On Friday, nearly a thousand teachers and staff workers were told they were being laid off.
ABC7's Paul Meincke takes a look at one elementary school in Englewood where almost half the teachers are losing their jobs.
"So it's a surreal moment because we're all saying goodbye. It's sad, but there's anger too," said Donna Barney, 8th Grade teacher, Goodlow Magnet Elementary.
Ten of 24 teachers at Goodlow were notified Friday that they've lost their jobs. Veteran teacher Donna Barney- with a superior ranking- has a good chance of keeping her job, but if the new principal decides otherwise, she could wind up - after 20 years of teaching - in a substitute pool. System wide, over 500 teachers got notices Friday.
A more precise number of layoffs here at Goodlow and throughout CPS won't be known for another month when there's a clearer picture of enrollment for next fall.
CPS says roughly 60 percent of those laid-off will likely be rehired and teaching in the fall, but where that will be remains unknown.
"These are people I've worked with over the last 20 years. It's a big disappointment," said Arlene McMurray, Goodlow teacher.
Arlene McMurray gets to keep her job at Goodlow. But it will no longer be Goodlow. The building stays open, but the principal and staff of Earle Elementary to the east are moving in. And so is their name.
"If you're changing a school, you don't have to change the name do you?" said Corretta Richardson, Goodlow parent.
That's the plan. The Goodlow name will be removed, and Earle will go up, which many Goodlow parents see as "salt in the wound." Our teachers and our principal are shown the door, they say, and then we lose another piece of our identity.
Goodlow could remain Goodlow, but only if two local school councils find reason to agree.
