PHOTO: Gentile Presents Innovative Library Proposal with Speaker Quinn

By on April 4, 2013  Schools & Libraries
Apr 042013
 
(Photo courtesy of William Alatriste via Councilman Gentile's office).

(Photo courtesy of William Alatriste via Councilman Gentile’s office).

City Councilman Vincent Gentile was recently joined by council speaker and mayoral candidate Christine Quinn to announce a new library program meant to improve citizens’ access to city government.

“I was proud to join City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn early this morning to present a new, innovative proposal for a citywide system of “Mini City Halls” inside our libraries that will serve as a one-stop shop for New Yorkers seeking help navigating access to important programs and services,” said Gentile, who serves as the Libraries Subcommittee Chairman, in a press release. “Libraries play a tremendous role in the communities they serve so turning them into ‘Mini City Halls’ is a no-brainer. This innovative proposal will help to better meet the needs of New Yorkers by making government more accessible. I thank Speaker Quinn, my Council colleagues and the New York Public Library system for their dedication to the people of New York City.”

PS 185 Students Draw Attention To Dangers Of Plastic Litter With Bottle Cap Art Murals

By on March 26, 2013  Schools & Libraries
Mar 262013
 

The following is a press release from P.S. 185:

STUDENTS OF PS 185 DRAW COMMUNITY ATTENTION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL DANGERS OF PLASTIC LITTER WITH BOTTLE CAP ART MURALS

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn – The students of PS 185′s Go Green Team have been asking a simple question: Where does our trash go? Through their research, they discovered an answer that is both sad and shocking. The trash that is discarded as litter in the street most likely ends up in the ocean. Plastics that float in the ocean are often mistaken by wildlife for food, causing many animal deaths every year and serious damage to the ecosystem. The students of the Go Green Team were determined to educate the PS 185 population about the dangers of trash in the ocean, as well as draw attention to the use of and recycling of household plastics. Continue reading »

Mayor Bloomberg Announces Software Engineering Program At Bay Ridge High School

By on February 25, 2013  Schools & Libraries
Feb 252013
 
Source: nyc.gov

Source: nyc.gov

Mayor Mike Bloomberg visited Bay Ridge this morning to announce a new pilot for a Software Engineering program. The High School of Telecommunications Arts and Sciences (350 67th Street) is one of 20 schools selected to take part in the pilot, and it was the site of Bloomberg’s announcement.

Bloomberg initially announced the plan to invest in the school system’s computer science program in the State Of The City address. The program is expected to grow to 3,500 students citywide by 2016.

“We know it’s vital to prepare our children to succeed in an increasingly technology-centered economy and the Software Engineering Pilot will help us do just that,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “This groundbreaking program will ensure that more students receive computer science and software engineering instruction so that they can compete for the tech jobs that are increasingly becoming a part of our city’s economy. We’re creating the home-grown workforce our city needs and teaching our students skills that will open up new doors for them and their future.”

As part of the Software Engineering Pilot, the High School of Telecommunications Arts and Sciences will receive comprehensive computer science and software engineering curriculum, and instructors leading the classes will receive teacher training.

The video of the press conference is available at NYC.gov, as is the full text of the press release.

Kaye Houlihan to become interim principal at Fort Hamilton High School

By on September 24, 2012  Schools & Libraries
Sep 242012
 

Fort Hamilton High School, as seen from Third Avenue. (Photo: Brian Hedden)

We saw this note from Councilman Vincent Gentile come across our Facebook wall – we thought this was interesting in light of last week’s report that Fort Hamilton High School principal Jo Ann Chester was expected to retire/resign/be forced out:

I just got off the phone with the DOE High School Superintendent who informed me that Mrs. Kaye Houlihan will be the interim acting principal at Ft. Hamilton High School. Mrs. Houlihan comes from a prestigious specialized art background as an Assistant Principal at LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts and Edward R. Murrow High School here in Brooklyn. I wish her the best as she completes the screening process with the Dept. of Education and the Community Education Council and as a proud Ft. Hamilton alum, I look forward to working with her for the future of our great community.

