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January 26, 2010
In Brooklyn school city sees worst case of charter violations yet
A Brooklyn charter school that has the dubious distinction of committing the worst charter violations city officials say they’ve ever seen is about to be closed.
New York City rarely closes charter schools, but yesterday Department of Education officials told East New York Preparatory that it intends to revoke the school’s charter when the current school year ends in June. The K-4 school was authorized by Chancellor Joel Klein in 2006 and would only be the fourth charter school in the city to close.
Director of the city’s office of charter schools, Michael Duffy, said DOE officials began noticing problems last year when parents contacted the department and the school was put on probation in February.
“It’s certainly the worst in New York City that I’ve seen,” Duffy said.
Rather than using its probationary period to turn around, the school’s problems seemed to multiply, Duffy said. Its founding principal, Sheila Joseph, is accused of inflating her salary from $120,000 to $180,000, which she could easily do as vice chair of the school’s board of trustees. According to the DOE’s charter revocation notice, Joseph had Mercer Givhan, the father of her child, placed on the board, which DOE officials said put the board’s independence in doubt. He was paid $5,500 that the school cannot explain.
Last year, a review by the State Education Department found that 48 East New York Prep students were discharged before the state’s standardized tests were given. Among the students who left were seven low-scoring third-graders. That same year, 86 percent of the school’s students scored proficient in English and 100 percent were proficient in math.
An review conducted in 2007 noted that “the percentage of special education students is much lower than in other schools,” and that there were no English Language Learners enrolled.
The school’s teacher turnover has also been extreme. Between June of last year and September of this year, East New York Prep lost every teacher it had, Duffy said. In their stead came new teachers, most of whom are in Teach for America.
It’s not clear whether teachers left voluntarily or were fired. Joseph did not return calls for comment.
The school’s board has 30 days to respond to the DOE’s accusations and then Klein will make a final decision. Duffy said the department plans to hold a public meeting at the school on February 3 to explain the closure to parents and to offer help getting students placed into other schools or entered into other charter schools’ lotteries.
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January 26th, 2010 1:47 pm
So only when parents complained did the DOE notice that this school was stealing from the public till? I wonder who is accountable? Where else can the public find out about charter violations?
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January 26th, 2010 6:11 pm
This is terrible! Sheila Joseph is a criminal! I hope that this school’s closing is a lesson to the NY DOE and that Ms. Joseph is forced to repay every cent to the unfortunate community that has to bear the consequences of her selfishness.
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January 26th, 2010 11:40 pm
I am a huge supporter of school choice and charter schools. However, the strength of the movement depends on shutting down charter schools that don’t work. Shutting down East New York Prep is the right thing to do and supporters of charter schools should demand it.
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January 28th, 2010 7:58 am
I am not surprised they are shutting down this school. I worked there last year and it was the worse experience of my life! Not only was Sheila malicious, but she was just so mean and had so much hate towards her amazing staff!!! I feel bad for the little ones, but I am sure the parents will find a better environment for their kids. Sheila should go to jail, she cut our hours last year because we were “over budget” yet she’s giving herself a raise & bonus and paying her kid’s dad???? Cmon Sheila. For a lawyer, you sure are dumb for trying to pull this off. Good job Sheila!!! Smh… I will be there on Wednesday to support the closing of the disaster Sheila calls a school.
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January 28th, 2010 8:34 am
OUCH. I second you, Kent Strong.
These proceedings are a good example of the transparency and accountability of the charter movement.
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January 28th, 2010 9:02 am
Hey Not Surprised
We are appalled at what is now happening to the students and families of ENY Prep. As a charter parent, I could imagine what those parents are going through. We will be at the hearing next week. In the meantime, I’d like some more information, could you please contact me at
mdavids @ nycharterparents.org or go to our site for our phone number. Thank you.Mona Davids
NY Charter Parents Association -
January 28th, 2010 12:59 pm
Mona I emailed you my number
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January 28th, 2010 1:54 pm
Kitchen Sink,
It is incredible that you would use the arrogance and heavy-handedness of the DOE’s school closings as a contrast to charter schools. After all, aside from hedge fund and private equity operators, aren’t the mayor and chancellor your primary patrons? Where would you be without their backdoor subsidies, school closings and license for you and your brethren to invade existing public schools?
More than incredible: shameless.
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January 28th, 2010 4:50 pm
anyone who thinks that this charter is the only one robbing taxpayers money is living in a fantasy world!!!! these private investors and business people are the same people who thrived on destroying the stock market and our economy and now you are trusting them to run our schools without a thought that they might be cheating in there statistics, salaries, and any other aspect that they can….why do you think they wont build their own schools, because they dont want to invest the $ in our students they just want the taxpayers to pay their salaries for doing nothing new except using different technology rather than books….last time i checked reading was fundamental…. they are salespeople ….. who try to sell you whatever they can to make as much as they can….. they do not care about the children who need help….. they take those students who can make them look better and when they take the wrong ones they remove them…. its all smoke and mirrors just like the DOE statistics….
