Monday, March 5, 2012

In Defense of IS 318

On this item from Gotham Schools:
A principal with many low-rated teachers blamed the ratings, inaccurately, on budget cuts. (Daily News)

Anna Phillips wrote at Schoolbook:
The Daily News looks at another Brooklyn school, Intermediate School 318 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn where families compete for seats and applicants have to submit a report card and a recommendation from a teacher in order to get in. "
I've been involved with schools in District 14 for 45 years. Parents in the district have fought to get their kids into IS 318 for 20 years. Ok, so being the national chess champions doesn't count for some. But the programs IS 318 has offered and its stable leadership team has been a mainstay within the chaos of the Bloomberg era reforms. Fortunato (Fred) Rubino, its former long-time principal, who spent his entire career as teacher, AP and principal in that school and was often pulled to mentor struggling school, has become the D. Supt, a miracle given the insanity coming out of Tweed. I've known Freddie Rubino forever and he is the kind of guy I would come out of retirement to work for.

I wish the new principal, Eric Windley, the best of luck one week after stepping into this hornet's nest. I worked with Eric in my last full year in the system 10 years ago when he was a classroom teacher and we set him up with a robotics program, which continues to this day at the school.

One of my oldest pals teaches there and had a very low rating. I met her 20 years ago when she was a step-parent of one of the kids in my school and she came up to volunteer in my computer lab. I watched her spend years working her way through college, then become a para and finally a teacher. One of the most conscientious people I've ever met. She received an awful rating for teaching reading when she has a Spanish license and I believe that was what she mostly taught. What, no published rating in the area which she is actually trained to teach?

And the UFT is willing to even give 20% credence to this crap?

Read this at Schools Matter which perfectly expresses what the position the UFT should be taking instead of caving.

Don't Sue to Keep Scores Out of the Papers: Sue to End This Sham Evaluation Scheme

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March 10 - STATE OF THE UNION PART 2: TIME TO FIGHT BACK ----

See Norms Notes for a variety of articles of interest: http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/. And make sure to check out the side panel on the right for important bits.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

My daughter received an excellent education at IS 318 and one of my sister's went there when the school was new. The teachers and staff are excellent. Families throughout Williamsburg and Greenpoint bang the doors down to get in. They also have a magnificent program for special needs children.

Anonymous said...

Leander Eric Windley has a name that fits him perfectly, for he is full of hot WIND.
In a Daily News analysis, Intermediate School 318 in Brooklyn, New York was rated as having the highest percentage of teachers rated below average in Brooklyn, but teacher Mr. Windley had to put his illogical two cents into the disclosure, and made himself appear as cognitively challenged. It appears that a closed mind wrongly opened a big mouth.
As for the 'Anonymous' comment above, times change. Yes, your daughter and one of your sisters went to I.S. 318 when the school was new, as you said, but how many years ago was that? Teachers there at that time have since retired and have been replaced by ineffective teachers...and maybe unruly students.

Anonymous said...

This is a very rude and disrespectful comment about a man and a school you don't seem to know about firsthand.

Anonymous said...

Not "rude and disrespectful," as you wrote, Anonymous. Mr. Leander Eric Windley is sticking up, speaking out, against facts that I am sure, have been proven--or the gatherer of the info could be sued, in today's world.
Mr. Windley proves that arrogance often covers a minimum of intelligence!

Anonymous said...

Listen, some people will always talk bad about others, it's what they live for in today's society.This goes to the person who spoke without a clue about the daily lives of the principle, Mr. Windley or the teachers at I.S.318. All my siblings,nephews and nieces, friends have attended I.S.318. We are all in professional careers, helping in the community in which we live. All because of people like Mr Rubino and Mr. Windley and the teachers, yes teachers at I.S.318. Teacher ratings were filled with inaccurate info. and the media had the time of their life bashing teachers to sell newspapers.