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MARGIN NOTES
March 16, 2010
Khalil Gibran Academy principal resigns midyear
In the latest step in the turbulent saga of Khalil Gibran International Academy, the school’s third principal in as many years resigned yesterday.
The departure of principal Holly Reichert, who started at Khalil Gibran in 2008, comes just days after a federal commission found that the city discriminated against the school’s founding principal by forcing her to resign before the school opened. In an unusual move for a school principal, Reichert is leaving to become a literacy coach at the East-West School of International Studies, a secondary school in Queens.
Rocked by controversy since it opened in 2007, Khalil Gibran, the city’s only Arab-language school, will now have a new interim principal: Beshir Abdellatif. The former principal of Law, Government, and Community Service High School since 2008, Adbellatif has been working in the city’s public schools since 1991.
Reichert released a statement through New Visions, Khalil Gibran’s support organization.
“It was an honor for me to serve as principal of Khalil Gibran International Academy. However, I felt I had taken the school as far as I could and was looking for a new professional opportunity. I made the decision to transfer to another assignment a month ago but stayed on until this week while we planned the leadership transition at KGIA.”
The Department of Education’s statement follows:
“Holly Reichert has decided to leave Khalil Gibran International Academy to take position as a literacy coach at a secondary school in Queens. Beshir Abdellatif, who began his career with the Department in 1991 and has served as principal of Law, Government and Community Service High School since 2008, will lead the school until a permanent replacement is selected.”
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March 16th, 2010 3:08 pm
Interesting that this school gets in the news because of a departing principal when Harlem Success Academy 1 has had three principals in three years as well. I have still yet to see anyone investigating the lack of administrators at Eva’s schools.
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March 18th, 2010 11:43 am
Does anyone have any personal experience with Khalil Gibran? Have you been a parent or a teacher there? I’d be interested in talking to you for a story. Karen Matthews, Associated Press, 212-621-1670
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April 18th, 2010 8:03 pm
I am currently attending K.G.I.A it is a good school.
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June 1st, 2010 7:59 am
Kahlil Gibran middle school has a student population that consists of students who are wanting to learn and grasp the academics presented to them, and students whose behavior is counter productive to academic education.
No one can learn in chaos and disruption. A number of the students at KG focus on disrupting the teacher’s full hearted presentation of the standards based academics. A number of students at KG have been suspended or expelled from other schools and are placed in KG. This ‘anti-education” student poplution promotes an atmosphere where classroom managment takes precident over rigorous academic teaching and dilutes grade level academic presentation by the instructors. Sadly there is a general disrespect for teachers and administration at KG. -
June 1st, 2010 8:17 am
and another ELL teacher leaves Kahlil Gibran Middle School. The NY school district is focusing on a ” push in ” ELL format for teaching English to those students who qualify for the ELL program. The “push in” model focuses on the ELL teacher conducting their English support lessons within the respective student’s other classes. This model works only when the hosting classroom is orderly, quiet, and under control. Otherwise the ELL teacher’s efforts are divided and focused on assisting with classroom management rather than working with specific ELL designated students. The ELL “push in ” model dilutes the ELL teacher’s direct interaction with ELL students. ELL’s require a seperate classroom or work place free of outside interference. Learning English is a difficult undertaking. A great many of the ELL students only interact using English within the ELL classroom. They speak their native language with friends and family. Learning English is not seen as essential for daily living, at least from a student’s point of view.
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