Joyner, Goldson Call For 1 Hillhouse

You don't need a PHD to figure it out you need more teachers like we were promised by Central Office when they first informed the staff of this latest experiment. When you make academies autonomous you limit the amount of classes available to students. Many students are enrolled in classes they have already passed because there are not enough sections to enroll them in. Criminal! Some students haven classes that just say staff because they have not been able to replace the veteran teachers that left due to the dysfunction. And some students are being forced to miss a year of Foriegn language because they need to offer those sections to Seniors who have priority. Criminal! Example, an English teacher in 1 academy may have 14 students for sophomore English and another English teacher in another Academy may have 11 students for the same class. If you combine those 2 classes into 1 class you create an empty section which can now be offered as an elective and availible for 27 more students. This is a common Solution across all subjects but you can't combine those 2 classes because we have 3 separate schools. Listen, If Garth wants to have 3 separate schools that's fine but you need to hire more teachers! We told Dr.Tracy and Garth this 2 years ago and they didn't listen. That's why 1/3 of the staff exited last June. Garth has not supplied HH with the resources it needs to pull this off. Bottom line is our students need more TEACHERS so they can enroll in the classes they need to graduate and get a general education. I'm not even talking about hiring enough teachers to get a quality education filled with highly engaging electives, I'm talking about hiring enough to get the bare minimum! Let's at least start with that. I hope we can get more teachers hired at HH because honestly our kids are still AMAZING to teach and they deserve it!

This Board of Ed is out of control. I think the state Board of Education needs to come and investigate what is actually going on in New Haven. We can't rely on the mayor to do anything because she's part of the Board of Education so she must condone it!

I would to hear from students, teachers and teachers who are more directly involved with this and other education issues. I can be reached at [email protected] or 203-806-0411. Of course I will at request keep details and personal information confidential. -- Darnell Goldson

I disagree with the statement by Mr.Joyner that Mayor Harp and Garth Harries are doing some good things.Both of them are for Charter Schools and the Mayor is for the selling of the city to the gentrification vampires.To Mr. Goldson who said he does not know to much of Garth Harries.Here is some history.New York was happy he left.

Garth Harries Leaves New York City, and This is a Good Thing

http://nycrubberroomreporter.blogspot.com/2009/06/garth-harries-leaves-new-york-city-and.html

You see Garth Harries use the term academy.This is a code word for Charter Schools.A man by the Name of Joel I. Klein was his mentor.Joel I. Klein made Garth Harries a very rich man.


Parents slam fat cat lives of Joel Klein, other Education Department officials

Garth Harries, who oversees the creation of new schools, has investments that total between $3.9 million and $6 million.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/parents-slam-fat-cat-lives-joel-klein-education-department-officials-article-1.305180

Garth Harries came from the Broad Academy. Which Billionaire businessman Eli Broad founded.The Broad Academy is to find leaders from both inside and outside education, train them, and have them occupying the superintendencies in a third of the 75 largest school districts.Then hand over their systems to the Business Roundtable.

Here are some more friends of Garth Harries.

The Faces of School Reform

https://indypendent.org/2010/01/29/faces-school-reform

Like I said Garth Harries must go.From what I was told by People the only way to save the school system in New Haven is to find another person like JOHN DOW JR

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/09/nyregion/connecticut-q-a-john-dow-jr-you-have-to-believe-in-the-students.html

Or Imma Canelli, Deputy Superintendent.

3/5ths

I didn't say that I didn't know Garth Harries, I'm fairly familiar with his trajectory to New Haven. What I did say was that I was not familiar enough with his New Haven performance compared with the goal and objectives set for him by the BOE to be able or fairly judge his New Haven performance thus far.

What goals and objectives have the BOE set, and has he significantly met those goals is the questions I will be asking once I become a member of the Board.

It isn't the fact that we need more teachers at Hillhouse. we don't have any room for the ones we have. No one scheduled properly and some periods were double booked. The real issue is the students do not feel connected to each other. Seniors are separated from the under classes and no one "associates" with each other. There is simply no cohesion to the school. these administrators are not vested in the school; they are only vested in their fiefdom.
Every school needs a leader; one leader. Someone with wisdom and awareness of what counts. We simply do not have that and we are suffering because someone wanted to experiment with an "idea."
As Loquacious Truth stated we do have some pretty amazing students but we also have some not so amazing ones who really do need a strong leader to help them along. The "amazing" kids will survive but the others will suffer because of this situation.

