Any PS/IS 194 teachers here???

From inside schools.org - a great website to find out about schools!!!

What's special: New, safe school built to alleviate District 11 overcrowding.
Downside: Too early to predict whether school will be successful.

PS/MS 194 is a brand new complex, built to ease overcrowding in other District 11 elementary and middle schools. Unlike many new schools, which begin with one or two grades and add others year-by-year, PS 194 opened in September 2003 as a full K-8 program.

PS/MS 168 has a 'District 75' school for children with special education needs that occupies part of the second floor. The rest of the floor contains labs, and deans' and guidance offices. Another floor houses services such as speech therapy and programs to help English language learners as well as kids with difficulty reading. The combination of a clean, new environment and a pleasant, hard working principal is attracting battalions of parents eager, throughout the year, to enroll their children. Administrators check carefully to make sure applicants actually live in the neighborhood for which the school is designated.

PS/MS 194 has a state-of-the-art library, gym and auditorium. Every class boasts computers, while the art studio is equipped with light boxes. Soothing New Age music plays softly, and a 'Learning Leaders' room is set-aside for parents helping students in reading workshops. We noticed a calm and mature conversation between a teacher and a student who was being told how to pull up grades by the next marking period.

Administrators apparently put a lot thought into getting the school off on a good foot. Food services made adjustments to accommodate the large Asian and Muslim population during holidays like Ramadan. And teachers with the strongest class management skills were wisely placed in upper grade classrooms, because administrators decided that older students transferring into the school could benefit from teachers clearly in control as they adjusted to a new setting and new rules. We observed students switching from one task to another with little fuss. Seventh graders were slightly louder than others, and a few dared to leave class without permission to go to the bathroom. However, the school's effective and organized school aides, who monitor hallways and lunchrooms, quickly shepherded them back where they belonged. The veteran aides help to hone the student's respect for the school and the adults in the building.

Some of the academic work we viewed, particularly elementary school writing, seemed a bit cookie-cutter. One bulletin board devoted to a class' study of the 1930's displayed The Depression News, which looked interesting until one read the clips - mostly identical in style and content.

A 3rd grade class we saw was another matter. When the teacher asked the kids to tell her what they had found difficult on an exam they had just taken and why, these fresh-faced kids responded clearly, with comments such as, 'Two or three questions were really hard on the graphs, but I tried my best to figure out the right answer.'

After school: In addition to test prep for 4th and 8th graders, the school offers chess and a basketball and flag football team for 7th and 8th graders. (Jacquie Wayans, January 2004)



'The teachers at the school seem to care a lot about the students who stand out and are motivated to learn,' writes a parent. 'But there doesn't seem to be a lot of control over the kids. Plenty of students complain about the behavior of other students.' (March 2006)
'I like PS 194 because the children learn well and when I had a problem with the school they addressed it immediately,' writes parent Elizabeth Reyes. (September 2005)

'Ms. Adler who is a wonderful role model and a wonderful teacher,' writes parent Elizabeth Reyes. 'I know there are a lot of teachers at the school who deserve the same appreciation however, Ms. Adler has made my daughter an excellent reader and she has left an impression on her forever,' (September 2005)

A parent complains that some students have 'behavioral problems.' He writes of teachers being unable to control their classes, and teachers switching classes mid-year. One teacher switched classes mid-year, 'leaving these vulnerable children under the supervision of a 'substitute'. To think now at the most crucial time for students who are preparing for the standardized tests to in a sense, start over again with a new head teacher -- its unthinkable!' This parent also complains that 'students who are above academic standards are placed along with [students with] 'special needs' and behavioral problems.' (April 2004)

'We are not as packed for space and the [academic] pace is good,' said one the parent formerly from the overcrowded PS 106. 'There is a greater chance for parent participation and one-to-one attention for students.' (January 2004)

According to a parent, there are many behavior problems at the school, and teachers often have difficulty maintaining discipline. 'Just last week, during math period the teacher could not teach the lesson because of misbehavior.' (December 2003)

Hey I just got a job here to. Can you fm me some info?


IE- How do I find out about getting loan forgiveness? Do I need the union health plan and the city? Which plan is good?

you got a job at the same school?? HOw as the interview??? I am going to be going on an interview soon and would love to know if it was tough or not???

I am so confused as to whether or not to accept a position with this school or wait for LI schools to get back to me :(

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Posted by HAPPYTOBREATHE

Hey I just got a job here to. Can you fm me some info?


IE- How do I find out about getting loan forgiveness? Do I need the union health plan and the city? Which plan is good?

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You need ot be working at a designated SURR School (School Under Regents Review) to qualify for loan forgivemeness...basically underperforming schools that have teacher retention problems. the program is called teachers of tomorrow. i would talk to your prinicpal or someone at Court St. to see if your school is one. if so, you get $4K a year for a maximum of 4 years to apply towards student loans or further education. i did it and it was great.

For the health plan, just go with GHI... it's good and you pay nothing for it!!!!! the other plans offered you have to contribute to, but GHI was more than adequate for me... although if you have some chronic health issues or condiditions, you may want to look into all the plans to find the one that's best for you.

my advice to you all is the board of ed. is dysfunctional on a good day. the adminsitratiion ***** and no one at the main office knows what they are doing. but there are some wonderful people in the city, some great schools and the kids are awesome. get invovled in the UFT... they are a great union and offer a lot of support and help to you via professional development programs, etc. etc. that the Board does not offer.

GOOD LUCK... FM anyone if you have any questions!!