August 22, 2013

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CEO of Chicago Public Schools Barbara Byrd-Bennett Attend Ribbon Cutting of the New Crane High School and Medical Prepatory High School

Program Puts Students on Path to In Demand Jobs in the Medical Profession

Mayor's Press Office    312.744.3334

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CEO of Chicago Public Schools Barbara Byrd-Bennett attended a ribbon cutting of the new Crane High School and Medical Preparatory HS.  This school was slated for closure in 2011, but the Board of Education worked with the community to instead bring a health care focused career program to the school to align a rigorous curriculum with an in demand job field as well as the neighboring Malcolm X College.

“By linking Crane High School to associate’s degree programs at Malcolm X, students now have a seamless track from high school, to college, to career,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. “As a result, not only will our students be prepared for their futures; Chicago’s workforce will be ready to meet the demand for the 43,000 new health-care jobs, including 15,000 nursing positions, which will be created in the Chicago area over the next decade.”

Richard T. Crane (RTC) Medical Preparatory High School is a magnet high school committed to offering a full and articulated college preparatory curriculum and rigorous career coursework focused on the health sciences to students across the city. RTC Medical Preparatory High School offers students interested in science and health careers an alternative to the traditional high school experience, and students will benefit from a diverse environment dedicated to providing students with essential skills for the 21st century workplace.

“By partnering with Malcolm X College and partners in our city’s vibrant, diverse health sciences sector, CPS and Crane are preparing the next generation of scientific minds for the competencies and skills required by quality, high-paying, in-demand jobs of today and tomorrow,” CEO Byrd-Bennett. “What CPS students learn in Crane’s new classrooms and labs will not only prepare them for success in college and careers, it will lead to new understandings to treat and cure diseases and new developments that improve the health and quality of life of people around the world.” 

RTC's college preparatory curriculum, which includes a rigorous science and mathematics sequence and competitive dual enrollment and Advanced Placement courses, arm students with an essential academic foundation.  Students will have the opportunity to participate in an innovative four-year health sciences program, which will provide students with practical learning experiences under the supervision and guidance of health professionals in the classroom and through the Illinois Medical District.

Other highlights of the program include:

  • College preparatory curriculum with a focus on medical careers. Students will begin medical courses in the freshman year and earn certifications in the medical field.
  • Partnerships with colleges, universities and hospitals in the Illinois Medical District.
  • Internships & Preceptorships. Students will have the opportunity to shadow professionals in the medical field during the junior and senior year.

The new Crane High School is an additional step Mayor Emanuel and CPS are taking to ensure that families have access to high-quality education options for their children throughout the city such as offering 5,000 additional seats over the next three years in early education centers, a full day of kindergarten for all CPS students, and more access to rigorous courses such as IB or STEM that are aligned with the job market to prepare our students for college and a career.  Last school year was CPS’s highest year for graduation rates and for college scholarships awarded.

 

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