Summer break is hardly a vacation for more than 90 schools across the city that will be moving into new locations for the new school year. For some, moving means a home in a brand-new building, while for others, it is a less-than-welcome change. Many of the moves involve charter schools which some public schools have resisted housing in their buildings.

On Monday, The New York Post highlighted parents’ and students’ upset over the Coalition School for Social Change’s move from the West 50s to East Harlem, an area they say is known for gangs and violence. Families of the Bronx Early College Academy are not happy about the school’s move to the South Bronx. The move from Riverdale to a troubled middle school campus takes the school farther away from Lehman College, where students in the upper grades will eventually take classes. (more…)

In our last poll, we asked you to tell us what you think about your school’s physical education program. Almost a third of respondents told us it was great, but nearly 50 percent think there’s room for improvement. In her introductory post, our new blogger Bronx Mom said that the lack of satisfactory physical education facilities was one factor that lead her to look outside of her district for schools. Thanks for your comments on her post and on our poll!

One parent told us: “Physical education is given in the cafeteria. Kids only get it once a week and all the supplies including balls are paid for by the PTA, because there isn’t enough money in the budget to cover that stuff. Upper grades have recess in the street because the yards are too small to accommodate everyone.” (more…)

After a flood of parent complaints about the Department of Education’s crackdown on parent associations independently paying for teaching aides in crowded classrooms, the DOE is  reconsidering its decision and may allow the practice to go forward this year after all. The New York Times, Gothamschools, and the Daily News report that, yesterday, Chancellor Klein proposed an arrangement  in which the assistants would be called “substitute aides” and paid $12.30 per hour. He made his proposal at a meeting at Tweed with parents from a dozen Manhattan schools and City Councilmembers who put together the meeting.

The arrangement is subject to the approval of the District Council 37, the union representing non-instructional school staff. (more…)

Word comes from Joyce Szuflita of  NYCSchoolHelp that an interim acting principal was named at PS 20 in Fort Greene. The new principal, Lena Barbera, comes from a popular Boerum Hill school, PS 261, where she has been on staff since 1996, most recently as assistant principal. Check out the PS 261 website for more information about her. According to PS 20 PTA President Ayanna Blaize, Barbera has already reached out to both the PTA and staff .

PS 20 was in the news last  spring when it was slated to become one of three new citywide Gifted and Talented programs to open in September. The program was nixed after too few families applied. In May,  Principal Sean Keaton was arrested for allegedly assaulting a teacher.  (The New York Times Local Fort Greene/Clinton Hill blog covered the story extensively this spring but there’s been no word on the fate of the former principal. According to Blaize, school officials say they are “still investigating.”)

UPDATE (7/31): According to The New York Post, Sean Keaton, the former principal, “has been assigned to the district office pending the outcome of his criminal case.” The article quotes Keaton’s lawyer saying he expects his client will be cleared and return to the school “in good standing.”

In an editorial in today’s Daily News, Eva Moskowitz weighs in on the controversial  decision by the Department of Education to  clamp down on parent associations paying for non-union teaching aides in their children’s classrooms. Her take? Schools benefit from parent fund-raising that helps lower class size, especially in middle class schools which get less funding than those with a high percentage of low income students.  She posits, “The UFT doesn’t like it because these aspiring teachers aren’t union members.”

Commenters on Insideschools have been debating the merits of the practice, which according to the New York Times, only affects about 18 highly desirable city schools. Some argue that this is “another example of  Bloomberg steamrolling important parent input,”  that  will “drive more  middle class [families] out of the city. ” Others argue that, “It’s a public system and there should be a level playing field.” A few commenters suggest ways in which schools across the city can “pool fundraising.” Others note the role of the powerful teachers union, which filed a grievance last fall about the hiring practice. (more…)

Dear Judy,

We just moved to New York City this summer. Do you have any ideas for free summer activities?

New to NYC

Judy answers:

Dear New to NYC,

Welcome to summer in New York City! Lots of families may be at loose ends now that summer school is ending and early camp sessions are over. A good way to meet other families in your neighborhood is to check out your neighborhood public school playground. A city initiative called “Schoolyards to Playgrounds” is working to renovate and open school playgrounds to the public. Many are now open even if school is not.

