outside.in · PS 15 - Patrick F. Daly School · Brooklyn, NY
PS 15 - Patrick F. Daly School
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Red Hook Parents Upset: DOE to Put New Charter School In PS 15 onlytheblogknowsbrooklyn.typepad.com - March 31, 2008
The mother of a student at PS 15 in Red Hook wrote to say that the Department of Education has decided to place a new charter school in their building starting next fall. Many of the parents connec... »
what: education · charter schools · department of education · doe
Upcoming: The Return of "Off the Hook" gowanuslounge.blogspot.com - March 28, 2008
"Off the Hook: Original Plays by Red Hook Kids" returns April 18-19 in Red Hook for its ninth production since the series began in 2004. So far, 30 local young people have written and performed 39 ... »
what: events · theater · kids · red hook · plays off the hook
No Holds Barred: When Brooklyn Kids Take the Stage onlytheblogknowsbrooklyn.typepad.com - March 27, 2008
I just got this invite in my inbox about "Off the Hook: Original Plays by Red Hook Kids" returns April 18-19 in Red Hook All of the enthusiasm, inventiveness, and fearlessness that Brooklyn kids ar... »
what: arts · events · theater · children
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Parents win: Education Department agrees not to add charter school to Red Hook’s PS 15 http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/31/8/31_08_parents_win_education.html - February 21, 2008
Falling to an aggressive political assault by parents, teachers and even the widow of a beloved former principal, the Department of Education caved this week, agreeing not to sandwich a charter sch... »
what: education · charter schools · department of education · doe
Rules of the Playground errorink.wordpress.com - January 23, 2008
Read my most recent story on a renovated playground at Red Hook, Brooklyn’s elementary school, Patrick F. Daly Public School 15. »
what: news · red hook · playgrounds · story
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
outside.in · PS 15 - Patrick F. Daly School · Brooklyn, NY
videos
Monday, May 12, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
So far, the majority of the posts I've added to this blog have been material I've found on the internet about the controversy over the relative merits of public schools and charter schools, and the background on the PAVE Academy. I haven't written much original material about this yet because the blog started out as a research project; I wanted to learn as much as I could about the controversy and share it with the Red Hook community so we could all form conclusions together. In selecting the material I've posted, I admit that I have a bias - and it's very much against the movement to promote charter schools in general, but more specifically, it's about not wanting to give up on the idea of an equal-access, truly public and democratic education system for any and every student. Our public school system is far from perfect, and I know that; some charter schools appear to be doing a good job of helping students succeed and excel. What I oppose is the concept of eliminating one type of school system in favor of another; I'm opposed to privatization and moving away from accountability to the public, which is what the charter school system seems to be promoting. So far, I've heard a lot of arguments from the charter school side that their schools are public schools. If they were truly public schools, why do they accept students on a lottery basis instead of open enrollment? This seems to be one of several major inconsistencies. Another argument put forward by the charter school movement is that they receive less funding than public schools do - I've heard one figure quoted most often, that they receive 70% of the funding that public schools do. I counter this argument with these facts: there are several foundations set up to fund charter schools that are specifically tailored to fund only charter schools, and exclude public schools from applying for and receiving funds. It also appears that here in New York City, despite the enormous budget cuts our schools are facing, charter schools receive a portion of the money still allocated to schools specifically to recruit new students. I have yet to find any mention of funds allocated to public schools to do the same thing, in spite of the pattern of co-siting charter schools within public schools that have low enrollment. I'll be writing more of my own material - and posting it - from now on. It's good to see that other organizations are using this blog as a resource despite Spencer Robertson's comment in an email a little while ago that not many people are actually reading it. The web counter shows that at least 150, sometimes closer to 300 people are at least looking at it on a daily basis. It's even begun to show up in the Google Blog alerts for PS15 that I get on a daily basis. I hope others find it useful; the problem PS15 is having is one that many other schools share, and I'd like to hope that one day we can band together and reform the DOE's destructive practices.
--
"Never underestimate the power of a small, dedicated group of people to change the world; indeed, that is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
Read my blog, Charter Free PS15 at http://charter-free-ps15.blogspot.com/
Conspiracy Planet - Julian Robertson Lawsuit Archives - King & Spalding: Legal Weasel Richard Marooney
Conspiracy Planet - Julian Robertson Lawsuit Archives - King & Spalding: Legal Weasel Richard Marooney: "King & Spalding: Legal Weasel Richard Marooney
by URI DOWBENKO
(PHOTO: The possibly senile former alleged billionaire Julian Robertson who has sued Conspiracy Planet and Al Martin Raw.com)
There are many questions to be answered. First of all, why would Julian Robertson sue Conspiracy Planet and Al Martin Raw.com -- opening himself up to discovery regarding the failure of his hedge fund Tiger Management? Did legal weasel Richard Marooney of King & Spalding law firm talk him into it -- or is he so hot-headed that he didn't foresee the inevitable consequences -- that he would be forced to divulge the facts about the demise of his company, confessing as he did, that 'We are in a market I don't understand,' according to the Sunday Times of London (April 2, 2000?
Is Marooney sleeping with Judge Loretta Preska to get favorable rulings from her? Or is he just having drinks with her? How else to explain Judge Preska's judicial misconduct regarding the case?
Here are the facts regarding collusion, if not conspiracy, with plaintiff's attorney.
More"
Conspiracy Planet - Julian Robertson Lawsuit Archives - Motion: Mental Exam for Julian Robertson
I wonder if this is why Spencer Robertson thought it was ok to call PS15's principal to request that she tell me to stop posting material to my blog before the public hearing. Let them try suing me. I've got absolutely nothing, and they'd be wasting their time.
Conspiracy Planet - Julian Robertson Lawsuit Archives - Motion: Mental Exam for Julian Robertson:
"Motion: Mental Exam for Julian Robertson
by CONSPIRACY PLANET
'You'd
have to be crazy to sue me, especially if you're a failed hedge fund manager
like Julian Robertson,' says Conspiracy Planet publisher Uri Dowbenko. 'That's
why we filed a motion in his frivolous lawsuit for a court ordered psychological
examination for him.'
The Motion for a Court Ordered Mental Competence
Evaluation of Plaintiff Julian Robertson is the latest salvo in the battle for
the First Amendment. After all, the 73-year old Robertson may or may not
understand the lawsuit that his attorney Richard Marooney of King & Spalding
law firm has filed against Conspiracy Planet, Al Martin Raw, Uri Dowbenko and Al
Martin
The 'legal' harassment of writers and
publishers is the latest trend to stifle free speech in America, as the First
Amendment remains under attack while writers and publishers continue being sued.
Donald Trump sued author Timothy L. O'Brien and Time Warner for
his book 'TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald,' in which O'Brien wrote that
Trump was worth $250 million, not the $2."
Conspiracy Planet - Julian Robertson Lawsuit Archives - Julian Robertson v. Conspiracy Planet: Answer
Conspiracy Planet - Julian Robertson Lawsuit Archives - Julian Robertson v. Conspiracy Planet: Answer: "Julian Robertson v. Conspiracy Planet: Answer
by URI DOWBENKO
The 73-year old Julian Robertson still hasn't learned. Is it old age, senility, arrogance, ego or a combination of them all?
In 1996 Julian Robertson filed a frivolous lawsuit against Business Week Magazine for $1 billion because it was 'a nice round number' he said. He settled out of court with no moey changing hands.
More recently, failed hedge fund manager Julian H. Robertson Jr., who escaped to New Zealand after losing all but $6 billion of $23 billion under management in his Tiger hedge fund, sued Conspiracy Planet in yet another meritless and frivolous lawsuit.
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________
JULIAN H. ROBERTSON, Jr. ) No. 05-CV-7046 Judge Preska
Plaintiff, ) ANSWER TO COMPLAINT
v."
Conspiracy Planet - Julian Robertson Lawsuit Archives - Court Orders Discovery for Julian Robertson
Conspiracy Planet - Julian Robertson Lawsuit Archives - Court Orders Discovery for Julian Robertson
Court Orders Discovery for Julian Robertson by URI DOWBENKO
Is failed hedge fund manager Julian "I Don't Really Understand the Markets" Robertson mentally competent to file yet another frivolous lawsuit? After all he sued Business Week magazine for $1 billion because it was "a nice round number," then settled out of court with no money changing hands.Discovery ordered by Federal Judge Loretta Preska may answer this question, as well as whether the 73-year old Robertson, who used to manage Tiger Management LLC and who filed suit against Al Martin Raw.com and Conspiracy Planet.com, really understands the import of this legal action, or whether it is an abuse of process and act of champerty by his attorney Richard Marooney of the King & Spalding law firm.Robertson's mental health is certainly at issue, especially in filing this suit against Uri "You'd Have To Be Crazy To Sue Me" Dowbenko, publisher of Conspiracy Planet and other alternative media websites"DOCUMENT REQUEST NO. 3 All documents authenticating Julian Robertson’s most recent medical/ physical exam records, as well as mental health exam (mental component) certifying his ability to understand the lawsuit undertaken against defendants, as well as a list of all prescribed medications attributable to plaintiff during the last 3 years.
Conspiracy Planet - Julian Robertson Lawsuit Archives - Julian Robertson Refuses Mental Exam
This is interesting...
Conspiracy Planet - Julian Robertson Lawsuit Archives - Julian Robertson Refuses Mental Exam: "Julian Robertson Refuses Mental Exam
by URI DOWBENKO
Julian Robertson, who managed his Tiger hedge fund from $23 billion down to $6 billion in 2000, has refused court ordered discovery for a mental exam regarding his frivolous lawsuit against Al Martin Raw.com, Conspiracy Planet.com et al.
His attorney Richard Marooney of King & Spalding has responded by stonewalling the request for 'All documents authenticating Julian Robertson's most recent medical/physical exam records, as well as mental health exam (mental component) certifying his ability to understand the lawsuit undertaken against defendants, as well as a list of all prescribed medications attributable to plaintiff during the last 3 years'.
Marooney writes 'In addition to the foregoing General Objections, Plaintiff objects to Request No. 3 on the grounds that it is overbroad, unduly burdensome, intentionally designed to harass Mr. Robertson, and calls for information that is not relevant to any claim or defense of any party.'
Defendants maintain that the mental status of 73-year old Julian 'We Are in a Market I Don't Understand' Robertson is not irrelevant.
More
Other Top Stories
Julian Robertson Refuses Mental Exam by URI DOWBENKO
Court Orders Discovery for Julian Robertson by URI DOWBENKO
Julian Robertson v. Conspiracy Planet: Answer by URI DOWBENKO
Motion: Mental Exam for Julian Robertson by CONSPIRACY PLANET
Conspiracy Planet:Julian Robertson Needs PsychExam by CONSPIRACY PLANET
King & Spalding: Legal Weasel Richard Marooney by URI DOWBENKO"
Tiger Foundation
Tiger Foundation
This is the foundation run by Spencer Robertson's father, who is also a charter school supporter. Notice in the material below, taken directly from their website, the anti-NYC-public-school attitude - they practically blame the public school system for promoting the poverty cycle for urban children:
http://www.tigerfoundation.org/education.html
"One of the best means of breaking the cycle of poverty is to provide
children with a high quality education. Unfortunately, the New York City
public school system frequently fails the students who need that education
the most - those born into poor families, in communities lacking resources
and other educational options.
Thus, the Education program's overarching goal is to improve the city's public school system and to offer every child in New York City a high quality education.
Currently, the Foundation funds a variety of model schools and other systemic reform initiatives including charter schools and professional development for teachers and school leaders. We continue to examine how best to support individual charter schools and the broader charter school movement. We believe that charter schools are an excellent vehicle for public school reform.
Substantive change in a system this large and complex takes time, while daily kids struggle in inadequate public schools. Therefore as a secondary goal, the Education program supports academic enrichment programs designed to compensate for the deficiencies in schools, as well as some alternatives to the public school system. The Foundation funds a variety of academic enrichment models designed to offer intensive educational supports to students. All of these programs are offered by community-based organizations, not the public schools themselves. We do not support pure summer interventions or school-day curricular enhancements. All of the programs must document concrete outcomes showing improved academic performance."Well, now we know where Spencer Robertson learned his agenda - right at home, from his father. Is this someone who's going to cooperate with PS15 if he's allowed to share space in our school? I wouldn't trust the arrangement to be beneficial to PS15 at all over the long term.
Friday, May 9, 2008
EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL
EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL
This article looks like it could be at least an important part of the solution to our problem; I'm surprised that Spencer Robertson, whose father is a philanthropist himself, doesn't appear to be aware of it. It's also nice to know that other people out there are noticing and reading my blog; in a recent email I received from Spencer Robertson, he said that he'd only recently read my blog and commented that he doubted that many other people were actually looking at it (despite the fact that there's a webcounter on it that as of today shows a count of over 1100 "hits"). Hmmm.
What I like about this particular material is that it doesn't just present the problem, but offers a potential solution for at least some charter schools, and presents specific examples.
Charter Schools To Receive Multimillion-Dollar Boost
Charter schools that have been struggling to find homes in New York will
receive a boost today from the Bush administration, in the form of a
multimillion-dollar grant. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings is
presenting the award to a local group that finances, constructs, and renovates
charter school buildings, Civic Builders, Inc. The money will be used to aid
building efforts in New York City and Newark, N.J., charter schools, according
to sources familiar with the grant. Both the New York City schools chancellor,
Joel Klein, and the Newark mayor, Cory Booker, will be on hand at today's
announcement. The grant comes as charter schools in the city face what officials
at Civic Builders have termed a space "crisis." Charter schools are publicly
funded but privately managed, and state laws often do not guarantee them space
in public school buildings. In New York City, Mayor Bloomberg and his Department
of Education have worked to help secure space for charter schools, welcoming
them into public school buildings with some extra space, where the charter
schools usually get a hallway or floor and part-time access to the cafeteria and
gymnasium.They are becoming more and more common, but these sharing arrangements
are politically perilous, with parents and teachers at existing schools crying
foul and enlisting elected officials to back their protests. One school's
protest has migrated to the Internet, where a Red Hook mother started a Web log,
Charter-Free PS15. Another protest planned for this Wednesday is also expected
to draw attention to the issue.Civic Builders helps charter schools construct
and lease buildings that are separate from public facilities. With the help of
private philanthropy, it has transformed a Bronx parking garage into a
43,000-square-foot school and a kosher salami factory in Hunts Point into a
school with an arts specialty, and built a 90,000-square-foot school complete
with a 10,000-volume library, a climbing wall, and a rooftop athletic area in
the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. The grant is part of a federal
program aimed at making it more attractive - and less risky - for
philanthropists to invest in charter school construction projects. The Bush
administration has already awarded more than $175 million in grants to similar
projects across the country, according to Education Department grant lists.Source
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Response to a Comment on a recent post
A cyber-philosopher going by the moniker Socrates recently left a new comment on the post "May 7th Public Hearing":
So you would prefer that schools don't teach students to be good people? YouHmmm. With everything else that I brought up in that particular post, this is the one thing this clever person picked up on. He/she/it completely missed the point that what I - and several other community members had an issue with was the way the issue was raised (patronizingly, smugly, and out of context in a public hearing) leaving teachers, parents and others with a really bad taste in their mouths, and then dealt with afterwards. Tim Burke may have been trying to make a positive point about the PAVE Academy's curriculum, but he presented it so poorly that it came across as an insult to at least part of a roomful of people, and then, instead of apologizing, became confrontational.
would prefer that they are soul-less institutions of purely academic
orientation? How sad.
I think "Socrates" is probably an armchair philosopher who wants to engage in an epistemological, ontological debate (there's a couple of $10 words fer ya, Socrates - see? I went to college too) about whether it's a good idea to teach values in school. Values get taught in school intentionally and unintentionally, directly and indirectly all the time - by teachers, guidance counselors, other kids, etc. It's part of the socialization process. It's also part of the disciplinary process when kids act up in school.
But I'm going to answer your question with some other questions.
- How do you define a "good" person? Your definition might be different from mine, and it would be interesting to see where the overlaps are AND where the differences are.
- "Socrates", if you have a child, who would you prefer to have teaching him or her about values and character in school? Would you prefer your child learn from people who treat him fairly, who encourage him to develop intellectual curiosity and fair play in dealing with people he interacts with, whether they're peers or authority figures? Would you prefer he learn about character from people who negotiate well and look for common ground and real consensus in their solutions to conflict, or from people who are routinely patronizing, rude, and whose primary interests appear to be to get what they want whatever the cost, by any means necessary?
As a parent, I can tell you right away that I have no issue whatsoever with having the PS15 staff help build the character of my son, because over the past 5 years, they've done a wonderful job with him - he's curious, he scores well on tests, he's learned a huge amount about working out differences with other students fairly, he's empathetic and sympathetic, and because he's treated well there, he also makes an effort to reciprocally do the right thing and treat others well. I'm looking at the big picture, which is that they've participated in helping develop a boy with good character. On the other hand, I've watched the DOE and the PAVE Academy people work in tandem to ensure that the PAVE Academy gets exactly what it wants - which is a rent-free location for their school, with no fiscal or other accountability to the public whose taxes support education - through underhanded tactics. They've demonstrated very poor character in my book because they've misrepresented information to the public (I'm being kind here: others would call this LYING); in other cases, they've restricted or hidden information. They've also proceeded with their plans independently of the very people most affected by the long range impact of these plans, and they seem to feel that if they repeat certain meaningless key phrases often enough, their opposition will give up and roll over. This is arrogant and patronizing, and not to be tolerated from anyone.
Read through the earlier posts to this blog and connect the dots yourself (including Spencer Robertson's emails to me, which I've posted here) if you need to see the many other reasons I don't think the PAVE Academy people are equipped to appropriately help children build good character, and shouldn't be preaching about it to anyone until they can demonstrate some good character traits themselves.
I certainly wouldn't want MY son learning about character from people or organizations whose values are corrupt. That's part of why I don't want the PAVE Academy anywhere near my son's public school. Let them do their business elsewhere.
Emily Brown
May 7th Public Hearing
--
"Never underestimate the power of a small, dedicated group of people to change the world; indeed, that is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
Read my blog, Charter Free PS15 at http://charter-free-ps15.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
New York City Center for Charter School Excellence | NYC Charter School
This link discusses the 19 new charter schools approved for opening in the coming year - click on this link to see more: New York City Center for Charter School Excellence NYC Charter School: "PAVE".
Charter Schools, Special Programs, Choices & Enrollment, New York City Department of Education
Here is the Department of Education's official definition of charter schools: click on this link Charter Schools, Special Programs, Choices & Enrollment, New York City Department of Education
2007-08 Class Size Report (updated on 2/15/08), Class Size Report, DOE Data, About Us, New York City Department of Education
Click on this link 2007-08 Class Size Report (updated on 2/15/08), Class Size Report, DOE Data, About Us, New York City Department of Education for more information about the DOE's reports on class sizes.
Enroll Your Child | PAVE Academy Charter School
From: moderator <emilyholiday@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, May 7, 2008 at 9:19 AM
Subject: Enroll Your Child | PAVE Academy Charter School
To: emilyholiday@gmail.com
[http://www.paveacademy.org/enroll-your-child]
This explains the enrollment process at the PAVE Academy: Enroll Your Child PAVE Academy Charter School.
One thing I don't understand is this: in the original proposal for the PAVE Academy, it stated that the goal was to have a balance of 50% Latino / 50% African American students enrolled at PAVE. How is it possible to do that and also have a random, impartial lottery?
--
Posted By moderator to noskeeters at 5/07/2008 09:19:00 AM
--
"Never underestimate the power of a small, dedicated group of people to change the world; indeed, that is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
Read my blog, Charter Free PS15 at http://charter-free-ps15.blogspot.com/
Dean of Students and Families
This is the only position I've seen posted so far where certification was required - but only two years of teaching experience are required, and the candidate could potentially get the position with only a B.A. By the way, the Dean would also be expected to fill in for absent teachers... what happened to using substitute teachers?
