Good morning, Evanston.
District 65 Evanston announced the hiring of three new principals for Dewey, Washington, and Willard Elementary Schools and an assistant principal for Dawes Elementary School. The four school leaders, who were unanimously approved by the School Board on May 17, will begin their new roles on July 1.
District 65 Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton welcomed the four new hires at the May 17 Board meeting. “These are truly an inspiring group of individuals, and I am grateful that they are joining our District 65 community,” Dr. Horton said. “All of these individuals have in common a student-centered approach, a commitment to racial and educational equity, and honoring and building upon the unique strengths of every student.”
To fill a major gap in summer programs for youths 13 to 18, City Council approved a proposal to offer some Evanston youth structured alternatives to “just hanging out.”
The program, “My City, Your City, Our City,” developed by Health and Human Services Director Ike Ogbo, targets young people for community building and anti-violence projects. Mr. Ogbo said the program will provide summer activities for youth suffering emotional and psychological stress from social isolation and other factors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The cost of the program, $200,000, will be covered by the $196,496 remaining in the $1.5 million the City of Evanston received from the CARES Act.
Elsewhere on the RoundTable Website
COVID-19 Update on May 18: Three New Cases in Evanston, 1,495 in the State. The City of Evanston is reporting that as of May 17th, 12,172 Evanston residents 65 or over have had one dose of a vaccine to prevent COVID-19, and 11,107 are fully vaccinated; and 51,210 residents 12 and over have had one dose of a vaccine and 40,833 are fully vaccinated.
David Chack Discusses Leonard Bernstein with Levy Lecture Crowd.
David Chack, an adjunct professor of Jewish and Holocaust Theatre at DePaul University, linked Mr. Bernstein’s Jewish upbringing with his desire to “to make the world a better place” culminating in the music for “West Side Story.”
Help for Evanston Landlords affected by COVID-19. The City of Evanston is encouraging landlords with tenants behind on rental payments to apply for relief. The Landlord Illinois Rental Payment Program will pay up to 12 months of missed rent payments and up to three months of future rent payments made directly to the landlord up to a maximum amount of $25,000.
Office of Sustainability Leadership Transition. The City of Evanston is looking for a Sustainability and Resilience Coordinator to lead implementation of the Climate Action and Resilience Plan following the pending departure of Kumar Jensen at the end of the summer. The position description, salary range, and qualifications can be found on the City of Evanston Human Resources webpage.
COVID-19 by the numbers: We are checking in with many sources to keep you updated on COVID-19 cases and vaccine information.
- Only three new cases were reported yesterday in Evanston; the seven-day average is four.
- The number of cases per 100,000 population over the past seven days is 39 in Evanston and 77 in Illinois.
- Our City’s seven-day positive test rate is 0.7% and in Illinois is 2.0%.
- Some 4.8 million or 37.9% of total Illinois residents are fully vaccinated.
Evanston Vax Facts: According to City figures, 79% of Evanston residents 12 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 63% of residents 12 and older are fully vaccinated. Nearly 100% of residents 65 and older have received at least one dose and 96% are fully vaccinated. More details are available on the City’s Vaccine Dashboard.
City of Evanston Vaccination Event on May 21: The City of Evanston will host a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Blomquist Recreation Center, 617 Foster St., from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on May 21. Registration is now available at cityofevanston.org/vaccine.
ETHS/District 65 Vaccination Event on May 22: Evanston Township High School and School District 65 have partnered with Walgreens to host a COVID-19 vaccination event at the ETHS Fieldhouse, 1600 Dodge Ave., from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 22. Registration is now available at jotform.com/form/211334240722038.
Around the Web
- Lakefill beavers unite Evanston residents on their daily pandemic walks. In the past year, Evanston residents have gathered on the lakefill at Northwestern University to visit a beaver colony that lives on its shore. The beavers can be seen in the early morning and at dusk.
- Teach About Inequality With These 28 New York Times Graphs. Graphs about income, education, health care, and the pandemic can help students think critically about stubborn and growing inequalities in American society.
- For some Navy pilots, UFO sightings were an ordinary event: ‘Every day for at least a couple years’. A report by the U.S. Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense detailing government knowledge about UFOs, slated to be released in mid-June, may shed some light on pilot sightings.
To support the work we do and continue to make the RoundTable free for all, please join our community of engaged citizens and become a member today. Your donation is tax-deductible.
Like what you’re reading? Share it!
If you appreciate the RoundTable newsletter, please forward it to friends and suggest that they sign up!