win a
prize package from Patch.
Are Your Kids Playing As Much As They Should Be?
 Updated August 8, 2014 at 11:40 am
Studies show insufficient playtime is linked to depression, anxiety and
obesity.
A Note to Our Readers about Changes on Patch
 Updated July 28, 2014 at 12:10 pm
What's new at Patch, and what's coming.
Flesh-Eating Crocodile Woman Back in Jail—But Just on Ordinary Heroin
Charge
 Updated July 17, 2014 at 5:55 pm
A woman who told Patch how the flesh-eating crocodile drug ravaged her
body is back in jail but she looks a lot better than the last time we saw her.
NATIONAL NEWS
Watch Robin Williams Laugh It Up with Talking Gorilla Koko
 Updated August 13, 2014 at 11:38 am
Koko, who understands spoken English and expresses human emotions,
hadn’t smiled for seven months. Then she met Robin Williams.
Appeals Court Refuses Stay on Marriage Decision
 Updated August 13, 2014 at 10:52 am
Gay and lesbian couples may be able to marry Aug. 20, unless the U.S.
Supreme Court intervenes.
Former Oak Park Woman Killed at Posh Bali Resort and Stuffed into a
Suitcase
 Updated August 14, 2014 at 10:15 am
Sheila von Weise-Mack, well-known in local arts circles, was 62. Her teen
daughter and a young man are suspected of beating her to death.
God on the Go: Drive-Through Prayer Service Offered in Ivyland
 Updated August 13, 2014 at 7:20 am
St. John’s United Methodist Church, located on Almshouse Road in Ivyland, is
the newest church to introduce drive-through prayer.
Welcome To Boxtrolls Patch!
 Updated August 5, 2014 at 10:35 am
Excited for the new movie "Boxtrolls"? Take your kids on a virtual trip to the
world where the Boxtrolls live with Boxtrolls Patch!
Topics
Around Town
Arts & Entertainment
Back To School
Bulletin Board
Business
Classifieds
Going Green
Good News
Lifestyle
Obituaries
Opinion
Police & Fire
Politics
Real Estate
Schools
Small Business Voices
Sports
About Patch
Patch is a community-specific news, information and engagement network driven by passionate and
experienced media professionals. Patch is run by professional editors and salespeople. We hope
that our sites will strengthen communities and improve the lives of their residents, but we can't do it
without you. We've built Patch so that you have plenty of opportunities to comment on stories, share
your opinions and add events to the community calendar. So get to it!
Corporate Info
About Patch
Careers & Volunteering
Partnerships
Advertise
Patch for Businesses
What People Are Saying
Support
FAQs
Contact Us
About our Ads
Social

Copyright
© 2014 Patch Media. All Rights Reserved.
Patch Network
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy