Calling All Elementary School Parents

Help us keep Senn Arts for future students!

Senn Arts parents, students, and community members successfully got all current students "grandfathered" into the full arts program, but future students will not have the same opportunities. Unless CPS makes Senn Arts an "approved program of study" to automatically qualify for PE and Computer Science waivers, future Senn Arts students face program cuts.

We are urging the parents of elementary students to write to CPS to keep the full Senn Arts Program, with two dedicated arts classes per day, so that it can be an option for their children.

High school selection is hard enough.

Let's keep this wonderful program going!

If more of us reach out to CPS, we have a better chance of being heard.

You can use this form to send a letter to several key leaders within CPS.

Once you fill in your information and click "start writing" you will see a template letter that you can personalize, or send as is.

About Senn Arts:
The Senn Arts curriculum is an intensive study program designed to nurture and challenge students of varying arts backgrounds, from beginner to advanced, and help them develop professional skills that will continue to serve them no matter what career path they choose. Here are some of the benefits:

• The intensive Senn Arts curriculum is designed for students who may have a passion for their art, but not necessarily a lot of in-depth prior arts experience. The audition / portfolio process focuses on passion and dedication and teachers take the time to get to know prospective students, teach them about the program, and find out about their passion and goals. The two daily classes and professional partnerships are designed to take students from novice to college ready in four years. Other than ChiArts, we offer more arts curriculum than any other CPS high school.

• Senn arts classes are taught by certified CPS teachers who are not only masters of their craft, but also experts in arts education. Teachers work directly with students to plan and achieve postsecondary and career goals.

• Senn Art’s professional partnerships, which include prestigious organizations like Raven Theater, Lookingglass Theater, Joffery Ballet, Gus Giordano Dance, DePaul Community Music, Lyric Opera, Jazz Institute of Chicago, Joel Hall Dance Center, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Goodman Theater, Steppenwolf Theater, Writer Theater, Porchlight Theater, Museum of Contemporary Art, and Loyola University (Ralph Arnold Gallery), provide hands-on, real world experience that directly translates into college readiness and career success.

• Senn Arts students have access to higher level IB and AP coursework, both in the arts and core subjects like math and science. Many higher level classes, such as IB Physics and IB Biology are two year sequences that are only accessible to arts students because of the PE and CS waivers.

• Senn arts students are routinely accepted into competitive colleges such as NYU, Pratt, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, and SAIC. Additionally, Senn has direct relationships with Loyola and UIC. Students get to visit both campuses as part of their curriculum.

• Senn Arts students are able to win competitive arts scholarships. The Class of 2024 received over a million dollars in arts scholarships.

If you have questions about Senn Arts or would like to get more involved in our efforts to preserve this wonderful program for future generations, please reach out to us as strongersenn.org.