In the News
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Gayle-Harris Neely Fulfills Lifelong Career Goal as New Ray School Principal
Hyde Park Herald, July 27, 2020 "As an administrator, Harris-Neely said her work with faculty thrives on support and collaboration, priding her ability to identify teachers' areas of strength as well as areas in which they need additional support. Ray is a Level 1 school, and Harris-Neely would like to achieve the Level 1+ rating. "We need to align some things," she said. "We need to make sure that we're being very transparent across the board, meaning that eighth grade (teachers) know what preschoolers are learning. Once we get that together as a team, I think we'll be fine." Click here to read the article. 
Ray School PTO Raises $5,000 for Art Programs
Hyde Park Herald, February 4, 2020 Approximately 150 parents, teachers, staff and community members attended the event held at the Promontory, enjoying and dancing to the music of “We, Unity Candle,” a cover band composed of Ray parent Nate Bakkum and his friends Dan Reinholdt, Aaron Grant, Randy Diderrich and Mason Brown. Click here to read the article. 
International Night 2019
Hyde Park Herald, October 18, 2019 Check out the recent article about Ray Warriors and the 2019 International Night. This year was a huge success as each Ray Warrior event is! Five years! Click here to read the article. 
CPS Students Look to Make History and Help the Environment WBBM NewsRadio, June 25, 2019 A group of Chicago Public School students spent one of their first days of summer break at City Hall on Tuesday. "These students have been working on a science project all year," said former Governor Pat Quinn. Read more> |
Ray Sixth-grader Competes in Citywide Spelling Bee
Hyde Park Herald, March 12, 2020 Sixth-grader Joseph Cavicchia, competed in the Chicago Spelling Bee last week at Hyde Park Academy. Joseph won our school-wide spelling bee with the word "presidential." He then had to take a vocabulary test to qualify for the Chicago Public Schools competition, along with 46 other students from around the city. We are so proud of Joseph!! Click here to read the article. 
Ray Students & the Illinois Environmental Council
Block Club Chicago, January 15, 2020 Check out the recent article about Ray Warriors and their involvement with this new ordinance!. Click here to read the article. 
Scotts Company and MLB Baseball Grant
ScottsMiracleGro, May 1, 2019 Last spring, Ray School was fortunate to be chosen as of one of just 4 organizations nationwide to receive a grant from Major League Baseball and the Scotts Company for a baseball field renovation and equipment donation. To celebrate the new field, MLB and Scotts are coming to Ray School on Tuesday 9/10 at 2:00 pm for a ribbon cutting ceremony and to run a baseball skills mini-clinic for about 50 Ray students. Check out the press release here! 
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'It doesn’t make the pain go away, but it makes it a little better': 29 years after Hyde Park girl's death, a community garden grows strong
Hyde Park Herald, April 29, 2019 Zoey Holmquist-Kuhn, 11, unearthed a slimy white slug and could not have been happier about it. “I love slugs and worms and ants and spiders and flies and butterflies and moths and caterpillars,” she told me. “I like slimy stuff and dirt.” Read more> |
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Young violinist wows with National Anthem performance at Sox game
WGN, April 15, 2019 Lance Moon, 12, juggles his love of music with his love of baseball. The 6th grader lives in the city’s Roseland neighborhood and plays on the White Sox Charities supported ACE travel team which is designed to promote youth baseball participation for African-American kids. Read more> |
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Ray Elementary 2nd Grader Takes Over as Principal for a Day
Hyde Park Herald, May 23, 2018 Second grader Cori Travis arrived at school on Tuesday morning dressed in a blazer and carrying a clipboard, ready to take on the halls of William H. Ray Elementary School, 5631 S. Kimbark Ave., as the Principal for the Day. Read more> |
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Ray Elementary hosts school's first-ever mattress fundraising event
Hyde Park Herald, May 9, 2018 Friends of Ray Parent Teacher Organization sprung into the fundraising spirit on Sunday by hosting its first community mattress sale event in partnership with "Just Get Sleep!", a for-profit group that has turned the purchase of a new mattress into a powerful fundraising vehicle and learning experience for charities, non-for-profits, and schools across Chicago. Read more> |
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International Night at Ray School
Hyde Park Herald, May 9, 2018 Click here to view page of photos from International Night. |
Former Alum Gifts $10,000 to Ray Elementary in Honor of Her Parents
Hyde Park Herald, March 13, 2018
Friends of Ray School Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) announced on March 4 that the William H. Ray School community had received a $10,000 gift from Ray graduate Mary Graham.