Department of Parks and Recreation playgrounds are also open from 8 am to dusk. Their website has  a list of playgrounds and other indoor and outdoor recreation programs. They also have a list of wheelchair accessible playgrounds, fields, pools and beaches. And, if you find a favorite playground, the Department is even inviting folks to pick their favorite playground, so you can see what other families recommend. (more…)

 Have a school question for Judy?  Search archives | Contact Judy

This summer, my daughters and I are getting our hands dirty, thanks to their schools and our city. We may live in an asphalt-dominated landscape, but with minimal effort we have found green spaces where we can practice the good, old-fashioned art of gardening.

My 4-year-old’s school, PS 29, participates in the Garden to School Café program. Their vegetable garden, tucked in a sunny corner of the schoolyard, acts as science lesson, cafeteria supplier, and classroom pet. Science teacher Tina Aprea-Reres, featured in a July Daily News article about the program, maintains the garden as part of her curriculum, which extends into the summer months. Children help grow vegetables, which become cafeteria lunches in the fall. Last year, pesto was popular, even with those otherwise wary of green stuff. This spring, kids offered beautiful bunches of radishes from their own “farm stand”. (more…)

The Board of Regents elected Dr. David Steiner as New York state education commissioner and president of the University of the State of New York. According to the state education department’s press release, Steiner, current dean of the Hunter College School of Education, is “best known for his leadership of the national effort to transform teacher preparation and improve teacher quality.” The New York Post reported this morning that Steiner supports merit pay and higher wages for teachers.

The previous state education commissioner, Richard Mills, announced in November that he was retiring after 14 years on the job. His tenure was marked by an increased emphasis on standardized test scores and tougher high school graduation requirements.

A group of Upper West Side parents, elected officials and other concerned citizens has been meeting this summer to plan a new, academically challenging high school focused on journalism and writing to open with a 9^th grade class in fall, 2010, in the Brandeis High School building on West 84^th Street. The group, organized by City Councilwoman Gale Brewer, hopes the school will be named in honor of Frank McCourt, a former Stuyvesant High School teacher and author of the bestseller Angela’s Ashes ,who died on Sunday.

The school is still in the planning stages, but the parents, led by Tom Allon, publisher of the West Side Spirit who taught with Frank McCourt at Stuyvesant, hope it will grow to serve between 800 to 1,000 students. That’s small enough to give students a sense of community, but large enough to offer art, drama, several foreign languages, Advanced Placement, special education and services for English Language Learners that are often missing at the new small schools that have been created in recent years. The Department of Education is interviewing prospective “project directors” for the school this summer. The “project director” will be hired part-time in the fall and, if the school is approved by the DOE, will likely be assigned as principal early in 2010. (more…)

I’ve never agreed with Schools Chancellor Joel Klein’s ban on cell phones in school. I understand that students shouldn’t text or chat in class. But as a New York City public school parent whose middle school kids ride the subway and get around to after-school activities on their own, I need to hear from them when they leave and arrive. I’ve longed for a compromise solution that allows phones to be stored and retrieved when the day is over.

Camp, however, is an entirely different story, as I’ve learned the hard way this summer. My older son’s camp had a policy that kids could have their cell phones in their cabins only, but I decided this would be a good time to take it one step further.
Why, I wondered, did he need to chat or text with friends back home or call his parents during a two-week music camp? It seemed the perfect time to unplug – no computer, television or addicting electronics of any kind. Until the calls started coming in. “Mom, everyone else has a cell phone here!” came the first urgent call. “I need my cell phone!” I heard the following night. “Send it now! Send me my cell phone!” (more…)

Donya Rhett, PhD, aka “Bronx Mom,” is a frequent commenter on The InsideSCOOP. A resident of Morris Heights, she is the parent of a 10-year-old son and an (almost) 5- year-old daughter who both attend Central Park East 1. She also surveys the New York City public school scene as a clinical psychologist working in a school-based health center at a Harlem middle/high school campus. We’re pleased to welcome her contributions to The InsideSCOOP.

“Bronx Mom” is a bit of a misnomer. Yes, I am a mom. Yes, we live in the Bronx. And yet, I often feel very disconnected from my Morris Heights neighborhood because my children have only attended Harlem schools.

