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No Word On How Staffing Disputes At John Dewey High School Were Resolved


by on Sep 7th, 2012

Source: schools.nyc.gov

Though the school year has started, 24 New York City schools as still left reeling from the mandatory staffing changes as per the “turnaround program.”

Teachers in John Dewey High School won a victory when an arbitrator decided that the name would not be changed and most teacher’s would be given the opportunity to come back if they wanted to. This, of course, came with a price. Many teachers, fearing their jobs were in danger, had already agreed to take contracts with other schools.

Principals, who normally prep their schools well in advance even had concerns as to how to refer to their schools, whether to use the original names or the newer ones, according to Gotham Schools.

And now since the year has begun, it was hoped that the schools had worked out their staffing and other administrative issues.

According to a staffer at John Dewey High School, this is not the case and life there is hell.

MHaber8643 writes:

Ironically, life is hell at John Dewey High School in Brooklyn, where the aftermath of “winning” the arbitration has resulted in our name remaining, but all else in the planned “takeover” – I mean “turnaround”- goes ahead full throttle: locks to the entrances have been changed, our teacher lounges are to be closed, we are told we will be observed 10 times this year , and we are to work, work, work…while 30 teachers were excessed, and newbies brought in, the slashin and burnin continues unabated…

Students, parents and staff let us know how things are panning out after the reversal of the proposed name change, the deferment of the turnaround program and whether or not life really is hell at John Dewey?

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  • Sick

    Teachers and guidance counselors excessed while the new principal rampages and rips apart the building. Support staff such as secretaries untouched. An assistant principal brought in to do programs that are academically unsound as student records were not consulted to create them and and two very young assistant principals brought in from the principal’s former school. One of these has no clear job description but has a license in Mathematics and teaches less classes than the AP of Mathematics! Other Assistant Principals and the custodial staff routinely berated while some staff are too afraid to disagree. Teachers with classes out of license under the guise of academic improvement? Where are the UFT and CSA? The DOE must know what is going on , but can the unions and the community allow the destruction of another school? Dewey has had Poor luck in principals. Fried was inept. Elvin is using the school to get a notch on her belt. She needs to be removed.

  • Gagasmamma

    All the programs are a disaster according to my kids. My older child said the guidance counselors were locked away and have not been allowed to fix any programs. I called on Friday and was connected and reconnected to all extensions and could not get passed the attendance office. I found out most of the guidance counselors are gone and a bunch of teachers are gone . What gives .

    • euclid

      The fast buck no accountability agency are also gone. They showed up from nowhere. Were treated like family over teachers who were at Dewey for over 20 years. This is what privatization looks like.

      • teach five classes bill gates

        How bad actually is this Elvin.

  • Student

    Yes, Mr. Haber is not exaggerating. It really is hell, we as a whole have had a rocky start. We really have hit rock bottom. Poor Dewey. Where is our support? Where is the community? Uh hello, Gravesend, Bensonhurst, and maybe Coney Island even? Why aren’t you helping out your neighborhood school instead of avoiding it? Just because you send most of your kids to private and/or specialized schools does not mean we should be ignored or treated as trash on the ground. Where is the help from the DOE? Where are the guidance counselors? Why isn’t my program changed yet? Why is my grade incorrect?

    Oh, but of course, they have enough money to install ridiculous high-tech security cameras and metal detectors. It’s sad. My favorite teachers are gone because there is not enough students. Can you believe that Dewey’s enrollment has dropped from 3,200 to 1,900 I can’t believe it!! The DOE destroyed the school, and honestly, even though the name remains the same, everything inside the school has changed! No more bands, no more cycles. Instead we have boring typical semesters and periods. Boo hoo! Like that’s going to change anything? No one is caring for this school.

    The students there aren’t the best either, why can’t Dewey have a more stricter/tougher acceptance process? The administration just lets anyone attend the school, well NO!!! We need to attract the best of the best, but the DOE is doing nothing!! I can’t take it, we are lacking school funds, stop the madness! One day someone is going to lose their mind if something isn’t done AND QUICK.

