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| Mayor-to-be Bill De Blasio |
Trouble ahead: De Blasio is going to be our Mayor. That's the good news. What's not so good is that there is talk about his appointing two former members of the Bloomberg years as Chancellor: Andres Alonso, Kathleen Cashin. Alonso was Deputy under Carmen Farina, who resigned in shame. Mr. Alonso is on the Board of the Carnegie Foundation until 2015. Kathleen Cashin was appointed by Joel Klein to Region 5 Please pick someone new and outside of the previous regime, Bill!!!!!! Betsy Combier
CAPITAL NY News Nov 6 2013 LINK | |||||
| GOOD NEWS FOR CUOMO — Casino referendum sails to passage, fueled by downstate voters — Capital's Jimmy Vielkind: More than any other item on the ballot, the casino question can be seen as a reflection on Cuomo. He proposed casinos as an engine of job creation, and negotiated with legislative leaders to set parameters that might make it happen: no licenses in areas where Indian tribes have existing facilities, no casinos south of Westchester County for seven years, and a competitive process that has drawn interest from operators of existing slot parlors as well as several investors hoping to revive former Borscht-belt resorts. http://goo.gl/ZrgfXA More good news for Cuomo: Gov. Andrew Cuomo might be able to pack the state's highest court after all. The apparent failure of a proposal to extend the mandatory age for judicial retirement means Cuomo would be able to appoint a majority of the state's highest court if he wins a second term. Cuomo will now get the politically valuable opportunity to make three new appointments that would have been postponed by the measure. http://goo.gl/HD4okl Lippman reacts: “I am disappointed,” Court of Appeals Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman said after the results came in. “We were unable to get a consistent message across that people should be judged on their ability to do the job and not on some outdated conceptions of age.” http://goo.gl/UPnYft County-by-county results: http://goo.gl/t1judt Map: http BAD NEWS FOR CUOMO — Republicans Astorino and Mangano victorious in Westchester and Nassau Counties — Capital's Jessica Bakeman: “With Republican victories in Westchester and Nassau counties Tuesday, the state G.O.P. will be better situated to make a bid for statewide posts next year, including for the governor's office, analysts said. Without these suburban strongholds, Republicans would lack the momentum and legitimacy to promote candidates who are taken seriously in 2014, especially when the party struggles even to field contenders in mayoral races for upstate cities.” http://goo.gl/riqbbh Republicans also held on to Rockland County, where Ed Day bested David Fried in an open race for county executive, and re-took the Erie County Legislature from Democrats and also held on to the countywide posts of sheriff and comptroller. DE BLASIO’S GREAT EXPECTATIONS — Harold Ickes to WSJ’s Sophia Hollander: “"Bill [will be] the most liberal big-city mayor in America today and a lot of people are going to be watching it: Can he pull it off?” http://goo.gl/YKYKtV Times’ Michael Barbaro and David Chen: De Blasisio’s victory “amounted to a forceful rejection of the hard-nosed, business-minded style of governance that reigned at City Hall for the past two decades and a sharp leftward turn for the nation’s largest metropolis.” http://goo.gl/IFZ9QS Scenes From a Pre-Victory Rally —Capital’s Azi Paybarah: “As his mother held [a young child], public advocate-to-be Letitia James tried to reassure the boy, saying of de Blasio, ‘He's Obama's friend.’” http://goo.gl/hCgnZU Headline: “Bill De Blasio Is Going To Let Liberals Down” — Josh Robin in BuzzFeed: “Enjoy it now, liberals. Because, in the phrasing of former Gov. Mario Cuomo, de Blasio’s campaign poetry is about to transform into the considerably less inspiring prose of actual governance.”http://goo.gl/y4dauq Mending fences: De Blasio meets with Michael Bloomberg at 9:45 a.m. INSIDE THE ADMINISTRATION — More Names Floated — News’ Jennifer Fermino: Staffers Emma Wolfe and Dominic Williams; NYPD: Bill Bratton or Phillip Banks; Education: Andres Alonoso or Kathleen Cashin. http://goo.gl/UF60GL RISE TO POWER — Rivals Missed de Blasio’s Surge — News’ Annie Karni: “As de Blasio began building his lead, none of his Democratic opponents ran an attack ad to halt his momentum, a move that stunned the de Blasio camp… “I was surprised by how much early polls drove the narrative and people didn’t say, ‘This is going to be a wide-open race,’” [campaign manager Bill] Hyers said.” “…It was decided that de Blasio would position himself as the candidate who most represented change, a space that Quinn could not occupy because of her support for waiving term limits so Bloomberg could serve a third term." http://goo.gl/FE0Q5C Capital’s Sally Goldenberg: “Hyers would later say that he was never worried about [former Rep. Anthony Weiner] because internal polls consistently showed him in fourth place. ‘I was a lot more calm," Hyers told Capital. ‘I didn't buy that the voters were voting for him.’ Bill Thompson’s campaign manager Jonathan Prince to Capital: “They did a very good job of articulating a progressive message with regard to income inequality by highlighting de Blasio's plan to tax the wealthy and that's important.” http://goo.gl/R3XO9D JOE LHOTA CONCEDES — Capital’s Dana Rubinstein: “Lhota is not a good politician. Yes, he has worked for people who know their way around an election—as Rudy Giuliani’s budget director and second in command, as Governor Cuomo’s M.T.A. chairman. But he is at heart an administrator.” http://goo.gl/tV1Zw4 MORE COUPLES LOOK LIKE THE DE BLASIOS — WSJ’s Michael Howard Saul: “The relationship between Bill de Blasio, who is white, and Chirlane McCray, who is black, was once a spectacle even on the multiethnic streets of New York City. Now, that relationship has helped propel Mr. de Blasio into City Hall… “Roughly 15% of new marriages nationwide in 2010 were between spouses of different races or ethnicities, more than double the share in 1980…” http://goo.gl/FF4FDX DE BLASIO’S COALITION — News’ Juan Gonzalez: “Letitia James, our new public advocate, is even more to the left politically than de Blasio. Controller-elect Scott Stringer instantly becomes the most conservative citywide office holder, and Stringer’s an old-fashioned clubhouse liberal. "…Of 21 new Council members elected this week, more than half were backed by the Working Families Party…A Mayor de Blasio, in other words, won’t face the kind of legislative gridlock that has dogged President Obama in Congress.” http://goo.gl/XFdetn NEW CITY COMPTROLLER — Stringer Picks Up John Liu’s Work — Capital’s Dan Goldberg:“Asked whether he would make good on his pledge to audit the NYPD's intelligence division, Stringer said he would work with outgoing comptroller John Liu on any ongoing audits but declined to specify a timeline saying only he needed to see where things were in the pipeline.” http://goo.gl/adbE14 BITTER END TO BROOKLYN D.A. RACE — Ken Thompson Ousts Charles Hynes, won't take his call — Capital’s Gloria Pazmino and Eliza Shapiro: “'It's a substantial vote, it gives Ken Thompson a clear mandate, which he didn't have in the primary,’ said Hynes, who told supporters he had conveyed his concession to a Thompson aide, because Thompson was "was apparently very, very busy." Hynes to reporters: “I could tell you I'm not going to kick up my heels and relax and read good books, I still have a lot to offer.’” Thompson to supporters: "You had a very important choice to make: would the great people of Brooklyn give into fear-mongering and-race baiting?" http://goo.gl/NYIso1 DRAWING BATTLE LINES FOR 2014 — The Republican State Committee e-mails: “If Republicans are winning in Erie and Westchester, Andrew Cuomo should start getting worried.” A Democratic source counters: "There was one big statewide issue on the ballot this year. Ed Cox and the Conservative Party campaigned against it — and we won by 15. If Cox wants to start the 2014 campaign today, bring it on.” WOMEN TAKE OVER — Rochester and Albany elect first female mayors, and Syracuse re-elects Stephanie Miner — Capital's Jessica Alaimo and Jessica Bakeman: Currently, eight mayors of New York's 62 cities are female, and about 15 percent of the state's 550 villages are led by women, according to local government groups. Additionally, five of the 17 county executives are women, and 11 of the 57 county boards or legislatures are chaired by women. The likely new mayors, like many other female politicians who came up through the local ranks, talk of having encountered bias in some form in the course of getting to where they are. One man slammed the door on incoming Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan while she was canvassing, saying that he would never vote for a woman because women had no business being mayor, she said.http://goo.gl/L7IxS2 OTHER PROPOSITIONS PASS — Capital's Scott Waldman: A proposition to swap a piece of protected Adirondack parkland for a much bigger chunk of private land was approved by voters on Tuesday. Voters also approved a measure that would end a century-old property dispute in the Adirondacks. http://goo.gl/pbp0Uc MEANWHILE, IN HALFMOON — Times Union's Brendan Lyons: Supreme Court Justice Robert Chauvin made copies of documents from his days as town attorney in this Albany suburb that may relate to a requested ethics probe of potential conflicts he had regarding various development projects. http://goo.gl/Tk9wta Despite a swirling federal investigation, Republican held on to every town post. http://goo.gl/f4956F MEDICAL SCHOOL HEAD UNDER FIRE — Head of SUNY Upstate placed on leave, knocked out of running for Penn State job — Times Union's James Odato: The president of the State University of New York's upstate medical