The Family Matters School, now in its second year, is a Kindergarten–second grade cooperative microschool that encourages children to follow their curiosity and to build relationships with their community.
We believe that the goal of education is to fuel the innate desire to learn by offering engaging, cooperative, and culturally responsive learning experiences. This approach equips youth to view the world as a place of opportunity where change is possible. Through a deep commitment to social-emotional support, The Family Matters School invites children to become courageous learners who understand that, by trying new things and making mistakes, they continue to grow. The Family Matters School children develop the skills for academic achievement as endorsed by the Illinois State Board of Education. The academic calendar is aligned with the Chicago Public Schools calendar and meets daily from 8:15 a.m.–3:15 p.m.
A $50 donation can supply materials for our science inquiries this fall.
A $100 donation can help us purchase a heater to extend our outdoor classroom time.
The Family Matters School infuses the day with read-alouds from a variety of materials. We create space for a mix of independent work and one-to-one adult/youth work focusing on individual needs. Mathematical thinking each day is a real-world opportunity for the youth to solve problems. Inquiry time allows the class to explore more deeply larger topics of interest. where youth develop hypotheses and then use research and experimentation to discover whether or how their theories bear out. The learning week is rounded out by arts explorations in movement, visual art, music, and drama guided by artist-facilitators from the community and local universities.
