More Daily News coverage of the issue

Parents say Brooklyn's P.S. 15 gets 'A' and no respect
By RACHEL MONAHAN
DAILY NEWS WRITER

Tuesday, February 12th 2008, 4:00 AM

Brooklyn's Public School 15 beat the odds with an A on its city report card - but parents and teachers charge the underdog Red Hook school is being treated like a failure.

They say city school officials want to add a charter school to the Sullivan St. building in the fall, claiming it is at 54% capacity.

"Is this our reward for getting an A? Now we get shafted? We're all in shock," said Milagros Arroyo, secretary of the PTA, which has scheduled an emergency meeting for tonight at the school.

The Patrick F. Daly School - named for its beloved former principal who was gunned down 16 years ago in a nearby housing project searching for a student - has a long history of doing a good job serving a poor population.

This fall, PS 15 bested many of Brownstone Brooklyn's top schools, earning an A when schools such as premier PS 321 in Park Slope scored a B.

Parents also complained Department of Education officials were making a decision without considering their views.

"It's not fair that it just got thrown on us," said PTA treasurer Karen Fludd. "We're doing a good job."

"It's not a reflection on the program there," said Office of Charter Schools Director Michael Duffy, who added state law now allows district students priority for placement at charter schools. "It will be their school."

PAVE Academy - an acronym for Perseverance, Achievement, Vibrance and Excellent character - is expected to start with 88 students, focusing on small classes and academic excellence.

The charter school will be at PS 15 for a maximum of two years, said Duffy, who plans to attend tonight's meeting.

A public hearing on the proposal will also be held at the school in March, said Duffy, though final say rests with Schools Chancellor Joel Klein.

Teachers, too, were fired up over the proposal, said United Federation of Teachers district representative Bob Zuckerberg, in part because they feared the changes would result in larger classes. Five classrooms would be required for the new school, he said.

"We're concerned this will hinder the educational momentum the students and staff have achieved," UFT President Randi Weingarten said.

The possible tension between the public school and the charter school was a concern even to one of PAVE's boosters.

"I don't see how that will work," said Earl Hall, of the nonprofit Red Hook Rise, which supported the charter school's application.