With the chill of fall finally taking hold after an extended summer in New York City, the Norwood News is back with our annual school preview. As in recent years, school communities are dealing with a mind-boggling slate of changes in the system.

As the city continues to put more power in the hands of administrators, principals are able to tailor their philosophies, curriculum and after-school programs to better fit their students and parents. Some schools are choosing to focus on improving test scores while others are pushing for more parental engagement.

We’ll be keeping tabs on all our schools as the year progresses, but here’s a glimpse of what’s going on.  

(Note: The Norwood News called all of our local public schools. We obviously weren’t able to include information about the schools that didn’t call us back, but we’ll keep trying.)

IS 206 – Aqueduct Avenue

Principal David Neering, who came to the Bronx from Michigan a few years ago, said the school year is going along swimmingly so far. "It’s been wonderful; kids doing what they’re supposed to be doing, moving around in a safe and orderly fashion," he said.

Perhaps the students are behaving so well because they’re reaping the benefits of a renovated gymnasium (new floor, scoreboard and ceiling) and a host of new after-school programs.

"Kids are really excited about it," Neering said.

This year, Neering’s school is working with a handful of outside organizations, including Good Shepherd and Dream Yard, which will expose students to the arts both during and after school. The school is beefing up its theater program and bringing in an artist in residence to act as a mentor and teacher. Students will be writing and producing a play during the course of the year, Neering said.

The school is also collaborating with the Chelsea Opera. Students with good track records will be allowed to participate in workshops and attend performances by the Manhattan Opera Company.

"We want our young people to be exposed to all aspects of having quality experiences in their lives, whether it’s visual or instrumental or song or dance," Neering said.

The principal is also enjoying the autonomy that being an "Empowerment" school affords him. He said the beauty of the Empowerment model is that he can design curriculum, student assessment and professional development to fit the needs of his students and faculty. But it’s not just Neering making the decisions; he consults the School Leadership Team and the process is all very "democratic," he said.

Neering was also pleased to add that a few new special education teachers have blended into the school "much like experienced teachers."

PS 95 – Hillman Avenue

New principal Serge Davis is focusing on the basics in his first year at the helm of PS/MS 95. "We’re basically just excited about learning," he said in a phone interview last week.

Davis, who took over PS/MS 95 on Hillman Avenue this summer, is taking a comprehensive approach toward harnessing and directing that excitement. He’s trying to build the after- and in-school arts program by developing relationships with groups like Dream Yard. At the same time, he wants to improve reading and math test scores, especially for those students who have fallen behind.

Through the school’s work with Dream Yard, Davis said, the 95 faculty is "infusing" arts into the curriculum through projects and field trips.

There will also be an after-school enrichment program for targeted students. The program is designed to give those students instruction in whatever it is they lack.

For those students who are doing well, Davis is offering the reward of educational field trips.

"It’s really about being a good citizen and a good student," Davis said. "We want to reward those students."

PS/MS 280 – Mosholu Parkway

The biggest change at PS/MS 280 is the presence of a new principal, though he’s no stranger. Last spring, James Weeks, formerly an assistant principal at the school, took over for Gary LaMotta, who ended up retiring this summer after he was suspended from his position abruptly last year. The Department of Education has not made public the reasons for the dismissal.

Weeks will hear whether he becomes the permanent principal hopefully sometime this month.

Meanwhile, the Mosholu Parkway  school is teaming up with neighboring MS 80 to form a new boys basketball program for sixth, seventh and eighth graders. Right now, it’s just an intramural program, but once winter hits, they’ll compete against other middle schools.

Weeks says good behavior and grades will be a prerequisite for participating in the new hoops program. Right now, about 40 kids are playing ball two days a week.

To get those grades up, MS 280 has instituted a new after-school program known as AIS (Academic Intervention Services). This program is designed to identify those students who have fallen behind and bring them back up to grade level through tutoring.

As an empowerment school, Weeks says he was able to hire new support teachers for each grade level and focus on improving math scores across the board. Working with the Aussie Program, the faculty has designed a tailor-made math program that better fits the school community, Weeks said. They choose which books to use, what projects to complete and how to better assess students.

Along with a new math curriculum, Weeks is excited about the return of the chess team, which won the local championship last year, as well as more musical instruction. Thanks to a grant from Council Member Oliver Koppell, MS 280 will now offer trumpet and guitar lessons in addition to a slew of other instruments.

For parents, the school is offering English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, so they can be more involved with their children’s education.

PS 94 – Kings College Place (Norwood)

This Norwood institution is fully staffed this year, with seven new teachers who are all performing well so far, said Principal Diane Daprocida.

In addition to the new instructors, PS 94 will be implementing several new enrichment programs thanks to money provided through grants by Council Member Oliver Koppell.

The Community Works after-school program uses artistic themes to encourage students to make a difference in their communities. There’s also the Asphalt Green program, where volunteers come to the school and teach students to become recreational leaders, so they can maximize limited play space and physical fun at the same time.

Daprocida is also extremely excited to be getting a completely refurbished computer lab with all kinds of new technology and computer equipment.

