Comments on: Why I’m Starting a School: The Particular Answer

By: Harvest Parent (anonymous)

Harvest Parent (anonymous) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 19:08:00 +0000

It is nice to read how you became such an integral part of the school Steve. I’m really happy for my daughter’s choice and she loves waking up in the morning and heading off to school. I also do not like long commutes to work whether on a bike or in subway train.
Keep up the great work at Harvest!

By: Stephen Lazar

Stephen Lazar — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 10:02:00 +0000

I’ve become more forgiving over the years of teachers who want to move on to other things (though I hope we’ll soon have a system that allows to teachers to move “up” into hybrid roles without leaving the classroom). I have not become more forgiving of administrators who do it though, especially those who found schools. To me, founding a school is a life-project, and I would not have done it without people who agreed.

By: Stephen Lazar

Stephen Lazar — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 09:59:00 +0000

1) Not screened. In DOE-parlance, we’re “limited unscreened” which means there is a slight preference given in the DOE algorithm to students from Manhattan and those who attend an information session, which I believe is standard these days.
2) I’d be curious to hear more about your experiences. Of everything we’re doing, I’m least confident that SBG should be school wide; it became that way largely because all three teachers on the initial planning committee used it. I’m a big fan of it in my class after using it for four years, but of everything I do, it’s the thing I’m least likely to encourage others to do.

By: Pogue

Pogue — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 10:11:00 +0000

“Still, I had one non-negotiable litmus test, which I usually save for
the end of an interview: how long the principal plans to stay.”

The concept of “staying” is an interesting one, though educationally it has been blemished by E4E, TFA, and teaching novices who suddenly want to become administrative “leader” types.

By: insiderknowledge

insiderknowledge — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 03:49:00 +0000

Two things.. 1 are you going to be a screened school? 2.. From my experience that grading system is not worth the time and effort. We had it for 3 years, the parents and students hated it. We changed back to numeric grades this year to the rejoice of both.

By: Stephen Lazar

Stephen Lazar — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:21:00 +0000

Bronx Lab was founded by Marc Sternberg, and despite my disagreement with many of the things he has done as Deputy Chancellor (some of which are discussed in the other pieces of this series), I have no hesitation in saying he was, overall a wonderful principal to work for. Not all of my former colleagues would make the same statement, though most would.

My decision to leave Bronx Lab was an extremely difficult one to make, but ultimately it was a combination of a shift in the school’s pedagogical priorities after Marc’s departure, and a personal decision that my wife and I made to move to Brooklyn.

By: Stephen Lazar

Stephen Lazar — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:14:00 +0000

Absolutely not – I would never work at a charter. We’re 100% DOE public, and I’m proud to be our UFT Chapter Leader.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 00:58:00 +0000

So why’d you leave Bronx lab? Wasn’t that school found by Marc Sternberg?

By: chaz

chaz — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 00:36:00 +0000

Is this a Charter school?