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Superintendent Patton is engaging the community in public education in many innovative ways.  In the video below, check out INCubator, an entrepreneurship program guided by a committee of connected business leaders.

 

Blue Zones is another community-wide initiative that the District is exploring.  Read more about it on the home page.

 

We are here for the students, and it takes everyone in a community to give them a good start.

 

Email us your dreams for great schools. We want to hear your questions and ideas.

Vidal lives in Brownsville, in Brooklyn, NY. One day, he ran into a photographer named Brandon, who asked him this question:

 

"Who's influenced you the most in your life?"


He answered: "My principal, Ms. Lopez."


"How has she influenced you?"


"When we get in trouble, she doesn't suspend us. She calls us to her office and explains to us how society was built down around us. And she tells us that each time somebody fails out of school, a new jail cell gets built. And one time she made every student stand up, one at a time, and she told each one of us that we matter."

 

That story was posted on Brandon's web site, Humans of New York (HONY). After Brandon met Vidal's school's amazing principal, HONY readers gave over $1,000,000 to the school. 

 

Never doubt the power of a student to make a difference in a community. 

Recently, a parent-attorney expressed dissatisfaction that his son watched a climate change film in an A.P. class. Board Members Kelly Lichter and Erika Donalds support greater citizen control of instructional materials.

 

Many other parents are growing concerned that teachers and principals will begin to self-censor, either to minimize the perceived risk of legal action, or to avoid the added paperwork.  Either way, the quality of education will suffer.

 

We support full teacher autonomy in the classroom.  Educators are professionals, and will collaborate with families when approached in a civil way. When parents impose unreasonable requests, the District will need to rely on the multi-step policies for processing challenges.

 

If you need help researching materials, assessing content for specific uses, filing paperwork, this community is more than willing to partner with you and assist you.

Photo credit: HONY

GREAT IDEAS

COMMUNITY MEMBERS

EDUCATORS

STUDENTS

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