New Yorkers want the best possible public education for our city’s children. But navigating the nation’s largest school system can be frustrating, especially during this period of major education reform and budget uncertainty.

Since 2002, millions of New Yorkers have turned to Insideschools.org for independent insights into what’s really going on inside our city’s schools. Our experienced team of reporters has visited more than 1,400 schools – including charter schools – to interview educators, students and parents to observe what’s happening in the classrooms, cafeterias, hallways and even the bathrooms. We keep tabs on bureaucratic changes and track down officials to get answers while our advice columnists respond to parents’ most pressing questions. Members of our community share their experiences by posting comments on our school profile pages, on our blog and in our discussion forum.

Together, we’re building a community of concerned parents, educators, students and advocates to make our city’s students more successful and our school system more accountable.

Insideschools.org is a project of the non-profit Advocates for Children of New York. We receive no money from the Department of Education. To help keep Insideschools.org a free and independent resource for all New Yorkers who care about city’s public school students, please donate now.

Our Team

Pamela Wheaton project director, visits and reviews schools for Insideschools and offers advice to parents on school choice. She collaborated with Clara Hemphill on New York City's Best Public Elementary Schools: A Parents' Guide and New York City's Best Public High Schools. Wheaton was a producer of PBS television programs and a reporter and editor at the Buenos Aires Herald. Her two daughters graduated from New York City public schools.

Marni Goltsman, Web Developer, takes care of the technical aspects of the Insideschools website. Although she only has sketchy memories of her life before she became the parent of an NYC public school student, her career ranged from computer programming for Lockheed Martin to musical theatre writing (Ducks and Lovers) to founding a shopping website that automatically donates to charity (ShopForCharityNow.com).

Cristin Strining, an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer in 2008-2009 writes and reviews Queens schools for Insideschools.org. She coordinates Insideschools’ volunteer efforts, covers local education news, and produces our bimonthly news alert. Cristin is a graduate of Townsend Harris High Schoool and of American University.

Dan Fletcher is Insideschool.org’s 2009-2010 AmeriCorps VISTA. He writes school reviews, blog pieces, and bimonthly news alerts for the site. He is establishing a volunteer reporting program with Teachers College at Columbia University. Dan is a product of the Utah public school system and a graduate of the University of Utah.

Judy Baum, volunteers for Insideschools, reviewing schools and answering readers' questions for Insideschools' Ask Judy section. She served for 20 years as director of information services for the Public Education Association, where she counseled thousands of parents on how to find good schools. Her children, now grown, attended New York City public schools.

Jane Gabin answers readers' questions for the Ask the College Counselor column. Dr. Gabin is Director of College Guidance at The Frisch School in Paramus, NJ. Before that, she was a college counselor at LREI: Little Red School House & Elisabeth Irwin and the United Nations International School in Manhattan. She was an admissions officer for 10 years at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and also taught English at Chapel Hill High School and at her alma mater, Queens College of the City University of New York.

Insideschools alums & contributors

Clara Hemphill, founder and former project director, visited and reviewed schools and wrote articles for Insideschools. She is author of New York City's Best Public Elementary Schools: a Parents' Guide, Public Middle Schools: New York City's Best, and New York City's Best Public High Schools. Hemphill was an editorial writer and reporter for New York Newsday, where she shared the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for local reporting. Her children attend public schools in Manhattan and the Bronx. She is currently an editor at the Center for NYC Affairs at the New School.

Catherine Man visited and reviewed schools for Insideschools, and coordinated website development. She attended New York City public schools and graduated from Barnard College. She is now a graduate student at Teachers College at Columbia University.

Cristin Strining, an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer in 2008-2009 wrote about Queens schools for Insideschools.org. She coordinated Insideschools’ volunteer efforts, covered local education news, and produced our bimonthly news alert. Cristin is a graduate of Townsend Harris High Schoool and of American University.

Jacquie Wayans reviewed schools for Insideschools, and offers workshops and advice for parents on school choice. She collaborated with Clara Hemphill on New York City's Best Public High Schools and New York City's Best Public Middle Schools. Her three children attend public schools. She is a member of the Community Education Council for District 10 for the 2009-2010 school year.

Lindsey Whitton Christ reviewed schools for Insideschools, contributed to the blog, and wrote articles for the website. She received a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College, a master’s degrees in education from Pace University, and a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. She was a middle school social studies teacher in Washington Heights for two years. Linsey is now the education reporter for NY1 television.

Vanessa Witenko reviewed Bronx schools for Insideschools, and wrote articles for the bi-weekly news alert. She worked as a public school teacher in the Czech Republic, and graduated from Baruch College, C.U.N.Y. Vanessa now works for New Paradigm Enterprises, in coaching and development for schools and learning organizations.

Helen Zelon reviewed schools for Insideschools and wrote for the blog. She writes about education and city life for City Limits, New York and other publications, has taught writing and drama at Sing-Sing prison, and is the proud parent of three New York City public school students.

Laura Zingmond reviewed schools for Insideschools and wrote about education for the website and other publications. An attorney and native New Yorker, Laura's two children are the fourth generation in their family to be educated in the New York City public schools.