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Parent Involvement and Power
Click on the link in the box above to read a sobering article about how the education system has been restructured in ways that make it even more difficult for parents to be truly involved and have an impact. Something needs to be done.
the public advocacy project
the public advocacy project - Parental Power and Mayoral Control: Avenues for Parent and Community Involvement in New York City Schools Clara Hemphill
Clara Hemphill is an acclaimed author, editor and social entrepreneur. The New York Times called her three books “the most definitive guides” to New York City public schools. New York magazine named her one of the 200 most influential New Yorkers for her work “empowering parents” as founding editor of the Insideschools.org website. As a reporter and editorial writer for New York Newsday, she shared the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for local reporting. New York magazine called her writing on the homeless “worthy of Dickens.” A foreign correspondent for The Associated Press and a producer for CBS News based in Rome in the 1980s, she covered the war in Lebanon, the attempted assassination of the pope and numerous Mafia murders. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, Robert Snyder, and two children, who attend public school.
the public advocacy project
This section of the public advocate's website focuses on the Commission on School Governance: click the link the public advocacy project
Bloomberg Proposes Lean Budget - New York Times
Look carefully through this article to see how much money is being spent on charter schools, despite budget cuts to education in NYC - click on this link: Bloomberg Proposes Lean Budget - New York Times
NY1: Education: Charter Schools cannot be audited
According to this article, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has been barred from auditing the city's charter schools because of a judge's ruling that the DOE (rather than the state) oversees charter schools. Click on this link: NY1: Education
DOE Public Meeting: siting of charter school PAVE Academy at PS15 in Red Hook - Black New Yorkers for Educational Excellence | Google Groups
Here's something picked up by a Google Group, one that looks excellent - click on the following link: DOE Public Meeting: siting of charter school PAVE Academy at PS15 in Red Hook - Black New Yorkers for Educational Excellence Google Groups
Background on the Gag Order - and Why I Cannot Comply
On Saturday, May 2, I got a phone call from Mrs. LaBoy, the parent coordinator at PS15; she explained that Ms. Wyns-Madison (the principal) had gotten phone calls from Spencer Robertson and the Department of Education requesting that I stop posting material to my blog, at least until after the meeting on Wednesday May 7. Initially I agreed to stop posting for a few days until after the meeting.
I've given this careful consideration for the past few days, and I can't in good faith NOT continue to keep the blog going. I'm sincerely sorry if this puts Ms. Wyns-Madison in an awkward position.
I'll be blunt: I'm annoyed with the DOE and with Mr. Robertson; approaching the principal about this, when it should be abundantly clear that she is not affiliated with this blog, is an underhanded maneuver. It's also a spineless, cowardly tactic to use. The only reason I've gone along with it up to this point is because I respect Ms. Wyns-Madison as a true professional, and didn't want to make a difficult situation worse for her. She's been placed in the middle of a situation by a bureaucracy whose sense of entitlement is grossly inflated, and it's also interesting to note that the DOE apparently listens more to the charter school camp than they do the public schools. I hope that this isn't an indication of what sharing space and negotiating with Mr. Robertson (and the DOE) will be like in the future should the PAVE Academy be co-sited in PS15.
I don't know about you, but in my case, blood's thicker than water; one of the most important reasons I started the blog in the first place is because my son attends PS15, and I'm trying to protect his interests - along with the interests of his classmates and their families. I'm taking this issue very personally because it's an attack on my child's school.
I find it somewhat ironic that I'm being told to suppress a public forum after spending more than a decade promoting freedom of expression in Brooklyn through hosting a series of literary readings that on occasion presented somewhat controversial political material. I also initiated and coordinated the Brooklyn Alternative Small Press Fair, which for five successive years promoted independent publishing in Brooklyn - and which incorporated many participants who presented political material that larger presses wouldn't deal with (see www.geocities.com/emilybrooklyn/smallpressfair for more information on that).
What really rubs me the wrong way about this is an issue of standards and integrity: when I was applying for grants to cover expenses for the Small Press Fairs, I had to be completely accountable in my grant proposals for certain key issues including the location of the event (I had to provide a letter of agreement with the directors of the venues I used stating that the event would be held on their premises on specific dates) and all financial information (receipts had to be provided for every expenditure), and I had to explain in detail exactly how my event would serve the community - and I got funded each year I requested grant monies because I presented totally feasible proposals and budgets, and I stuck to them. I was also responsible for providing detailed interim and final reports regarding the events to my funders. Why aren't Charter Schools held to the same level of accountability and integrity? Without knocking the relevance of the humanities programs I've been responsible for, it seems to me that educating children is a higher priority - there's far more at stake - so why aren't the agencies responsible for educating and helping shape our children held to the same or a higher standard?
I'll be posting more shortly - but I just wanted to let everyone know why the blog was so quiet for several days. Meanwhile, as of Monday, the number of viewers was well over 900, and I'm hoping that by Wednesday, we'll have passed the 1000 mark.
Emily
Monday, May 5, 2008
Blog Under Attack - Gag Order In Effect
As of Wednesday night, though, look for new posts. Blogger is terrific: it now allows users to schedule when a post will appear at a future date and time - and I've scheduled a series of posts to appear starting at 6:00 on May 7.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Official DOE Fact Sheet about PS15/PAVE Academy Co-Siting
If you click directly on the picure, you'll be able to see a bigger version... I'll try to re-post this in a better format later, but I just wanted to get this up. It's the document that John White from the DOE specifically requested I post.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
NYC Public School Parents
NYC Public School Parents Click on the link for this terrific blog that ISN'T connected to the DOE.
Friday, May 2, 2008
John White wants me to post something on the blog on behalf of the DOE
I just checked my email and got this message from John White. Of course, the file he wants me to post requires software I don't have installed on the computer I'm using, so I can't open it. Hmmm. I wish I knew what it says.
He emailed me back later on Friday and told me he'd send the document to me in another format on Monday.
Emily
From: White John <JWhite8@schools.nyc.gov>
Date: Fri, May 2, 2008 at 4:58 PM
Subject: posting
To: emilyholiday@gmail.com
--
"Never underestimate the power of a small, dedicated group of people to change the world; indeed, that is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
Read my blog, Charter Free PS15 at http://charter-free-ps15.blogspot.com/
CEC15 D15 THIS IS A FRIENDLY REMINDER
CEC15 D15 THIS IS A FRIENDLY REMINDER
District 15 Community Education Council
Invites you to
A Special Working Session for our Friends and Colleagues
Tuesday, May 6th6:30 P.M. - 8:30 P.M.
Dear Friends & Colleagues,
CEC15 has amended our Tuesday, May 6th working session to allow for a conversation with you.
Several of you have requested a time to meet with the CEC to inquire about how we may work together, or just to have more information about CEC. This is the opportunity.
You may be aware that CEC15 has had several changes since re-convening in September. Many of you have, in various ways, had to deal with a plethora of issues this school year - issues such as the School Budget Cuts, School siting, Changes in the gifted and talented programs, Middle school applications, the 8th grade promotion policy, and more which has kept us busy.
As volunteers with jobs, careers and family obligations, we struggle with the same time constraints as you. However we are eager to connect with you. Please prepare any questions you may have and be ready to share your organization's information with us.
Please RSVP to our Administrative Assistant, Romaine Smith at RSmith45@schools.nyc.gov or call our office at (718) 935 - 4267.
We look forward to seeing you on the Tuesday, May 6th @ 6:30pm - 8:30pm at 131 Livingston Street, room 610, 6th floor. Refreshments will be served.