The gift was made to the school in honor of her parents, Betty and Bob Wissler, longtime residents of Hyde Park.
Read more>
Hyde Park Herald, March 13, 2018
Friends of Ray School Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) announced on March 4 that the William H. Ray School community had received a $10,000 gift from Ray graduate Mary Graham.
The gift was made to the school in honor of her parents, Betty and Bob Wissler, longtime residents of Hyde Park.
Read more>
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Ray Elementary Student Wins Science Fair Held at Brookfield Zoo
Hyde Park Herald, February 28, 2018 William H. Ray Elementary School student Asher Chang won first place for the 4th -6th grade category at the Chicago Zoological Society’s (CZS) Brookfield Zoo annual science fair, sponsored by BP America for his project on the “Effects of Different Types of Water on Plants.” Read more> |
Chicago Black Renaissance is Celebrated at Ray Elementary
Hyde Park Herald, February 28, 2018
Students, families, former alums, and staff at William H. Ray Elementary School, 5631 S. Kimbark Ave., celebrated Black culture and acknowledged the contributions of the Chicago Black Renaissance Movement in their annual Black History Month event on Feb. 21. Read more>
Hyde Park Herald, February 28, 2018
Students, families, former alums, and staff at William H. Ray Elementary School, 5631 S. Kimbark Ave., celebrated Black culture and acknowledged the contributions of the Chicago Black Renaissance Movement in their annual Black History Month event on Feb. 21. Read more>
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Barack Obama Tweets Uplifting Local Stories To Remind Us What Went Right In 2017
Huffpost, December 29, 2017 Former President Barack Obama took some time on Friday to reflect on the past year and tweet out some stories that “remind us what’s best about America.” Obama’s final share was the story of Jahkil Jackson, a 10-year-old on an intrepid mission to help the homeless population in Chicago. Read more> |
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Ray Elementary School Participates in Inaugural Food Summit
Hyde Park Herald, October 18, 2017
A third-grade class at Ray Elementary School, 5631 S. Kimbark Ave, this week participated in food education demonstration as a part of an inaugural Food Education Summit hosted by Pilot Light. Teacher, Chandra Garcia-Kitch led her students through a social science lesson on the importance of balance in what they eat and farming practices through the Legend of Three Sisters. Read more>
Hyde Park Herald, October 18, 2017
A third-grade class at Ray Elementary School, 5631 S. Kimbark Ave, this week participated in food education demonstration as a part of an inaugural Food Education Summit hosted by Pilot Light. Teacher, Chandra Garcia-Kitch led her students through a social science lesson on the importance of balance in what they eat and farming practices through the Legend of Three Sisters. Read more>
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10-year-old's 'blessing bags' mission earns him national acclaim
Chicago Tribune, September 27, 2017 Ten-year-old Jahkil Jackson makes sure his parents keep a stash of blessing bags — packages filled with socks, toiletries and snacks for homeless people — in the car at all times. “He yells at us if we don’t,” his mom, Natae Jackson, told me. Read more> |
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Ray Student Gets National Attention for Helping the Homeless
Hyde Park Herald, September 6, 2017 Jahkil Jackson was eight years old when he realized he wanted to do more to help those in need. After the Ray Elementary School student helped his aunt distribute food to homeless people around Chicago, he immediately wanted to do more. He started creating “Blessing Bags” filled with wipes, socks, deodorant, hand sanitizer, granola bars, toothbrushes, toothpaste, bottled water, and more and donating Read more> |
Nine-year-old Jahkil Jackson gives a ÒBlessing BagÓ to a Chicago man during one of his street giving events. – Photo courtesy of the Jackson family
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Ray Teachers Participate in Golden Apple STEM Institute at U of C
Hyde Park Herald, July 26, 2017 Teachers at Ray Elementary School, were among teachers from public and private high schools across the state that participated in a Golden Apple STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) Institute at the University of Chicago’s Biological Sciences Learning Center, 924 E. 57th St., on Wednesday, July 19. Read more> |
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CPS Administrators Concerned About New Year with Budget Crisis
CBS Chicago, June 20, 2017 CPS closes the book on an eventful school year. And although their summer vacation is only a few hours old, teachers and administrators are already feeling anxious about next year. Read more> |
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Ray Elementary School to Host Annual Walk-A-Thon
