After recently announcing Norwood’s MS 80 was slated for closure and a complete overhaul of its administration and staff, the Department of Education moved swiftly to replace the school’s principal since 2004, Lovey Mazique-Rivera. Her last day was Friday. On Monday, parents received notice that the school would be led by acting Principal Lauren Reiss.

The DOE is proposing to designate MS 80 as a “turnaround” school, which would mean replacing its administration, at least 50 percent of its current staff and undergoing a name change. Students who have not graduated before the start of the next school year will be given a guaranteed seat in the new school.

The Panel for Education Policy still needs to approve the re-organization, but based on recent history, that appears to be a formality. The PEP rarely rejects a DOE-recommended re-organization plan.

And now it appears they are already beginning the overhaul.

A joint public hearing for this proposal is scheduled for April 16 at 6 p.m. at MS 80, 149 East Mosholu Parkway. Oral comments can be left at (212) 374-5149, and written comments can be sent to D10proposals@schools.nyc.gov.

We’ll have the full story on MS 80 in this week’s print edition of the Norwood News.