Weekly update on CPS closings' transition

CPS has been conducting weekly updates on the transition process for the 48 schools it closed in June and its plans to help kids safely make it to their new schools through its “Safe Passage” program.

Here’s the breakdown from this morning’s briefing by CPS, the Public Building Commission, Department of Buildings, Streets and Sanitation and the Department of Transportation:

• CPS says 90 percent of kids whose schools closed are reenrolled in CPS. Some 80 percent have signed up to attend the designated receiving schools.
• Some 245 community members have been hired to help CPS move furniture, textbooks and technology from closed schools to receiving schools: 50,000 textbooks, 12,000 workbooks, 6,100 pieces of technology, and more than 43,000 pieces of furniture.
• 28 of the receiving schools already have stuff moved in, so community workers have begun setting up classrooms in time for the Aug. 26 first day of class
• Safe Passage workers are still being hired; CPS aims to have 600 new workers in place through 19 community-based organizations. Almost 2,500 people have applied to become Safe Passage workers.
• More than 200 events have been planned for students at closing and receiving schools to meet, with more planned school by school in the coming weeks
• The Public Building Commission has construction projects going at all 98 schools, reporting its overall progress at 80 percent complete. Plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and painting work is about 75 percent done.
• The 2,400 air conditioners, going in at about two schools per day, should be installed by Aug. 12.
• New windows have been installed at 40 of the 72 schools receiving them
• Some 1,100 of 1,600 new wireless data ports have been installed at the receiving schools too.
• The Department of Buildings has already investigated 1,107 complaints of vacant buildings in the Safe Passage zones and is working on 52 new complaints. Four buildings are being demolished: 10731 S. Wentworth, 10550 S. State, 5947 S. May and 6142 S. May.
• Along the proposed Safe Passage routes, the Department of Streets and Sanitation has dealt with 400 abandoned vehicle complaints, removed 1,900 instances of graffiti, trimmed 3,200 trees, mowed 6,100 lots and “completed more than 4,400 rodent abatements.”
• The Chicago Department of Transportation has installed Safe Passage signs at 32 schools and completed crosswalks at 37 schools.