Best Regards,CEC15
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Gmail - Would you like to get coffee tomorrow/after the hearing? - emilyholiday@gmail.com
Here's an email I got from Spencer Robertson today:
Spencer Robertson to me 10:32 AM
Hi Emily- I am going to be out in Red Hook for a good portion of the
morning tomorrow. Would you like to get some coffee? Until this morning I hadn't
spent much time on your blog (apparently I'm not alone), but reading it, you
seem to have formed, what I think is safe to say, a fairly low opinion of me. I
initially thought your objection to PAVE was surrounding the prospect of it's
co-location, but reading deeper it seems as though it has somehow gotten
personal. I think that's unfortunate given the very limited interactions we have
had. When and if we meet, I'd be more than happy to explain the difference
between a for-profit entity and a not for profit 501(c)(3) and answer any other
questions you might have. I'd enjoy the opportunity to sit with you and
listen to your concerns. Hopefully I can address them, but at the very least you
will have a better understanding of me and what we (PAVE) are trying to
accomplish, and vice versa. I look forward to meeting at some
point- All the best- Spencer
I'm not entirely happy with the tone of the communication (and by the way, I've worked for quite a few not-for-profit organizations in the past 25 years, and I'm a member of one now as well - so I'm completely familiar with the differences between for-profit and not-for-profit entities) - BUT, at least he's willing to open a dialogue about concerns over the school situation.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
URGENT! DOE Meeting on May 7 at 5:30 re: siting of PAVE Academy at PS15
While checking my email this morning, I found this message from another parent whose child attends PS15:
When I was dropping off my daughter at PS 15, Ms. LaBoy (the parent
coordinator) informed me that DOE is holding a public meeting on the
siting of PAVE Academy at PS 15 next Wednesday, May 7 at 5:30 PM.
While DOE claims that this meeting is akin to the legally mandated public
hearing, it's unclear whether PS 15 parents and staff will be allowed to
testified. Moreover, the families awarded seats at PAVE via of
the lottery have already received notice that the school will be located PS
15 - weeks before the so-called public hearing. Sadly, the PAVE
families are being coached to raise a ruckus at the May 7 meeting to show
support for the charter school - clearly a sick and divisive tactic on
Spencer Robertson's part.
I'm glad she passed this information on - but it's warped that I made direct contact with the DOE offices in charge of charter schools on numerous occasions, and they claimed ignorance of when this meeting would be scheduled or even WHO was responsible for scheduling this.
Are we being intentionally deceived because the DOE has already made a decision about the siting of the charter school? I think it's very likely. I think it's also warped that Mr. Robertson also feels a need to resort to tactics like this to ensure that he has a location for his charter school; how does this serve the Red Hook community in any positive way? Is this someone we want to be stuck trying to negotiate with over two or more years? Does anyone else reading this blog think that this may be more about Mr. Roberston protecting his business interests rather than genuinely trying to help Red Hook's children? He makes a lot of noise about the importance of choice in education... I think we need to show him that true choice is a two way street.
I'll be contacting the school this morning to get more information about this, as well as the DOE.
If you support PS15, please make a point of attending this meeting and speak out. Email me at emilyholiday@gmail.com or phone me at 917-325-1348 if you want to discuss more details.
Emily
Monday, April 28, 2008
Meeting re: Charter Schools Tonight
District 15 Community Education Council
“Empowering Parents to Claim Excellent Education for All Students”
131 Livingston Street, room 301B, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718 935-4267 Fax: 718 935-4356
CEC15@schools.nyc.gov
www.cec15.org
SPECIAL CHARTER SCHOOL HEARING
Date: April 28, 2008
Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Location: P.S. 146
AGENDA
1) Call to order
2) Introduction of members of the council – Ms. Jennifer Stringfellow
3) President’s Comments – Ms. Jennifer Stringfellow
4) Superintendent Rosemary Stuart - Introduction of Daniel Kikuji Rubenstein, Founder/Executive Director - Brooklyn Prospect Charter School www.brooklynprospect.org
5) Questions & Answers
6) Adjournment
Thank you for your active participation in your child(ren)’s education!
Next Calendar Meeting: Thursday, May 22nd, 2008 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Community District Education Council aka CEC, is a legislated body [See - Education Law, Title II. School District Organization, Article 52-A. New York City Community School District System NY CLS Educ.- 2590-c].
The Councils replaced the community school boards when the Mayor gained control of the school system, and are charged with representing parents’ perspective/issues/voices.
Fwd: Special Charter School Hearing Agenda
From: CEC15 D15 <CEC15@schools.nyc.gov>
Date: Mon, Apr 28, 2008 at 3:14 PM
Subject: Special Charter School Hearing Agenda
To:
District 15 Community Education Council
"Empowering Parents to Claim Excellent Education for All Students"
131 Livingston Street, room 301B, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718 935-4267 Fax: 718 935-4356
CEC15@schools.nyc.gov <mailto:CEC15@schools.nyc.gov>
www.cec15.org
SPECIAL CHARTER SCHOOL HEARING
Date: April 28, 2008
Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Location: P.S. 146
AGENDA
1) Call to order
2) Introduction of members of the council - Ms. Jennifer Stringfellow
3) President's Comments - Ms. Jennifer Stringfellow
4) Superintendent Rosemary Stuart - Introduction of Daniel Kikuji Rubenstein, Founder/Executive Director - Brooklyn Prospect Charter School www.brooklynprospect.org <http://www.brooklynprospect.org/>
5) Questions & Answers
6) Adjournment
Thank you for your active participation in your child(ren)'s education!
Next Calendar Meeting: Thursday, May 22nd, 2008 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Community District Education Council aka CEC, is a legislated body [See - Education Law, Title II. School District Organization, Article 52-A. New York City Community School District System NY CLS Educ.- 2590-c].
The Councils replaced the community school boards when the Mayor gained control of the school system, and are charged with representing parents' perspective/issues/voices.
--
"Never underestimate the power of a small, dedicated group of people to change the world; indeed, that is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
Read my blog, Charter Free PS15 at http://charter-free-ps15.blogspot.com/
Friday, April 18, 2008
DonorsChoose.org Blog: Sale on NYC Charter School Projects
DonorsChoose.org Blog: Sale on NYC Charter School Projects Click on the link to find out more about one of the many generous ways organizations hand out money to Charter Schools.
It would be interesting to research whether similar funding is available for public schools.
Especially since I'm really irritated by certain people (ahem) complaining about how expensive it is to run a charter school (if you're going to complain about a key aspect of your job, then maybe you need to look for another occupation).
parent choice re: schools
"Never underestimate the power of a small, dedicated group of people to change the world; indeed, that is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
Read my blog, Charter Free PS15 at http://charter-free-ps15.blogspot.com/
A Response and Update from Spencer Robertson
srobertson@paveacademy.orgHi Emily- I saw your warm and supportive note on our Idealist Page and thought it merited a response. We have indeed been actively pursuing space within the PAL on Clinton Street. John McGettrich has been extremely helpful in terms of helping attempt to connect us with the right people to make a location there feasible. Unfortunately, at this juncture at least, it doesn't look like that is going to work out. We held our lottery last week. More than 60 families attended (of the 115 who sought admission for their children). It was a beautiful evening- a celebration of parent choice. I have attached several photos that I believe capture the joy and excitement of the evening. In the future, if you would like to communicate with me- please email me directly (at this address) or call me at 212 437 8332. It's far easier for me to address your queries and concerns this way. Enjoy the splendid spring weather. Toodles-- Spencer
Spencer was responding to the following comment I posted in the forum section of his Idealist listing - interestingly enough, the PAVE Academy is no longer registered with Idealist as of the end of April:
I'm sure that you're aware at this point that the Red Hook community is strongly opposed to having the PAVE Academy located within PS15 for a variety of reasons - some of which include a lack of consistent transparent communication with the Red Hook community about alternative locations, and a strong concern that co-locating would have a profoundly negative impact on PS15 by affecting the number of students using the classrooms and other facitilies in the building.
