December 2004

The Plight of homeless chiLdren:
(part II of a series)
Experiencing Homelessness:
Hope for a Brighter Future
By Patricia A. Popp, Ph.D.
Education is a powerful key in breaking the cycle of homelessness experienced by youth in the United States. Since 1999, the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) has recognized successful high school students wishing to pursue higher education. READ ARTICLE

Abolishing Homelessness: Interview with
Maria Foscarinis, Esq. Executive Director,
National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
By Nazneen Malik & Liza Young
READ INTERVIEW

Using Out-of-School Time for Homeless Children?
By Richard Sinatra, Ph.D.
New York City Assemblyman Scott Stringer, in a recent article, painted a black picture for the education of children living in New York City Shelters. READ ARTICLE

Home and Schools:
The Top Priorities of Homeless Kids
by Eva Moskowitz
During the last school year, homelessness hit an all-time high in New York City. Since 1998, the shelter population increased by 73 percent to the highest number in city history: more than 36,400 homeless, 15,300 of them children. READ ARTICLE

A LoVE of THEATER & FILM :
(part II of a series)
An Interview with Columbia University Theater Chair, Steven Chaikelson
By Joan Baum, Ph.D.
So what's a nice Theatre Arts Division chair in an Ivy League MFA program doing talking up law school? Steven Chaikelson, Columbia College graduate and L.L.B., knows exactly why. READ ARTICLE

What in the World is a Grip & Gaffer?
By Liza Young
The final product of movie making is based on an intricate process usually involving the collaboration of scores of people. READ ARTICLE

Careers:
Filmmaker
By Sarah Ann Mockbee
When Sam Wainwright Douglas graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in the spring of 1998 with a major in film and television, he was ready to make his mark in the industry with creative, ambitious and visionary films. READ ARTICLE

November 2004

A LOVE OF THE THEATER:
An Author, Graduate Student & Academic Speak (Part I)

Interview with NYU Theater Chair Kevin Kuhlke
By Joan Baum, Ph.D. READ INTERVIEW

“What Do You Do With a BA in English?”
Just Ask Jeff Whitty
by Gillian Granoff READ ARTICLE

Are You Thinking of a Career in the Theater?
by Sarah Ann Mockbee READ ARTICLE

October 2004

EXCLUSIVE to education update
An Interview With Teresa Heinz Kerry
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D. READ INTERVIEW

The Road to Schools’ Renaissance
by Jill Levy, President, Council of School Supervisors & Administrators
READ ARTICLE

Working Together for Kids
by Randi Weingarten, President, UFT READ ARTICLE

September 2004

Back-to-School Checklist for Parents
by Dr. Rod Paige MORE

How to Send Your Daughter Back to School with Confidence, Passion & Goals
By David F. Salter MORE

Increasing Student and School Achievment through Parent Involvement
by Linda Hodges MORE

August 2004

EXCLUSIVE to education update
An Interview With First Lady Laura Bush On Literacy
MORE

Reach Out & Read: A Pediatrician’s Perspective
by Perri Klass, MD MORE

July 2004

Celebrating Outstanding Teachers of the Year 2004
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
READ MORE

Excerpts of Dr. Pola Rosen’s Speech
READ MORE

Outstanding Teachers of the Year 2003-2004 Winners
READ MORE

Introduction, Attendees & Sponsors of Awards Ceremony
READ MORE

June 2004

Class Features First Brother & Sister Combination in NY Fire Dept. History
READ MORE

Commencement Addresses Around the Nation 2004
READ MORE

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science & Art
—Tony Kushner, Playwright & Author
READ MORE

Connecticut College
—Anita DeFrantz, Olympic Winner
READ MORE

American University: School of Communication/Kogod School of Business
—Judy Woodruff, CNN Senior Correspondent
READ MORE

Dr. Sharon Dunn, Arts Educator
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
READ MORE

Kessler Appointed Executive Director Center for Arts Education
READ MORE

Monroe College Awards HS Students
READ MORE

Muriel Silberstein-Storfer: Art Educator Par Excellence
by Sybil Maimin
READ MORE

National Dance Institute & Jacques d’Amboise
by Margaret Cuomo
READ MORE

Neil Sedaka Embraces Heritage
of Yiddish Music at Carnegie Hall
READ MORE

NYC Blueprint for the Arts
by Scott Noppe-Brandon
READ MORE

Turned Away in 1929, Dorothy Height
is Embraced by Barnard College 75 Years Later
READ MORE

Virtuoso Joshua Bell
Inspires Future Generations of Classical Musicians
by Gillian Granoff
READ MORE

What Are You Doing After Graduation?
by Sarah Lynch
READ MORE

May 2004

The Arts in Education (Part II)
Imagine: A Nation Without the Arts
by Scott Noppe-Brandon READ MORE

STRINGS:
Let the Video Stream with Violinist Mark O'Connor
by Joan Baum. Ph.D READ MORE

DANCE:
Ballerina Margot Fonteyn Celebrated at Lincoln Center
READ MORE

Professor Anna Deveare Smith:
Playwright, Actress, Educator
by Joan Baum, Ph.D. READ MORE