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January 28th, 2010 7:57 pm
i just removed my child from the school after complaining to the administration and DOE about the bullying and fighting taking place in the school.after trips to the emergency room,being told by the teacher there was nothing for her to do, refused assistance by head of school, and ignored by the board of trustees, i had enough. Admiinistration told me they did not want to ruin the teachers career although she was not capable of doing her job. they begged me not to remove my child. my child is affected by being in an unstructured,undisciplined,unstable environment from sept 2009 until jan 2010. the parents complaints were ignored and the teachers and administration were fired for doing their jobs in aug 2009.
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January 29th, 2010 12:06 am
PEOPLE PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE 2 SIDES TO EVERY STORY SO BEFORE YOU JUDGE KNOW THE FACTS!!! THIS HAS BECOME A PERSONAL ATTACK ON MS.JOSEPH BY SOME BITTER FORMER TEACHERS THAT WAS TERMINATED NOW ITS “PAY BACK” TIME …WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS HURTING THE STUDENTS OF ENYP!! I COULD CARELESS ABOUT ALL THE STUPID DRAMA GOING ON IN THE SCHOOL MY CHILDS GRADES AT THE SCHOOL ARE GREAT AND I WILL FIGHT WITH MS.JOSEPH AND THE MANY,MANY OTHER PARENTS TO KEEP THE SCHOOL OPEN!!! MONA DAVIS NEEDS TO MINE HER BUSINESS ABOUT WHAT GOING IN BROOKLYN @ENYP & STAY IN THE BRONX WITH UR DAUGHTER!!!!
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January 29th, 2010 12:50 am
Concerned Parent,
The DoE and the state ed department have irrefutable proof of Sheila Joseph’s violations and theft!
Your child may be smart but you most certainly are DUMB!
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January 29th, 2010 3:48 am
Concerned Parent is exactly right. This Mona Davis is a fraud sent here by her Master Joe Klein to do his bidding. Ms. Joseph is supposed to be the villain? Please!!! Everyone is going to make mistakes but all she has done is help create an excellent school where children can learn and grow and be proud. This beautiful Oasis now sits where Mona and her Masters had left us piles of garbage and crap for schools. And to the so-called “Pissed off Parent” - we’re on to you! You don’t live here, you don’t send your children to school here, and we will never hear from you or Mona Davis again once you’ve accomplished your mission of stealing one of the best hopes for our children’s future. I’ll stand with Concerned Parent and Ms. Joseph and everyone else who can see through you outside FRAUDS. Please go crawl back under whatever rock you slithered from under. We don’t have time for drama from you or fired teachers who wouldn’t do what it takes to get the job done. We have too much work to do to raise our children to get caught up in your foolishness. You may disrespect us and call us “DUMB” but you will see that we are not so gullible to let you come in here and take what is ours.
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January 29th, 2010 6:28 am
Michael,
I’m not sure where the shame you mention is supposed to arise, because my point is this: the shenanigans being accused by the DOE (and, however substantitated they may seem, they are accuasations at this point as none of us have heard or seen arguments about facts) in this case have been going on in some form or another in schools for decades.
Hello! That’s why we have such a strong UFT - because of abusive principals playing the foil so well, allowing populist teacher indignation to foment and justifying any labor stoppages, etc.
I for one have NEVER seen a public document explaining the charges against an abusive principal before. I wasn’t around in the 60s, so call me shortsighted if you want. But I’ve been around the block enough to know that the charter mechanism’s ability to pull the plug, swiftly and decisively, on a school that is failing to live up to its mission or to its legal obligations is something we haven’t seen in this city before.
All of our beloved chancellors before Klein - did they crack down on bad principals? No, it was up to Clowns and Crowns in New York Teacher. The DOE under Crew, Levy, and on and on supported abusive principals as long as they fit in with whatever initiative was their pet project.
So you (principal in a high needs district) are going to ignore the School Leadership Team mandate to share authority over the budget and the CEP, but you’ll turn around the support the structure itself and make nicey nicey with the district about SLT’s role? Great! That’s what I need, a strong principal.
So you (another principal in the same high needs district) are going to take a gin break every day when you should be in classrooms observing and giving feedback? Just continue to keep those annoying parents who went to the press about a lack of resources that I pulled from your overcrowded school off my back, and I’ll look the other way.
Not in charter land!
