By Celeste Kennel-Shank
Mennonite Weekly Review

	Cheree Zarbock, a teacher at Chicago Mennonite Learning Center, coordinates a small group Valentine’s Day project Feb. 14 in her classroom, which includes several grade levels. — Photo by Celeste Kennel-Shank/MWR

Since 2001 the school, with 41 children in kindergarten through eighth grade, has had an growing number of students needing financial aid. Giving, which makes up two-thirds of the budget and keeps tuition affordable for low-income families, did not rise to meet expenses.

Joyce Cassel, the school’s principal, said the news, announced to the school’s supporters Feb. 13, is especially unfortunate because it comes during an excellent year academically.

“We just see kids blossoming,” Cassel said. “To not see that continuing is difficult.”

Chicago Mennonite Learning Center’s decision to close temporarily comes at a time when Mennonite Education Agency, which coordinates the relationship of Mennonite Church USA to the schools its congregations sponsor, is examining urban Mennonite education, including the possibility of opening three to five new schools in cities.

Carlos Romero, MEA executive director, noted that Chicago Mennonite Learning Center, which opened in 1981, has had decreased enrollment partly because of demographic changes in the neighborhood where it is located.

Developers are constructing high-end housing nearby, and Chicago Public Schools has opened two charter schools — publicly funded programs that are partially independent of a school system — and one that is part of a special program.

These challenges can be part of any urban environment and make it especially crucial for a Mennonite school to have strong ties to local churches and educational needs for a particular population.

“One of the challenges, particularly in the urban area, is to have a clear sense of what our mission is and who are we serving,” Romero said.

For the handful of urban schools among the more than 30 MC USA-sponsored elementary and secondary schools, a distinctly Anabaptist education includes an emphasis on peacemaking, Romero said. Chicago Mennonite Learning Center, as well as other Mennonite schools, uses mediation for school discipline issues.

Barbara Moses, principal of Philadelphia Mennonite High School, said there have been four fights among students during the school’s 10-year existence. The school teaches conflict management skills along with standard subjects.

“We are Christ-centered across the curriculum,” Moses said. “You are not a Christian from 9 to 3, you are a Christian in life.”

The school, which has 104 students in grades nine through 12, has strong relationships with local churches, though it is not owned by any conference.

It also struggles to keep up enrollment with charter schools nearby and to provide financial aid. Forty-five percent of the students come from families with incomes at or below the federal poverty level, Moses said.

A Pennsylvania state tax credit program in which many Mennonite businesses have participated helps significantly, she said.

MEA, along with MC USA and Mennonite Mission Network, formed an Education Opportunities Task Force in February 2006 to explore how it can provide quality education to people of color in urban areas, both members of MC USA and others.

Chicago Mennonite Learning Center’s temporary closure demonstrates to the agency and task force that they dealing with reality rather than abstract ideas, Romero said.

“This action highlights the challenges that urban education faces, which is some of what we have been talking about during this whole summit process,” Romero said. “One of the ways urban schools can be strengthened is strengthening the connection of the school to the whole denomination.”

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