We are Leah Neubauer, Dominica McBride and Anthony Heard of the Chicagoland Evaluation Association. Welcome to the Local Arrangements Working Group (LAWG) week. We look forward to Evaluation 2015 in the Windy City.
In the Exemplary Evaluation conference year, our opening Chicago week offers issues relevant to our evaluation practice, environment, and policy. Today’s post notes 2015 Chicago happenings and themes for this week address Chicago people, politics, culturally responsive assessment, and evaluator learning. As CEA President and LAWG co-chair, I’m excited for our posts.
Hot Tip: What’s Important to Know about Chicago?
This is a great question with unlimited, potentially conflicting answers. Many might go on about sports, politics, corruption, weather, or traffic. Chicago celebrates and critiques. For many of us urban-entrenched evaluators, our Chicago-evaluation landscape demands a knowledge base that: 1) respects and challenges history, 2) keeps timely with rapidly changing, current/controversial events, and 3) ensures just implications for our city.
One way to get “Chicago-ready” is to digest some news. A short highlight reel is shared below. This is not an exhaustive or representative 2015 list. It’s designed to be both serious and light-hearted. Ultimately, we hope that you find it aligned with the celebratory and critical nature of Chicago updates.
- The 2015 year started quite cold for the Midwest. January saw many days of Chicagoans and school policy-makers debate the merits of weather-related school closings and Governor Bruce Rauner, the first Republican Illinois governor in 12 years, took office.
- February marked the 5th largest snow in Chicago history.
- Freezing weather continued into March with the15th Annual Polar Plunge attended by locals, tourists, and celebrities. The annual event raised 1.2 million dollars for Special Olympics.
- Enough weather updates, right?
- April saw Chicago’s first ever mayoral run-off election between Jesús G. “Chuy” García and Rahm Emmanuel. Emmanuel won. Weeks later, thousands joined for the nationwide “Fight for $15” demonstrations.
- In May, the great King and Blues Legend B. King was honored, Chicago was selected for President Obama’s Library , and the Chicago Public Schools CEO resigned in the wake of a federal probe.
- June marked the Chicago Blackhawks securing The Stanley Cup , the 46th Annual Chicago Pride Parade, and the 20th anniversary of the Paseo Boricua Flags.
- And this weekend, fans gather for the Grateful Dead’s “Fare Thee Well” 50th anniversary at Soldier Field or head to Jackson Park for the Annual Chosen Few Old School Reunion Picnic.
Hot Tip: What to Visit When You Come to Chicago.
In addition to remaining Chicago news-updated, there are many other Chicago things to plan for. Check out events and museums . Be on the AEA lookout for the local guide!
We’re looking forward to November and the Evaluation 2015 annual conference all this week with our colleagues in the Local Arrangements Working Group (LAWG). Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this aea365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the aea365 webpage so that we may enrich our community of practice. Would you like to contribute to aea365? Review the contribution guidelines and send your draft post to aea365@eval.org.
Never in my life did I imagine that I would see a reference to the Grateful Dead in an AEA365 post – but you guys managed it! Disappointed to miss their concert but AEA2015 will be a decent second option.
Looking forward to more hangin’ out Leah!
Kylie
Great post. I’m really looking forward to coming north to my “second city” for the conference in November.