All the abuses that are being alleged on this comment string and others? Stealing from our kids, making money in some shady way with “privatization schemes,” if they are true/truly abusive, depending on the charge that is, you can be sure they will come to light. The mayor indeed has a lot riding on the success of charter schools. It’s a PR nightmare for abuses to come to light and for him not to shut down a school.
I feel sorry for the good people who work in the schools that are closing. I don’t know what decision I would make if I were in the chancellor’s, or PEP’s, seat. I would have a better idea if I had more information instead of headlines and empty rhetoric, but I know there are good, honest, intelligent and hard working people in all of those schools.
That fact doesn’t necessarily mean the schools should stay open, and unfortunately their good, honest, intelligent and hard working qualities haven’t been enough to move the system to the point where we should all be proud of every school in every district. That’s a simple fact, and yes, change hurts.
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January 29th, 2010 1:38 pm
Dear concerned parent,
I am glad that your child is doing great and is flourishing at ENYP. However, Sheila Joseph was not the one teaching your child. It was the so called “bitter” teachers who had a hand in making sure that the students of ENYP were performing at their best. It’s this whole “if it’s not broke don’t fix it” attitude that we are where we are today. Your argument is similar to that of many other parents. As long as MY child is not affected and doing well I don’t care. But your child is affected. What about those students who were put back a grade right before the state exams? What about those students with IEPs whose parents were forced to withdraw from school? Who fights for them? It was the work of those “bitter” teachers and courageous parents that got the attention of the DOE. Many parents saw the ridiculousness that was occurring but instead did nothing because they didn’t want the task of changing schools. It is so easy to attack Sheila Joseph’s character. But this is no witch hunt. Our children’s future is at stake here. “Two sides to every story?” All of the staff and faculty at ENYP are new. How can ALL of the staff been incompetent and bitter? Everyone except Ms. Joseph was either fired or quit. That is a fact. Honestly ENYP is Sheila Joseph’s hustle. Like many hustlers eventually people catch on and they must move on……
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January 29th, 2010 6:19 pm
Dear Former Teacher, are you honsetly saying that your still fighting for kids that were left behind? or is because no one hlep to fight for your cause when you teaching at the school so now your jumping on the band wagon with everyone else? Your not teaching at the school anymore & hopefully you went on to something better so why are you & other former employees and parents so concerned & with whats going on at ENYP?
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January 29th, 2010 8:54 pm
Dear Concerned Parent
You are absolutely correct. Most of the former teachers have moved on to bigger and better things. However, do you really believe that it is malice that drives our concern? Many of us fought long and hard before there was a bandwagon. The fact that we are still so invested in what goes on at ENYP should be an indication of the severity of the infractions that took place.
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January 29th, 2010 9:38 pm
@former teacher,
It has to be malice thats driving you and others to be so “concerned ” about whats going on at ENYP I see no other reason if you have moved on to bigger and better things and you have no family members of your own that go to the school i don’t see why your so “INVESTED in the school…while you guys are out to punish Sheila are you REALLY thinking about the kids that enjoy going to school at ENYP and what the parents will have to go through to find a decent schools for our children…… Where are you going to be when I’m out looking for a new school for my child? -
January 30th, 2010 1:16 am
So were supposed to get be up in arms because of Ms. Joseph’s salary for running an excellent school where black kids learn and excel, but meanwhile Michael Duffy makes $200K and Klein makes a quarter mil - $250,000 - for running an awful school system that fails black children while shutting down the few schools that actually get results! And then they talk about how they have to pay themselves these insanely high salaries because that’s the only way to attract and keep top talent! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU3agaHAoYI). Well I guess what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, or doesn’t the rationale they apply to themselves apply to anyone else? God forbid a black woman who runs a fantastic school for black children be paid anywhere in the same range as them right? Talk about double standards!
Then these clown-ass hypocrites want to talk about serving children with special needs! What a joke! Has anybody stopped to take a look at what’s going on in District 75 - the special needs district which THEY run? Read the Advocates for Children report called “Leaving School Empty Handed” and it will tell you everything you need to know. (http://www.advocatesforchildren.org/pubs/2005/spedgradrates.pdf). That’s how much THEY care about special needs children. A 12% graduation rate!!! What is this, Bangledesh? Yeah, Duffy and Klein care as much about special ed students as they care about the little black and brown kids attending ENYP. ZIP-ZAB-ZERO!!!
And for all these disgruntled “former ENYP teachers” who claim to care so much for kids but have nothing better to do with their time than stay online and chime in every chance they get with something hateful about closing the school, all I can say is: We appreciate your service, but life goes on baby. Time to keep it moving. If you look forward, you just may find a world of joy and happiness on the road ahead, but you’ll never know it if you keep looking back.