The Chrysalis Process: Artsgenesis
by Kathleen Gaffney READ MORE

Mayor's Awards
for Arts & Culture Revived After 10 Year Hiatus
READ MORE

Young Amateurs Share Stage
with Grammy Award-Winning Talent
READ MORE

2004 International
VSA Arts Festival to be Held in Washington D.C.
READ MORE

April 2004

The Arts In Education
The Center for Arts Education
by Laurie Tisch-Sussman
When The Center for Arts Education was founded eight years ago, many of New York City's 1.1 million public school students went from kindergarten through high school with little or no instruction in music, arts, dance or drama. READ MORE

Children's Art at the UN READ MORE

Columbia Launches University Arts Initiative
with Gregory Mosher At Helm
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
Acting on what Peter Brook called an "unformed hunch," the impulse to put on a particular production, famed director and producer Gregory Mosher intuited that the timing was right for him to move on to a new challenge in his award-winning career, and accept the newly created position at Columbia of Director for University Arts Initiatives.
READ MORE

Outstanding Teachers of the Month - April 2004
READ MORE

Developing the Whole Child Through the Arts
by Marnie Ponce-White
Education and the arts are perceived as two separate entities, when in actuality they are symbiotic in design. Research in arts education clearly shows a direct correlation between... READ MORE

Doing Art Together Honors Muriel Silberstein-Storfer
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.
Muriel Silberstein-Storfer, the quintessential educator, founder and creative director of Doing Art Together has been teaching art to children and their parents for so many years at The Museum... READ MORE

HS Choirs Rehearse Via Distance Learning
in Zankel Hall
Dr. Craig Jessop, Music Director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, recently led rehearsals from Zankel Hall in New York with four choirs from North Carolina, New Jersey, Arizona and Washington. READ MORE

John Merrow Helps Teens Find Voice With Video Cameras Screenings at Teachers College
by Sybil Maimin
Give a teen a video camera and watch a powerful message emerge. Listen Up!, a national network of youth media organizations, is intent on expanding the visibility of youth in the mass media... READ MORE

LaGuardia HS Students Win Met Opera Competition
by Constance Boykan
Laquita Mitchell, a 1994 LaGuardia graduate, who was introduced to opera while at LaGuardia HS, has won the prestigious Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions recently. READ MORE

The Making of a Piano: Behind the Scenes
on West 58th Street
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
He could go on non-stop "for six months," he says, talking about the one-of-a-kind handmade and restored 19th and 20th century Steinways (Hamburg and American), Faziolis, Mason... READ MORE

Notes From the Road:
Reflections on Moliere in South Central Los Angeles
by Debra Pasquerette
The journey begins in early February. The schools are booked and my trusty assistant Adam has sent confirmation letters to all of the schools we will visit. READ MORE

March 2004

Women Shaping History 2004:
Women’s History Month is a time to reflect on the achievements of women in the past. It is also a time to recognize the achievements of contemporary women who have made outstanding contributions in various fields. Education Update interviewed a number of multi-faceted, fascinating, dynamic, intellectual women who have improved the lives of people all over the world. Here are their responses to the following questions:
What factors were instrumental in your choice of a career?
Describe a pivotal point in your career.
What direction did you take as a result?
What achievements are you proud of?
What obstacles have you encountered? How did you overcome them?
Who were some of your mentors? How did they inspire you?
What advice would you give to young women in our society who are striving for success?
What are your future goals?

• Muriel Siebert: First Woman of Finance
  
• Marilyn Horne: Metropolitan Opera, Mezzo-Soprano
  
• Agueda Pizarro Rayo: Poet & Professor
  
• Sheila Johnson, Co-Founder, Black Entertainment Television
  
• Regina Peruggi, President, Central Park Conservancy

In Honor of Women’s History Month
First Catholic College for Women:
College of New Rochelle
by Joan Bailey, Ph.D.
The College of New Rochelle began its historic mission in higher education in 1904 when the State of New York recognized it as the first Catholic college for women in the state. In the century since, CNR continues to respond to the contemporary needs of women and helps its students, women and men, transform and transcend the traditional roles of women and men. Education at CNR honors women’s perspective and experience. . . READ MORE

Title IX Comes of Age:
Eliminating Gender Discrimination
by Martha Mccarthy, Ph.D.
It seems appropriate when celebrating women’s history to address developments pertaining to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, a landmark piece of legislation designed to eliminate gender discrimination in educational programs that receive federal funds. . . READ MORE

February 2004

African-Americans Shaping History:
Interview: Professor Christine King Farris
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
Perhaps it is because on that fateful day, April 3, 1968, just hours before his assassination in Memphis, Martin Luther King spoke so eloquently of God's allowing him to go up to the mountain where he saw the promised land, that this man among men has become enshrined in myth as a man still on the mountain: heroic, larger than life, mythical. READ MORE

Interview:
Julian Bond, Chairman, NAACP
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.
Ed. Update: Describe a pivotal point in your life. What direction did you take as a result?
Bond: One pivotal moment occurred in February 1960 when a fellow student at Morehouse College approached me with a copy of the day's newspaper-reporting on the sit-ins in that had just begun in Greensboro, North Carolina. He asked my opinion and whether we should replicate that action in Atlanta-I said "yes" and we did. That marked my entry into the civil rights movement-which has lasted until this day.
READ MORE