I went to Brooklyn Tech High School in NYC. At the time, the student population was almost 6,000 (my graduating class was over 1,200). It was a well-run school producing many students going on to college. We had a principal and two Assistant Principals.

Teachers are not the only ones leaving. Administrators are also leaving. We have 5 administrators who have jumped ship! Rau, Gathering, Connor, Costanza and Canzanella!!! Everyone sees the ship sinking. This is worst than the Titanic and the Board of Ed is the band. You can't keep playing while the ship keeps taking water in!! Garth has to go. Restore Hill House with an experienced administrator than can be a TRUE instructional leader. Stop playing with our children's future. Some one do something!!!

Why people are tiptoeing around the perimeter of this problem does not baffle me, but it does frustrate viable solutions to what is, in essences, a moral disgrace.

The Board of Education is a major employer in this city. It has been used for years to buttressed the Mayor's political viability and the Superintendent's job security. It has also been used to sustain a chaste system that virtually condemns most underprivileged children to poor education, less opportunity to qualify for college, and menial jobs, if not prison, as their futures unfold.

It is not an accident that teachers and others who work for the school board and who dare make critical comments about the system under with they work, they do so behind the relative safety of pseudonyms, afraid, as it were, of retribution for "speaking out". Is this not America? Should citizens of this "All American City" live in fear of losing their jobs and their livelihoods for acting on their Constitutional Rights?

The problem with Hillhouse and its convoluted academic structure is merely a symptom of the larger problem. The larger problem is a Board of Education used for poltical patronage, but which by being so used, puts people in positions of responsiblity whose ability to advance the quality of education for our neediest children is justifiably questionable.

Two elected Board members, still vastly outnumbered by the five members appointed by the Mayor, will hardly be capable of changing the status quo. Which, I believe, was the reason the elected members is kept so low. The fact that we have elected members at all is due to the fact that the powers that be could not continue to deny a call for such, but purposefully undermined the spirit of that clarion call by keepin the number as low as possible. Window dressing at best, when it comes to voting power that represents the will of the public.

Decouple the Board from the Mayor's office and make its members more directly accountable to the citizens.

Hillhouse must be saved from the foolishness it has endured for 2 years.
Board candidates Edward Joyner and Darnell Goldson have called for ONE HILLHOUSE. We need a restoration of common sense at this school. Three academies, three principals and a lack of teachers to conduct this experiment is a strategy to make Hillhouse fail.
A statement from one who appears to be a Hillhouse teacher clarifies the problem:

"If Garth wants to have 3 separate schools that's fine but you need to hire more teachers! We told Dr.Tracy and Garth this 2 years ago and they didn't listen. That's why 1/3 of the staff exited last June. Garth has not supplied HH with the resources it needs to pull this off. Bottom line is our students need more TEACHERS so they can enroll in the classes they need to graduate and get a general education. I'm not even talking about hiring enough teachers to get a quality education filled with highly engaging electives, I'm talking about hiring enough to get the bare minimum! Let's at least start with that. I hope we can get more teachers hired at HH because honestly our kids are still AMAZING to teach and they deserve it!"

The Board needs to have a public emergency meeting to deal with this crisis now. The staff and students cannot endure another year under the current school organization. If the Board and the Mayor and the superintendent do NOT hold such a meeting, then the parents, student leaders, alumni, community leaders, clergy, taxpayers and any other interested parties should organize THEIR OWN meeting to address what this teacher calls "CRIMINAL" negligence on the part of the superintendent and Board of Education.
The time to act is now, not next year, next semester, next month or next week! Either more teachers need to be hired immediately or the three academies must be discontinued immediately and replaced with one new principal and one single school!
Kids are not learning all they need to learn because HILLHOUSE DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS!

As a parent, I feel that our kids are being experimented on. There are continuous changes being implemented with very minimal evidence-based research to support. Parents and students are just being told "This is how it's going to be" and they have no other choice but to accept the change. I attended orientation this school year and was not informed that "Half day" was changed from Wednesday to Monday and that there will be standard days for A/B classes, Monday will be rotated. I found that out from my child. Another experiment…..the value in education at this high has decrease and I'm very concern. There are programs created but not being utilize effectively, I've asked for a breakdown of all the programs and criteria for acceptance for over two years now and still nothing. These programs need to be evaluated twice a year to validate their progress and benefit. Students are still failing, so something is not working. Many great teachers have left due to the lack of "Leadership, corporation, respect, etc." There are teachers that are overwhelm with work and stretch thin, they don't have time to meet with students and engage with parents. There are individual placed in leadership position that don't understand the first time about leadership and do not address parents' and students' concerns. Dividing the school up into academies could work but we ALL (leaders, educators, parents, students and stakeholders) have to work TOGETHER to put OUR students education first. "UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL."
I know parents are tired of coming out to these community meetings and not being heard, don't give up, keep going and advocating for your child (ren). I am one of those parents that is very tired of speaking up but will not give up because my child and every other child in that building deserve to be all the can be and that starts with a solid educational foundation.