I tried to make an “educational home” in the Bronx six years ago when I first began searching for kindergarten for my son. Sadly, there were few choices in my district (10) that were accessible to us and would also be a good fit for my bright, very active child. Given the beliefs of some that families should stick with their zoned school, I thought I might shed some light as to why I, self-titled Bronx Mom, crossed district lines in search of the best fit. (more…)

Yesterday, Chancellor Klein visited the School of One, a two-month summer school program at Chinatown’s MS 131. Unlike typical summer school programs which target low-achieving kids who need to catch up, 80 middle school math students volunteered to spend their summer vacation in MS 131’s school library. They  are piloting the use of a technology-based classroom that offers them individualized instruction, complete with their own laptop and daily “playlist.”

According to Gothamschools, which has a good rundown of the program,  a student’s playlist, or schedule, might direct him to start the day by meeting with a tutor, then to complete a set of online assignments, and then to work on a project with classmates. The New York Times reports that, for some, online tasks may take the form video games in which math problems are obstacles: “[Students’] screens looked no different than typical arcade screens — except when their equations popped up.” (more…)

If you have a rising high school freshman  or sophomore and  moved to the city after Oct. 31, 2008, you still have the chance to apply to some of the city’s most sought-after schools. You teen can register now to take the specialized high school exam, or audition for LaGuardia High School for the Arts, for entrance in September.

The nine specialized high schools are highly selective: eight of them base admissions on the results of an exam while LaGuardia requires an audition to one of its six arts programs.  There is at least one specialized high school in each of five boroughs, and you may register for either an audition or the exam (or both!) at any of the Department of Education’s borough enrollment offices. The exam will be given on Monday, Aug. 31, and auditions for LaGuardia will be held on Friday, Sept. 4. The last day to register is Aug. 27.

There are also high school  seats available for rising juniors at another selective school:  Bard High School Early College II in Queens, which offers students the opportunity to graduate with a high school diploma and a two-year degree from Bard College. Bard requires applicants to take an entrance assessment and schedule an in-person interview. To find out more, call (212) 995-8479 ext. 2043, (212) 995-8479 ext. 2041, or (845) 546-0364.

Is your high school still accepting students for September 2009? Let us know whom to contact below!

In the news this past week come reports that some low-performing students, as well as students with special needs, are being pushed out of charter schools and enrolling in their neighborhood zoned schools, echoing what we reported in May (See: “Most vulnerable students shut out of charter schools).
In her opinion piece, Insideschools founder Clara Hemphill questions whether charter schools help or hurt neighborhood public schools. She highlights two low-income schools in the Bronx that, although located just one block away from each other, serve very different student populations.

According to Hemphill, the majority of students who go to the Carl C. Icahn Charter School are African-American and speak English at home, while the majority of students at PS 42 are Latino and only speak Spanish. PS 42 has many students who receive special education services, and teachers there say some are students “who can’t meet the academic or behavioral requirements of the charter school are encouraged to leave and wind up at PS 42.” (more…)

In April, our blogger Jennifer Freeman wrote about the potential for parent-funded teachers’ aides to be pushed out of our city’s overcrowded classrooms. That looming threat has now become a reality, The New York Times reported yesterday.

Parent associations at top schools have a long tradition of raising thousands of dollars to independently hire assistants to help teachers in the classroom, run enrichment programs, or manage students in the cafeteria and at recess. Sparked by a complaint from the teachers union, however, the Bloomberg administration has told principals to put an end to the practice. Any aides hired for the coming school year must be employees of the Department of Education whose salaries are included in the school’s official budget. (more…)

In our last poll, we wanted to know if you supported the City Council’s resolution to add Id al-Fitr and Id al-Adha to the public school holiday calendar. Thanks for your comments!

Should your child need to  miss school for a holiday, make sure to request, in writing, that your child be excused before the date of observance. The school principal will have the final say (see Chancellor’s Regulations A-210 and A-630).

