Whole Child Initiative - KIPP Chicago Public Schools

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Our approach to achieving food security for our students and families is to offer food pantries at each KIPP campus and to continue exploring partnerships with healthy food providers. Read Articles
Two key initiatives to promote identity development are The McNair Leadership Fellowship, designed to support a cohort of Leaders of Color to thrive in management roles, and the increase of positive identity affirming imagery at each school. Read Articles
We are embracing an inclusive and challenging curriculum with the expansion of a regional Social Justice Fair, the development of a Critical Race History course, and the adoption of a new LGBTQ Inclusion Curriculum. We are also prioritizing meaningful writing curricula that equips our students to harness the art of storytelling. Read Articles
We are enhancing staff holistic wellbeing by providing free wellness workshops at the CMASJ, free financial advising, identifying a variety of discounted health and wellness partners and conducting mindfulness training to benefit overall classroom experience. Read Articles
We are excited to launch programs to deepen our partnerships with KIPP Chicago families and the communities where we teach. A cohort of parents will pursue their High School diplomas, our Children’s Museum of Art and Social Justice (CMASJ) will host a series of parent specific workshops, and we will continue to expand our community partnerships. Read Articles
Social and Emotional Learning will be integrated through mindfulness pilots, the hiring of a Director of Wellbeing and Family Engagement at each campus, and the inclusion of a framework and toolkit from the Yale Institute’s Ruler program. Read Articles
Our Children’s Museum of Art and Social Justice will continue to collaborate with all art classrooms and after school art programs across KIPP Chicago to create four social justice themed art shows per school year. The CMASJ also manages each school’s Passion Project, which provides opportunities for students to engage in the visual arts, music, dance, theater, and sports. Read Articles

What is the Whole Child Initiative?

The Whole Child Initiative (WCI) is KIPP Chicago’s next iteration of growth in becoming an anti-racist organization. This approach embraces a whole child ethos, which focuses on engaging and supporting teachers’ wellness, parent wellbeing and holistic student success. Through the launch of the WCI, KIPP’s goal is to remove all barriers to student success and matriculation. We are aligned in the belief that when you put the holistic needs of the child center, they will succeed.

The seven Whole Child priorities integrate social and emotional practices that work in synergy to offer students the tools for relentless pursuit of happiness and a life of choice.

Whole Child Review Issues

The Whole Child Review is a quarterly publication that celebrates and elevates the impact of the Whole Child Initiative on our 8 campuses and the broader community.