SCHOOL DESK

Public forum for disciplinary code

Posted

The city’s education department will host a public engagement session to discuss proposed changes to the school disciplinary code Wednesday, July 17 at 6 p.m., on the Taft Campus at 240 E. 172nd St.

DOE has proposed limiting suspension times to fewer than 20 days out of the academic year, with an exception for cases of violent acts and firearm offenses.

 

Manhattan College offers robotics camp

Manhattan College offers kids between 8 and 12 a chance to build Lego robots or fly drones — all to learn more about robotics and computer coding during two one-week camp sessions.

The program, held on the Manhattan College campus, is designed to challenge kids to use problem solving, mechanic ability, design, and creative thinking to build and code robots. Participants also will fly drones to learn the basics of aeronautics.

The first session runs between July 22 and July 26, with the second between July 29 and Aug. 2. Hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information, email infomc@manhattan.edu, call (718) 862-7428, or visit tinyurl.com/MCRoboticsCamp.

 

SHSAT stays, for now

The push to change admission to the city’s elite specialized high schools went unresolved as Albany’s legislative session ended without resolution.

Proponents for change say the current model that uses the specialized high school admissions test as the only criteria for entrance to institutions like the Bronx High School of Science is responsible for the lack of ethnic diversity at the schools. But their plan failed to garner legislative support changing the guidelines.

Critics of the plan included specialized high school alumni and groups claiming that eliminating the test would result in fewer admissions by Asian American students, who currently are offered more than half the available seats.

Black and Hispanic teens admitted to the specialized high schools made up a little over 10 percent of students offered a seat, while white students made up 29 percent.

 

Lehman welcomes interim president

Lehman College says goodbye to José Luis Cruz — who was promoted to executive vice chancellor and provost of the City University of New York. And on July 1, the school welcomed interim president Daniel Lemons.

Until recently, Lemons served as senior vice president and dean for academic affairs and interim dean of academic affairs in the provost’s office. He is a 30-year Lehman employee.

 

Stringer floats teacher retention plan

City comptroller Scott Stringer wants to end what he describes as high teacher turnover by offering additional classroom training with teaching mentors.

Data shows that 41 percent of new teachers hired during the 2012-13 school year left within their first five years on the job, Stringer said.

His plan calls for paid teacher residencies where these new educators “co-teach” with an experienced classroom educator during their first year. Stringer proposed a $30,000 stipend for residencies, while their mentors would be eligible for an unspecified pay increase.

The model was especially tailored to support young teachers with limited classroom time to earn real-world experience in urban schools.

School Desk, Heather J. Smith

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