Special-Ed (5th-8th Grade) – Room 105
Email: orortiz@cps.edu
Mr. Ortiz has taught at the high school level from 2001 to 2005 and since 2005 has been at the elementary level. In the past, Mr. Ortiz has also served as the school Disciplinarian. He has a BA and a MA in Political Science from Northeastern Illinois University. He has a M.Ed. in Special Education from the University of Illinois @ Chicago. He also has a Certificate of Advanced Studies in School Leadership from National Louis University in Chicago. Mr. Ortiz is endorsed at the middle school level. He is currently the middle school Inclusion Special Education teacher and the Dean of Students. He is bilingual in Spanish/English.
Mr. Ortiz is the youngest son of Puerto Rican immigrants. His father worked as an Air Conditioning/ Heating Repairman. His mother retired from the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Mr. Ortiz graduated from Richard J. Yates Elementary (Humboldt Park) and Holy Trinity High School. He speaks Spanish and English.
Mr. Ortiz believes the philosophy of education ought to be that every teacher is inherently empowered to ignite a sense of curiosity, a sense of self-confidence, and a sense of responsibility to the community in every student. Mr. Ortiz posits that the three components to ensuring that a child is fully nurtured are: dedicated teachers, dedicated parents, and a healthy partnership between the school and the business community.