@darnell
My bad.I thought I heard you say you did not know Garth Harries back ground.

posted by: JPadilla on September 7, 2015 9:09pm

I went to Brooklyn Tech High School in NYC. At the time, the student population was almost 6,000 (my graduating class was over 1,200). It was a well-run school producing many students going on to college. We had a principal and two Assistant Principals.

Brooklyn Tech,is one of the most elite, prestigious and selective high schools in the United States.Along with Stuyvesant High School and The Bronx High School of Science. My Sister has a Brownstone on South Portland Ave.Down the street from Brooklyn Tech.The reason why you have a principal and two Assistant Principals is because you have a student population of almost 6,000.What year was you at Brooklyn Tech? I went to Westinghouse High School which is now call George Westinghouse Career and Technical High School in Brooklyn.

Back in 2009 when Garth first started in New Haven, Hillhouse had a graduation rate in the low 40's. It's almost 70% now.

People in this forum talk about "changes" like they're always making things worse. When were things better at Hillhouse?

As a 1980 graduate of Hillhouse High, it has never made any sense to me why the school was sectioned off in to three different academies. No matter how this experiment is explained or defended, I always end up concluding that I must follow the dollar signs which inevitably always seem to lead back to the BOE. smdh

@3/5ths

At the 27 minute mark we statrt to discuss Garth Harries. Paul asks "Is he [garth Harries] doing well?"

My response is "I don't have enough data to be able to answer that yet. I can tell you that I don't think the school system is doing well."

@darnell

I Listen to the show again and you did say data.Again my bad.But it still does not take away from his history.Read my post and you will see his history.He is bad news and needs to go.

3/5ths:

Brooklyn Tech class of 75. Back then, Tech was a school where a low-income kid from the projects like me could go and get a quality public school education. Yes we had to take an entrance exam. But Brooklyn Tech circa the 1970's was a very diverse school made up of Hispanic, Asians, African-Americans and whites. I know that the diversity balance has shifted dramatically since then. My point about the 1 principal and 2 assistants is that I cannot understand why we need so much bureaucracy in a school less than one third the size of the one I went to. Maybe its just me -- but I don't understand three principals and who knows how many assistants???? BTW, I also had a lot of friends who went to "The House" and they got good educations as well.

It's refreshing to see that the BoE will have at least 2 members who will view their board responsibilities thru a prism that is unbiased, unfiltered and with independent and critical analysis. It is lo-o-ng overdue. I can't even remember one time when any board member dared to say ..."but the Emperor has no clothes!" (And this dates back to the time when we truly had an official that was as close to an Emperor as you will see in modern day USA). Superintendent Harrie is no Emperor, but he does come up with a wealth of half-baked schemes and ideas, which his much too compiant board seems willing to indulge him in, with little critical analysis or understanding of what Garth's long range educational philosophy is. If he has an educational administration philosophy, he should share it with us. Regarding Hillhouse, there is nothing inherently wrong with a large, unified high school. In too many instances to count, large high schools have produced AMAZING students and graduates. Smaller is not necessarily better, as many of the comments are clearly showing. More than anything else, our kids need stability, great teachers, and resources appropriate to their interests. Sadly, it doesn't look like students at HH -- at one time the greatest high school in New Haven -- are getting any of those things. Guess it's time for the board to vote Garth another contract extension, before the new members get on board.

As a (class of 79) graduate of Hillhouse, I too can support the traditional school administration structure of having one principal at the helm. However, an experimental bifurcated approach to education isn't necessarily a bad thing. That is of course providing positive results bear it out. Keep in mind, that before this experiment occurred, Hillhouse was struggling mightily; and perhaps still is.

I can't fault the BOE for trying to shake up a failing school by introducing something unique. But I can fault them for allowing the experiment if not working, to continue.

Obviously, it appears as though it's a question of vacant, quality principal availability.