Another source of concern is the impact on financial resources for PS15 during a time when budgets are being cut dramatically, should your school be occupying their premises (rent free, I'd like to add). What benefit does PS15 get from having a charter school foisted on them?
Have you been able to locate another site yet? Are you actively looking?
Obviously, you're entitled to start up a Charter School and run it as best you can, but does it really need to be at the expense of a public school that happens to be doing an excellent job of serving the population you claim to want to help so badly - without the financial backing of a rich family or other outside sources of funding, by the way. PS15 has succeeded where others might have failed because of a very dedicated staff and seasoned, committed teachers who have spent time establishing a close rapport with the community - some of them are members of the community themselves - and they've done it on a shoestring budget.I t's a bit ironic having an outside organization show up out of the blue trying to preach to the community about what's best for them.
Just out of curiousity, how many students have you managed to sign up through your lottery so far?
Anyone who wants to know more about opposition to placing the PAVE Academy in PS15 can take a look at http://charter-free-ps15.blogspot.com, which is chock-full of information and has had well over 300 hits in the month the blog's been up.
Emily Brown
The Brooklyn Paper: Family Calendar
Note that on Saturday, April 19 at 3, PS15 will be the venue for plays written by Red Hook youth. Would we be able to do this next year if space had to be shared with another school? Or would we be competing for rehearsal space and our own auditorium? The Brooklyn Paper: Family Calendar
Monday, April 14, 2008
Atlantic Free Press - Hard Truths for Hard Times - Destroying Public Education in America
Atlantic Free Press - Hard Truths for Hard Times - Destroying Public Education in America PLEASE click on this link and read it all the way through, even if you read nothing else on my blog. This article is AMAZING!
idealist.org - Welcome to Idealist.org - Imagine. Connect. Act.
Just some commentary left on their idealist profile... to balance the story a bit. Click this link: idealist.org - Welcome to Idealist.org - Imagine. Connect. Act.
Brooklynian.com | Brooklyn Blog and Message Boards :: View topic - Proposed Charter School at PS 15 STOP IT NOW!!!!
Click on the following link to see what other people are saying about the PAVE Academy:
Brooklynian.com Brooklyn Blog and Message Boards :: View topic - Proposed Charter School at PS 15 STOP IT NOW!!!!
Location | PAVE Academy Charter School
Location PAVE Academy Charter School Please read this statement from their website carefully; note that they're in discussion with the DoE, not the community, about locations....
And keep in mind that they've been offered newly built, available space outside of PS15, but that they allowed too much time to pass before making a decision on the other location and lost it, and that Spencer Robinson complained about rental and other real estate prices and the cost of running a charter school during a small informational meeting at PS15. Boo, hoo: while charter schools get less funding than public schools from governmental sources, they're allowed (and expected) to do loads more fundraising to cover their expenses - the money's out there, especially for children's educational and cultural enrichment.
Gmail - Google Alert - PAVE Academy Charter School - emilyholiday@gmail.com
http://mail.google.com/mail/?source=navclient#inbox/1194ba95e079749c Click on the link for more internet material on the PAVE Academy
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
WEDDINGS/CELEBRATIONS; Sarah Collins, Spencer Robertson - New York Times
This is just a side note, but provides a little personal background on Spencer Robertson. He's apparently from a very well-off background... it must be nice to work for good old dad, but what about those hedge funds? How well is he really going to fit in in a place like Red Hook? Is he just "slumming", or does he have a real interest in improving education for local students, or is he just trying to compensate for having come up with plenty of advantages? WEDDINGS/CELEBRATIONS; Sarah Collins, Spencer Robertson - New York Times
Building Excellent Schools: Fellow-Founded Schools
Click on the link for recent fellowship recipients.
Building Excellent Schools: Fellow-Founded Schools
Building Excellent Schools, fellowship programs
Click on this link and you'll see the links to the fellowship programs offered by Building Excellent Schools. Spencer Robertson's getting $80,000 to start a charter school in their "home" communities.
Thing is, I just can't see Spencer Robertson calling Red Hook home, unless he's planning to move to Red Hook soon - into one of those buildings that's selling for a million dollars. We all know what gentrification does to neighhborhoods... especially to the people who were there for years BEFORE gentrification. (Anyone who isn't sure should read some Jane Jacobs...)
Building Excellent Schools: Fellowship
Building Excellent Schools: Bio Details
Click on the following link to see a profile of Spencer Robinson; I think it's interesting that while he has some professional experience teaching, his B.A. from Duke doesn't mention any focus on education, and obviously his Stanford M.B.A. is NOT an education degree. It's also interesting to note that his charter school, the PAVE Academy, is a project he's working on is through a Fellowship program , presumably through Building Excellent Schools. Some of the work details listed here make it sound like he may be more interested in running businesses than being on the front lines teaching. Since his most advanced degree is an M.B.A., it annoys me even more that during the meeting we had at the school last month, he challenged my questions about the legitimacy of his running a private business (the non-profit charter academy) on public school property - he tried to duck my question by questioning whether his non-profit was actually a business. He KNOWS it is, and he assumes that he's dealing with ignorant or uninformed people.
So my question today is this: is his commitment truly to educating students, or to establishing and administering education programs? I'm asking because the teachers who work at PS15 have shown their true dedication to teaching by remaining committed to working with the Red Hook population over the course of years - more years than the meager three that Mr. Robertson spent teaching in Harlem.
Anyway, have a look at the profile.
Building Excellent Schools: Bio Details
Monday, April 7, 2008
Fwd: Charter Schools being placed in existing public schools
From: DiLiberto Lisa (15K029) <LDiLiberto@schools.nyc.gov>
Date: Mon, Apr 7, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Subject: RE: Charter Schools being placed in existing public schools
To: emilyholiday@gmail.com
Hi Emily,
I am not aware of the charter school you are referring to however this did occur at NEST+M 2 years ago when the chancellor wanted to place Courtney Ross's charter school in their building. Courtney Ross is the founder of The Ross Institute in East Hampton which is a private school. The parents and students at NEST, reserved 2 Jitney's and took a ride to EH in polite protest of the disruption this charter school would cause to their building and community. The parents won, but the charter wound up kicking out a school that was housed at TWEED.
The principal at NEST from that event no longer works at the school, but you may want to give the parent coordinator a call to see if that person would be willing to give you some ideas as to how they protested and won.
Good luck.
Best,
Lisa di Liberto
PS 29 Parent Coordinator
425 Henry Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
347.563.5386
ldiliberto@schools.nyc.gov
www.ps29brooklyn.org <http://www.ps29brooklyn.org/>
<http://www.nycps29pc.blogspot.com/>
Sent: Mon 3/31/2008 11:31 AM
And just for the sake of democratic argument, if you have an interesting argument pro-charter schools, feel free to speak up on that as well.
