Excel Roseland Outlines Student Success at State of the School Address

Excel Academy of Roseland recently hosted its annual State of the School Address, sharing how the school is helping students make progress toward graduation while strengthening its connection with families. School leaders also provided an update on the campus’s Chicago Public Schools renewal process.

As an Options school, Excel Academy provides an alternative pathway to graduation for students who may not have found success in a traditional school setting. Students arrive at Roseland with different experiences and needs, but the goal is the same: earning a high school diploma.

Accelerated Learning Creates New Paths to Graduation

Much of this year’s address focused on the school’s accelerated learning model, which helps students earn credits and make progress toward graduation at a pace that reflects their individual needs. For some, that means discovering they may be closer to a diploma than they realized.

“A huge part of our focus this year has been our accelerated model and helping students understand the opportunity that comes with it,” said Ashanti Brooks, senior program manager at Chicago Excel Academy. “For some students, change is difficult at first. They are entering a new school, learning new expectations and building new relationships. They may also need to change habits that haven’t worked for them in the past. We are seeing our students accept that change and really begin to understand that they have an opportunity to accelerate their graduation path.”

School Culture and Relationships Take Center Stage

The State of the School Address also gave families and members of the CPS renewal team a closer look at Roseland’s school culture. CPS representatives attended the presentation and saw the relationships between staff, students and families firsthand.

“Relationships are a huge part of who we are at Roseland,” Brooks said. “We want our students to know that they are seen, supported and held accountable. We meet our students where they are, but we don’t leave them there.”

For Brooks, the response from the renewal team reinforced what staff work to build every day.

“Their response to our families and the overall culture was something we were extremely proud of because that is genuinely Roseland,” Brooks said. “It wasn’t something we put together because CPS was in the building. Those relationships are built throughout the year.”

Supporting Students Beyond the Classroom

Roseland pairs its academic model with additional supports based on student needs. Programs such as GRITX and CharacterStrong complement behavioral health services, attendance interventions and the school’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports.

Staff also conduct regular rigor walks to monitor classroom instruction and identify opportunities for improvement. Together, these supports help create an environment where students can continue building academic momentum while addressing barriers that may have affected their progress in the past.

Looking Ahead Through the CPS Renewal Process

As Roseland moves through the CPS renewal process, school leaders are looking at student outcomes alongside what they see happening in classrooms and throughout the school community.

“I think the biggest story about Roseland right now is growth and the opportunities our students have here,” Brooks said. “They are learning to accept change, and we are seeing what can happen when they begin to believe that earning their diploma is still possible.”