Ten years ago, PS 32, a K-5 school of 800 students in the Fordham section of the Bronx, was at risk of closure.
Now, the school once on the state's Schools Under Registration Review (SURR) list ranks in the top 10 percent of all New York City elementary schools and is a textbook for educators who want to create a productive learning environment and improve student achievement.
The school received an A on the city Department of Education's Progress Report for 2008-09, up from a B the previous year.
Seventy-five percent of students are now proficient in English language arts. Two years ago, the percentage was 59.
And in math, 93 percent of students are proficient, up from 80 percent in 2006-07.
"The educators at PS 32 exemplify the dedication and collaboration needed to turn a school around from the inside," said NYSUT Vice President Maria Neira. "The strategies implemented at PS 32 can be replicated in schools that need to make instructional changes," she said.
Teamwork and collaboration are at the heart of student progress at PS 32. Over the last 10 years the school has implemented:
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Weekly "professional learning community" periods for staff, where they work cohesively on planning opportunities and rigorous learning;
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Summer orientation for new teachers so they can review all aspects of the school's work. They are provided with demonstration lessons, lesson observations, followup discussions and support from their mentors on a weekly basis;
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In-school "lab sites" so lessons can be videotaped and reviewed collaboratively;
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Professional development workshops on topics such as the best ways to give students feedback;
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An after-school enrichment program and an "Arts Alive" annual festival that includes theater, dance and visual arts;
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An emphasis on science, including hiring two science teachers, staging a school science fair and incorporating local learning resources, such as the Bronx Zoo and Botanical Gardens; and
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Outreach workshops for parents, especially for math and technology curricula.
"Ten years ago we faced a challenge — run in place and not progress, or change our approach and try new things," said Andy Pallotta, NYSUT's newly elected executive vice president.
Pallotta taught in PS 32 for 20 years before becoming a full-time representative for the United Federation of Teachers, NYSUT's affiliate in New York City.
"We wanted to do the right thing for our students and community. The benefits of our decisions are clear today," he said.
None of these positive practices could be realized without an atmosphere in which opinions are sought before decisions are made. Through the years, the UFT local built a straightforward working relationship with principal Esther Schwartz, a former teacher.
"While we sometimes agree to disagree, everyone here is working toward the common goal of helping kids learn," said physical education teacher Jerry Power. Power is a 23-year veteran educator who became the UFT building representative after Pallotta left. "That respectful relationship helps build retention."
Indeed, a recent NYCDOE school survey of parents and teachers showed overwhelming satisfaction. Of the 90 percent of parents who took the survey, 94 percent said the school has high expectations and that their children were learning.
Of the 95 percent of educators who completed the survey, 99 percent said the school places a high priority on quality instruction and gives clear measurements of progress. (The number of survey respondents in itself is remarkable. Typically, only 45 percent of parents and 73 percent of teachers even complete the survey, according to NYCDOE records.)
"We have a super-dedicated staff. They're here early and they're here late, running enrichment programs for our kids," Power said. "Our teachers feel the urgency to teach, our students feel the urgency to learn."
Four years ago, teachers and administrators decided that greater kindergarten teacher interaction would benefit the newest learners.
The five teachers now share common lunch and prep time every day so they can discuss classroom strategies. At a grade-level meeting every Friday they evaluate student progress, discuss which lessons worked best and plan for implementing upcoming units.
Each summer teachers bring in their new kindergartners for three days, before other children come to school, so they can evaluate learning readiness and teach them class routines.
"We look at data to see what children need, and we create professional development to meet their needs," said Principal Schwartz.
Each morning, school librarian Maureen Hurley opens the five-year-old library from 8:15 to 9 a.m. for "open access to anyone who wants to read and pick any book they want."
The education department's Progress Report also cited the school's "excellent 'drop everything and read' strategy" that takes place for 15 minutes on three days each week. Mental arithmetic and basic skills exercises in math take place the other two days.
Working closely with UFT award-winning paraprofessional Saranya Loimar, Hurley orders titles children want to read, ensures the books are academically challenging and makes certain students have public library cards.
Future plans call for school visits by local authors and the implementation of Skype technology (see related article) to enable students to speak with other authors.
Hallway art exhibits, such as "First-graders discuss and depict: What does our community look like?" and an after-school art enrichment program were initiated to create cultural learning.
Laura Lore, one of the school's certified art teachers, works to "connect art with literacy and math. I talk to classroom teachers to see what they're working on."
Students also have the chance to enhance their physical skills under the guidance of teacher and swimming instructor Bill Payret, who oversees a jewel of a pool, one of a handful in a New York City elementary school.
He has taught thousands of children to swim, runs a junior lifeguard program and involves parents in water safety and Red Cross trainings.
Wilmer Fiorentino, a graduate of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology, teaches upper-grade science. He gives chess lessons in another segment of the after-school enrichment program and has worked with students on a Web site about how to play chess. "The teachers really work together here," Fiorentino said.
"The whole school community shares the vision for continually improving student outcomes in a caring and nurturing environment," the Progress Report said. "This is ideally illustrated by one student who, when asked what would improve the school, replied, 'Nothing. The school is perfect the way it is.'"