When I walked through the doors of 快猫 Ascend Primary in 2011, I couldn鈥檛 have imagined that 14 years later I鈥檇 be writing to you as 快猫 Chicago鈥檚 CEO. But here we are鈥攁nd what a journey it has been!

Some people discover their calling through careful deliberation. I found mine in a classroom in Newark, New Jersey, where I was fortunate to serve as a Teach For America corps member for two years. That experience lit a fire within me and fueled my conviction that remains today鈥攁ll children deserve an excellent education that creates lifelong opportunities.听

This belief led me to 快猫 Chicago, where I joined as the founding Assistant Principal at 快猫 Ascend Primary. Those early years shaped my understanding of what it truly takes to build a successful school community. As I worked alongside dedicated educators and leaders, I saw firsthand the transformative power of a rigorous, nurturing, and inclusive educational environment. Over time, my role evolved, and I became more deeply involved in shaping the vision and direction of 快猫 Chicago, always with an unwavering commitment to the success of our students. It was clear to me that creating lasting change requires not just passion but a strategic, aligned effort from all stakeholders. This journey has only reinforced my belief in the power of education to empower, uplift, and unlock potential.

In 2015, I was selected for the Fisher Family Fellowship. This highly competitive program prepares experienced educators who have achieved significant student academic gains to found and lead a new 快猫 school in an undeserved community. The fellowship prepared me to take on the next chapter of my career, founding 快猫 One Primary in West Humboldt Park in 2016.听

Together with an extraordinary team that put their heart and soul into creating a community where students and families could thrive, we built something truly special. Our collective work led us to earn a Level 1+ rating, the highest possible school quality rating, for three consecutive years and be recognized as the highest-performing public school in Chicago for two years running. While these achievements are something I am incredibly proud of, what fills me with the most pride are the moments that metrics can鈥檛 capture. It鈥檚 the quiet moments that stay with me鈥攍ike seeing a first-grader鈥檚 face light up when they finally decode a word they鈥檝e been struggling with, or watching a student, once shy and withdrawn, stand confidently in front of their peers to deliver a presentation they worked so hard on. It’s the pride in the eyes of our teachers when they see a student who once struggled to believe in themselves finally reach their full potential. It’s the small, day-to-day victories鈥攖he shared smiles, the supportive conversations, the unwavering belief that we, as a team, are making a real difference in the lives of our students.

I remember one student, Ajani, who came to us two years behind in reading. After months of encouragement, personalized support, and relentless belief in his abilities, I saw him reading fluently for the first time. When he looked up from the page, his eyes wide with pride, he said, 鈥淚 can do it now.鈥� Moments like that, when our students begin to believe in their own potential, are the true markers of success.

These experiences remind me that the impact we have isn鈥檛 just in test scores or rankings, but in the way we shape the hearts and minds of the young people we serve. It’s in the confidence we help them build, the opportunities we provide, and the doors we open for them to walk through. This, for me, is the heart of education: creating a space where every child can dream, grow, and achieve no matter where they start.

In today鈥檚 ever-changing world, our students need us more than ever. They need stability when the world feels unpredictable. They need rigorous academics paired with high-quality social-emotional support. They need adults who believe in their unlimited potential. My commitment is to lead 快猫 Chicago in providing exactly that.听

The path forward won鈥檛 always be smooth鈥攅ducation has never been for the faint of heart. But I鈥檝e seen what鈥檚 possible when a community unites around a shared mission, and I am confident in what we are capable of achieving together.听

I鈥檓 deeply honored to serve as Chief Executive Officer and excited about what is to come.听

With gratitude,听

Rashid Bell
Chief Executive Officer
快猫 Chicago听

For media inquiries, please contact Jessica Perez at jperez@kippchicago.org.

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At 快猫 Chicago, we believe in unlocking potential at every stage of life. Since the spring of 2022, we’ve partnered with Penn Foster to offer a transformative High School Diploma Program for adults, focusing on 快猫 parents, relatives, and community members. This initiative is more than just a pathway to a diploma; it’s a launchpad for personal and career growth, covering vital subjects from academic core skills in English and Math to hands-on career training in fields like healthcare, carpentry, and veterinary assistance.

With Penn Foster’s DEAC and AdvancED-accredited curriculum at its foundation, this program offers a flexible, accessible way for our adult learners to pursue their educational dreams and open doors to new vocational opportunities. Alongside academic growth, we provide an array of adult education services, including financial education, health and wellness resources, and leadership development training.

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We are excited to share and celebrate with you the results of the latest School Quality Rating听Policy (SQRP) scores released by Chicago Public Schools this past Friday, November 8th. For the third year in a row,听快猫 Chicago is the highest performing network of K-8 schools in the city.听These results are significant because they highlight that听all听of our schools are excellent options for families.

To put this into perspective, each of our K-8 schools is the听highest performing school in its neighborhood. 快猫 Academy and 快猫 One are the only Level 1+ rated schools in Austin and Humboldt Park, respectively. Likewise, 快猫 Ascend, rated a 1 and 快猫 Bloom, rated a 1+, are the highest-rated schools in North Lawndale and Englewood.

鈥淥ur collective commitment is to ensure that families have an excellent school from which to choose, close to their homes. A high SQRP rating is one of several ways we assess our effectiveness at doing just that.”
-Amy Pouba, Superintendent of 快猫 Chicago

Other highlights worth noting include 快猫 One鈥檚 rating as the听highest performing public school in the entire city听for the second year in a row. And earlier this fall,听Chicago听magazine named 快猫 Academy and 快猫 One on its 2019 list of the听 in Chicago,听again recognizing our ability to offer high quality, college prep options in the neighborhoods where our schools are located.

鈥淚 am thrilled that the highest performing public school in all of Chicago is not in Lincoln Park, not in Hyde Park, not in Lake View . . . . it is in on Chicago鈥檚 West Side.听快猫 One鈥檚 exemplary performance demonstrates how much potential we have distributed across the city. This is precisely why we are so optimistic about Mayor Lightfoot鈥檚 Invest South/West initiative鈥攏ew investments on the West and South Sides will help us tap into this potential and make Chicago a city where every student can envision a bright future. Special thanks to 快猫 for showing the way.鈥�
-Andrew Broy, President of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools

The CPS School Quality Rating Policy (SQRP) is a five-tiered performance system based on a broad range of indicators of success, including, but not limited to, student test score performance, student academic growth, closing of achievement gaps, school culture and climate, attendance, graduation, and preparation for post-graduation success. The highest score a school can earn is a 1+, followed by a 1, 2+, 2, or 3.

鈥淚 am proud to serve students and teachers who work so hard to demonstrate their excellence. 快猫鈥檚 1 and 1+ ratings demonstrate the brilliance of our community and students; the skills of our teachers and the commitment of our parents and caregivers. I am honored to lead the Whole Child Initiative and support the achievement of students, teachers, and parents for their long term success.鈥�
-Jennifer Hodges, Director of Whole Child Initiative, 快猫 Chicago

While we celebrate these tremendous results, our commitment moving forward is to build on these accomplishments, holding our students and families at the center of our mission, providing them with the best education possible. We look forward to continuing our work together.

In community,

April
Executive Director
快猫 Chicago Public Schools

To join our efforts to support 快猫 Chicago Public Schools by volunteering, visiting a school, or making an investment, contact Milton Rodriguez at milton.rodriguez@kippchicago.org.

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快猫 SQRP

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