PS 8 – Briggs Avenue (Bedford Park)

The changes at PS 8 start at the top. After spending the past eight and a half years as the school’s assistant principal, Rosa Peralta is now the new principal at the Briggs Avenue Academy, otherwise known as PS 8. It doesn’t stop there. Peralta is also welcoming three new assistant principals to help her out.

Every day PS 8 students attend music classes. And now, thanks to money from Council Member Oliver Koppell’s office, PS 8 is adding violin to its list of musical instrument instruction.

They are also happy to be continuing their relationship with the Beacon after-school program, which is run by Mosholu Montefiore Community Center. The program, which was previously at MS 80, serves a majority of PS 8’s students.

Also continuing this year will be a fund -raising and letter-writing program instituted by special education teacher Jennifer Sabia. Last year, Sabia and her students began exchanging letters with African students and were moved to help them attain simple things like pens, books and shoes. It was so successful, Sabia decided to do it again.

Peralta said the school will also be offering parent services and engagement programs.

The new principal is enjoying the freedom of being an Empowerment school, she said, which allows her to institute various arts and enrichment programs of her choosing.

PS/MS 20 – Webster Avenue (Norwood)

PS 20, the George J. Werdann III school, has 1,179 kids enrolled this year. Entering their second year as an Empowerment school, PS/MS 20 has hired 20 new teachers and implemented block scheduling (this is having at least part of the daily schedule organized into larger chunks of time to allow flexibility for a diversity of instructional activities).

They are also pleased to now have lockers for the eighth graders so they can transition into high school more smoothly. "The school is looking forward to the older students becoming adjusted to a high school environment with lockers and block scheduling," said Assistant Principal Juan Flores.

Flores says the school’s mission is dedicated to striving for excellence for all students. They also want to develop strong school leadership. "Our goals include creating movement within the school in providing quality education, discussing what works and what didn’t work, and having new faculty develop into teacher leaders, enforce responsibility, and focus on ongoing learning," she added.

In addition, PS/MS 20’s 2007 goals are the same as every school year: to raise reading and math scores.

Bronx Dance Academy – Bainbridge Avenue (Norwood)

Jason Kovac, assistant principal at the Bronx Dance Academy’s 300-plus-student middle school, is looking forward to students aiming higher this year, to grow academically, and keep up with "the learning curve."

As an Empowerment school, the Bronx Dance Academy has slightly increased their enrollment (more boys than girls this year), have hired 22 new teachers, and now have two assistant principals: Kovac, who focuses on math, science, and arts, and Deborah Bertley, who concentrates on humanities and social studies.

Students are able to enhance literacy and connect overseas through the "Read to Feed" program that has worked astonishingly well for the past couple of years, Kovac said. Students collect donations based on how many books they can read and then make use of the money to aid developing countries

"Stock market games have also been newly introduced to expose students to the real world rather than textbooks all the time," said Kovac. "The excitement in participating in ‘real world’ situations motivates students in learning math."

"Results from math and literacy statewide exams showed that the students improved last year, yet administrators aren’t going to stop there because we strive for higher grades," said former parent coordinator and recently-promoted secretary, Deanne Myers.

To build on past success, the academy is enlisting the help of parents through a variety of services. A new Web system, PCS (Parent Communication System), linked through the program, Helping Hands, was created this year to increase parent involvement. "This Web site will allow teachers to post homework, classroom newsletters, and personal messages online for parents to observe their child’s progress," Kovac said. "The school will provide basic training classes for parents to easily utilize the new system."

The Bainbridge Avenue school eagerly anticipates its yearly Nutcracker holiday performance put on by all grades on Dec. 14, as well as its end-of -year performance.

JHS 45 -Lorillard Place

Principal Anna Maria Giordana is more than pleased to introduce her school’s new youth development programs offering mentors for the seventh and eighth graders. The Junior DIVAS (Distinguished, Integrity, Virtuous, and Active Students) group is for seventh and eighth grade girls who will be mentored by DeWitt Clinton High School students. DONS is a parallel mentoring group for boys.

Enrollment is steady at 1,097 and has had a 72 percent Hispanic population for the past four or five years, Giordana said. They have added a new bilingual special-education teacher, and a few "Teach for America" teachers as well.

MS 45, which chose the Academy for Educational Development as its School Support Organization, will participate in "Principal for a Day" with former educator Daniel Domenech, McGraw-Hill Education’s senior vice president, on Oct.18. They will have Career Day in February.

Giordana said that the school-wide motto is "Put students first" and their vision is to develop healthy and responsible individuals who appreciate the world and are able to be productive in it. In other words, the teacher’s responsibility is to instruct, assess, and teach students what is needed to reach their full potential.

Teachers at 45 are taught that students are individuals with a wide variety of learning styles, yet they all have the capability to attain high standards.

PS 54: Fordham Bedford Academy – Webster  Avenue (North Fordham)

Parent Coordinator Carmen Aleman will be kept busy this year with so many new programs geared towards increasing parent involvement. Parents have a variety of programs and services to choose from, including nutrition classes and mammogram exams for mothers at St. Barnabas Hospital. CPR workshops (non-certified) will be held to teach parents what to do in emergencies. They will be given dummies so they can practice techniques at home and instruct others.

