New Management Team Tries To Save Failing Harlem Charter School
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A grand experiment is happening in a Harlem school building, as for the first time the state is allowing a group to come in and try to save a failing charter school that was slated for closure. NY1's Education reporter Lindsey Christ filed the following report. This week, it is back to the classroom, at least for teachers at Harlem Prep Charter School. The message from administrators is clear -- everything is going to be different this year.
"This is the first charter turn-around of its type, which that means is that every single person who's coming back into the building is really entering a new school," says Seth Andrews of Democracy Prep Charter Schools.
Last March, state officials said they would hand over the troubled Harlem Day Charter School to a new administration rather than shut it down. The new managers already had three other charters, the Democracy Prep Schools.
This is a bigger challenge, to take the same students and fix the broken school around them.
"I am very nervous. This work is incredibly important for the kids that we serve, and the kids at Harlem Day, they didn't get the best education up until now. And so there is a tremendous amount of pressure on us," says Andrews.
In fact, it was the lowest performing school in Harlem. Teachers had to reapply for their jobs and only five were rehired.
Most of the staff is young and many were recruited right out of college.
The charter officials said they wanted to hire teachers who would not be afraid to pick themselves up after failing. They said they were looking for people who are humble, smart and hungry.
This week, teachers are learning about Democracy Prep's model, which they are told is a "hard work culture." Each teacher got a computer and BlackBerry, so the more than 200 students and their parents can reach them easily.
They also have to get the building ready. Administrators say they plan to lock up a labyrinth of small offices and keep teachers in the classrooms.
They have to go through boxes and boxes of items, many of which had never been opened. It is a lot to work out.
"If we keep up this energy that is happening right now, we can be so successful and make it happen. But it's going to be hard, and we're going to be tested and they're going to be days when you just want to throw your hands in the air," says teacher Katherine Perez.
They have just three weeks before students come back and the real test begins.