On Monday, the Department of Education and the Health Department reported that the data from students’ annual fitness assessment shows that physically fit students tend to perform better on academic tests than their out-of-shape peers. How much better? On average, the report says, kids who did the best on the fitness test outscored those who did the worst by 36 percentile points on standardized academic exams. Additionally, the report found that 21 percent of  New York City students in Kindergarten-8th grade are obese; 18 percent more are overweight.This week, we’d like to know what you think of your school’s physical education program. Vote now, and add your comments below!

UPDATE: See the full report here. 

Thanks to our generous contributors,we are more than two-thirds of the way to meeting our goal of $10,000 in private donations for the month of July. As of July 13, our donation total was $7,362. Please help us meet our target by donating now, if you can. (Thanks to those of you who have already donated!)

To learn more about our circumstances, take a look at today’s cover story in The West Side The Spirit, Insideschools.org On Its Way Out . We appreciate that they spread the word about our efforts to keep “the city’s premier public school website” alive.

I have a confession to make: I am awkward and gawky when it comes to social networking.

I was “friended” by Facebook members many, many times before I finally succumbed and created my own account. I limited my definition of the verb “tweet” to what birds do, or perhaps the sound a car engine makes when something is amiss. Does it really also refer to text messages of 140 characters or less?

If this new language isn’t daunting enough, there are rules. You can “retweet,” but only under certain conditions. And I’m not even sure why I would want to retweet—I can’t even figure out why I would want to tweet to begin with!

Should I become a fan of a Facebook page? Should I join a Facebook group? What’s the difference between a page and a group? An old grade school friend poked me recently. Without knowing what that means, I poked her back. I still have no idea what it means. (more…)

Q: I am on Facebook a lot with my friends, just to, like, stay in touch, share photos, nothing serious. Sometimes we use four-letter words in our conversation, it doesn’t really mean anything. My mom saw my page and really got on my case for this. She says college admissions people read applicants’ Facebook pages and judge them on that. I think she’s over-reacting. First of all, those people probably don’t have time to search for every applicant on Facebook. But also, most of the people using Facebook are teenagers and you have to expect that language. I mean, it’s just for fun, no big deal, right?

A: Using Facebook to “stay in touch” is not wrong, of course, and it is fun. In fact, it’s so much fun that thousands of people who are far beyond their teenage years use it. (Go ahead, look me up.) But it is wrong to assume that admissions people do not take the time to check applicants’ entries on social networking sites. They do. They don’t have the time to check every applicant; but they check many. Silly, frivolous things don’t turn them off. But entries that reflect bigotry, racism, homophobia, intolerance, or a violent nature definitely set off alarms. The admissions people aren’t trying to spy; they are trying to gather any additional information that could help them decide if a person should be admitted to their academic community. (more…)

 Have a question for Jane?  Search archives | Contact the College Counselor

Dear Judy,

In the fall, my son will be starting kindergarten in a school where he does not know anyone and where the classes are much larger than he is used to. All his pre-K friends will be in different schools, and I fear we will lose touch. I am wondering how to ease his transition to this new experience.

Anxious mother

Judy answers:

Dear Anxious Mother,

Ah, kindergarten is a new experience for all children, whether or not they know each other on the first day. As a parent, you know it’s important to keep your concerns to yourself. Instead, talk up the positive aspects of going to a new grown-up school where your son will learn lots of new things and find new friends. (more…)

 Have a school question for Judy?  Search archives | Contact Judy

Claiborne Williams Milde is the parent of a kindergartner at PS 29 and a three-year-old preschooler. She lives in Brooklyn and is a freelance writer and cook. We’re pleased to welcome her regular contributions to The InsideSCOOP.

On a gray day this June, my daughter—I’ll call her Night Owl—stood on a blue riser and “stepped up” to kindergarten. The teacher spoke of what an amazing group of preschoolers this had been, and I realized how much I would miss the faces I saw each day at pick-up, at lunch duty, and on field trips. Another week of school followed Stepping Up, but it barely counted; as each day passed, paintings and projects disappeared from the walls, and with them, the room’s personality.