campus ruined his chance to become the 18th president of Pennsylvania State University and has been placed on leave after SUNY leaders learned he has been padding his state pay without authorization, two state officials familiar with the matter said. SUNY headquarters is reviewing all sources of compensation for SUNY Upstate Medical University President David R. Smith and is threatening more severe measures, according to a letter obtained by the Times Union on Tuesday. http://goo.gl/FgT034 DREDGING UPDATE — Capital's Scott Waldman: A $2 billion cleanup of P.C.B.s in the Hudson River is ahead of schedule and could be completed in two years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday. http://goo.gl/FeACwQ PUBLIC PRAYER — Case from suburban Rochester climbs to Supreme Court — Times' Jesse McKinley: Two women argue that public moments of prayer before the Town Council meetings in Greece, N.Y. violate the prescribed separation of church and state. http://goo.gl/dKmYry #UpstateAmerica: A portrait of outgoing Albany mayor Jerry Jennings, in meatloaf.http://goo.gl/4STIFV FRONT PAGES: Times: “De Blasio Wins Mayor’s Race in Landslide; Christie Coasts to 2nd Term as Governor”; WSJ, below the fold: “New York City Takes Left Turn”; Post: “Big Bill!”; News: “Bill’s de Won!”; amNewYork: “Mayor Bill”; Metro: “New York City’s First Family”; Trentonian: “2 More Years; Edelstein: Christie biding time for White House Run”; SEE THEM: http://goo.gl/U4mT1y
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September 2009 NYC DOE :NYC Leadership Team RosterNew York City Department of EducationChancellorHonorable Joel I. KleinNew York City Department of Education Deputy ChancellorAndres AlonsoDeputy Chancellor Division of Teaching and Learning New York City Department of Education ECLIPSE Contact PersonLinda Curtis-Bey, DirectorDepartment of Mathematics & Science New York City Department of Education Leadership TeamJennifer AdamsAmerican Museum of Natural History Nadya Awadallah Regional Instructional Specialist Region 2 Learning Support Center New York City Department of Education Gina Battista Assistant Principal Tottenville High School New York City Department of Education Benjy Blatman Teacher PS 125M New York City Department of Education Susan Brady Director of Education New York Academy of Sciences Greg Borman Science Coordinator The Henry Street School for International Studies JC Brizard Regional Superintendent Region 6 New York City Department of Education Don Cook Director Tiorati Workshop for Environmental Learning Bank Street College Peter Corr Vice President Research Pfizer Linda Curtis-Bey, Director Department of Mathematics & Science New York City Department of Education Derresa Davis Region Instructional Specialist Region 8 New York City Department of Education Tom D’Emic Teacher Francis Carter School New York City Department of Education Joanne Demizio Assistant Superintendent Math and Science Archdiocese of New York George Foley Principal IS 93 New York City Department of Education Pam Fraser-Abder Director Science Education New York University Roy Harris Science Instructional Specialist - Elementary New York City Department of Education Bracha Kaplan Administrator Special Education Initiatives New York City Department of Education Christine Kola Teacher MS45 New York City Department of Education Mary J. Leou Director Wallerstein Collaborative for Urban Environmental Education New York University Olga Livanis Principal New Explorations into Science, Technology, and Math New York City Department of Education v Michael McCauley Manager Community Affairs Siemens Faye Melas Teacher John Bowne High School New York City Department of Education David Micklos Executive Director Dolan DNA Lab Dolan DNA Learning Center Jenene Pearson Teacher IS 171K New York City Department of Education Linda Pensabene Teacher PS 269 New York City Department of Education Maria Santos Senior Instructional Manager Office of English Language Learners New York City Department of Education Cecily Selby Member of Board of Directors New York Hall of Science Joseph Selch Associate in Science Education New York State Education Department Sam Silverstein College of Physicians and Surgeons Columbia University Brenda Steele Director Curriculum and Special Development New York City Department of Education James Whaley Vice President Community Affairs Siemens James Wynne Program Manager Local Education Outreach IBM Marion Zachowski Science Instructional Specialist - Secondary New York City Department of Education
Alonso wants to close one school,
interventions at four others
Schools chief announces reorganization plans for failing schools
November 16, 2010|By Erica L. Green, The
Baltimore Sun
One chronically underperforming city high
school would close at the end of the next school year, and four other schools
would be restructured under a reorganization plan announced Tuesday by Baltimore schools CEO Andrés Alonso.