Hyde Park Herald, May 17, 2017 Ray Elementary School will host its second annual walk-a-thon on Friday, May 19. The fundraiser, in which Ray students walk, skip, or run on a designated path outside the school will help to support new recess equipment and maintain its partnership with the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club. Read more> |
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Local Schools Fought to Keep Staff and Programs
Hyde Park Herald, December 28, 2016 Ray Elementary School, 5631 S. Kimbark Ave., held their first Walk-a-Thon on May 20 to raise money for school supplies and programs. Read more> |
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Art Programs Still Thriving At Local Schools
Hyde Park Herald, December 20, 2016 Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has been hit hard with multiple cuts this year, but according to a new report by the nonprofit arts advocacy group, Ingenuity, CPS students have seen an increase in access to arts education programming. Read more> |
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Ray Advances in Book Competition
Hyde Park Herald, April 27, 2016 Students at Ray Elementary School, 5361 S. Kimbark Ave., are advancing to the citywide final competition of Battle of the Books on May 7. Read more> |
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CPS Teachers Raising the Bar
CPS' Inside CPS, March 17, 2016 We talk a lot at CPS about setting high expectations for our students; about encouraging them to work harder and reach higher to realize their full potential. It’s exciting, then, to see our teachers following that same advice. Read more> |
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Eastman Egg Food Truck Brings More Than Eggs To Hyde Park Students
DNAinfo, February 11, 2016 The area around the University of Chicago is a regular stop for the Eastman Egg Company food truck, but not because of the eager lunch crowd. View online> |
Photo by Janet Rausa Fuller
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Jane Averill Remembered as a Passionate Teacher
Hyde Park Herald, December 16, 2015 Hyde Park lost a long-time community member and passionate teacher Monday Dec. 7. Jane Averill passed away after her battle with cancer. Averill was a pre-K teacher at Ray Elementary School, 5631 S. Kimbark Ave., from 2001 until April of this year when she retired. Inside her classroom, room 413, she is remembered as a caring teacher. Read more> |
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Week in Photos
Hyde Park Herald, September 9, 2015 LaWanda May, PTA president at Ray Elementary School serves ice cream to Donna Ridge and her sons, August 31st, during the Ray School ice cream social. View online> |
Photo by Owen M. Lawson III
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Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune
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First Day of School - Chicago Tribune Photography
The Chicago Tribune, September 8, 2015 Children head back to Chicago Public Schools on Tuesday, September 8, 2015. Click here to view full photo album. |
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Local Youth Get Tech Savvy at Artfice: Graduate Students Bring Technology to Neighborhood through Nonprofit Center
The University of Chicago, August 18, 2015 Pete Dahlberg stands before a classroom of eager elementary school students. He’s poured liquid nitrogen into a deep steel pot, and the resulting steamy vapor makes this PhD student in Biophysical Sciences appear a wizard wielding a magic brew. Read more> |
James Crooks teaches Shipharh Carney a new computer skill at Artifice. (photo by Jean Lachat)
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Photo by Owen M. Lawson III
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Ray School Garden
Hyde Park Herald Thanks to the University of Chicago (esp its landscape architects Kathleen Golomb and Richard Bumstead), SECC and Brickman Group, the south side of Ray School along 57th Street received a landscape overhaul. The Hyde Park Herald posted pictures of the new Ray School Garden. See the pictures> Read article> |
University's Athletes Give Back to Surrounding Community
The Chicago Maroon, April 13, 2015
The Men's Athlete Association, the Order of the C, partnered with Ray Elementary School to bring free after school sports training program to young students. Read more>
The Chicago Maroon, April 13, 2015
The Men's Athlete Association, the Order of the C, partnered with Ray Elementary School to bring free after school sports training program to young students. Read more>
Ray Elementary Students Number One in Chess League
The Hyde Park Herald, February 4, 2015
The Ray Elementary School Chess Club won first place in its section in the Chicago Scholastic Chess League Renaissance Knights Competition. Read more>
The Hyde Park Herald, February 4, 2015
The Ray Elementary School Chess Club won first place in its section in the Chicago Scholastic Chess League Renaissance Knights Competition. Read more>
