Dear Molly,

This year we are deeply focused on providing more for our students – from our Community Hub model, to refreshing our innovative academic model with a reimagined mission, and the launch of our next strategic plan – we are bringing our vision of what is possible to life. We have much to celebrate this quarter, and we’re excited to share a few updates with you in this month’s newsletter.

DISTINCTIVE GROWTH: We are excited about our partnership with LEAP Innovations to launch a new joint venture initiative aimed at promoting personalized learning and problem-solving among teachers and leaders! This partnership will present a series of workshops and collaborative professional learning opportunities for educators to utilize the LEAP Learning Framework to personalize learning and address the challenges of practice. Learn more here, and check out more below in our highlights about this partnership!

We are thrilled to share that our long-term partners at Chicago International Charter School (CICS), and the CICS Board of Directors have selected Distinctive Schools as the next School Management Organization to directly-operate CICS Loomis, CICS Longwood, and CICS Lloyd Bond beginning next school year 2023-2024 (July 1, 2023)! We look forward to continued partnership with CICS and all that is ahead – we will now serve over 5,300 students in the 2023-24 school year!  

THE DISTINCTIVE FUND: earlier this year we launched The Distinctive Fund in support of our mission to provide *all* learners with the opportunity to achieve at the highest level academically as agents of their own learning. Since 2011, more than 4,000 students have graduated from a Distinctive Schools campus equipped for the future. This school year, 4,000 learners attend our schools every day. Together, we will ensure that each of these students is prepared to thrive in college, career and life.

Keep reading for more on the horizon for Distinctive Schools and to see some of our celebrations, and as always, we thank you for your continued support and partnership – we are so grateful for your interest in Distinctive Schools. 

In partnership,

–Scott Frauenheim, CEO of Distinctive Schools

LEAP Innovations with Distinctive Schools held a virtual fireside chat with Phyllis Lockett, CEO and founder of LEAP Innovations, Scott Frauenheim, CEO of Distinctive Schools, and Colleen Padgett, Senior Innovation Partner! Watch here to learn more about the trailblazing partnership between LEAP Innovations and CICS West Belden, and how you can engage with the LEAP and Distinctive Schools teams to take personalized learning and innovative teaching practices to the next level.

Distinctive Schools social workers are integral to our communities, and offer so much support to our students every single day! School Social Work Week was an opportunity to highlight their work and honor the importance of their roles. We have a strong internship program, and spoke with some of our social work interns about their work in our schools, “School social workers meet students in their toughest times and support them in connecting to their best selves; they provide students with the support to thrive in school and in their lives.

"We are so proud of who our clinicians are and the incredible work they do every day!” shared Michele Lansing, LCSW, Network Director of Clinical Services for Distinctive Schools. Click here to read more.

Art in Motion students performed their second annual Black History Month showcase For the Culture: Because I Am! on February 24th. Students performed a variety of original music, dance, spoken word and step numbers to honor Black History Month. 

“For the Culture is an amazing Art in Motion tradition, students and staff working together to create a piece of art entirely unique to them is what AIM is all about. It was incredible to see our community come together in celebration of Black History Month and I am so excited to see our students continue to grow as artists!” - Dion Steele, Principal of Art in Motion



The show was a huge success, we are so proud of these young artists for sharing their talent and celebrating their culture. 

Misha Stredrick, Michigan Regional Teacher Development Manager, discussed making sustainable change with a positive shift in leadership mindset in an insightful article with Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC)! Read tips for guiding teams through organizational change here.

DCP Harper Woods and Plymouth Educational Center basketball teams faced off on the Detroit Pistons Court at Little Caesars Arena! Cheerleaders from both schools performed routines at half time – an amazing experience for our student athletes, their families, and our school communities! Congratulations to all involved, and special thanks to our Community School Coordinators Howard Webb and Stephen Benard for their leadership with this event. 

Art In Motion – Creative Arts School co-founder COMMON shared his vision for social emotional learning and wellness for the students at Art In Motion, and shared more about the future of the school, “Art In Motion is one of the greatest things I have ever been able to be a part of. It’s a school less than two miles from where I grew up. It's geared to bring academics but also artistic expression and holistic living to children that are from Chicago.” Read the full article here.

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