Brown's Half Century-And Mine
by David B. Wilkins
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Supreme Court's historic decision in Brown v. Board of Education. READ MORE

Personal Perspectives: Brown v. Board of Ed
by Cheryl Brown Henderson
Our nation is fast approaching a watershed year. In Kansas, as well as all over the country, we will witness the 50th anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Oliver L. Brown et.al. vs. the Board of Education of Topeka (KS), et.al. on May 17, 2004.
READ MORE

My Journey As A Woman of Color
by Johanna DuBose
On May 18, 19, The Borough of Manhattan Community College's Student Government in collaboration with formerly incarcerated men and women will hold a criminal justice conference with... READ MORE

Victor Goines: Leaving a Legacy of Jazz
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
He modestly allows that at Lincoln Center he is the Artistic Director of Jazz Studies in the B.A. program in Music. Later on, but only because the subject of getting youngsters to know about and appreciate jazz comes us, does he indicate that he is also Educational Consultant. READ MORE

January 2004

A Tribute To Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Gandhi-King Season for Nonviolence at the UN
On January 30th over 500 high school children in and around New York City will take part in this inspirational event, which young people will learn about the connection between nonviolence and health, and about legacies of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. READ MORE

The Heritage of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, and Medgar Evers College of The City University of New York will host the eighteenth annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The celebratory event, the largest... READ MORE

The Meaning of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
by Coretta Scott King
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday celebrates the life and legacy of a man who brought hope and healing to America. We commemorate as well the timeless values he taught us through his example—the values of courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and service that so radiantly defined Dr. King's character... READ MORE

The Schomburg Center for Research for Black Culture: Events in January
Professor Henry Louis Gates traveled across the country interviewing forty-four famous and not-so-famous individuals from different parts of the African-American community... READ MORE

December 2003

The State of Special Education
A Therapeutic Mecca: The McCarton School
by Jocelyn K. Egyes
Sitting in Dr. Cecelia McCarton's office there is no doubt that her passion is children. Kermit the Frog and a teddy bear sit side by side on a bookshelf while dozens of other toys line her office. But it's a special kind of child that warms the heart of this pediatrician, it's "children who are different" says McCarton, her blue eyes passionately sparkling as she speaks of 'her' children. READ MORE

McCarton School Parent Shares Views
One parent who sees the learning first hand is Noam Spanier. His 6-year-old daughter Shira has been with the program... READ MORE

November 2003

Eighth Anniversary Celebration!
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.
I can relate to the reverberations of Martin Luther King’s, “I have a dream.” I too had a dream, a vision of bringing education news to all people in order to help them make better decisions about their children’s education as well as their own. Coming from an immigrant family myself, education was revered as the gateway not only to knowledge but to breaking out of the confines of a circumscribed life to one filled with unimagined adventures, mysterious roads and paths untraveled. Without experience as a publisher or a businesswoman, I decided to take the plunge and learn while doing. READ MORE

Bullying vs. Creating Climate of Peace:
Prof. Garbarino at Teachers College
by Sarah N. Lynch
Bullying was the topic of the Virginia and Leornard Marx Lecture at Teachers College recently. READ MORE

Global Classrooms Teach Power of Peace
by Michelle Accorso
Created in 1995, Global Classrooms’ main objective is to educate children from grades 612 about other cultures and ideas around the world. READ MORE

Jane Goodall Shares the Spirit of Peace with Teens Around the World
by Michelle Accorso
Starting with a moment of silence for all those around the world who are suffering, Rick Ulfik, founder of We, The World, commenced a videoconference located in a room at the UN not... READ MORE

Teaching the ABC’s of Peace
by Dr. Carole G. Hankin with Randi T. Sachs
For as long as history, there have been wars and conflicts. More recently we have witnessed anger and conflict in children who have changed schools from formerly safe havens to places... READ MORE

October 2003

The Battle for Literacy - Part II
First Lady Laura Bush & Washington Mutual
Unveil Initiative at Mercy College
First Lady Laura Bush and New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein joined officials from The New Teacher Project (TNTP) and Washington Mutual recently to unveil a new initiative to help mid-career professionals realize their dream of becoming a teacher. Supported by a $1.25 million grant from Washington Mutual, the Teaching for Results initiative, a component of the Mercy College New Teacher Residency Program, will help hundreds of New York City professionals from many different career and educational backgrounds bring their expertise to New York City classrooms. READ MORE

Learning Literacy Through Basketball Heroes
by Tom Kertes
“I was an only child growing up at home,” Knicks center Slavko Vranes said. “But I love children. Frankly, I like to be around kids more than I like to be around adults.” READ MORE

Gaston Caperton, College Board President,
Tests the Writing Waters
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
Talking about writing, which he calls the “neglected R,” Gaston Caperton, the former Governor of West Virginia and head of the College Board, says it is his number-one priority. Of course, he knows that communication skills are hardly ignored in the nation’s schools, and he acknowledges the many (critics might say superfluity or redundancy of) theories, approaches, programs, and experts already out there addressing the need for proficiency in correctness and thinking skills. READ MORE