We’re not going to sit quietly while outsiders, hypocrites, manipulators and oppressors attack and destroy our institutions, our communities, our families and our children. We stand together UNITED behind East New York Prep and ready FIGHT our children!
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January 30th, 2010 9:28 am
Dear concerned parent,
It appears that I was correct in saying that most parents are afraid of looking for new schools for their children. It is fear that drives them to align themselves with someone who has proven not to have their children’s best interest at heart. So if you are only looking out for your best interest and if I’m according to you only looking out for my best interest, what is really the difference? We both feel that we are right. I respect your position as you should mine. However, the one difference between us is that I don’t have anything to lose but you do. I’m fine and will continue to be fine. You have your child’s future to consider. So if I were you I would look closely at what’s been right in front of you since your child started at ENYP. As for this alleged vendetta against Sheila Joseph, it doesn’t exist. Ms. Joseph is her own worst enemy. She has already self-destructed. So if I was concerned about revenge, trust me it would have already been fulfilled because her credibility as an educator has already been lost in the eyes of her peers. See you at the meeting!
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January 30th, 2010 9:46 am
concerned parent….
we understand your child is doing well, but what you do not understand is that your buddy shiela is not the one who is getting your child to do so well….. if the teachers were so bad, how did your child do so well? i am sure shiela was not teaching your child…. and what gives her the right to dismiss the board and make herself a superintendant with a 60000 pay raise and 20000 bonus…. all that money could be put towards more resources in the classroom to help your child do even better than they have…. can you not see the corruption or are you that blind? …….. wake up!
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January 30th, 2010 9:48 am
Klein salary = $350,000 plus expenses
Michael Duffy salary= $250,000 plus expensesThat’s more than $600,000 combined we are paying them to shut down one one of the best performing schools in Brooklyn.
@ Former Teacher (or should I say, @Disgruntled FIRED Teacher(s)): Thank you for your service but now it’s time for you to keep it moving. The road ahead may lead you to great joy and happiness but how will you ever know if you keep focussing on what supposedly is behind you? You have a score to settle - yes, a vendetta - and you don’t seem to care at all whether, if in settling it, you help rob our children and community of such a valuable resource as a school that works. That’s how much YOU care about these children! No wonder you were let go. You care only about yourself! Time to let the past be the past. Do you! But let our children get an top rate education instead of forcing them back into Mr. Klein and Duffy’s system that was failing them in the first place.
We stand united and ready to fight for this school and for our children’s future.
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January 30th, 2010 10:17 am
New York Charter Parents Association - Of the Parents, By the Parents, For the Parents
MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
The New York Charter Parents Association (NYCPA) is convening an Emergency Meeting to address the lack of accountability, transparency, parent voices and teacher voices that led to the intended revocation of the charter at East New York Prep Charter School (ENYP).
Charter parents must know their rights in the charter school system so that this does not happen again to any of our children. Come and learn the facts about ENYP and how charter schools are governed.
Where: Brooklyn Borough Hall
209 Joralemon StreetWhen: Monday, February 1, 2009
6pm – 8pmDirections: 2, 3, 4, 5, N, R, trains to Brooklyn Borough Hall
A, C, F, trains to Jay Street
B25, B26, B38, B52, B41 to Brooklyn Borough HallFor more information, contact Mariama Sanoh at (646) 205-3250 x108 or via email at msanoh @ nycharterparents.org
http://WWW. NYCHARTERPARENTS .ORG
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January 30th, 2010 10:56 am
Don’t Get It Twisted
Your argument is laughable if you want to even call it an argument. I consider the students I left behind at ENYP my students too. How is it so easy for others to put the blame on Klein and Duffy and not include Joseph? Your ignorance is what feeds Joseph’s fight. If you think that the current teachers who are teaching your children are going to be there next year then you are just as naive and misguided as concerned parent. They are silently cheering all of us on with our fight for justice. I guarantee you they pray every night for someone or something to save them from the hell they know as ENYP. So yeah it is my fight too. It should be everyones fight who has an ounce of moral fiber or a conscience. I guess I will be seeing you at the meeting too!
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January 30th, 2010 3:35 pm
@Former teacher,
Why would you even care to be at the meeting, I’m still not getting what your getting out of this whole thing?! Yeah, I do know of one that’s silently cheering you guys on………LMAO!!! -
January 30th, 2010 7:31 pm
I meliki stinnette parent of a child that attend east new yourk prep my child is doing great sence her return back to east newyour prep they have a very strong curriculum ms sheila joseph encourages families to never never give up i can truly say they are here for our children to have anything less than the absolute best
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January 30th, 2010 7:41 pm
My child attends Sheila Josephs school. I heard about this situation and think that’s it’s just a factor of jealousy. Jealousy from the old teachers thepeople higher above that are just simply mad of her success and the school. As if; why can’t a school in that area be that good and grow to the level that it did. In addition, it’s anger that she was getting her own school september and about to grow to even bigger things. People just don’t want some peoples success.