Outside of school, the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center offers after-school programs that several PS 54 students attend to get extra help in all subjects. In addition, the SES (Supplemental Education Service) offers free tutoring for eligible students with below average test scores.

"My goal as a parent coordinator is to continue to coax parents into attending workshops so that they are aware of their child’s progress throughout the academic year," said Aleman. "All of the teachers (including two newly hired teachers) are working hard to maintain a vigilant eye on their growth," she added.

An upcoming event that excited students and staff of PS 54 is their annual costume parade on Oct. 30.

PS 51: Bronx New School -Van Cortlandt Avenue East (Bedford Park)

According to Parent Coordinator Helena Ortiz, the school’s 20th anniversary celebration will be held at the Marina Del Rey catering hall for a dinner/dance gala. The date of this and several other events have not been confirmed. More parents are encouraged to get involved, Ortiz said.

"Fourth and fifth graders now are able to have ballroom dancing, and Mondays through Fridays enrichment clubs are offered in all subjects," Ortiz said.

PS 246: Poe Center – East 196th Street (North Fordham)

According to Eleanor Rios, the parent coordinator at PS 246, the school is starting the year off with a high enrollment and even higher expectations for the months ahead. Because of the decision to become an Empowerment school, Principal Beverly Miller is enjoying greater flexibility and autonomy in making decisions. Rios says the impact of this Empowerment is evident, especially in the addition of more staff.

With a student population of 792, which Rios says is higher than last year’s enrollment, the school is looking forward to new programs as well as the continuation of other successful programs. Rios is particularly excited about new student uniforms. This year, students are rewarded both individually and as a class for wearing their uniforms properly. "It gives the students respect, makes them responsible, and they look forward to it," Rios said. "Plus, it looks beautiful."

The North Fordham school is also preparing for another year of its after-school programs which serves 250 students. In these programs, students are helped with homework, taught English as a Second Language (ESL), and also have a little fun. For parents, PS 246 has nutrition classes on Wednesday nights and is also planning on holding
ESL and computer classes.

Coming up for students, an obesity program will introduce them to a regimen of nutrition and exercise. Rios also said that she is in touch with the Health Department as well as other counselors to try to set up a talk for parents about teenage pregnancy.

Rios said the school is focused on remaining positive. "Our motto this year is: ‘Yes we can.’"

MS 254 – Washington Avenue

This year at MS 254, the school is striving to place a greater emphasis on academics and to improve its standardized test scores. According to Edwin De Los Santos, the parent coordinator, "the school hopes to have all kids score threes and fours [above average] on the state test this year."

In order to help the 476 students at MS 254 achieve this goal, the school has set up a Saturday Math Academy to provide students with extra help in math and science. The 60 students in this program, which started two weeks ago, get tutored for four hours in the morning and then spend the rest of the day participating in recreational activities.

Another popular program is The After School Corporation (TASC) program. In this program, some 300 students receive help with their homework for an hour and then take part in extracurricular activities such as photography, computer lab, and gym activities for the final two hours of the night.

The school is also excited about offering electives for their seventh grade students this year. Students can choose from classes such as bird watching, swimming, drama, movie editing, and music.

Earlier this month, MS 254 hosted an eighth grade parent orientation to explain the school’s graduation and uniform requirements as well as the high school application process. On Oct. 17 the school was scheduled to offer a program that will help parents help their children prepare for the English Language Arts (ELA) exam in January. Parents are expected to receive even more information about their child as well as the school when parent-teacher conferences are held on Nov. 19 and 20.

Jonas Bronck Academy – Manhattan College campus (Riverdale)

It’s all about what’s best for the students at the Jonas Bronck Academy (JBA), a middle school of 146 students on the Manhattan College campus.

"We’re always looking to provide academic rigor and enhance our scholars’ education," said Principal Maria Esponda.

To help achieve these goals, the school has started some programs and enhanced others to begin the school year. In the classroom, JBA offers electives for seventh and eighth graders. While sixth graders must take a technology class, the seventh and eighth graders can choose from a variety of subjects such as foreign language, journalism, art, and chorus.

The music department is much improved this year, Esponda said. Working with the Renaissance Education, Music & Sports (EMS) program, the school was granted extra funds to expand its music program. This year, the band is comprised of 22 sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students while the chorus has 24 seventh and eighth grade students. Esponda loves these programs because "for four periods a week, it gives the different grades a chance to mingle."

The school also offers multiple academic tutoring programs. Starting in November, there will be a Scholar Lounge, which is basically an after-school study hall. The school also works with Manhattan College, which sends 22 students on Wednesday afternoons to tutor students. The Gear Program, which helps prepare students for the Specialized High School Exam on Oct. 27, is held after school three times a week.

This year, the school has four major themes: community, identity, dream, and social change. To promote these themes and to provide their students with important information, the school is planning different special event days for students each month. In September, they did "Social Awareness Day." This month, on Oct. 25, the school is planning workshops on bullying, gang awareness, Internet safety, and computer awareness.