With spring break right around the corner, we are reaching out with recreational opportunities, resources, and important reminders regarding COVID-19 safety both during break and when students and staff return to school.
Please visit cps.edu/springbreak for more.
Recreational Opportunities
We are proud to partner with organizations across Chicago to promote opportunities for students over spring break. Please visit these pages to find programs:
Kids can enjoy their school break with other kids their age, in a fun and supervised environment, at an affordable cost. In "spring break" camp, kids will participate in recreational activities, arts and crafts, and sports along with other fun activities. Some specialty camps are also available.
Chicago Public Library offers exciting programming all across the city for kids and teens all year round, including over spring break. Explore events for kids here, and events for teens here.
The city is offering a variety of opportunities for youth during spring break through My CHI. My Future. Students can join a day of service with the Chicago Park District, attend a Chicago Public Library arts event, or build on their coding skills with Code Your Dreams. Young Chicagoans can also apply for summer jobs through One Summer Chicago and the Chicago Park District.
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Spring Break at Navy Pier
Navy Pier will offer artisan markets and free workshops starting Saturday, April 1 through Saturday, April 8 starting at noon. Activities include one-of-a-kind arts and crafts, interactive technology lessons, photography classes, music, and dance. Visit the Navy Pier website or download this schedule for information. Additionally, starting March 27 through April 9, the Chicago Children’s Museum located at Navy Pier is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be a Free Family Day on March 30. The Water City experience is now open. Children of all ages and abilities can determine their own experiments, narratives, sensory experiences, and explorations of the physical properties of water. Visit this page for more information on Water City.
My Chi. My Future. and the Chicago Park District are hosting a spring break party for Chicago residents ages 13-24. This event will take place from 1:00-4:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 8, at the Aon Ballroom in Navy Pier and will include musical guests, food, raffles, and information about summer job opportunities. Advance registration is required to take part in this bash. Click here to register and view this flyer for more details.
Safe Haven Program
For over 10 years, the Safe Haven Program has kept CPS kids safe, healthy, and active during spring and summer breaks as well as after school. The program incorporates social-emotional learning, academic assistance, and fun. Additionally, students get healthy meals and snacks at no cost to their families. Sites are open from Monday, April 3 to Friday, April 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Click here for a list of Safe Haven Sites open over spring break.
Complete Lifeguard Certification During Spring Break
Students 16 and older can apply to work as lifeguards this summer with the Chicago Park District, but to do so, they must have their American Red Cross Waterfront Lifeguarding Certification. These certification classes are being offered for free during spring break. Click here to register for one now. And to learn more about the lifeguard position, visit chicagoparkdistrict.com/
COVID-19 Safety:
Get Tested
As we have seen over the past few years, COVID tends to spread more rapidly when families and staff are socializing over breaks, leading to an uptick in cases when classes return. We highly encourage testing for COVID-19 before and after any large gatherings over the break, and again before returning to school buildings on Monday, April 10.
We have many rapid at-home COVID-19 tests available at every CPS school for any student or staff member who wants them. Please take advantage of these free COVID-19 tests and take them home to use over spring break. We recommend contacting your school administration to request tests from your school; for parents, we recommend picking them up during report card pick-up.
We are also happy to announce that CPS is partnering with Chicago Public Libraries during spring break to distribute rapid at-home COVID-19 tests to all CPS families and staff. Tests will be available at all Chicago Public Libraries beginning Friday, March, 31–Sunday, April 9.
You can also request free COVID-19 tests to be delivered to you by mail by visiting covid.gov/tests, and you can sign up for weekly COVID-19 testing in your school by visiting color.com/readycheckgo-cps.
Please note: If you receive a positive test, please report the positive test here and please follow the guidance here.
Get Vaccinated
Getting vaccinated is the absolute best way to protect yourself and your community from COVID-19. Vaccines are safe, free, and widely available across Chicago for everyone ages 6 months and up. For those who have already had their initial vaccine series, an updated booster shot which offers increased protection is now available for everyone ages 6 months and older. Please visit cps.edu/vaccinations to get more information and make an appointment.
Please note that our mobile COVID-19 vaccination events will not run during spring break, and our vaccination clinics at Richards High School, Chicago Vocational Career Academy, and Roosevelt High School will also be closed. Our vaccination clinic at Clark High School will be open on Thursday, April 6 and at Saucedo Elementary School will be open on Saturday, April 15; you can make an appointment here. All of our school-based health centers are run independently, so please make sure to call ahead to check if they're open before visiting.
Masks
Masks increase your protection against COVID-19. We continue to encourage mask-wearing both in and outside of school to reduce your risk of getting COVID-19 — and we especially encourage you to wear a mask in school in the days after returning from spring break.
Most importantly — please stay home if you are sick and get tested — even if your symptoms are mild or you don’t think you have COVID-19.
We hope you have a safe and healthy spring break, and we look forward to welcoming you back to school on Monday, April 10.
-Chicago Public Schools