I flash back to Night Owl’s first day at PS 29. Climbing the huge stairway, she looked comically tiny, as if trying on a grownup’s clothes. I wondered how she, newly four, would tackle life in the big school. But pre-K turned out to be a safe bubble. Sure, there was structure and discipline, ABCs and 1,2,3s. But these little kids also rested on mats, tinkered in the play kitchen to their hearts’ content, and got plenty of hugs from the assistant teacher. In the final weeks, there was an aura of excitement as they practiced for fall by visiting kindergarten classrooms and lunching in the cafeteria. (more…)

The Daily News reported yesterday that five of the city’s schools that posted the lowest scores on state math exams this year had been  opened to replace  failing schools  closed by the Department of Education for poor performance. Additionally, the News reported, some of the schools slated for closure this year actually made test score improvements that were twice that of the citywide average . Other schools targeted for closure posted scores close to the citywide average when their student demographics (such as the special education population or number of English Language Learners) are taken into account.

The policy of closing schools is one of the most controversial initiatives launched since the state gave Mayor Bloomberg control of the city’s school system. What is your experiences with “replacement” schools in your neighborhood?  Do you support or oppose the policy?

Looking for a slot in a public pre-Kindergarten program for September? The second round of admissions will begin on Monday, July 13, according to the Department of Education. To be eligible, children must turn four years old by Dec. 31, 2009.

A directory of schools with open seats will be available online on Monday; paper copies will be ready on Friday, July 17 at enrollment offices, according to the DOE. Some programs with open seats  are full day; others are only half-day, offering  morning or afternoon sessions.

Applications can be submitted online or by mail; the deadline is July 31. Letters notifying  families of placement will be sent on Aug. 28 - rather late for those who are trying to figure where their four-year-olds will be attending school in the fall!

In our last poll, we asked you to grade your child’s experience in school this year, and though not everyone was satisfied, 65 percent of the nearly 600 respondents rated their child’s year as either good or excellent. Thanks for your comments!

This week we’d like you to vote on whether two new holidays should be added to the official school calendar. The New York Times reported that the City Council passed a resolution to add Id al-Fitr and Id al-Adha, two of the most important Muslim holy days, to the holiday calendar. Mayor Bloomberg, who has the final say, opposes the Council’s vote. We’d like to know what you think. Should schools close for two additional days in observance of these holidays?

Since Brooks is officially on summer vacation, I’m feeling the need to switch gears myself. Instead of a personal vignette this week, I’d like to use this post to introduce you to two excellent autism bloggers I’ve come to know over the past year.

Janice Wright is a fellow ASD (autism spectrum disorder) Nest mom in Queens who blogs her son, DuckyBoy (DB). She often writes about his social challenges, which I recognize immediately: “DB wants to play with other kids but also wants to impose an ever-increasing, and advantageous-to-him, series of rules. Like, halfway through a race, he’ll change the finish line…to be whatever he’s closest to.” (more…)

Yesterday in Harlem, parents, students, and staff of PS 123 protested the move of Harlem Success Academy II into their school building. They contend that  the charter school will prevent their traditional neighborhood school from expanding in the future. (See NY1 footage of the rally here.)

According to Daily News columnist Juan Gonzalez, tension erupted when moving men from Harlem Success arrived unannounced at PS 123 last week. They removed locks from classroom doors and began to empty the rooms of their furniture, books, and supplies. Although they were not expected by the leadership at PS 123, the men said they had orders to refurbish all the school’s third-floor rooms. (more…)

Families of soon-to-be kindergartners or 1st-graders who are new to the city may request an application to test for gifted and talented programs. Applications are due July 16. Contact your local placement office for an application.

The Department of Education will not guarantee placement — even for students who qualify — because spaces are limited. All parents whose children are tested will be notified by August 31.

Note:  You must have proof that you did not move to the city before February 15 and proof of current NYC residence.

Parents of  2nd and 3rd-graders waiting to find out their gifted and talented program placement should be on the lookout! A Department of Education official confirmed that the letters were sent out last Thursday - a day earlier than expected!

Remember: you must accept your placement offer by Friday, July 17.  Let us know  if you’ve gotten news!

Today the The New York Post reports that state Democrats in Albany are ready to pass legislation extending mayoral control of New York City public schools, but  The New York Times reports that the bill passed by the Assembly will not sail through the Senate.

Meanwhile, here in Manhattan, parents who would like to protest mayoral control will converge on Tweed Courthouse at 5 p.m. today. The New York Coalition for Neighborhood School Control and the Parent Commission  on School Governance are co-sponsoring the rally.