What I would like to see, is a system that recognizes the intelligence of young people by harnessing their concerns and ideas to implement ways how best to educate them.

For years we've baked the cake, experimented with new flavors, put the cake on a platter and then wondered why the majority of our kids don't eat it. Since the cake is for them, we should at least ask of them to add something to it.

Mr. Joyner you suggest in the broadcast that I threw the superintendent and the union president under the bus. I challenge you to talk to the teachers, students, and parents so that you can hear the truth for yourself. Better yet, why don't you hold it open forum and let Paul Bass moderate. Mr. Bass are you available? I don't want this to be a bitch or a gripe session. What is needed is a open and honest conversation. Mr. Goldson, thank you for sharing your email and phone number. That is a good start.

I love Hillhouse and I am saddened to see what has happened in the last two years. Not to speak up would be a total injustice to the teachers, students, and the Hillhouse community. I would be a accomplice to what's going on.

The LIE is the teachers were told about changes that were going to happen in a meeting in April of 2014 by Dr. Tracy. She told the teachers about all the great things that were going to be put in place for September 2014. The only thing that happened was that Hillhouse got three principals and they painted the door frames to identify the Academies.

Does anyone know if the superintendent, union president or any board of education member visited Hillhouse yet this year?

@ Three Fifths and Jones

I listened to the broadcast and never heard Dr.Joyner say that Harries did anything good. I did hear him complement the mayor for what she has done with public safety. I did not hear him suggest that Jones threw anyone under the bus, but did hear him say that HE would not throw anyone under the bus until he has done his own investigation. He and Darnell were careful not to attack Harries directly, but clearly roundly criticized his policies by calling the Hillhouse reform school deform and unanimously agreeing that it did not make sense. Perhaps the Hillhouse folks should invite both of them to a forum. I thought they were on the same page on all the issues and defended teachers who work in challenging schools. The questions here are will this coalition hold together if they both are elected ? And, if they can get two others to change the game in favor of the kids, teachers, and principals instead of Harries's top down, corporate version of how to change schools? I know both of them as independent thinkers who are not afraid to challenge authority. We will see.
A good listen reveals that they are not in lockstep with a board that approved the Hillhouse moves and, based on Joyner's comments, they believe that schools are built from the bottom up rather than the top down. This should be welcome news to teachers, kids, and parents.
Looks like the Mayor is the key here as they are only two in number. This will define her legacy. Obama blew it with education. Hope she can learn from that and lead the effort to stop the train wreck before it is too late.

@Brian Jenkins

I enjoy reading your comments. The reality is that Hillhouse is a reflection of the families, the students, and the resources school officials are willing to provide. If the parents were involved in sufficient numbers this would not have happened. If the board was wise enough to actually know anything about how to staff an urban high school, this would not have happened. If the community and its elected officials were knowledgeable about Garth Harries, he would not have happened. You graduated from Hillhouse. Are all the graduates as well-read and articulate as you are? Did some go on to do well in life because of the instruction and support they received despite their poverty or disadvantage? Did you have a good principal, a knowledgeable superintendent, and good teachers when you attended the school? Joyner and Goldson correctly pointed out that three heads within the same organization is asinine and a waste of the taxpayers money. The superintendent recommended this and the board approved it--unanimously. Will the new board correct this mistake by finding a leader who actually knows education or will they continue on this road while Harries builds a reputation on false data? The students and teachers are suffering while the fat cats in city hall and the district office collect their checks with precise regularity, despite not being able to deliver resources to the schools on time, if at all. There are kids on the football team at Hillhouse who will graduate without ever playing a home game. Many of the computers do not work and I will bet the house that they are not fully staffed with teachers. Kermit and John Nguyen were part of the problem.They changed credits, grades, and violated the attendance policy to pump up the data.They were SUSPENDED for this. Hillhouse never had a rate as low as 40% under Garris and never as high as advertised under Kermit and John. The whole system is a house of cards built on a foundation of deceit and immorality.

@TruthWarrior

Take the wax out of your ears.If you go to 27:49 of the show you will hear Paul Bass ask Mr.Joyner how is Garth Harries doing and Mr.Joyner said in a low tone I think that somethings he maybe doing ok in.Garth Harries has nothing but corporate plans for New Haven Public Schools And this is why I disagree with Mr.Joyner.Garth Harries got this job under White Affirmative Action.If you go back,You would see that the two Blackmen Dred Scott and Kriner Cash who also applyed for the job have been in the education system long then Garth Harries.Look at there Resume.