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January 31st, 2010 11:19 pm
I removed my children from ENYP this year after seeing no promise of improvement. Best thing I ever did. they are atending another charter school in which I couldnt be anymore satisfied. Alot of the parents that are defending Ms Joseph are parent whos children have just entered the school. But ask many of us who have been there since day 1 and you will find out the God honest ugly truths. In 2008 my children entered the 2nd grade same class. Between that September and June they had 5 different teachers. Science was eliminated from the curriculum and to add insult to injury the children had to take a science test and only cpl of children passed. I was there when she sent that nasty letter home with the kids during holiday vacation last year and I was there to see all those 48 kids leave after that. Ears were listening Ms. Josepsh screamed at teachers in front of the children. So believe me the children have been suffering. It is only right that the past teachers and parents speak out against Ms. Joseph. This is not and act of jealousy againt poor Ms. Joseph. This is an act of deliverance for those poor children that are now stuck and have to find new schools becasue of the injustice to them by Ms Joseph. Yes While my children where there they did very well academically. That was my doing as a parent. Joseph hires the best teachers but she lacks the skills to maintain them and chases them away anytime one of them attemps to stand up for the children and themselves. We were all for Ms Joseph and the mission of the school. We were behind her and we all wanted something better for our children. ENYP had all the makings and utilities to be the best school in Brooklyn but now its just a damn shame. I hope all the parents an d teachers speak out. when its 1 or 2 people who are dissatisfied then you can give it the benefit of the doubt. But then its everybody, there has to be truth in it somewhere. I lost my benefit of the doubt 2 years ago. Good luck to all the parents whose children are still there.
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January 31st, 2010 11:31 pm
wow I dont know who to believe each side sounds correct.. wow if sheild joseph really did steal money and chase away teachers, then she will get what she deserves.. I think alot of problems come from her senior staff, whoever that guy is in the office.. the whole IS 323 talks about him as if he is a fool. I hope the school stays open for the children and the state sends in people to regulate.
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February 1st, 2010 12:06 am
@ dont get it twisted….
we now that klien and duffy are a waste of money and they are robbing the city of true leadership and quality education…. but they are also the ones who allow corrupted people like shiela to do what she has done and thats steal tax payers money and put it in her own pocket just like klien ….. you have to understand that the real part of your childs learning takes place in the classroom with teachers and in your home with homework and yourself playing a role in your childs discpline to do the work necessary to obtain a good education…. the money that is stolen by those who play a small role in your childs actual education is what we are all up in arms about… not that the school isnt good, but that she broke the rules…. the high teacher turnover shows that there is a problem… sheila the non educator is not listening to the real educators in the building… those who actually teach your child. here in lies the problem…. just like klein, who is not and never was an educator is running many city schools into the ground… why? because they are business people and what is it that business people want? to make as much money as they can by doing as little as possible and cutting every corner they can to maintain profit….. here in lies the problem with all of this….. you can not run a school like a business… it is a civil sevice and we owe it to our children to teach them.
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February 1st, 2010 1:10 pm
I was among the first group of teachers and administrators working at ENY Prep when the charter school open its doors to student in September of 2006.
Thinking about that first year still gives me chills: It was horrible, worst than any nightmare. .
Sheila Joseph was an evil, mean-spirited administrator who really didn’t care about anyone but herself. At the beginning of the school year, for example, -until we contacted the chancellor - we were denied a duty free lunch period for about a month. We had to gulp down our food as we supervised the kids during their lunch period.
There were many other shocking, outrageous things that Ms Joseph did to us as well.
By the end of the school year, all of her starting teachers plus those replacement teachers that came after the year began [several I might add] left. Even most, if not all, of her administrative staff left, including an Assistant Director or two, a dean or two, a counselor, two fiscal officers, and an educational consultant (who by the way was a retired principal with the NYC Bd. of Ed). No one could work with Ms. Joseph.
In short, a total of no less than 16 staff members left after that first year. She was horrendous, but being a master of public relations, she had parents fooled. I really feel sorry for those parents, and their kids.
That being said, when I read the New York Post story, I wasn’t at all surprised about these new developments. I am just amazed that she lasted as long as she did.
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February 3rd, 2010 7:15 pm
ENYP needs to be closed down. For starters it is run like a business, not an educational institute. In addition the teacher are overworked, their hours are from 7-6. How can you expect them to feel positve and enthusiastic when they are working in the buidlign this many hours? The poor students are there from 730-4:30- that is a long school day for little ones.