Here's the link to the blog: http://charter-free-ps15.blogspot.com/
Thanks for your consideration -
Emily Brown
--
You can also reach me by phone at 917-720-7335.
Check out my digital photography at http://picasaweb.google.com/emilyholiday/EmilyBrown; I also have a short slideshow video at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4527071836788208173
Re: Charter Schools
Hello Emily,I am Sarah and I work for Councilmember Bill de Blasio. I spoke to Mark Schwienzberg at Councilmember Gonzales office and they said they held a meeting with the community, school, parents, and DOE.I am trying to get more information on what the outcomes was of those meetings. I will inform you as I get the information. Thank you for alerting us.
--
Sarah Figuereo
Councilmember Bill de Blasio
2907 Ft. Hamilton Parkway
Brooklyn, NY 11218
(O) 718-854-9791
(F) 718-854-1146
(C) 347-277-9972
This message and any attachments is intended for the named addressee(s)
only and may contain information that is privileged and/or confidential.
If you receive this message in error, please delete it and immediately
notify the Office of New York City Councilmember Bil de Blasio. Any copying,
dissemination or disclosure, either whole or partial, by a person who is
not the named addressee is prohibited.
--
You can also reach me by phone at 917-720-7335.
Check out my digital photography at http://picasaweb.google.com/emilyholiday/EmilyBrown; I also have a short slideshow video at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4527071836788208173
Friday, April 4, 2008
Insideschools.org - Where to get help outside the school system
Insideschools.org - Where to get help outside the school system Click on this link for lists of organizations that may be able to help should we continue to fight the charter school placement at our school
Charters Go to New Recruitment Lengths | The New York Sun
Click on the following link to find out what depths charter schools sink to in order to boost enrollment. Pay special attention to the part where the article discusses how the DOE helps charters recruit by making mailing lists available through a mailing house. Where do you think the DOE really stands on supporting public schools vs. charter schools? Charters Go to New Recruitment Lengths The New York Sun
Battle Over School Space Will Heat Up Today | The New York Sun
More coverage of another public school's current fight against a charter school co-location - click on the link below:
Battle Over School Space Will Heat Up Today The New York Sun
News Copy, New York: Charter Schools
News Copy, New York: Charter Schools: "charter schools"
This is a blog with some odd analyses of the charter school situation, and it also has a batch of links to mainstream news outlet blogs that may be useful for additional research.
As Bid to Privatize Schools Ends, Supporters Second-Guess Effort - New York Times
This is somewhat deep history on the opposition to privatization issue, but is relevant because there appears to be an ongoing pattern of the DOE giving less support to public schools in less affluent neighborhoods - and possibly neighborhoods where they feel there isn't going to be much organized resistance.
As Bid to Privatize Schools Ends, Supporters Second-Guess Effort - New York Times
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Public Advocate for the City of New York – How We Help
Public Advocate for the City of New York – How We Help
Click on this link to find out more about how the Public Advocate (Betsy Gotbaum)'s office can help with education issues.
An Opposing Viewpoint
Hi Emily: I do have had extensive experience with charter schools & space issues in NYC. Think about it. Schools are large, fixed spaces. Communities that serve these schools fluctuate in size. This means that over time some buildings become very overcrowded and other buildings become very underutilized. The DOE places multiple schools into underutilized buildings to minimize the overcrowding in other schools. . The DOE has moved past the idea one building, one school; it just doesn’t work anymore. I was at a school building recently that had 3 schools (a K-8 DOE school, a DOE 75 special ed school & a new charter school). The school building was still dramatically under-utilized. Its capacity was 1400 and it only had 800 students. The charter school was leaving, and the DOE was intending to place a large second elementary school in the newly freed up space. I just checked & your school building is one of the most under-utilized elementary school buildings in Brooklyn. . It has space for 762 students and as of 06-07 had only 409 students enrolled. You are at 53% capacity. (http://source.nycsca.org/pdf/bluebook/classic_report_final.pdf) If you can fight off this particular charter school, that doesn’t mean that the DOE won’t turn around and fill your school with something else, like overflow from another school or a 75 special ed school. By the way, the ones that suffer most from this arrangement are the charter school, not the existing school. The existing principal has the upper hand in deciding whether or not the new school gets to use the gym or the auditorium or the play space. So why don’t charter schools get their own facilities? Well, they are public schools, but they only get 70 cents on the dollar for educating each child. The missing 30 cents is the money that the district spends on facilities. So they have no choice but to go into DOE schools. Your school does have good reviews, but that doesn’t mean that it works for every parent in your neighborhood. There are parents on the charter school side who would like a choice besides PS 15. In my experience, a strong and positive school culture comes from parents, teachers and the leadership at the school. There is no correlation between a school being isolated in a building and its having a family and friendly feeling. Hope this helps answer your question, - Elena
a blurb from Class Size Matters (sorry it's after the fact)
Leonie Haimson to nyceducationne
A total of 15 new charter schools are being established next year – a record for NYC.
See message below from mom at PS 15 in Red Hook in D15 in Brooklyn – which is being forced to accept a charter school in its building against the wishes of parents and staff at the school. She has posted a blog at : http://charter-free-ps15.blogspot.com/ that you should check out and post comments on.
There is also a meeting tomorrow night at P.S. 123 about a new charter school, Harlem Success Academy, one in Eva Moskowitz' chain of charter schools, that is being placed in their building against the will of the CEC in D5 and parents at the school.
TIME: 5:30 PM
SPEAKER'S LIST: 5:30- 6:15 PM
DAY: Tuesday
DATE: April 1, 2008
LOCATION: 301 W. 140th Street| Village of Harlem
Meanwhile, see article in NY Sun here about the recruiting efforts of these schools, that are apparently being given access to public school parents names and addresses through the DOE mail house. http://www.nysun.com/news/new-york/charters-go-new-recruitment-lengths
Leonie Haimson
Executive Director
Class Size Matters
124 Waverly Pl.
New York, NY 10011
212-674-7320
leonie@att.net
www.classsizematters.org
http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/
Please make a tax-deductible contribution to Class Size Matters now!
feedback from another school
Hello
This is my two cents:
My school, PS 295, shares space with MS 443. We were in this building first. Sharing works out just fine.
Shari Pulido
Parent Coordinator
PS 295
718-965-0390 x4105
347-563-5367 cell
Here's a real downer...
I got this message recently, and it's depressing:
DOE has made several decisions with or without parental consent or
concerns, and they will continue to do so. Please keep in mind the NYC
School System is run by the Mayor??
The decisions are done deals.
CEC
District 181106 East 95th Street, Rm. 112Brooklyn, NY 11236Phone:
718-566-6037Fax: 718-649-7074cec18@schools.nyc.gov
Advice From The Trenches - URGENT! PLEASE READ THIS!
I'd like to share something that another parent affiliated with another school emailed me yesterday. I think it's very important to pay attention to the experiences of others who have been in the trenches over this (and related) issues.