The NYC Writing Project: “Neglected ‘R’”
by Marcie Wolfe, Ph.D. & Nancy Mintz, Ph.D.
The New York City Writing Project at Lehman College, CUNY, established in 1978 as the local site of the National Writing Project, reflects the mission of a national network of 175 university-based professional development programs dedicated to the National Commission’s [on Writing] goal of putting “language and communication in their proper place in the classroom.” READ MORE

Barnard College President Judith Shapiro
Speaks on Literacy READ MORE

The National Writing Project—180 Sites . . . & Growing
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
Speaking of standards—a standard for teaching writing seems to be emerging in the crowded field of national, regional and local professional development programs, if longevity, numbers of participants and funding resources set criteria. READ MORE

September 2003

First Day of School
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.
Remember the jingle, “School days, school days, dear old golden rule days?, Reading and writing and ‘rithmetic, Taught to the tune of the hickory stick…” The lyricists, Will D. Cobb and Gus Edwards obviously were referring to what school would hold in store for them in 1907. What do students think about today in 2003 as they approach the school steps? READ MORE

Literacy:
Experts Examine Our Nation's Dilemma [Part I]
Reuel Jordan
Dean of Children’s Programs, Bank Street School for Children.

Arthur Levine, Ph.D., President
Teachers College, Columbia University

Sandra Priest Rose
Reading Consultant & Founding Trustee of Reading Reform Foundation.

Jerrold Ross, Ph.D., Dean of Education
St. John's University

Edward Zigler, Ph.D.
Sterling Professor of Psychology
Yale University, Planner of the Head Start program.

Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ph.D.
Eight-time, Emmy award-winning executive producer, educator and author, creator of the award-winning PBS series, Reading Rainbow

Large-Scale Efforts to Fight Illiteracy
by Rob Luchow
It was almost a year ago that Reading Rainbow producer and host LeVar Burton made a plea to corporate America. Without enough funding, he said, the famous children’s public television program would be cancelled. Eventually, one business chose to help. READ MORE

August 2003

Dr. Joseph G. McCarthy:
Shaping New Lives, Buoying Human Spirits
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
Although everyone knows that physicians and dentists are (in)famous for invoking the first-person plural with their patients, as in “we must open our mouths, we need to consider the possibilities, etc.,” there probably aren’t many medical professionals, ?specially award-winning practitioners and researchers at the top of their field, who really mean “we”Ñwho, like Dr. Joseph G. McCarthy, the Director of the Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery at NYU, declares, “I never say ‘I,’” and then goes on to talk about the “team” that does the job. READ MORE

Taking Care of Business at Murry Bergtraum HS
by Rob Luchow
The business world is known for its fast-paced lifestyle and years of schooling and training. Located at 411 Pearl Street in the Finance District, Murry Bergtraum High School starts students... READ MORE

Eleanor Roosevelt High School Opens Its Doors
by Katarzyna Kozanecka
“Do one thing every day that scares you,” said Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of a great president, and a great woman in her own right. This September, a new high school named after her will open in its permanent home... READ MORE

Unlimited Talent at Talent Unlimited HS
by Katarazyna Kozanecka
Bearing violins, sheet music, scripts, ballet shoes and their voices, students from all over the city come to Talent Unlimited High School on 68th Street and 2nd Avenue in New York. For four days each December and January, the line of... READ MORE

Taking Education Outside of the Classroom:
NYC Museum School
by Rob Luchow
Most high school students learn about buoyancy from a textbook or a lab experiment. Students at the New York City Museum School (NYCMS) understand buoyancy from observing it on a sailboat at South Street Seaport. READ MORE

Teaching Students to Care for Their Planet: Environmental Studies HS
by Rob Luchow
How many high schools offer the opportunity to eat a raspberry on a student-designed rooftop garden? Environmental Studies High School (HSES) does. Located on 444 West 56th Street, HSES teaches its students the importance of... READ MORE

July 2003

Making History:
Honoring Outstanding Teachers in New York City Public Schools to Become Annual Event
The Department of Education, as the Board of Education is now known, is over 100 years old. During that time, the pendulum has swung from centralization to decentralization and back, from teaching reading via phonics to the whole word approach and now back to phonics again, from bilingual education to immersion and back. READ MORE

Awards Ceremony on WB11 READ MORE

June 2003

Outstanding Teachers of the Month - June 2003
READ MORE

May 2003

Outstanding Teachers of the Month - May 2003
READ MORE

MOTHERS DAY
A Tribute To Grandmothers on Mother's Day READ MORE

Multi-Generational Story-Telling Program
Celebrating Mother
On Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, the Eldridge Street Project will host a multi-generational storytelling program celebrating the extraordinary efforts and sacrifices made by immigrant women on behalf of their families— all over America and specifically on the Lower East Side. READ MORE

Grandparents Council at NYU Child Study Center
READ MORE

April 2003

Chancellor Matthew Goldstein at the Helm of CUNY
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
On maps of old, dangerous or unknown territory suspected of harboring sea monsters was marked hic sunt dracones. Only those skilled enough to navigate the treacherous waters survived. . . . READ MORE

Teachers of the Month - April 2003 - NEW READ MORE

The Future of Charter Schools
Women’s City Club Reports on NYC Charter Schools
by Sybil Maimin
The jury is still out on charter schools. To help fellow citizens better understand this experiment in alternative, publicly funded education, the Women’s City Club (WCC), an organization long involved in advocacy and public policy, has prepared a very impressive, detailed “snapshot” of the 16 charters operating in New York City in 2002. . . . READ MORE

