GothamSchools — daily independent reporting on NYC public schools

A performing arts school that the city wants to close has put together a highlights reel to make the case for staying open.

Manhattan Theatre Lab High School uploaded a 20-minute video called “We Are More Than Data” to YouTube late last week. The video contains clips from inspired student performances meant to capture qualities that the school’s 46 percent graduation rate and rock-bottom progress report score do not.

It also includes interviews with several students. In the video, Keyana Griffin says she knows other students in her East Harlem neighborhood could benefit from the confidence-booster of participating in the school’s arts programs. (more…)

Chancellor Walcott speaks to a parent on the first day of school

Between school visits today, reporters grilled Chancellor Dennis Walcott about the biggest issues the Department of Education faces today.

Most of his answers tread familiar territory: When asked about the pool of teachers without permanent positions, which has grown, he suggested the same policy solution that former chancellor Joel Klein called for on his way out the door.

But in a few cases Walcott broke new ground. Asked about the city’s testing of schools for toxic chemicals, which he vowed to accelerate after the city precipitously closed a contaminated Bronx school this summer, the chancellor said all schools have come back clean. But testing is still ongoing at the majority of leased sites, he said.

Read on for the highlights. (more…)