The Department of  Education announced the launch of the Big Apple Games, a free summer recreational program that runs through August 16.  There is no registration deadline for the six-week program, which offers children between the ages of eight and 19 a chance to participate in a range of sports activities and arts and crafts.

A list of program sites is available on the Public School Athletic League website, or families can call 311 for more information.

As the end of the school year marked the exit of several top special education officials at the DOE, we wondered when departing Garth Harries, senior coordinator for special education, would issue his recommendations to improve special education services.

Today, Harries met with the Arise Coalition at Advocates for Children’s Midtown offices to share his final report just a few hours before Chancellor Klein announced a  new special education head at Tweed.

“There are recommendations in the document we have not seen in prior reports, and, if implemented well, could make a big difference for kids with disabilities,” said Kim Sweet, AFC’s executive director. In particular, she noted that recommendations called for aligning special education processes, such as admission and school placement, to coincide with general education deadlines. (more…)

Just a few short months ago, I blogged that I would sell a major organ to see Brooks eat a vegetable. This week at dinner, my son turned to me and very matter-of-factly asked: “Can I have more broccoli, please?”

My husband and I shot each other that incredulous look that autism parents treasure, sharing a “did he really just say that?” moment.

One of the reasons I’m so over-the-moon about this particular success is that I made it happen: I designed an intervention, I implemented it, and, miraculously, it worked. No, I take back “miraculously.” It worked because of the years of careful training I received from my son’s extraordinary therapists over the years. They may not come to the house a few times a week anymore, but they continue to propel Brooks forward all the same. (more…)

GothamSchools blogged live from the Board of Education’s speedy meeting today at Tweed, reporting on the flurry of votes made before the meeting came to a close.

In less than ten minutes, the BOE voted to keep Chancellor Klein in command, elected Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott as president, and called on state senators in Albany to pass the Assembly’s mayoral control bill. Lastly, the board motioned to adjourn until September 10, the day after schools open this fall. (For in-depth coverage of the meeting and its aftermath, see Gotham’s re-cap.) (more…)

Midnight marked the end of mayoral control of schools, and for the first time since 2002, the Board of Education is back in business, meeting today at noon for the first time in seven years.

The newly reconstituted seven-member board will be made up of five members , one appointed by each borough president, and two members appointed by Mayor Bloomberg. Yesterday, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., formally announced the appointment of Dr. Dolores Fernandez as the Bronx representative. According to The New York Times, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz will appoint  his chief of staff, Carlo Scissura, to the board while Manhattan’s  Scott Stringer will appoint his legal counsel (and former Advocates for Children staff lawyer), Jimmy Yan, on an interim basis. There is no word yet on the appointees from Queens, Staten Island, or the mayor.

Check out GothamSchools’ step-by-step  guide to the post-mayoral control school system for more information about what’s next for the city’s schools.

UPDATE (11:07 a.m.): We have just learned the rest of the appointees to the BOE: for Queens, Deputy Mayor of Education and Community Development Dennis Walcott; for Staten Island, Deputy Borough President Edward Burke; and for Mayor Bloomberg, First Deputy Mayor Patricia Harris and Deputy Mayor for Operations Edward Skyler.

Just over a year ago, I wrote my first blog post for Insideschools. Now, as the school year’s drawn to a close, it’s time for me to say “thank you” to all who have written in, commented, and asked good questions; all who have challenged our reporting and made it stronger; all who have shared their stories, and their children’s stories, with readers across New York City. I’d especially like to thank the stalwart guest contributors who’ve helped to make Insideschools.org the rich and varied parent resource it is — and whose independent voices and heartfelt contributions made my job that much easier. We all hope the work has been useful to you.

Insideschools will continue to keep readers apprised of news in the city’s schools, even as it’s my turn, now, to express my sincere thanks for the opportunity to have served the site and its community.  It’s been a pleasure, and I’m sorry to see it end.

What I wrote last June remains entirely true today: “Thanks to all for their thoughts, inspirations, frustrations and wee-hours obsessions — for the willingness to take that leap of faith, and connect.”

Here’s to summer — and to brighter days ahead.