Harlem Charter School Charts a Road to Success
by Tom Kertes
Chancellor Joel Klein says he hopes to create an atmosphere more congenial to the creation of charter schools in New York City. One can only hope he succeeds because charters, far more often than not, have been a resounding success. . . . READ MORE

Attending a Local Conference on Charter Schools
by Sybil Maimin
Charter schools, an experiment in educational reform, is a movement, an industry, and for those involved—a passion and commitment. Thirty-nine states have charter school laws and over 575,000 students attend 2,700 of these quasi-independent public schools. . . . READ MORE

Military Education Today
Let’s Boost Achievement Levels in Schools!
by Thomas K. Connellan
Here’s a startling finding from various studies and reports about education: students in military-run schools regularly outperform their private school and public school peers. . . . READ MORE

Military Education at U of Maryland
In 1949 University of Maryland University College (UMUC) began making higher learning accessible to working adults in the U.S. military—any time, any place—even in some of the most nontraditional places for learning imaginable. . . . READ MORE

Military Education:
Alternative Learning and Living Experiences
Compiled by Michelle Accorso
Do military schools really better prepare the leaders of tomorrow to be well-rounded respectable citizens or are they simply training kids to “straighten up and fly right,” speaking when spoken to, taking directions and orders with a “yes. sir” response and ultimately joining the branches of the military. . . . ? READ MORE

Principal for a Day
Stuyvesant Gets High Marks from Principals For A Day
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.
Stuyvesant High School had a homecoming for three illustrious alumni returning as principals for a day. Each principal represented a different discipline: Erica Morgan-Irish, V.P., Black Entertainment Television; Gerry Golub, Sr. Managing Director, American Express; and Herman Rosen, M.D., Clinical Professor of Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University. . . . READ MORE

Rosie Perez Takes Center Stage at LaGuardia High
by Sybil Maimin
It was a day of sharing at LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts as film and stage star, dancer, and choreographer Rosie Perez assumed the role of “Principal for A Day. . . . ” READ MORE

Principal For A Day Cheered By The Changes
At Morris High
by Tom Kertes
“You wanna’ go where everybody knows your name” applies not only to Boston bars but to New York Public Schools as well. So there’s a lot to “Cheers” about the goings-on at Morris High School. . . . READ MORE

Principals For A Day Jump Into The Fray At P.S. 123
by Tom Kertes
Harlem’s P.S. 123 was fortunate in its choice of “Principals For A Day.” They were men and women of action. . . . READ MORE

March 2003

Women Shaping History
Women’s History Month is a time to reflect on the achievements of women in the past. It is also a time to recognize the achievements of contemporary women who have made outstanding contributions in various fields. Education Update interviewed 10 multi-faceted, fascinating, dynamic, intellectual women who have improved the lives of people all over the world:

• Augusta Souza Kappner, President, Bank Street, Leader and Champion for Children Everywhere
• Eve Kurtin, Ph.D., Managing Director, Pacific Venture Group
• Marianne Legato, MD, Pres., Partnership for Women’s Health, Woman in Science Award, American Medical Women’s Association
• Jill Levy, President, Council of Supervisors and Administrators
• Dr. Louise Mirrer, Executive Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, CUNY
• Dr. Lorraine Monroe, President & CEO, The Lorraine Monroe Leadership Institute
• Dr. Alice Wilder, Executive Producer, Blues Clues, WNET 13
• Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, 1997

On the Advantages of All-Girls’ School
by Dorothy Hutcheson
Recently, we welcomed parents of Kinder-garten applicants for an “Insider’s View of the Lower School.” Five juniors and seniors—Maha Atal ’04, Sonje Hawkins ’03, Ali Jones ’04, Danielle Tappitake ’03, and Charlotte Winthrop ’04—addressed the parents in the auditorium. The visitors were bowled over by our students’ confidence and the seeming ease with which they talked about their teachers, courses and activities, and favorite memories of their Lower School years. READ MORE

Justice for All Women
by Catherine Douglas
Since 1993, inMotion has helped thousands of women free themselves from abusive relationships, hold onto their homes and win the financial support that they—and their children —are legally entitled to.
READ MORE

History of Women’s College
by Mark Herz
In 1772, the history of women’s colleges in America began with the founding of Salem Academy in North Carolina. Salem was not chartered as a college until more than a century later. READ MORE

Women’s City Club: 88 Years Old & Going Strong
by Sybil Maimin
Eleanor Roosevelt was a member. So were Helen Hayes, the actress; Dorothy Schiff, the New York Post publisher; Virginia Gildersleeve, commander of the WW II WAVES; three college presidents; officers of major corporations; the head of a major labor union; and a member of the US House of Representatives. READ MORE

Choices in Women’s Colleges READ MORE

The Outstanding Teachers of the Month
for March 2003 - NEW!
The Outstanding Teachers of the Month for March 2003 have each been nominated by their colleagues, students, parents, principals and superintendents. Education Update has selected five nominees for their outstanding work on the “frontiers” of education... READ MORE

