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spotlight on schools ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ AUGUST 2008BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOLis proud to announce that our Upper School has beenauthorized to offer the world renownedINTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMfor high school juniors and seniors. Academically ambitiousand highly motivated students are encouraged to apply.375 Pearl StreetBrooklyn NY 11201brooklynfriends.orgOPEN HOUSE ON TUESDAY OCTOBER 21ST 6:30 PMRSVP 718.852.1029 X 23213398 Education Update v1:Layout 1 8/4/08 5:00 PM Page 1A Letter from Mayor MichaelBloomberg to Education UpdateDear Friends,It is a pleasure to welcome everyoneto Education Update’s 6thannual “Outstanding Educators ofthe Year” awards ceremony at theHarvard Club.Chancellor Joel Klein and I aredetermined to provide all youngNew Yorkers with the high-qualityeducation they need and deserve.Recent across-the-board gains inreading and math scores indicatethat we are making real progress,and we owe so much of that toour educators, who have dedicatedthemselves to one of society’s mostvital—and, as anyone who’s spentany time in the classroom will tellyou, most challenging—professions.The 31 teachers and principals beinghonored here this morning are thebest of the best, leaders who havebeen recognized by their supervisorsand Education Update’s AdvisoryCouncil for their tremendous effortsto help out children learn, grow, andachieve their dreams.I extend special recognitionto CUNY Chancellor MatthewGoldstein as he receives the prestigious“Distinguished Leader in Education” award.Chancellor Goldstein has helped CUNY sustainand enhance its status as a leading public institutionof higher education, and I know that hisgreatest accomplishments are still on the horizon.Finally, I commend Dr. Rosen and the team atEducation Update for once again making thisevent possible. Through their award-winningnewspaper and website, they have worked withcountless teachers, principals, college presidents,and parents to give our young people the toolsto succeed.On behalf of the City of New York, pleaseaccept my best wishes for an enjoyable programand continued success.Sincerely,Michael R. Bloomberg, MayorCHANGE THE WAY YOU LEARNFor more than 20 years, Landmark College in Putney, VT has been the leader in thecreation of successful learning strategies for students with learning disabilities and AD/HD.We help students discover a new way of learning for their unique needs.• Associate Degrees: Business Administration, General Business, General Studiesand Liberal Arts• Bridge Semesters for Current College Students (Spring and Fall Semesters)• Summer Programs for High School Juniors and Seniors; Transition to College Program forRecent High School Graduates; and Summer Programs for Visiting College StudentsDISCOVER YOUR PATH TO SUCCESSMore than eight of every 10 Landmark graduates go on to pursue bachelor’s degree studiesat some of our country’s most prestigious and best-known colleges and universities.2008 – 2009 SATURDAY OPEN HOUSESDiscover why Landmark College is known as the school that changes lives.Come to one of our upcoming open houses or schedule a personal visit.2008: Oct. 18 • Nov. 15 • Dec. 62009: Feb. 21 • March 21 • April 18 • May 23 • June 20For more information and to register,contact us atPHONE 802-387-6718E-MAIL admissions@landmark.eduwww.landmark.eduAMERICA’S LEADING COLLEGE FOR STUDENTS With Learning Disabilities and AD/HD
AUGUST 2008 ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ spotlight on schoolsThe Business of Public SchoolsBy Public AdvocateBetsy GotbaumSix years ago, the mayor of New York City,Michael Bloomberg, did what many thoughtimpossible: he took direct control of the schoolsystem.Not surprisingly, the CEO-turned-mayor andhis newly formed Department of Education(DOE) have run the school system like a business.But, with little public education experienceamong those in charge, questionable decisionshave been made.They implemented three major reorganizationsand relied heavily on high-priced outsideconsultants who also had little knowledge of theschool system, to the detriment of schools andstudents. For example, in January 2007, consultantsmade major cuts to bus routes that resultedin thousands of students waiting in the cold andforced some to cross major intersections to get to found only 7% of elementary schools and 27% ofschool. Fortunately, along with others, I was able middle schools surveyed offered instruction into get 20% of routes restored.music, visual arts, dance and theater. Similarly,Another misplaced attempt was the streamliningof special education, which led to a severe majority of elementary and middle schools