GothamSchools — daily independent reporting on NYC public schools

Dear Readers,

After two plus years at GothamSchools, I am signing off. Today is my last day working with two of the top education reporters in the country — Elizabeth Green and Philissa Cramer — who have graciously shared their wisdom and friendship with me, and whom I will deeply miss.

Assuming that the apocalypse will not occur this weekend, I have accepted a job covering New York City education issues for The New York Times. And as of June 1, that’s where you can find me.

I’d say it speaks well of GothamSchools that the NYT has acknowledged its work, but I don’t think it ever needed the recognition. It’s been an honor to help Elizabeth, Philissa, and Maura Walz build this site into a singular and irreplaceable institution. I know it will remain that way.

(And let me say for anyone applying to fill my seat: this is a fun job. And this office has a great view of Manhattan. How many people have fun jobs? Other than Michelle Obama, how many?)

Thank you for reading, for commenting, for contributing, and yes, on occasion, for correcting. And if it’s not too uncouth, I hope to win you over to my new side of the Internet. But I know that will be a fight.

For now, I’m off to go camping.

best,

Anna

Amid speculation that he might have been forced to resign, Chancellor Joel Klein walked into the rotunda of Tweed Courthouse today to say goodbye to his staff and assure them that his decision to leave was own.

Klein said that when he agreed to be schools chancellor more than eight years ago, he assumed he would have the job for two terms at the most. But when the City Council ended term limits and Mayor Bloomberg won re-election, the chancellor began to plan his exit.

“I told the mayor that soon in the third term I would move on. That’s been in my head and my heart,” he said.

He acknowledged that the transition to a new chancellor would be rough for the department, and for him.

“I said to the mayor, this is the best job I ever had,” he said. “Ask my wife how long I cried last night.”

Yesterday’s news that Klein will resign and be replaced by Heart Magazines chairwoman Cathleen Black caught most DOE officials, even the highest-ranking ones, by surprise. And at 9 a.m. this morning, employees filed into the building’s rotunda to hear Klein say goodbye. Clutching Blackberrys and briefcases, some peered down over the railing of the second floor, while others packed the ground floor. When Klein appeared, they broke into applause. (more…)