Dred Scott

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/upload/2013/07/Dred_Scott_resume.pdf

Kriner Cash

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/upload/2013/07/Kriner_Cash_resume.pdf

Now take a look at Garth Harries Resume.

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/upload/2013/07/Garth_Harries_resume.pdf

Also Garth Harries got a waiver.Like I said White Affirmative Action.

As far as Mayor Harp record on Education the Mayor is for Garth Harries and Charter schools.

And she heard a message from Varick Memorial AME Zion Church Pastor Eldren Morrison, who has emerged as the face of the local charter school movement backed by the watchdog group ConnCAN.

"We thank you for the promises that you made around education," Morrison said.

The "promises" he was referring to came an October campaign event, at which the Achievement First charter network organized parents to meet with Harp at one of its charter schools and ask her to sign a pledge.

Harp pledged to "support the growth of high quality seats for New Haven's children through the opening of 3 new schools annually, including high-performing charter schools."

Read the rest.

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/harp_first_school_board/

Part One.

part two.

Mayor Harp.On economic development.

She has sold her soul to the gentrification vampires.The city is for sale and there is nothing that will be coming to help the poor and working poor.The only help they will get is being put on the displacement hit list.


Bottom line is this.Even if you have two good people on this school board.The mayor still get's to pick more people.

School reform cannot be done to educators or for educators, only by educators and with educators. Anything less will result in
the same old same old.

George Sheridanart

@ TruthWarrior,

I appreciate your comments to the core.

For full disclosure, my affinity towards Hillhouse is and will always be unwavering. That said, I'm not the type that slams the door on an idea unless there is empirical evidence that the idea is no longer working. It is never prudent in my view, to be married to an idea for fear of failure. In fact, it shows tremendous vision and humility of purpose, to remove an idea that isn't working, then to keep there because you voted for it. In essence, it's okay to be wrong. Just try not to make it habit.

The bottom line is this, if Hillhouse is indeed a failure, THEN FIX IT.

Both Ed and Darnell viscerally care about the health of schools city-wide. However, knowing them as I do (40 years), they're not the type that will bow to the leadership when they disagree. This attitude of independence, is wholesome for all boards city-wide. Unfortunately that just isn't the reality. But is the reality with these two.

NoteWorthy, you are correct regarding parental involvement. It's a sad commentary as well as a pathetic one, when we look at the lack of parents involved in their children's education. In fact, it is felt more in our most challenging schools. Parents are the primary educators of their children. Therefor, if high achievement atmospheres are not prevalent in the home, school test scores will most assuredly plummet.

Currently, we place the best teachers in the best schools instead of placing them in the worse schools. Inner-city kids enter the school system already behind by a minimum of 10,000 vocabulary words. Conversely, if you place the best teachers in your lower grades, you can possibly infiltrate this trend by stopping it.

finally, some of your best educators are on the street. But if you don't have certain letters behind your name, your ideas are not recognized. That's how failure is made.

Why is everyone addressing Garth as if he has decision making power? The NHFT president, Dave C. influences most, if not all of the decisions Garth pretends to make. I attended a BOE meeting and noticed how the NHFT president remarks on the new administrative hires as if he appointed them. Oh wait....he did! Giving them "kudos" and "approval" Garth isn't the one to watch....It's the NHFT president! The climate survey that NHFT favorably pushed on us teachers to take for years is suddenly unworthy of attention. Last year an email was sent by Garth to take the survey and imbedded within the email was a message from the NHFT president to disregard the survey. Who the heck is running this district? Superintendent Harries is listening to the wrong people and should stop being afraid of the NHFT president.

@ Three-fifths

You cannot find one instance of Dr. Joyner describing Garth Harries as "good." In the sound track you directed me to he said, "he has done some things okay (under his breath, if one can actually get under one's breath)"
Okay has been defined as adequate but unexceptional or unremarkable; tolerable. Good is higher on the comparative superlative continuum than okay. I am not an expert on tone, but I would deduce that he was consciously trying to avoid saying anything bad about the superintendent. Yet, he did comment about the bad decisions Harries has made and has gone on record as saying he opposed the Imagine charter school. Perhaps he is trying to be a diplomat who focuses on the issues rather than attack people. Do you know him? Why don't you ask him what he meant?
It did not sound like either of them is satisfied with Harries's leadership or the board's near unanimous endorsement of his recommendations. I am sure you will want a front row seat if they are elected. By the way, how is the brownstone bro? Was it a gentrification move?