wea report from my office found that the vastdrop in referrals and evaluations. And, in 2004, surveyed provide little, if any, physical educationclasses to students.when my office uncovered this problem, theDOE admitted that 20,000 students were shortchangedthat year. In response, they changed ignore parents and students, leaving communityA major mistake made by the DOE has been topractices, added money back and created the input and public oversight out of the process.first special education summer make-up program.Students could not, however, regain the open middle schools within elementary schoolsWe see this with the cell phone ban, decisions toyear of missed services.without consulting parents, closing schools withoutwarning, changes to the gifted and talentedGreat emphasis has been placed on statisticalresults, including test scores. In order to boost program, pre-k admissions, and the list goes on.test scores, there has been an obsessive focus on And, when parents complain they can't get basictest prep. While the DOE has shown an increase information, all they get is a referral to 311.in scores, experts in the field are skeptical. As a Of course the mayor deserves some credit. Heresult of excessive testing, there has been a loss has raised teacher salaries, and he gave principalsmore control over their schools.of a well-rounded education, including art andphysical education classes. Recently, my office Because the last six years have been a time ofonlineadeducationupdate:Layout 1 8/5/08 12:30 PM Page 1The Children Are Not Prepared?Let Us Prepare ThemBy Sandra Priest RoseSo much of education literature talks aboutthe lack of preparation of the children who enterkindergarten. Not all parents have the time northe education to be able to teach the letters andthe sounds to their children. Not all parents caneven read to their children.It is up to us as teachers to plunge in and teachthe children and watch how “prepared” they canbecome.When I went to kindergarten 75 years ago, in amill town in Rhode Island, none of us had beento nursery school or a pre-school program of anykind. The school did not expect us to know anything.Those teachers and that firm principal feltit was their duty to teach us everything. I clearlyremember the kindergarten teacher teaching usthe sounds of the language and were taught towrite in cursive style, and the great adventure ofreading began.Today parents are demanding that their childrenlearn much more in kindergarten. Mycolleagues and I began, a bit reluctantly, adozen years ago to teach more to public schoolkindergartners. Lo and behold! The childrengobbled up everything we could give them: thesounds of the language, handwriting, writingsimple regular words, writing simple sentences,remembering some spelling rules. Even thechildren whose home language was not Englishcaught up quickly.We have had to revise our whole view of whatinner-city kindergartners can learn. It has beenmore of a challenge to us than to the children.They take it all in stride and are teaching usalong the way! And as a result, we have becomebetter and stronger teachers. #Sandra Priest Rose is a founding trustee ofReading Reform Foundation of New York and areading consultant. Reading Reform Foundationtrains teachers directly in their classrooms.great tumult for city schools, it's important tosee what has worked and what hasn't, especiallygiven that the law governing mayoral controlwill sunset next year.At the request of the leadership of the stateassembly, I have appointed an independent commissionon school governance to make recommendationson what the future of mayoralcontrol should be.This mayor is a businessman. The next mightnot be. Regardless of the next mayor’s approach,the system’s customers—parents and students—should be able to expect stability, transparency,and consultation. #CUNY’s Online BaccalaureateThe degree you needfor the life you wantADMISSIONS WORKSHOPS:Thursday, August 14, 1 p.m.-8 p.m.Saturday, August 16, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.Admissions/Advisement Center 7th floor101 West 31st Street, Manhattan• Complete your degree online, majoring in Business orCommunication and Culture• Affordable and open to students who have earned at least30 credits from an accredited college or universityApply Now...Start This Fall!www.cuny.edu/online or 212-652-CUNY(2869)School of Professional StudiesOnline BaccalaureateWalk-in Admissions/Advisement Center, 101 West 31 Street, NYC9 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday-Thursday9 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday
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Page 7 and 8: NYU Child Study Center Welcomes Dr.
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