Comments on: Principal’s retirement seen as ‘imminent’ as grievances mount

By: CourseBoss

CourseBoss — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 05:15:00 +0000

more like “Some Children First, Certain Children Always.”

By: guest

guest — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 01:45:00 +0000

i too ahave heard about this as well as firing a teacher to allow a position for her doctors son

By: John smith

John smith — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 23:39:00 +0000

“An arrogant, divisive bully who destroys lives” sounds like the DOE’ s job description for basic qualifications of any successful, ambitious new principal they hire.

By: Fabian

Fabian — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 11:39:00 +0000

Keep an eye out for Principal Kathleen Elvin at John Dewey HS. The stories coming out of Dewey are mind blowing.

By: Neversurrender1

Neversurrender1 — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 01:39:00 +0000

In fact the former chapter leader was completely ineffectual and as a result, many competent and incompetent teachers were forced out without due process. Chester just made their lives so miserable that they took early retirement or changed schools. By the way, they are extremely happy where they went to, so they couldn’t have been bad to begin with, just not lackeys. The union with him as the chapter leader never saved anyone. Look at the turnover especially in the Foreign Language Department where the real lackey is. Doc, you don’t know what you are talking about. Unions are supposed to protect all teachers against vindictive administrators, just like Chester, who stomp on the contract. They only provide teachers with due process to protect their rights. In the case of FHHS, the previous chapter leader did none of that and so many people left.

By: guest

guest — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 00:23:00 +0000

Very true. Chester got rid of an excellent teacher to hire her doctors son. The head of English hires her friends children, the head of special education hired her sons girlfriend; at this school it is who you know. Chester went after good teachers and let inept people alone, look at some of the guidance staff, they are supposed to program the students to graduate, they don’t even put them in the correct classes.

By: Neversurrender1

Neversurrender1 — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 08:12:00 +0000

She stole $17,000 in salary a year and benefits from those certified educated teachers. It just shows how little she respected her teachers. In her mind, this money went to the school and benefitted the students, but to me it shows how she felt the teachers didn’t deserve a fair wage and how little she respected the union contract. Teachers who are respected and supported are better teachers and that helps the students much more in the long run. She was shortsighted and has it all backwards. The morale is very low in this school. How does that translate to teaching? I’ll tell you. An unhappy, scared, demeaned, and exhausted teacher is not nearly as creative or connected to the students as a happy, healthy one.

By: Guest

Guest — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 04:10:00 +0000

Maybe they will get rid of there private cleaning company ! That school looks like a pig pen.
That school was much cleaner when they had a custodian.

By: hopeful

hopeful — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 01:19:00 +0000

You are 100% right. Many of us hope that not only Mrs. Chester should be gone but all the A.P.s that allowed their names be put on classes they were not teaching. They are also involved and should be held accountable.

By: Certified Teacher

Certified Teacher — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 23:32:00 +0000

Mrs. Chester gave teachers who were licensed as substitute teachers the opportunity to gain experience. She did what other administrators in the cheap seats and watch…she ran a diverse school of over 4000 students. I have nothing but the highest respect for her. And I am grateful for the opportunity given but please remember just because we were not certified doesn’t mean we didn’t work very hard to be passionate about our roles as teachers. Before you judge you should put yourself in the other persons shoes.

By: Jrdsoccer

Jrdsoccer — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 17:24:00 +0000

will your sister in law that Chester hired take the back pay?
Why isn’t Chester’s picture and phoney smile on the front page of the Daily News?
When she went after an art teacher Chester made sure the photographers were there to take her picture as she was arrested – Chester should be on the TV news and iin the papers. she tourtured the staff for too long

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 14:29:00 +0000

The most shocking part of the story is that the DoE is making the school cover the bill? And further punishing the students for the dereliction of duty by an administration at Tweed that failed to provide sufficient oversight? Another symptom of rampant insanity by a bunch of educrats including th chancellor who refuse to take responsibility for their own mismanagement and in the process punish the kids for their own mistakes. The policies of this administration should be renamed Children Last.

By: Guest

Guest — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 12:09:00 +0000

If you thought Jo Ann Chester was a viper someone should check out Namita Dwarka at Wiiliam Cullen Bryant. Bounced around the DOE 6 times already she’s quickly running the school into the ground with her divisive and illegal acts. I called it here first!

By: Hdp0807

Hdp0807 — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 18:18:00 +0000

Joann Chester deserves not only to be fired, but she should also be publicly humiliated. I, Helena De Paola, taught at FHHS for 27 years. Teaching was my passion, and my students excelled. It was an absolute joy to be in the classroom. When Ms. Chester began to negatively interfere with students’ advancements which caused them serious academic harm, I could no longer be in such an environment. I quit and the public school system lost an excellent and dedicated teacher. As they say, every dog gets his day.

By: Hope

Hope — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 18:00:00 +0000

And maybe, just maybe, the Deputy Chancellor, and the Supt. of High Schools, and the local elected officials will ensure the IAP is competent and capable as the new “mayor” of the small city known as Ft. Hamilton HS. A person who is smart, and who likes teenagers, and who understands the challenges of classroom teaching, and who is honest, and who leads with integrity…

By: hope

hope — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 17:57:00 +0000

By: SMH

SMH — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:52:00 +0000

Please Fort Hamilton H.S. don’t embarrass yourselves and the school by airing dirty laundry on a website. That is a well respected school in the NYCDOE. No school is perfect but the allegations and the back and forth on this site foolish. That school community would be up in arms if the conversation was about closing it. If you suspect foul play call it in and let someone investigate it. Don’t try to pile on because it will be a poor reflection on your school and that can start a decline that is hard to pull out of.

Please, enough.

By: Guest

Guest — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 03:53:00 +0000

I will definitely be discussion her fall from grace at my next teacher meeting!

By: Guest

Guest — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 03:40:00 +0000

where does the money that Mike Kozlowski, Assistant Principal Of Security pockets each morning from collecting $1 for lost/stolen program cards and $5 for lost I.D.’s go? There’s always a line in front of his office periods 1-4 . At least 40-50 kids a DAY. He is taking money from students of families where $1 actually means something. You’re not a good citizen, man, or neighbor. What you are is a thief! You should be next.

By: Facultyobserver

Facultyobserver — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:27:00 +0000

ATR’s are a crap shoot, I’ll admit, I’ve known some real winners, but the real issue here is the depth of the complicity by the APO and the payroll office. But as previously stated, the atmosphere of the school was not one in which you “made waves” by asking legitimate questions about your rights. That’s the job of the CHapter leader who in this case was ineffective. The fish rots from the head down, Chester got what she earned.