The teachers are all brand new teacher from teach for america-most of them have never even stepped foot in a classroom before getting hired. Is this really the best environment for children? -
February 3rd, 2010 9:38 pm
UHHHHH…School is from 8-4:30pm as many other are some students even go to school in August and only have 3wk summer vacation….And the teachers are better then those that were fires last year!!
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February 3rd, 2010 10:18 pm
YOUR A TEACHER??!!!, YOU SPELLED BUILDING WRONG……..USE SPELL CHECK WANNA BE CONCERNED TEACHER!!!!!
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February 4th, 2010 12:04 am
Some children do come at 7 30 for breakfast. And no there is not only a 3 week vacation. School ends the last week in June and it starts the last week in August. And the week it starts in August is only boot camp for the new students.
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February 4th, 2010 12:08 am
Well the teachers she had last year were teachers she had to hire on a whim. The teachers she has now are not better than the ones originally hired. The new teachers are very inexperienced.
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February 4th, 2010 1:40 am
@caring parent I’m not talking about ENYP I’m talking about 2 other charter Schools that both of my friends kids attend & they go to school through the middle of August I beleive its acheivement first charter schools……. I know when my child gets out of school..And boot camp for ENYP starts at the end of August…As far as teachers go when a teacher graduates from college & starts looking for a job what experience is he/she bringing to the table straight out of school?NONE they learn as they go…I happen to think my childs teaher is great..if you have a problem take your child OUT!!!!
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February 4th, 2010 8:36 am
Yes Achievement first, some school begin @7:15am & End @4:30pm and its mandatory that students attend school 15days in July or for the entire month of July
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February 4th, 2010 9:59 am
Can someone please explain to me why NY state won’t get federal funding unless the charter cap is removed. Why can’t we get money without lifting the cap? I’m not going to debate about the pros and cons of charter schools. I just don’t get why the money is contingent on this.
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February 4th, 2010 10:28 am
I was employed at East New York Preparatory Charter School in the Summer of 2008. Lukely for me, I quit ENY Prep two weeks after starting. ENY Prep like many other charter schools in Brooklyn are money making meca for their Execeutive Director/ Founder, friends and family members. Parents are not aware of the amount of funding given to these administrators. Some of them, are lacking the basic common sense and courtesy. They came from nothing, and will end nowhere. It is just a matter of time for a few of these so called charter schools to be revoked. The reason they last this last is because parents are so dissatached from their “scholars”. Most parents are not aware of the facts about charter schools. All they seem to know is that their child wares a uniform. In their minds, charter schools are as closed as they can get to a private school education. I must confess that I am still traumatized from my employment experience at East New York Prep. Five staff members were departing on my first day of employment (nightmare), while a newly hired teacher quit during her first day of employment. Let’s not only focus on the teachers, but also review the number of Office Managers, Human Resources Assitants, and Deans that quit or were fired in less than one year. We all stayed in touch and formed a network of survivors. Yes, Ms. Joseph ran a modern day concentration camp on Chester Street in East New York. She was left to do so by the Board of Directors, the New York City Charter School Center, Parents, elected officials and others. Expect a few more charter schools to go the Sheila Joseph route. Doctor Joseph may take her time and energy to concentrate on the beloved land of her parent; Haiti. She should take advantage of the current situation in her mother land to build a few charters.
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February 4th, 2010 10:37 am
@ Parent, we are talking about ENYP and its problems. Achievement first is not an issue here because, their charter isn’t threatening to be revoked. Every school has its problem, no school is exempt from issues. But ok enough already. Yes, its ok to have teachers fresh out of college gaining experience. However you can’t have 100% of your teachers fresh out of college. You need teachers with experience to help guide them along. My kids teachers from Teach for America were nice. They did and ok job, the kids liked them. Its only been a few months. They cant go anywhere becasue they are contracted to be there for some time should ENYP remain open. Thats why they havent left yet. The teachers that were there 2 and 3 years ago were way better. My kids suffered too much between their 5 different teachers in 1 year and their awful bus driver. My kids been moved on another school.
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February 4th, 2010 10:39 am
@ traumatized. you sound like one of my kids teachers….
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February 4th, 2010 11:13 am
Parent wrote: YOUR A TEACHER??!!!, YOU SPELLED BUILDING WRONG……..USE SPELL CHECK WANNA BE CONCERNED TEACHER!!!!!
I don’t normally do this, but here’s a lesson for you. Hopefully you can pass it along to your child.
Your = possessive (ex: Your coat is over there.)