February 2003

Historical Reforms At The Department of Education
The Finances of Educational Reform
by Noreen Connell
Pundits have greeted Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Children First plan as a bold departure from almost 30 years of community control.
They have it wrong. Children First is a bold departure from 105 years of a strong mid-level education bureaucracy in New York City. Under a myriad of different governing structures since 1898, now relegated to the dustbin of obscure urban history. READ MORE

My Vision for Parental Involvement in the
New York City School System
by Joel I. Klein
Special to Education Update Parents, along with their children, of course, are the most important stakeholders in our public schools. If there is one thing that comes across loud and clear from parents in each and every Children First meeting, it’s that we need to provide parents with multiple opportunities to communicate their views to decision-makers in our schools. READ MORE

Revolution in Education
by Alexandra Shimo-barry
Mayor Bloomberg made good on his promise to shake up New York City’s schools. In sweeping reforms, Mayor Bloomberg centralized management of the city’s schools and overhauled the curriculum earlier. Most schools will get a new, unified curriculum in reading, writing, and mathematics and phonics-based reading instruction. READ MORE

Leaders in Our Community
by Mark Herz
Education Update chose four among the myriad illustrious individuals serving as role models and guiding the way for more equality in our society. The Michigan case underscores the importance of core values still not achieved. READ MORE

The Outstanding Teachers of the Month
for February 2003 - NEW!
The Outstanding Teachers of the Month for January 2003 have each been nominated by their colleagues, students, parents, principals and superintendents. Education Update has selected five nominees for their outstanding work on the “frontiers” of education... READ MORE

January 2003

Meet The Regents New York's Education Policy Makers
Compiled by Marie Holmes
If you have visited a museum, attended school or seen a doctor or other medical professional in New York State, your experience has been impacted by the work of the Board of Regents, the policy making body of the University of the State of New York, the State’s unique integrated system of education. As the following Board members can attest, the Regents do much more than mandate high school examinations.
READ MORE

A Brief History of the New York Board of Regents
by Robert Stiles
The New York State Board of Regents came into being on May 1, 1784 as a corporation that served as the trustees of Columbia College. In 1786, the Regent’s committee broadened the Board’s responsibilities so that their own board of trustees would then oversee all colleges and academies. READ MORE

The Outstanding Teachers of the Month
for January 2003 - NEW!
The Outstanding Teachers of the Month for January 2003 have each been nominated by their colleagues, students, parents, principals and superintendents. Education Update has selected five nominees for their outstanding work on the “frontiers” of education... READ MORE

November 2002

We Welcome Schools Chancellor Joel Klein
to Education Update
MAJOR CHANGES FOR THE SCHOOLS
by Joel Klein
Every individual I meet on the street says, “I wish you good luck.” When they have had a drink or so they say, “Do you realize what you have gotten yourself into?”... READ MORE

New Directions in Education:
Innovation, Collaboration and Communication
by Dr. Geraldine Chapey
Bold change is in the air and taking hold everywhere. With the new governance law, Mayor Bloomberg now has full responsibility for the success of all preschool, elementary, middle and high schools...
READ MORE

Chancellor Klein Promises to Listen to Public
as He Implements Systemic Change
by Tom Kertes
New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein has adopted a novel educational perspective as the driving force behind his “Children First” program... READ MORE

October 2002

Joshua Bell: A Genius of Note
by Joan Baum, Ph.d.
The surprise is not that Joshua Bell, the world renowned violinist, lives up to the hype about him as an all-around wonderful guy, or that at 34 he is that relatively rare example of a prodigy who has made good, but that he handles his still-growing fame with such ease and confidence that he can switch suddenly from humorous quip to profound comment and give the impression that an intimate and deeply reflective conversation has just gone on... READ MORE

Guaspari Makes Music in Harlem
by Marie Holmes
Rest position. Put your violin out. Put your bow straight out. Balance your weight–center your weight. Don’t wiggle!” READ MORE

Education Update Sponsors the John Lennon
‘Million Dollar Bus’
by Marie Holmes
Holland, an 8th grade student at the Professional Performing Arts School, announces that she has been working on a song. Without so much as a blush, she belts out the chorus, hitting every note...
READ MORE

September 2002

Preparing Students for 9/11
by Drs. Jonathan Cohen & Steven Marans
As the one-year anniversary of September 11th approaches, many children and adults are still experiencing significant reactions to the tragedy... READ MORE

City Schools Observe 1st Anniversary of 9/11
by Katarzyna Kozanecka
September 11th falls on a Wednesday this year. Over a million children will be in school across the five boroughs. Or will they?... READ MORE

Commemorative Events for 9/11... READ MORE

August 2002

Beyond Special Ed: Options for Disabled Adults
by Marie Holmes
For the past decade, colleges, universities and other institutions have been required, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide reasonable accommodation for the persons with disabilities whom they... READ MORE

Special Ed Schools Offer Intimate
Learning Environments
by Hope Glassberg
In schools across the country, special education facilities have the ignominious distinction of being housed in... READ MORE

A Bi-Cultural Program for Children with Special Needs
by Dr. Ronald S. Lenkowsky
In a classroom in Whitestone, Queens, young children celebrated the New Year by performing the Lion Dance Parade for their peers, playing the dragon’s head and tail... READ MORE