John White is an arrogant man with a corporate mentality who has no sense
of what it is to be a child or a parent in the public school system -- nor does
he have the intention or interest in learning. He makes changes that
affect 1000s of children based on superficial numbers that he has in a piece of
paper. Another thing that we've learned through this process is that no
one in the DOE is trustworthy. The way to battle them is to move quickly,
because the more time passes the more difficult it is for them to
retreat. We were able to mobilize more than 350 parents in 3 days, had an
emergency PTA meeting with the Superintendent where the voices of the parents
were unified. We planned a press conference for the following week and let
them know that we were going to have the press conference. After the press
release went out and they read it, they called an emergency meeting two days
before the scheduled press conference. The other issue that you need
to consider is that the new Charter school will affect your school even more now
with the anticipated average $100,000 cut per school through the State and City
budget cuts. The Charter School will represent additional cuts on top of
those Citywide losses. Is the Charter School planned for the same
grades/services currently provided by PS 15? We can't stress enough
the importance of becoming organized and unified as a school community.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
The DOE is stalling...
Gmail - CEC 15 March Updates
Our situation is mentioned in this newsletter, and CEC 15 appears to be supportive of our side. http://mail.google.com/mail/?source=navclient#inbox/1190cb5db687dd68
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Public School 123 space spat pits Eva Moskowitz against Harlem parents
Public School 123 space spat pits Eva Moskowitz against Harlem parents
Click the link above for a VERY interesting read, and see if you see some parallels. We're hardly alone in the fight between public and charter schools. This is an unusual story, though, because the apparently well-connected (or very much deluded about the extent of her power) head of THIS charter school brags that she'll fight back by bringing "hundreds" of parents supporting her school to a public meeting... can we all say CATFIGHT? Meow, meow.
DOE Lack of Response on when a community meeting will be scheduled...
I called Michael Duffy's office this afternoon to find out when the DOE was planning to schedule a meeting with the community and PS15 to discuss placing the PAVE Academy in PS15; he told me he didn't know, but would check with a colleague and email me an answer.
Hmmm.
I wonder whether having more people call in on a regular basis would prompt him to find out and let us know sooner. Here's the phone number: 212-374-5419; you'll reach an automated voice system - choose 5 for Mr. Duffy.
GrandCentral: The New Way to Use Your Phones
Apparently the NY Post is also interested in being kept in the loop on this issue.
GrandCentral: The New Way to Use Your Phones
At Charter School, Higher Teacher Pay - New York Times
Here's a very controversial charter school model....
At Charter School, Higher Teacher Pay - New York Times
Public vs. Charter Schools: A New Debate - New York Times
This is a somewhat old article, but shows that other schools have been in the same position as PS1, and that some of the official players are still the same...
Public vs. Charter Schools: A New Debate - New York Times
NEST M - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For an interesting story on what can happen when a school protests a proposed school sharing arrangement, check THIS out... some of you may remember hearing about this in the news a while back, but it's an interesting read.
NEST M - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Strength in Numbers? Another strategy...
Narger@aol.com Dear Emily, As a parent of two public school students, I am extremely sympathetic to your concerns. I just learned that IS 88, a middle school in Park Slope that just came off the "at risk list" two years ago is scheduled to have a Charter School placed in its building next year as well. It seems counter-ntuitive. The DOE should be looking for ways to improve its failing or non-erforming schools rather than saturating its successful schools and their facilities with additional students. I haven't had an opportunity to visit your blog, but I wanted to suggest, if you haven't consideredt already, that you work together with other schools that are expecting new Charter Schools next and that have received high grades and address this problem systemically, rather than trying to preserve the small school feel of only PS 15. The DOE knows there is strength in numbers and many successful schools will be seeing their student populations increase significantly next year. Have you considered contacting the Head of Parent Outreach? askmartine@schools.nyc.gov I hope this information is useful. Sincerely, Rachel Gertzog
Fwd: [Charter-Free PS15] New comment on Web Visitors.
From: Anonymous <noreply-comment@blogger.com>
Date: Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 5:02 PM
Subject: [Charter-Free PS15] New comment on Web Visitors.
To: emilyholiday@gmail.com
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Web Visitors":
NYS Charter School law states that there must be a public hearing prior to siting a charter school in an existing public school: http://www.newyorkcharters.org/documents/NYSCharterSchoolsActof1998.doc#S2853
Posted by Anonymous to Charter-Free PS15 at March 31, 2008 5:02 PM
--
You can also reach me by phone at 917-720-7335.
Check out my digital photography at http://picasaweb.google.com/emilyholiday/EmilyBrown; I also have a short slideshow video at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4527071836788208173
Fwd: [Charter-Free PS15] New comment on General Question for Readers.
From: involved parent <noreply-comment@blogger.com>
Date: Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 10:55 PM
Subject: [Charter-Free PS15] New comment on General Question for Readers.
To: emilyholiday@gmail.com
involved parent has left a new comment on your post "General Question for Readers":
It may not be considered a "charter" school but we are in the same boat as you. We had one high school imposed on us and now they are leaving. DOE wants to place yet another high school on us and we are fighting them tooth and nail on it. To read our story click on my name above.
Posted by involved parent to Charter-Free PS15 at March 31, 2008 10:55 PM
--
You can also reach me by phone at 917-720-7335.
Check out my digital photography at http://picasaweb.google.com/emilyholiday/EmilyBrown; I also have a short slideshow video at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4527071836788208173
Fwd: Charter Schools being placed in existing public schools
From: CEC19 D19 <CEC19@schools.nyc.gov>
Date: Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 1:29 PM
Subject: RE: Charter Schools being placed in existing public schools
To: emilyholiday@gmail.com
I'm sorry to hear that but if there wasn't a forum about it you can protest the whole thing.
Community Education Council 19
557 Pennsylvania Avenue Rm. 315
Brooklyn, New York 11207
(718) 272-8033
Sent: Mon 3/31/2008 11:31 AM
And just for the sake of democratic argument, if you have an interesting argument pro-charter schools, feel free to speak up on that as well.
Here's the link to the blog: http://charter-free-ps15.blogspot.com/
Thanks for your consideration -
Emily Brown
--
You can also reach me by phone at 917-720-7335.
Check out my digital photography at http://picasaweb.google.com/emilyholiday/EmilyBrown; I also have a short slideshow video at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4527071836788208173
Monday, March 31, 2008
General Question for Readers
Has anyone reading this blog participated in - or heard about - public schools successfully fighting (as in, winning a fight) with the DOE about having a charter school placed in their local public school? Would you care to share your insights and experiences? I was dismayed to see that some school buildings house more than two schools.
Please post responses!
Web Visitors
I'm glad we've got the web counter installed; on Friday, there were only 300 hits, and today there are over 360 hits. People have been busy - we're getting lots of visits. NOW I wish people would comment on what we've got posted. It would be great to hear what other people think of the issues and posts so far.
If this is your first visit to this blog...
Please make sure to scroll all the way down and also visit the archives for February for full background on the whole issue. There are a lot of layers to the story, and both the DOE and Spencer Robertson's plans don't seem to be as completely transparent as they should be, and some people have commented that there may be questions about the legalities regarding how the DOE is proceeding with their plans (especially in NOT having a community meeting to present what the plan IS before it was decided on).