You’re = you are (ex: You’re a teacher?)When you decide to correct spelling online, you better make sure your post contains sound grammar. The teacher who misspelled “building” did so out of a typo. Your mistake is a lack of knowledge.
Charter schools are a sham. They skew statistical data and are open to tons of financial impropriety. As a former public school teacher who is finishing a doctorate in clinical psychology (child psych) I understand how hard a profession teaching is. Business types who sit in a cubicle, for the most part, wouldn’t last a week in a classroom.
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February 4th, 2010 2:52 pm
@Caring parent if you notice I was responding to concerned teacher until you had to butt in,I was trying to show that extended school hours are not unusal for a charter school I’m happy with my childs teacher no complaints….what does the bus driver have to do with ENYP? call his superivisor or better yet take your child out!!!!! @ Traumatized while employed @ENYP,I’m you quit after 2wks with all the misspelled words that your have in your comment,lukely,dissatched,wares, THANK GOD YOUR GONE!!@Grad school teacher you sound angry are mad because you don’t have the skills to start a charter school?!
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February 4th, 2010 2:56 pm
Any way why are we still talking about ENYP? Isn’t the meeting over? Caring parent why didn’t you stand up a voice your opinion yesterday?
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February 4th, 2010 11:04 pm
I worked at ENYP from the summer of 2008 until the Fall and quit as well. Sheila is a mess and an awful person to work for. I still speak with former teachers and staff who were there with me and all I got from that hell of a job were good people in my life. Shes a tyrant, a dreamer, a thief and runs that whole- I was a poor kid _ story. May she get what she deserves for running that school into the ground. What a shame.
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February 5th, 2010 2:36 am
@ Parent. Apparently you didnt read my post clearly where I typed my children been out of there. So dont worry about my children worry about yours and where they gonna be come next September. Secondly this is a public post, so I can add my 2 cents and express myself in a intellectual and dignified manner, instead of trying to discredit people over simple typos when clearly you’re the uber mother of misplelled word and typos. Tsk Tsk Tsk. Ignorance must be bliss. {This conversation is over}
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February 5th, 2010 7:00 am
IT’S BEEN OVER FOR YOU THATS WHY YOUR CHILD IS NOT @ ENYP!!
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February 5th, 2010 9:32 am
@ PARENT…….. YOU MUST BE 16 YRS OLD WITH A 6 YEAR OLD CHILD. PLEASE KEEP POSTING YOU MAKE ENYP LOOK BETTER AND BETTER EVERYTIME YOU POST.
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February 5th, 2010 10:09 am
Many parents are asking why are former parents and teachers concerned about ENYP if they are no longer there. But what many fail to realize is that this is how the school has been able to continue to remain open for as long as it has. No one stood up and said this is wrong. As a former teacher, I feel like I have a duty to continue to fight for what is fair and just! I wish someone would have stood up for me. I wish someone would have looked out for me and the many other unsuscpecting teachers who are looking for a job in this doomed economy. ENYP was hell!! What people fail to realize is that the injustice thats going on in that building affects the lives of everyone involved. When I was stressed out and worried about whether or not I would have a job while at ENYP my whole life was affected. Teachers have children and families of their own to attend to, but couldn’t because of the stress and anxiety. Families were affected, relationships damaged, friendships lost. So when people say it’s not your fight they are so very wrong. Injustice anywhere affects justice everywhere. So I’m going to continue to stand up for what I personally know to be true. I know teachers who hate teaching now because of their experience at ENYP. Young aspiring teachers who wanted to become teachers since they were young want to quit the field all together now. So when you say it’s not our fight, I’m so sorry but it is my fight and quite frankly your hateful accusations and comments are nothing in comparison to the hell many of us suffered at the hands of Sheila Joseph. We don’t want the school to close we want the truth to be acknowledeged. We want this dream killer to be stopped. Sometimes the best decisions are not always the easiest ones.
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February 5th, 2010 1:17 pm
@Former Teacher, I’m sorry you has such a horrible experience at ENYP but, Did’nt you have a chance last year to speak? & on Feb 3th….the meeting is over what else are you fighting for? the decision will be made on March 5th….
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February 5th, 2010 1:42 pm
Just because we dont work there anymore, doesnt mean we dont care anymore about what happens. Unlike Jospeh, we are concerned about the students! Our concern for education for children in this city, doesnt stop just because we have moved on to more effective schools.
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February 5th, 2010 2:05 pm
OK…..
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February 5th, 2010 2:10 pm
Hello parents and current and former teachers,
I used to work at ENYP. I absolutely loved teaching the children, and communicating with the parents. ENYP has a large African parents who value education and want to make a better life for their children in America. GO PARENTS!
