A Small But Nice International School. - School #5

I was assigned for the month of January to the International School of Health Sciences.  For some reason the idiots at the DOE assigned two ATRs to a school with less than 100 students, as they only have a freshman and sophomore class.  As you can imagine, there was little to do there since the teachers did not take too many days off and the school frowned on the ATRs being used as "push in" teachers.

The staff was otherwise friendly, and the Principal was supportive and even arraigned an interview for me at his old school. The students were wonderful and very respectful to adults, yes, even to the ATRs! The school is in the Newtown High School building and like all co-located schools you can feel the underlying tension between the two schools.

Parking is a problem but if you drive around a little and don't mind parking a few blocks from the school, its manageable. The school is a prose school and that means Professional Development" up the wazoo! 

Overall, I give the school a  grade of "C".

A School That Appears To Be Turning It Around - School #4.

I was assigned to Newtown High School and expected it to be a terrible experience since it has a bad reputation.  However, I was pleasently suprised by the school climate. The experienced staff were friendly and the students were reasonably well behaved, if not academically engaged.  I saw few students walking the halls between classes and the Deans do a good job keeping a quiet school.  It seems that the school has downsized significantly over the last few years and the gang issues that plagued the school over the years have diminished over time. The school is also reflecting the changing demographics of the neighborhood and while still having a Hispanic majority, there has been a significant increase in the Asian population. Academically, the school still struggles but with an increasingly diverse student body and the gang-related issues no longer a major problem, there's hope that the school will improve over time.

Parking is an issue, with alternate side of the street parking, especially Monday and Tuesday.  Commuting to the school on local roads is a chore but better than the LIE or Queens Blvd.  However, its manageable if you give yourself some time to look for a parking spot.  The administration loves to give you cafeteria duty so expect it every day. 

Overall, I had a comfortable experience at the school and wouldn't mind a position there.

Grade "C"

An International School With High Teacher Turnover. - School #3

I was assigned to a small international school in Long Island City and for the week I was assigned there was treated well by the Principal.  The students come from all over the world but is majority Hispanic.  The recent immigrants who go to the school have various academic levels from high achieving to barely literate.   The students do not take Regents, except for English and are well behaved.  However, the students lack school spirit and the senior class trip was cancelled due to lack of interest.

The school suffers from high staff turnover with six new teachers hired out of fifteen on staff.  Few of the teachers are tenured and none highly experienced.  Parking is available on Van Dam Street where the Public Storage building is and is within walking distance to all the schools in the area.  However, be there by 7:30 am, otherwise its $15 parking.

My stay at International High School only lasted a week since the dysfunctional DOE tried to send me to a Middle School as a provisional appointment.  However, thanks to Michael Sill of the UFT, the provisional appointment was rescinded since I am not licensed for middle school nor do I want to teach at that level.  Instead of sending me back to the International school, I was sent to my next school who had no clue I was assigned there,  Good job DOE.

Nice school but the commute is for hell.
Grade C

Bon Voyage From This Transfer School - School #2

After being in the best high school in Queens, the next school was bound not to be as good and my next school was a transfer school and it was no piece of cake being there for the next three weeks.  The transfer school is Voyagers Preparatory Academy in Elmhurst Queens and the students call their teachers by their first name, even the Principal.  I wrote about this school last year and you can find it here.  Few things have changed in a year,  However, the Principal treated me and the other ATRs with respect and left us alone during our stay there.

The student body, like all transfer schools are overaged and under credited who have been removed from other high schools.  Some of the students came out of incarceration and have parole officers and many have truancy issues.  About 50% of the students show up on any given day.  Respect issues abound and I was called a few choice names that are not part of the male body.  In fact in one hour at the school I heard more curse words then I did in seven weeks at my first school.  Moreover, the boys dressed and act "thuggish", with hoodies and music blasting from ear phones inside the hoodies.  Underwear showing above the low lying pants is a constant look.  Cellphones seems part of the student hand and many are texting or listening to music rather than during their work, even for their regular teachers.  The students want to do as little work as possible and think simply showing up will get them a passing grade.

