{"id":823845,"date":"2026-08-24T04:22:09","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T04:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/823845\/"},"modified":"2026-08-24T04:22:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T04:22:09","slug":"back-to-school-chicago-public-schools-students-families-teachers-prepare-for-first-day-of-classes-as-summer-break-ends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/823845\/","title":{"rendered":"Back to school: Chicago Public Schools students, families, teachers prepare for first day of classes as summer break ends"},"content":{"rendered":"

CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago Public Schools<\/a> students are set to return to class Monday as the nation’s fourth-largest school district begins a new school year.<\/p>\n

On the final day of summer break, students and families across the city took part in events aimed at helping children start the year feeling confident and supported.<\/p>\n

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24\/7. Click here to watch<\/a><\/p>\n

For 5th grader Cyrus Allen, preparing for the school year included getting a new haircut.<\/p>\n

“I used to have other haircuts, but I chose this because I don’t have to comb it a lot. Well, I do every day, but not that much,” Allen said.<\/p>\n

Allen was among Chicago students receiving free back-to-school haircuts Sunday. Hair Experts Barber College in Bronzeville, along with seven other barber shops and beauty salons across the South and West sides, offered free cuts and styles. Students also received backpacks filled with school supplies.<\/p>\n

The event was organized by the anti-violence group Acclivus, Inc.<\/p>\n

“We do this every year to ensure that children from the most marginalized communities are able to look good, feel good and go back to school on the first day of school prepared,” said Bamani Obadele of Acclivus, Inc.<\/p>\n

SEE ALSO | Back to school: Chicago families paying average $794 per child on supplies<\/a><\/p>\n

Barber Ron Scott said a fresh haircut can provide more than a new appearance.<\/p>\n

“We believe that when you look good, you feel good, and when you feel good, you do better, and that’s what we want to provide to the students and kids going back to school,” Scott said.<\/p>\n

For high school senior De’Auna Lawrence, programs like the free haircut event can have a meaningful impact.<\/p>\n

“Not a lot of people can afford to get their hair done, so free events like this are really good,” Lawrence said.<\/p>\n

A few miles away in North Lawndale, families gathered for the Firehouse Community Arts Center’s annual Block Party for Peace.<\/p>\n

SEE ALSO | Students receive free school supplies at West Side giveaway<\/a><\/p>\n

Parent Arianna Adams said the event helps bring people together.<\/p>\n

“It’s very meaningful. You walk past and see the police playing basketball with some of the kids in the community. It’s a good vibe for the community to see they can come together,” Adams said.<\/p>\n

Her 7-year-old daughter, Aria Adams, who is entering 3rd grade, said she is excited to return to school.<\/p>\n

“It feels very great to learn new stuff and other things that you haven’t known yet,” Aria said.<\/p>\n

Mayor Brandon Johnson, who said he is also a CPS parent, said he will be dropping off his children on the first day of school.<\/p>\n

“I’m dropping off my children tomorrow, a 7th grader and a 9th grader, and my eldest is a freshman in college at Eastern Illinois, and what I want for my family, I want for every family across the city,” Johnson said.<\/p>\n

As students across Chicago prepare to return to the classroom, community organizations, families and city leaders spent the final day of summer helping children begin the school year with support and encouragement.<\/p>\n

Copyright \u00a9 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago Public Schools students are set to return to class Monday as the nation’s fourth-largest…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":823846,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[349130,4,450,451,3,452,453],"class_list":["post-823845","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-breaking-news","tag-349130","tag-breaking-news","tag-breakingnews","tag-headlines","tag-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topstories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/823845","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=823845"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/823845\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/823846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=823845"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=823845"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=823845"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}