However, many of the parents are very unaware of the things that are going on at ENYP. Also, many parents are aware of these problems too. They took their children out of school.
The school enrollment has gone down from last year.ENYP Problems:
1. Ms. Evil Joseph was not allowed to add a kindergarten this year because she was on probation from the NY State.2. MS. Evil Joseph lied and told the parents there will be no kindergarten because of no school space. A LIE LIE LIE ….
3.Ms. Evil Joseph hired and fired teachers like there is no tomorrow. There were even teachers who went to lunch and never came back because they hated the school so much.
4. I worked there for one year and we went through 4 principals. I guess she is not great at hiring people or is the school that horrible?
5. She fired the Special Education teacher. Many of the students did not receive services, such as speech, special edu. or counseling. The school for at least a year did not have a counselor.
6. There no computers for the students. They receive no computer instructions. She fired the computer teacher and as result the children had no computers.
7. In my class , 100% of students (literally) were reading below grade level. Since some parents and Evil Joseph claim ENYP is the best school, how could that be possible? All of the children received no reading remediation. Children will perform poorly if they have four or five teacher in one year.
8. I was hired the second month of school and the students had gonna through 3 teachers in a two month span. I was their fourth one. Can the teachers be that horrible? JOSEPH IS HORRIBLE.
9. Evil Joseph never showed up at school on time. She always claimed to have meetings. She was never there to greet the children.
10. Many times she refused to see the angry parents and she was so good of manipulating them.
11. This year Evil Joseph has hired 95% brand new teachers, and the sad part is that 95% of them have no teaching degrees, but just a college degree. (Sorry teachers, nothing against you)
12. Also, Evil Joseph claims, that she grew up in the projects and that is why she has opened a school in ENYP. This is truly a lie. She grew up in Long Island, in at least middle class neighborhood.
13. Dont have time to list all them, but I will next time.
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February 5th, 2010 6:48 pm
Well at least I know my child was not in your class…..
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February 5th, 2010 6:52 pm
- They’re not even pretending to be objective. Litterally the only thing that would seem to sate the opponents of the school is to see the school closed. They don’t seem terribly interested in objectivity, even handedness, facts, or illuminating misconceptions. Nor do they want to entertain or tollerate other equally (if not more) valid opinions or points of view. According to them, anything that conflicts with their pre-determined narrative must be coming from someone who is naive, ignorant, stupid.
I don’t have a stake in this one way or the other and what happens will not ultimately impact me. I do not live in East New York or Brownsville and I am not a parent. But as someone looking in from the outside, and also as a journalist, I am appalled and ashamed (and a little shocked) by the arrogant, paternalistic and condesending approach being utilized by those who are seem hell bent on seeing this school be closed down.
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February 5th, 2010 7:11 pm
Lets keep it real just because you have a teaching degree don’t make you a gret teacher that’s why 19 schools are getting shut down for under performing…I don’t see any great difference from the teacher she had last year with the degree & the teacher she has this year with a college degree my child is still being taught well…I know many of you former teachers have issues with Sheila that I do not care to address because I didn’t walk in your shoes & I can’t tell you how to feel but I will say this I haven’t had a problem with her or the school so why is my child being punished? I feel sorry for those kids who were reading below grade level I hope you as the teacher with the teaching degree did your job and pulled up each & everyone of those kids reading levels with the help of the parents of coarse…And thats funny because @ the meeting I never once heard anyone say that their kids grades sufferd, all i heard was that they were doing great…..
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February 5th, 2010 10:45 pm
Dear Parents Keep it Real and Concerned Parent,
It is very sad, that you believe that children are doing well. My students did improve for the short time, I was there. Maybe the teacher, that your child has was not honest with your child’s progress. I only worked there for 3 months because the school was so terrible, and I could not waste my teaching passion in a school like ENYP. The children are amazing and so are the parents.
If I were you, I would honestly open my eyes and truly see what type of education your child is receiving. Please, please for your child’s sake.
Take care parents,
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February 5th, 2010 11:04 pm
Well we know it was not the 3rd because they did above & beyond on STATE test exams…I know It was not my childs 1st grade class because my kid was at or above grade level with test scores as proof and can read any book you hand her….So either your calling your fellow former co-workers with teaching degrees lazy dummies that did’nt care about the students or are saying that the kids are stupid ? I don’t know what type of b.s you’re trying to pull but any parent with eyes can see when their child(ren) is not getting what he/she needs in the class room
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February 5th, 2010 11:21 pm
And another thing when my child perfers do math in her head & not on paper and barely wants to count on her fingers in the second grade you or one else can’t tell me she’s not learning!!! Thank you for your 3mths at ENYP now be gone!!!!
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Mapping the Budget Cuts
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