Integrating the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) into Inclusion
by Sherryl Berti
The inclusion program at Chelsea Vocational High School concluded its fourth year in June 2002 with eleven students, five paraprofessionals and a District 75 special... READ MORE

Legal Aspects of Special Education
by Hope Glassberg
Special Education is as much a legal issue as it is an educational one. Several federal laws delineate the ways in which schools handle children with special needs. READ MORE

The College Board and Disabilities Rights
Advocates Announce
Agreement to Drop ‘Flagging’ From Standardized Tests READ MORE

College Choices for Students With Special Needs
by Zaher Karp
College is the anticipated fork in the road for many students, but for those with special needs, this shift is far more uncertain. For students who suffer... READ MORE

Special Education Resources READ MORE

July 2002

Put Homeschooling Programs to the Test
Before You Invest READ MORE

Home Study International READ MORE

Success In Mathematics READ MORE

StartWrite Software– the Handwriting Worksheet Wizard READ MORE

Students Against Suicide
by Hope Glassberg READ MORE

Parents Respond to Suicide:
The Jed Foundation Tries to Save Lives
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D. READ MORE

Suicide Prevention On College Campuses
by Molly Wallace READ MORE

A Wilderness Camp Helps Heal
by Pola Rosen, Ed.d. READ MORE

Resources for Parents & Students READ MORE

June 2002

A Conversation With Gaston Caperton, President, College Board
by Merri Rosenberg
Given the trepidation and anxiety with which most high school students view the College Board from afarßor from the vantage point of a... READ MORE

May 2002

Interview with Dr. Irving Hamer, Jr., Board of Education Member and Chair of Technology Task Force
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D. and Mitchell Levine READ MORE

April 2002

Experiences in Spain by Adam Sugarman READ MORE

Study in England
by Bruce Myint
England, with its dreary weather and even drearier food, is not the first place that comes to mind for a trans-Atlantic holiday. READ MORE

The Ivory Tower Meets the Inner City:
Double Discovery at Columbia U
by Bruce Myint
Like many high school students Radhameris Gomez canít wait until summertime. But while her friends look forward... READ MORE

Student Volunteers at Habitat for Humanity
by Sybil Maimin
Brought to public attention by former president Jimmy Carter when he and other volunteers helped renovate a building in New York City in 1984, Habitat for Humanity International... READ MORE

Johns Hopkins:
Summer Program for Academically Talented Youth
by Sybil Maimin
Pre-college students of exceptional academic ability have a chance to immerse themselves in a challenging intellectual world at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth summer programs. READ MORE

Students Teaching Students:
Summerbridge at the Town School
by Marie Holmes READ MORE

March 2002

Women's History Month
Women’s History Month is a time to reflect on the achievements of women in the past. It is also a time to recognize the achievements of contemporary women who have made outstanding contributions in various fields. Education Update interviewed 10 multi-faceted, fascinating, dynamic, intellectual women who have improved the lives of people all over the world.

The following questions were asked of all the women:
1. What factors were instrumental in your choice of a career?
2. Describe a pivotal point in your career. What direction did you take as a result?
3. What achievements are you proud of?
4. What obstacles have you encountered? How did you overcome them?
5. Who were some of your mentors? How did they inspire you?
6. What advice would you give to young women in our society who are striving for success?
7. What are your future goals?

Written and edited by Joan Baum, Marylena Mantas, Pola Rosen, Merri Rosenberg, Jessica Shi

Edith Everett, CEO, Gruntal & Co., Philanthropist, CUNY Trustee Emeritus READ MORE

Barbara Gordon, New York State Teacher
of the Year 2002 READ MORE

Astrid Heger, M.D., Founder Violence Intervention Program, U. of Southern California School of Medicine READ MORE

Chief Joanne Jaffe, NYPD READ MORE

Captain Rochelle Jones, FDNY READ MORE

Rita Kaplan: COO, Kaplan Family Foundation, Philanthropist, Social Worker READ MORE

Augusta Kappner,
President, Bank Street College of Education READ MORE

Carol Anne Riddell, President NY Press Club, NBC Education Correspondent READ MORE

Judith Shapiro, President Barnard College READ MORE

Sheila Wellington, CEO, Catalyst READ MORE

February 2002

We Honor African-Americans
Mike Jarvis: St. John’s Basketball Coach
by M.C. Cohen
Mike Jarvis believes in education. Just listen in on one of his press conferences after a St. John’s basketball game. READ MORE

In Memoriam: Clarence G. Robinson, MD
by Herman Rosen, M.D.
I was fortunate to have been closely associated with Dr. Robinson for many years, working with him on many of his endeavors. READ MORE

Sylvia Woods: The Queen of Soul Food
by Marylena Mantas
Growing up as an only child in Hemingway, South Carolina, Sylvia Woods, owner of the renowned Sylvia’s restaurant in... READ MORE

Sheila Evans-Tranumn:
Associate Commissioner of Education
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
An interview with Sheila Evans-Tranumn, Associate Commissioner for the New York State Education Department and a New Yorker with solid roots in the public school system, could not be more timely.
READ MORE

Beverly Withers:
One Woman’s Journey To The Opera
by Marie Holmes
Beverly Withers, a soprano in the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, has been making music for as long as she can remember. She began taking piano lessons at the age of seven, and “practicing was always a delight.” READ MORE