For Alonso, the recommendation to close just a
single school in Baltimore stands in marked contrast to the sweeping changes he
orchestrated during his first two years as schools chief. Alonso said the more limited proposal is a
reflection of students' growth on standardized tests and the improving climate
of the district over the past three years.
There's no blueprint for how to address
failing schools, according to Alonso, who says his approach is "a changing
art form."
"How we make changes has to be reflective
of what's going on in the field," he said.
In his first year as CEO, during the 2008-2009
school year, Alonso orchestrated the closing of seven failing schools over a
two-year period, with the relocation of five schools to other facilities that
would allow for expansion and use existing space better. Last year, he closed
five schools, replacing two of them and merging a third with an expanding
school.
"This is so remarkably different than
2008," said Neil Duke, president of the city's school board. "We
would like to accept this superficially as evidence of school improvement
.
But whether it's 12 schools or one school, each year presents its own
challenges."
This year, Alonso is suggesting just a single
closure: the Institute for Business and Entrepreneurship High School. The
school in West Baltimore was originally recommended for closure last year, but
was granted another year to improve its graduation numbers.
Instead, the school's graduation rate
declined along with its enrollment numbers. The school has seen a drop of 30
percentage points in the number of students graduating in the past three years;
its students' test scores remain low; and only a few dozen students ranked it
as their first choice when selecting a high school, which is not enough to fill
a ninth-grade class, school officials said.
The school's leadership
has also been at the source of controversy. In March, a Baltimore Sun
investigation revealed that the principal at IBE, Janice Williams, was accused
of recruiting Filipino teachers to buy and sell thousands of dollars of Mary
Kay cosmetic products for her. Williams, an independent sales director for Mary
Kay, stood to gain financially from each transaction and was the subject of an
internal school system investigation last year.
A new principal was appointed to the school in
September.
Alonso said that linking the scandal and the
decision to close the school "has no merit."
"If IBE's dropout rate had improved — as
the rest of the district's has — I might not have approved the
recommendation," he said. "It's about outcomes for kids."
Tisha Edwards, Alonso's chief of staff, told
the board that IBE's ninth- and 10th-graders would be transferred next year,
but its current 11th-graders would be allowed to finish their senior year at
the school. The class was relocated from the Walbrook campus just last year,
she said, and has been through enough instability.
Edwards said that a lawsuit lodged by a
student who was enrolled in a Baltimore high school that was closed brought to
light the fact that students in their senior year have opportunities such as
college scholarships at stake.
"This is a school that has gone through
several transitions throughout the year," Edwards told board members.
"We feel pretty strongly to allow the students to keep their school
intact. We want them to have an authentic senior experience."
Few members from the public attended the
hearing, and board members did not take public testimony. Two public meetings
will be held in December, and the school board will make a final decision about
the recommendations in January.
Alonso is also recommending that four schools
undergo restructuring internally or with the help of outside operators.
Patterson High School, a popular school in
Southeast Baltimore, would undergo an internal overhaul to better serve its
growing foreign population. The school system is proposing the changes because
of declining performance on the High School Assessments among graduating
seniors who were first-time test takers.
Patterson High has been in school improvement
status, meaning its test scores have not met state standards, for 16 years and
needs to strengthen its English for Speakers of Other Languages program, school
officials said.
Moravia Park Elementary/Middle School would
also place more focus
on its growing international population, Edwards said. The school has struggled
with the Maryland State Assessments, scoring about 60 percent and 49 percent
proficiency in reading and math, respectively.
Edwards
said that the changes proposed for the two schools are "critical" for
the entire school system to learn how to better serve its foreign populations.
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