The staff is nice and are experienced with between five to eight years of teaching experience.  However, because of the student cohort they have, many received  low marks on the State testing component and reduced their overall grade.  Not a happy group.

The school runs a late schedule 8:30-3:15 and parking is difficult and next to impossible on Mondays and Tuesdays.  Subways are a good distance from the campus and in bad weather is a chore. 

I have not changed my opinion of this school since I last was there.  No way would I want a position there.

GRADE "F"

All Schools Should Be Like This. - School #1.

I was assigned to Townsend Harris High School and was treated wonderfully by students, staff, and yes, even the administration. In my seven weeks at the school, I cannot recall one negative issue that would bring the school environment down.

The classes I covered were a pleasure as the students were respectful, diligent in completing their assignment, and never did a student take out their cellphone or use foul language in the classroom. Many of the students greeted me with smiles and hellos and asked me to help them when I could. This school has a nearly 100% career and college readiness score".

The staff treated me as part of the family and even the administrators asked me if I needed any accommodations to my schedule. On the day I left, they thanked me for my service and hoped to see me again.

Parking is a problem on Thursday and Friday because of alternate side of the street parking but on those days you can park on Main Street, three blocks to the West of the school.

I wish all schools were like Townsend Harris.

GRADE "A+"

The Grades For Each School.

These are the 29 high schools schools I was at and here is the list of schools and their grades.

Name...................................................................Grade
Voyagers Academy.................................................F
Queens Preparatory Academy..............................D-
Maspeth..................................................................B-
Thomas Edison.......................................................B+
Middle College.......................................................B+
Arts & Business.......................................................B
Robert H. Goodard..................................................B
Fredrick Douglas Academy VI................................F
Grover Cleveland.....................................................D
George Washington Carver....................................D-
Beach Channel.......................................................NG
Law & Government..................................................F
Academy of Medical Technology............................D
George Washington Carver....................................D-
Gateway to Health Sciences...................................B-
North Community......................................................F
Excelsior Preparatory.............................................D
Pathways to College................................................D
 Queens Vocational.................................................B-
Finance and Enterprise...........................................B
Cardozo.....................................................................A-
High School of Sciences.........................................A-
Forest Hills...............................................................A-
Richmond Hill..........................................................C-
Frank Sinatra...........................................................D
Queens Information  Research & Technology.....F
John Adams.............................................................D-
Queens Academy.....................................................D

These are my personal ratings and may or may not reflect what others would rate the schools.

A School That's Downsizing And Excessing. - School #28

I was at a large comprehensive high school that was one of the former turnaround schools that Mayor Bloomberg tried to close.  Like many of the former turnaround school, this school lost many of their higher achieving students during the 2012-13 school year after they were allowed to apply to other schools.  The result was that this school lost their entire White population and to maintain their student numbers took in many over the counter students or students that were kicked out of other schools.  This has reduced the academic achievement of the schools as the schools college readiness numbers are plunging into the single digits.

The student body include high numbers of special education and English Language Learners and there is little student involvement.  The Administration is poor, with the new Principal unapproachable and many veteran teachers being given "ineffective ratings".  The school has lost many students over the last couple of years and will see a further reduction of students next school year with 250 less students.  Therefore, the school has sent excessing letters to 20 teachers, who will be joing the ATR pool next year, unless they are young and untenured.  Adding to the school woes, many teachers are teaching out of license.

Staff morale is at rock bottom and many are resigned to do what's necessary to survive the latest purge going on by the school administration.  For many who see a glimmerr of light in the future the only light they see at the end of the tunnel is simply the headlights of an oncoming train ready to crash into the teacher.

Everyday the secretaries tried to violate the contract by either trying to give me four straight periods, a 1 to 9 schedule, or having me cover for three different teachers.  Of course I told them the contract rules and they changed it.  No key was given to me as well. Not a very welcoming place.

No way would I teach at this school.

GRADE "D-"