Around Rogers Park: Chicago Math and Science Academy Ranks #1 Charter School in Illinois
- Category: Latest News
- August, 2018

U.S. News and World Report ranked the Chicago Math and Science Academy the number one Charter School in Illinois, with an overall ranking of 69th of all high schools in the state. This would be an impressive achievement under any circumstances, but is all the more remarkable, given that the student body is 98% minority and is drawn largely from within the Rogers Park community. Many of the students at the Academy are from low and moderate-income families, and a significant number are either immigrants and refugees, or are the children of immigrants and refugees.
The success of the Academy would seem to prove that your zip code need not determine your destiny. Many graduates of the Academy have been accepted to some of the best colleges and universities in the country and have gone on to successful careers, in STEM-related fields and other endeavors.
Rogers Park Builders Group has been a proud supporter of the Chicago Math and Science Academy, most recently presenting the school with a $1,000 check as part of the Giving Tree campaign to upgrade technology. Congratulations to the Academy for their great accomplishments and the well-deserved recognition they have received from U.S. News and World Report.
Around Rogers Park: Summer in the City – Rogers Park-style
- Category: Latest News
- August, 2018
Summer in Rogers Park always goes by much too quickly. By the time anyone reads this article, the summer will be almost over. For Rogers Parkers, summer is a time to enjoy many of life’s small pleasure – hanging out in outdoor cafes with friends; spending weekends at any of the neighborhood’s beautiful beaches, or buying seasonal produce at the Glenwood Sunday Market.
Around Rogers Park: Loyola University Grant to Wellness Clinic at Gale Academy
- Category: Latest News
- August, 2018

Speaking of Loyola University, this venerable institution has once again stepped up to the plate with a major donation to Gale Academy for the construction of the SMART Health and Wellness Clinic at the Gale Academy Elementary School. Loyola’s $25,000 donation was the amount of money needed to begin construction of this important project, and represents the largest one-time donation ever made by the university. This grant demonstrates pretty clearly the degree to which Loyola University is committed to the Rogers Park community, and cares about the children who live here. The Health and Wellness Clinic will be an important community resource, not just for the students at Gale Academy, but also for their families and other community members.
According to Alderman Joe Moore’s June 28th email newsletter, “Heartland Health Centers will be the medical provider at the clinic, offering sustainable, academically-focused care, in fidelity to the SMART model. Ginn Group Consulting CEO, Melanie Ginn, developed the SMART model in collaboration with CVS Health.”
Rogers Park Builders Group also supported the Health and Wellness Clinic with a $2,000 donation. Individual members of RPBG donated additional money, bringing the total RPBG contribution to about $5,000 for the clinic.We applaud Loyola for their incredibly generous contribution, and celebrate the planned addition of the clinic to Gale Academy for the benefit of the entire Rogers Park community.
RPBG Support of Local Schools
- Category: Latest News

RPBG and it's members support local schools, including Sullivan High School.
- July 10, 2018
As I See It: The Allure of Other Shores – Indiana, Michigan and Beyond
- Category: Latest News
- By:
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Mike Glasser, RPBG President
May, 2018
In the late ‘60s, before it was common for middle-income families to travel long distances for vacations, my parents and their friends would gather (often over their Saturday night Bridge Club dinners) and discuss their upcoming vacation plans.
RPBG Gives Back - A Sustained Commitment to Improving Our Community
- Category: Latest News

RPBG and individual members giving Gale Academy Principal Augustine Emuwa $5000 to support their campaign for an on site health clinic - a project that should boost attendance and productivity of its students.
- May, 2018
The Rogers Park Builders Group has given back to the Rogers Park community since its inception. But, in recent years, this giving has increased significantly. While we continue to support a broad range of organizations and events, we have created a dedicated funding stream for educational initiatives that focuses on giving to local Chicago Public Schools. This initiative sets aside approximately $7,500 per year for a three-year period, beginning in 2017. To the extent our budget will allow us to continue to make these funds available beyond this three-year period, we will make every effort to do so.
Ups and Downs - Spring 2018
- Category: Latest News
- By:
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Steve Cain
Spring 2018
If you look at a chart of the Dow Jones Industrial Average over the last ten years, you see an almost unbroken upward trajectory that started early in 2009 at the depth of the Great Recession, and continued until nearly the end of January of this year.
Something New
- Category: Latest News
- May, 2018

Although it’s been slow to arrive, spring is finally here. That means it’s also time for a new Newsletter, the quarterly Rogers Park Builder. For many years, the Builder was laid out, printed and physically mailed to our readers. As technology changed, we changed too, converting our physical delivery system to email-only.
New Concepts, Old Traditions
- Category: Latest News
- May, 2018

RPBG members and guests discuss screening policies at the RPBGs first Best Practices Workshop at our March meeting
RPBG has started the year off with a bang. With Mike Glasser once again serving as President of the organization (this is his second time in the role), the organization has already presented two events that have been both well attended and well received.
Around Rogers Park: Morse Avenue Apartments Under Construction - Spring Update
- Category: Latest News
- May, 2018

It’s finally happening. After not a lot of activity for most of 2017, the new Morse Avenue apartment building is finally under construction. As I write this article, there’s not much to see at the southeast corner of Morse and Wayne other than a bunch of trucks and heavy equipment. But keep an eye on this site during the summer, and you will see a new apartment building start to rise out of the ground.
Loyola Basketball Team
- Category: Latest News
- May, 2018
It was a Cinderella story that no one expected, but that everyone loved. While the Loyola Ramblers did not make it all the way to the National Championship, they got much further than anyone ever expected. Fans in Rogers Park and throughout the Chicago region were on the edge of their seats for most of the month of March as the playoffs progressed. It also put Sister Jean, the team chaplain, in the national spotlight. How can you not love a basketball-crazy, 96-year-old nun who both inspired and motivated the players? It was an amazing story from start to finish.