    I’m a student there and I’ve seen so many changes since I arrived and I wish people would listen, no one listens that’s why we can’t get anywhere!

    • Student too

      You need to change your program in the program office and not with your counselor who is not allowed. It is really disgusting that the principal does not allow my counselor to do anything. She is still my counselor .
      And they put me in a house I did not choose!

  • Staff member in Dewey Hell

    I am a staff member. Life is hell as Haber said. Elvin has her chosen few among staff members: these are people who suck up to her , stab others in the back and are ok with violating every term of the UFT/CSA contracts.
    First the assistant principal mess:
    The AP of Organization decided to retire at the end of the summer after weeks of mistreatment. Two other longtime assistant principals , whom Elvin seems to dislike, were placed in excess while Elvin brought her young inexperienced “assistant principals”. The AP of programming does not program and the AP of guidance no longer supervises attendance and other areas. Both of these departments are in disarray. Four assistant principals designed “houses” over the summer. Without thinking about the needs of the students. The AP of Math teaches three classes while Elvin’s favorite, the new AP of English teaches none. One new AP has no clear role in the school. Which one of the two young ones is being groomed to replace Elvin, since she is almost 70?
    Teachers:
    The Math and Phys Ed departments have seen unprecedented excessing. Yet, teachers have been hired in various areas, including Esl. Teachers in the school do not have full programs in their subject areas. Is this an attempt to start Rating teachers unsatisfactory? The supervisors seem to have their marching orders.
    Aides, secretaries:
    All have been hired back despite the loss of teachers. In the past, and unfortunately but necessary, these were lot go rather than impact the education of the students.
    But, Elvin seems to prefer them over teachers and assistant principals. Why? Because they are more economically vulnerable

    • Sick

      Sums it up. I might add that this principal has united everyone in their solid hatred of her.

  • Oracle at Delphi in Dewey Hell

    To all of you professional FRIED haters, you have just learned the grim meaning of the old adage “watch out what you wish for ,you just might get it.” And, Lord have you gotten it!

  • Fed up Guest!

    The Only good to this story is that Elvin’s C-30 is due with the next three weeks. This might be an opportunity to send her packing back into the whole she came out of?
    If she is upset in the C-30, her tweed backers might think twice about about her principalship– remember- tweed does not like so many unhappy campers at the school level– it makes them all look horrible!

  • Rebah

    What really stands out here is the disgruntlement. I imagine those comments are all being made by the same individuals who made this a failing school that had no option to grow or close.

  • akanders

    Haber’s thorny displeasure at “work work work” and accountability (being observed) is telling. Obviously, when no one was watching whether or not Haber was working, he wasn’t. Which is why the school was in the toilet. If he’d done his job properly on his own, no one would have to force him to do it now.

    • Anonymous

      If they want Dewey to become a better school, then the teachers MUST “work, work, work” it’s obligatory.

      • Deweyteach

        The work, work, work concept is not the issue. What do you work for? Is it for the students? or is it to serve the ego of a principal that is nasty and has proven to be not quite as competent as she was made out to be?
        There are so many problems in that school. Students do not have the classes they need to graduate because Elvin hired an programmer who did not consult the Guidance staff to prepare student programs.
        Three assistant principals were supposed to design houses and they set up programs that were beyond idiotic. in the International house, all kids take Advanced Placement, even when they do not speak English. Now the Guidance staff, what is left of it, is under pressure to correct the programs. They have been behind closed doors for days and students are not being taken care . Elvin is setting them up for blame to save the head of the three APs and her new programmer.
        Seniors have no Math classes. Newcomers to the country in classes too difficult for them.
        Another problem is teachers out of license. Teachers keeping a couple of lessons ahead of students.
        How can all of this be good for improving student performance? Work hard, yes if it makes sense.

  • normal

    please remove the “Shorefront High School of Arts and Sciences at John Dewey Campus” tag, that school has never existed, and never will. stop confusing your readers.