Tracy Swartz, chicagotribune.com

Tracy Swartz

chicagotribune.com

Chicago, IL, United States

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Recent:
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Past:
  • chicagotribune.com
  • Sun Sentinel
  • The Morning Call
  • Orlando Sentinel
  • Military.com
  • The Baltimore Sun
  • Hartford Courant
  • Carroll County Times

Past articles by Tracy:

Homecoming hemlines and the fight over fall formal fashion: ‘The dresses are shorter than ever’

The micro-mini dresses all the rage this fall have some parents wringing their hands over how short is too short, and who decides. → Read More

Plan for new South Side high school narrowly passed by Chicago Board of Education, amid both opposition and praise

Proponents say the area is growing and that Chinatown has long needed and wanted a high school of its own. → Read More

CPS loses another 8,300 students, its 11th straight year of enrollment declines

Enrollment loss "continues to be the major issue" for CPS, said one board member who urged a comprehensive plan to stem further losses. → Read More

CPS moves forward with Near South Side high school plan, despite opposition to location

Opponents say Chicago Public Schools should focus on the buildings they have. → Read More

Chicago’s Harriet Tubman school — once united over its name change — now in turmoil over principal’s leadership; council has sought her dismissal

“It is really hard to be a Tubman parent right now,” one parent said. “It feels like we’ve been abandoned." Enrollment has dropped substantially. → Read More

Donnie Rudd dies in prison: Ex-attorney was convicted of killing his wife in a staged car crash 45 years after her death

Rudd's case was reexamined in 2013, prompted by the investigation of the cold-case killing of another woman who was his legal client. → Read More

Governor signs disaster declaration, calls up National Guard to assist with migrants bused from Texas

Mayor Lori Lightfoot suggested federal aid should be diverted from Texas given Gov. Greg Abbott's actions to bus migrants to northern cities. → Read More

Pete Leki ‘made a magical place’ at a North Side school garden. Now his job — and the ecology program he created — is on the line. What went wrong?

If the Waters Elementary ecology program can't bounce back without Leki, it would be "an immense loss," a Local School Council member said. → Read More

Nervous and somber, Schurz students go back to school Thursday as more details about shooting emerge

New information from a police report obtained by the Tribune offered more details about what happened Wednesday when a hail of gunfire hit patrons on the patio of an ice cream shop. → Read More

Four people believed to be CPS students shot near Schurz High School on Northwest Side — one in serious condition, authorities say

Police were on the scene of a shooting outside Carl Schurz High School on Chicago's Northwest Side. → Read More

CPS promises to route 1,200 students without bus service and reduce long route times for hundreds more

CEO Pedro Martinez says bus transportation is better than it was the previous school year, but there are still many struggles. → Read More

Lindblom high school students walk out on the first day of school in protest of dismissal of longtime assistant principal

Ex-assistant principal Karen Fitzpatrick Carpenter "embodies the culture of the school," alumni association president said. → Read More

CPS students head back to class after a short summer as district aims for ‘recovery year’

The district faces many challenges, including continued COVID-19 cases, busing problems and large class sizes in some cases. → Read More

After just 68 days of summer, Chicago Public Schools’ new year starts Monday. Here’s what you need to know.

The new school year starts unusually early in CPS, which typically begins school the day after Labor Day. → Read More

With Highland Park and Uvalde on their minds, CPS officials unveil safety plans, conduct active shooter drill

"Families need to know that there is a plan to keep their students safe" when they return to school Monday, CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said. → Read More

Illinois health department urges schools to watch for monkeypox; COVID-19 measures pulled back

Illinois health officials unveiled new monkeypox guidance for schools at a meeting this week with school district administrators to discuss the rollback of COVID-19 measures. → Read More

CPS outlines COVID-19 protocols for new school year, including expanding test-to-stay program

Vaccinated students won't have to isolate if they're exposed to COVID-19, but concerns remain about low shot rates among young kids in Chicago. → Read More

Lollapalooza sticks with Chicago, as Lightfoot takes Sunday stage to announce 10-year deal

Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that Lollapalooza will continue to take place in Chicago after a 10-year deal between organizers and the city. → Read More

Talks to keep Lollapalooza in Chicago after this year hit a snag

Lollapalooza's current contract with the Chicago Park District ends this year. → Read More

Some CPS students could get free CTA rides to school as district tries new workarounds to bus driver shortage

Some students will again be eligible for transportation stipends if the district can't otherwise get them to school. → Read More