What are the opening hours?

Monday 8am - 4:30pm Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm Thursday 8am - 4:30pm Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Distinctive Schools

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Chicago, IL
Distinctive Schools

Distinctive Schools manages 8 CICS charter schools across Chicago. We elevate access, achievement, and belonging for every student so they may thrive!

We lead the charge in creating a collaborative, innovative, and welcoming public education experience.

09/02/2026

We’re wishing all of our families a wonderful and restful Labor Day weekend! ☀️🍦

🗓️ As a reminder, we will have early dismissal on Friday, September 4th at 2pm. All campuses and our network office will be closed on Monday, September 7th. We can't wait to see our Chicago International Charter School students back in class on Tuesday, September 8th, ready for another great week of learning! 📚

08/28/2026

We are off to an incredible start of the 26/27 school year! 🌟 We just finished up our first week of school, and had a blast meeting new teachers and making new friends! 🎉

Our students are diving right into new lessons like what it takes to build a country, or how to disagree with peers respectfully, and so much more! 📚 Our school leaders are also making sure our Chicago International Charter School communities are having fun and bonding through gatherings and games.
Let’s keep up this great momentum! 📈

08/27/2026

Congratulations to our inaugural 2026 Distinctive Schools Teacher of the Year Award recipient, Jessica Martorano, 7th and 8th grade ELA teacher at Chicago International Charter School Irving Park! 🎉

Our network-wide honor recognizes educators who demonstrate exceptional instructional practice, foster joyful and inclusive classroom cultures, drive student growth, and exhibit visionary leadership within their school community. Out of more than 20 peer- and leader-nominated candidates across Distinctive Schools, Ms. Martorano was selected following a rigorous review of student achievement data, staff nominations, and family testimonials. 🏆

We are so happy you are a part of our community, Ms. Martorano! ❤️ Click here to read more about our beloved recipient: https://bit.ly/4itOSKy

08/26/2026

We are excited to introduce our community to our new five-year Strategic Plan and the Distinctive Schools Model!

Our Strategic Plan provides the roadmap for the next five years, while our Distinctive Schools Model acts as the foundation of every classroom, centered on a Culture of Belonging, Rigorous & Active Learning, and Future Readiness.

With the right goals in mind, every member of our Distinctive Schools community is bound to grow even more Distinctive, so that every student is prepared for the future they choose. Join us in achieving these goals together! 🌱

Click here to read more about our new Distinctive Schools Model and Strategic Plan: https://bit.ly/DSModel-StratPlan

08/24/2026

Happy 1st Day of School to all of our Distinctive Schools students! 📚 We are so incredibly happy to have our students back in our hallways. We can already tell this school year will be the best one yet! 🌟

Join us in developing a culture of belonging, engaging in rigorous and active learning, and preparing each one of our students for the futures they choose. 🎒 Welcome to the Distinctive Schools community, and congratulations on a first wonderful day with Chicago International Charter School! ❤️

08/21/2026

We are pumped up and ready to kick off the 26-27 school year at Distinctive Schools! 💥

To kick us off, our President and CEO Mary Beck gave a passionate and motivating welcome about our new five-year Strategic Plan and Distinctive Schools Model, followed by campus rally cries led by our Chicago International Charter School Principals! 📣🥳

We also hosted a resource expo for our entire team to explore potential partnerships and resources to plan the best year yet!

Lastly, please join us in congratulating our inaugural 25-26 Teacher of the Year award to CICS Irving Park’s 7th and 8th grade ELA teacher Ms. Jessica Martorano! 🎉

Our entire community is dedicated to making this school year so special. We cannot wait to see you on the first day of school! ❤️

08/20/2026

In honor of the 1st Day of School being only a few days away on Monday, August 24th, we asked our Distinctive Schools Principals and Assistant Principals what songs they are playing on their commute to the 1st Day of School. 🎵🎒🏫

Our Chicago International Charter School community is ready and so excited to see you! Join us in getting pumped up for this amazing school year! 🌟🎤🎉

08/18/2026

We are so excited to welcome our new teachers to our Distinctive Schools community! 🍎📏 From curriculum training to “get to know you” activities, we had an incredible week with our new team members. Throughout this week, our amazing Chicago International Charter School teachers are working hard to get ready for our students’ arrival! 📚 We can’t wait for this school year to start next Monday the 24th! ❤️

08/11/2026

As we begin to wrap up our summers and prepare for an amazing school year ahead, join us in reflecting on all the awesome things our students, faculty, and staff have been up to:

Between summer learning programs, professional development workshops, community events, and so much more, we have continued to grow and learn all summer long! ☀️🌱🧠

Our Chicago International Charter School campuses, managed by Distinctive Schools, offer academically rigorous, joyful, and innovative learning all year round! 📖 Click here to read more about all the activities our family has engaged in this summer! https://bit.ly/SummerAtDS

08/10/2026

We had such an amazing time at the Bud Billiken Parade & Festival this weekend!!! 🎉 It was so fun seeing all our staff, students, and families from our Chicago International Charter School community celebrating together! We played some games, made new friends, and got to hand out some incredible prizes! ✨❤️ Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth to celebrate Bud Billiken’s 97th year with us! 🥳

Still looking for the perfect school? Click here to apply today! https://bit.ly/4wyZEmR

Address

910 W Van Buren Street Ste 315
Chicago, IL
60607

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8am - 4:30pm
Thursday	8am - 4:30pm
Friday	8am - 4:30pm

Website

http://distinctiveschools.org/

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