Fort Hamilton High School Principal’s Retirement Could Be “Imminent”

By on September 18, 2012  Schools & Libraries
Sep 182012
 

Gotham Schools reported this morning that the ouster of embattled Fort Hamilton High School principal Jo Ann Chester could come as soon as tomorrow, when students and teachers will return from a four day weekend.

Reporter Geoff Decker wrote that “the school’s beleaguered principal appears to be planning her exit, according to multiple people close to the school.”

In August, the same news site had reported on the city Department of Education’s investigation into a purported scheme by the principal to underpay fourteen newly certified teachers.

The fraud allegedly allowed Chester a way around a three-year-old hiring freeze, and prevented the school from being sent short-term substitute instructors from the Absent Teacher Reserve – a pool of city teachers without permanent positions. Continue reading »

Young Teachers Getting Stiffed: Major payroll improprieties alleged at Fort Hamilton High School

By on August 2, 2012  Schools & Libraries
Aug 022012
 

According to Gotham Schools reporters Geoff Decker and Philissa Cramer, an alleged plan to underpay over a dozen new teachers at Fort Hamilton High School has landed the school’s principal in hot water.

The scheme, which has been under investigation for months, could make Fort Hamilton High School liable for hundreds of thousands of dollars in back pay to “desperate” jobless young teachers who agreed to work for “low pay, no benefits, and little security.” Continue reading »

Union Church Sells Parish House To Bay Ridge Prep

By on June 25, 2012  Schools & Libraries
Jun 252012
 

On an unseasonably cool Sunday afternoon earlier this month, the Union Church of Bay Ridge’s congregation ceremoniously handed over the keys of their beloved 80-year-old parish house [8101 Ridge Blvd] to Dr. Charlie Fasano – the headmaster of another neighborhood institution, the Bay Ridge Preparatory School.

The ceremony itself – ostensibly meant to celebrate the 81st year since two smaller congregations had merged to form the church – was bittersweet, according to an account written by Denise Romano for the Home Reporter. Continue reading »

Poly Prep Headmaster David Harman Responds To Accusations With Letter To Alumni

By on June 6, 2012  Featured story, Schools & Libraries
Jun 062012
 

Source: Wikipedia Commons

According to the Daily News’ Michael O’Keeffe, Poly Prep Country Day School [9216 7th Ave] headmaster David Harman sent a letter to alumni this week, just days after attorney Kevin Mulhearn filed papers in Brooklyn federal court accusing administrators of lying – and possibly perjuring themselves.

The accusations arose when school officials denied having knowledge of sex abuse allegations against football coach Phil Foglietta until 1991 – Something Mulhearn, the attorney for a group of plaintiffs who claim they were molested – with charges spanning decades of the coach’s career, disputes.

According to the report, Harman’s letter “appears to be an attempt to reassure alumni and parents that the administration sympathizes with Mulhearn’s clients,” but some alumni of the elite private school tagged it as both “tone deaf” and “soul-less.” Continue reading »

CEC 20 June Meeting To Be Held A Week From Wednesday

By on June 4, 2012  Schools & Libraries
Jun 042012
 

The Community Education Council for District 20 will be holding its June meeting one week from Wednesday, on June 13, 2012.

This month’s session is set to take place at P.S. 176 The Ovington School [1225 69th Street], beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Topics up for discussion will include the appointment of Lisa Sarnicola, principal of P.S. 506, honoring District 20 PTAs and PAs, and a farewell sendoff for CEC20 student member Sejndi Rusi.

For more information on this meeting – as well as future events, please visit cec20.org.

CEC 20 Votes To Boycott Tests That Make Children Unwitting Research Subjects

By on May 24, 2012  Featured story, Schools & Libraries
May 242012
 

Image Source: bionicteaching via Flickr

On May 23, the Community Education Council, or CEC, for District 20 voted to boycott stand alone “field test” questions on New York State standardized exams. Continue reading »

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