Let’s FACE It Together

Welcome to Let's Face It Together, the podcast from the FACE team at Chicago Public Schools! Host Sarahi Garcia sits down with Danielle Holtz, Program Director for Citywide Student Art Programs, to explore the district's legacy All City Performing Arts (ACPA) program.
Running since 1963, ACPA offers free Saturday ensembles in music, dance, and theater for elementary through high school students across Chicago. Danielle shares how the program builds artistic skills and community, plus details on a new 5-year partnership with Lollapalooza (C3 Presents) that fully funds ensemble supplies and launches a CPS instrument lending library.
Tune in for details on the August 7th application launch!

Think Pre-K is just playtime and naps? Think again!
Welcome to the Season 2 premiere of Let's Face It Together, the podcast from the FACE team at Chicago Public Schools! Today, host Sarahi Garcia is live from the CPS Coleman Office Building sitting down with Early Childhood Education Chief, Leslie McKinily.
 
Chief McKinily shares her "why" as both a mother and an educator, opening up about the emotional transition of sending her own child to school and busting the common misconception that early childhood education is just "daycare." Whether your child is discovering that a crayon isn't just pink—it's magenta—or learning how to regulate their emotions, this episode highlights exactly why those first eight years are critical for setting a lifelong foundation.
 
We also cover everything you need to know about navigating the upcoming 2027-2028 school year Pre-K registration process!

#LSC #BuildingCommunity Listen for a conversation between OLSCR Asst. Director Myra Winding and Carroll-Rosenwald Elementary School Principal Juwana Wells about Principal Wells's creative strategies for building community, filling LSC vacancies, and leading between two campuses. 

#TitleI #PAC #PBG This episode features Chicago Public Schools Title I Manager Chron Cross in conversation with Parent Board of Governors (PBG) Chair Jacoby Warren. They discuss Warren's long commitment to being involved in her children's education and the work she did last school year to ensure her school's Parent Advisory Council (PAC) spent over 99% of their Title I funds. 

#CAC #CommunityPartners Community Action Council (CAC) Specialist for Chicago Public Schools Carl Hurdlik hosts North Lawndale CAC Co-Chairs Dr. Betty Green and Dr. Leonard Moore discussing the new STEAM partnership between three North Lawndale neighborhood schools and their persistence in seeing the project realized. 

#TitleI #PBG #PAC CPS Title I Manager Chron Cross interviews the Title I Parent Board of Governors Secretary Venezia Gonzalez-Sarmiento. They discuss Venezia's involvement in her daughter's education, her CPS experience as a parent, and her time serving on the PBG.
 

#CommunityEngagement Chicago Public Schools' Kyrah Davis disccuses the Black Student Success Plan process with Title I Parent Board of Governors co-chair Monica Jones. 

#SafeHaven #CommunityPartners Jessica Quigley, Site Director at New Life Centers Humboldt Park, joins CPS Faith Based Initiatives Community Coordinator, Cameron Barnes to discuss the partnership that is the Safe Haven program, bringing out-of-school enrichment to Chicago's kids. 

#CommunityEngagement Norma Seledon leads a conversation with two CPS fathers, Maurice Miles and Felipe Perez, about male parent engagement in education.