LAKE VIEW HIGH SCHOOL
4015 North Aahland Avenue 1 Chicago, Illinoia 60613
Telephone 773.534.5440 I Fax 773.534.5585 1 www.lakeviewba.oom
Scott M. GralUl, Aetinll' Principal
Michael J. C"", AMiatant Principel
-
Rhonda J. Varney, Alli.tant Principal
Memorandum
To:
Parents & Family Members
from:
Scott M. Grens, Acting Principal
Date:
April2S
Re:
Transition to lake View High SChool
th
,
2014
Dear lake View Parents and Family Members:
I am honored and e~clted to serve as the Acting Principal of lake View High SChool. It is a privJlege 10 return to
this $Chool and collaborate with an Involved community of students, staff, and hmily members to ensure hiSh
academlc achievement for all children.
I understand that the community of lake View High SChool has an unwavering commitment to provide highquality educational opportunities for tht students of Ihe lakeview neighborhood and Chicago. As a previous
English Teacher at Lake View from 200S·2011, I am aware firsthand of our students' academic and
extracurricular potential. I also believe that the success of a school Is built on a foundaUon of community
commitment from adults working together, including staff members, alumni, family, lakeview residents, and
local $Chool partners.
As a school leader, I wlll support all constituents to provide our students with a broad range of e~perlences
Bnd opportunities. Since appointmenl, my 101' priority has been spending conSiderable time listening and
learning abOl.lt our $Chool and all of Its stakeholders as we move forward. Part of my model for participatory
leadership and collaborative dl$COl.ITSe on critical $Chool issues requires parent Bnd family member input.
This week, there are three Immediate events listed below for us to meet one another and dl$Cuss the future
direction ofuke View High SChool for our students:
•
•
•
Local SChool CoundllL5C) MHtlnal Wednesday, April 30"' 16:00pm -7:30pm I Sodal Room
Coffee with the Actina prloo,,",11 Friday, May 2" I 9:00am . 10:QOam 1Alumni Room 12S
Even1na Meet &. Greet I Monday, May 5'" I 6:00pm· 1:00pm I Alumni Room 128
Your voiCe and perspectivE' is inCredibly important to our success as a $Chool as we begin a new era together.
Thank you In advance for your support.
Sincerely,
\..c/ll.J-.SCOtt M. Grens, Actina Principal
[email protected]
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LAKE VIEW HIGH SCHOOL
4015 North Ashland Avenue I Chicago, Illinois 60613
Telephone 773.534.5440 I Fax 773.534.5585 I www.lakeviewhs.com
Scott M. Grens, Acting Principal
Michael J. Cox, Assistant Principal
Rhonda J. Varney, Assistant Principal
Profile
Scott M. Grens accepts the Acting Principal position at Lake View High School with great enthusiasm. Prior to this
position, Mr. Grens was an Assistant Principal for the community of George Westinghouse College Prep where he led in
areas of instructional leadership, team building, school operations, marketing, school climate, and most importantly,
student development. Through building strong and collaborative teams, student achievement increased, with an
average ACT of 21 for the Class of 2014 and over 70% of all students making expected gains.
In addition, Mr. Grens led the charge in recruitment. He visited feeder elementary schools, messaged the mission of
Westinghouse with current and consistent marketing materials, and facilitated daily morning meetings with parents to
ensure that their voices were heard as partners; as a result, the number of applications to the school more than doubled
with the entering Explore score for the Class 2018 at 17.1. While Mr. Grens worked on many initiatives at Westinghouse,
his focus remained consistently aimed at increasing student achievement.
Prior to joining the Westinghouse community, Mr. Grens was a Resident Principal at Kenwood Academy, as part of a
yearlong leadership-training program. During the residency, Mr. Grens worked primarily with teachers in supporting
Data Driven Instruction (001) as a real and meaningful approach to improving learning. This 001 instruction and
mentoring of a team of Geometry teachers produced an overall increase of 6% on interim assessments and as much as
25% for one class. In addition, he created a growth competition surrounding interims by involving students in the
process with student analysis and awards through a relationship with the Chicago White Sox.
Prior to being a school leader, Mr. Grens served as an English teacher at Lake View High School. At Lake View, he
supported the development of a challenging, vertically aligned curriculum that emphasized writing with a balance of
classic literature, high-interest text, and College Readiness Standards. The redesign and alignment of curriculum led to
an 11% gain of freshman at or above 50% in English and Reading on EPAS (a national assessment series). Mr. Grens was
also very active outside of the classroom; he started Lake View's first Girls Golf Team through a partnership with the
Western Golf Association, coached the Boys Golf Team, and led Strength & Conditioning for the Baseball Team.
Mr. Grens began his professional career as a technical writer in the corporate sector; however, he qUickly realized his
desire to enter education as a teacher to foster high academic achievement for all students. Mr. Grens earned his
Master of Education in Administration and Supervision and his Master of Arts in Teaching from National Louis University.
His Bachelor of Arts in English was completed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he attended as a
Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship recipient.
Mr. Grens is genuinely excited to return to Lake View High School. He looks forward to bringing his experience and
knowledge as a CPS teacher and administrator in working closely with the staff, students, and community members of
Lake View High School in leading the school beyond its potential. He anticipates building upon the long-standing Arts
Programs and the more recent STEM program to provide pathways for postsecondary success for all Lake View High
School students. Apart from dedicating himself to leading Lake View High School, he enjoys spending time with his wife
and 9-month old son in addition to cycling throughout this wonderful city.
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