IPA Participates in the Principal For A Day Program

On October 27, 2005, IPA participated in the annual ‘Chicago Principal for a Day’ program at Schneider Elementary School.

IPA representative and Corporate Attorney Brian Rubenstein joined hundreds of business and civic leaders, along with several celebrities from the entertainment world, to visit Chicago’s public schools as a part of Mayor Richard M. Daley’s Principal for a Day program.

During the morning, 1700 corporate, community and civic leaders across the city of Chicago served as PFADs in 600 Chicago Public Schools. In the afternoon, Mayor Richard M. Daley hosted a luncheon at the Chicago Hilton and Towers for all the participants and principals.

PFADs are assigned to a school and receive a packet of information. The activities at each school include opportunities to talk with faculty, shadow the principal, and/or work with a few students in reading or math or another subject. Participants are also encouraged to speak with a class or a larger group of students regarding work and the activities that most engage your time. Other activities include the following: meet with your principal to brainstorm how you and your business can stay involved in the school; meet with school staff and LSC members; deliver morning announcements over the P.A.; tour the school; visit classrooms and participate in class discussions; watch a student performance or presentation; read books to students; bring vocabulary words that relate to your occupation; and speak at an assembly regarding career paths.

The goal of Principal for a Day is that all PFADs will continue to engage themselves, their companies, organizations or associations in continued involvement and support throughout the year at their school. In addition to the lasting partnerships that have been built between schools and city organizations through the program, students at several schools have an opportunity to meet celebrities and hear inspirational speakers.

Mayor Daley began Principal for a Day in 1998 in an effort to encourage the civic and corporate community of the Chicago area to adopt and support individual schools by doing such things as sponsoring book clubs, organizing field trips, supplying computers, building science labs and awarding college scholarships. Many organizations and individuals have established long-term partnerships with schools that stem from Principal for a Day. Since it’s establishment, the number of Principal for a Day participants has grown from 677 to more than 1,600 this year. Chicago Public Schools is the third-largest school district in the nation. It includes more than 600 schools and serves about 425,900 students.