Marian Wright Edelman: Children’s Advocate
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.
Growing up in a family of 12 foster children tended to by her nurturing mother and minister father, Marian had to care about children....
READ MORE

January 2002

SUNY: Nation’s Largest University Expands
An Interview with Chancellor Robert King
by Marylena Mantas
The State University of New York is growing! Seeking to attract more students from the Metropolitan area to its 64 campuses, the..
READ MORE

December 2001

The State of Special Education
The Future of Special Education
by M.C. Cohen and Mike Salek
From a political or academic perspective, special education is a complex topic to be discusses and debated. For millions of students and their families it is a harsh daily reality filled with frustrations and difficulties. READ MORE

November 2001

BIOTERRORISM: Are Our Children In Danger?
Anthrax: Disease of the Past Becomes Terror of
the Present
by Herman Rosen, M.D.
Until recently, anthrax was an uncommon disease in the United States. Prior to 2001, the last person to die of anthrax in the U.S. was a home weaver who inhaled anthrax spores introduced by infected Pakistani yarn in 1976. READ MORE

Gilda’s Clubs Would Have Made Gilda Proud
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.
When Gene Wilder’s wife, comedienne Gilda Radnor died prematurely of ovarian cancer, the decision was made to found a club... READ MORE

October 2001

The Education Community Responds To Terrorism
I Pledge Allegiance...
by Gina Verone
As we are all aware, on September 11, 2001, New York City was targeted once more–an attack so ferocious, so unforgiving leaving Americans in a state of shock and despair. READ MORE

On Campus at Columbia University:
Responses to Tragedy
by Marie Holmes
On the morning of September 11, Columbia University students were in class. They were on campus. They were on their way to work. They were in their dorm rooms, asleep. READ MORE

The Tragedy By Isaac Kaplan, age 11 READ MORE

Diary of a Stuyvesant Teacher: A Muslim Point of View
by Anthony Valentin READ MORE

Message to Hunter College Students
by Jennifer Raab, President
The devastating events of September 11 affect every one of us at Hunter College, as New Yorkers and human beings. READ MORE

Campus Under Siege: NYU
by Brandt Gassman
Between student evacuations, asbestos-contaminated dormitories and alumni and staff that are injured or missing, New York University was one of the local schools hardest hit by the terrorist attack that leveled the World Trade Center on September 11. READ MORE

Online Resources for Dealing with Tragedy
At Channel 13
As we struggle to come to terms with the tragic events of September 11th and their aftermath, we at Thirteen/WNET New York would like to offer you resources that help you deal with trauma both at home and in the classroom. READ MORE

September 2001

The Promise of a New School Year: New Teachers
New York City public schools are going through a period of vast migration. As senior teachers are retiring and others have left the profession, the Board of Education has launched a massive campaign to recruit nearly 8,000 teachers needed for the new school year.
READ MORE   

August 2001

NYC Mayoral Candidates Forum On Education
Welcome to Education Update's forum of the Mayoral candidates addressing public education. The public has become increasingly concerned with the failure of the public school system, and the candidates have all indicated that education will be a priority of their administrations. READ MORE

July 2001

Summer in New York City
Golf, The Park, and Other Things
by Tom Kertes
There are a multitude of ways for children (of all ages) to have major fun in the sun in Central Park this summer. READ MORE

Almost 300,000 Attend Summer School
by Sarah Elzas
Nearly one third of all students in the New York City Board of Education will be attending summer school this year, according to the Board’s pre-registration statistics. READ MORE

Summer Events in City Parks READ MORE

June 2001

Graduation 2001
Bank Street Commencement
Explores Ways to Improve Education
by Tom Kertes
Everything at the Bank Street College of Education originates from the belief that education is the most essential process in people’s lives and has an unmatched impact on our society as a whole. READ MORE

A Cappella and Dinosaurs at Barnard’s Graduation
by Sarah Elzas
“I am your child; remember me. Oh, Lord, remember me.”
Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon repeatedly sang this gospel line while standing at thepodium on Barnard College’s Lehman Lawn. Each time she sang it, she changed it, adding a flourish here, more vibrato there. READ MORE

Graduates Celebrate a Rite of Passage
by Tom Kertes
While it may be fashionable to see today’s younger generation as self-centered and money-minded, many of this year’s college graduates prove the stereotype wrong. These young people are testaments to perseverance and have managed to retain a healthy dose of idealism. READ MORE

J-School Grads Breathe Sigh of Relief…
And Search for Jobs
by Botumroath Lebun
Students at the Columbia University School of Journalism say that now they are graduated, they are not only broke, but some add that they were dissatisfied with the education they received at the institution that regards itself as the top-rated journalism program in the country.
READ MORE

May 2001

Homage to Mother’s Day, May 2001:
Mothers and Daughters Matilda Cuomo and Maria Cuomo Cole: A Mutual Admiration Society
by Merri Rosenberg

Erica Jong and Molly Jong Fast:
Two Generations of Author
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.

April 2001

Special Investigator Edward Stancik Investigating the School System with Commissioner Stancik
by M.C. Cohen

Reputation at Stake:
How a Teacher Fought Back Cheating Allegations
by Anita Patil