School - NYC Outward Bound Schools

NYC Outward Bound
®
BRINGING DEMANDING ACADEMICS, COMMUNITY & CHARACTER INTO NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS
WINTER 2010 VOLUME 15, #1
Spotlight on Brooklyn School
for Collaborative Studies
“Our students’ success
is the result of a
collective endeavor,
belief in the possible
and sustained effort.”
— Principal Alyce Barr
T
a national Expeditionary Learning Site Seminar this year. Our network
Schools in All
5 Boroughs!
school is an outstanding choice for this Seminar, which brings together
NYC Outward Bound is proud to announce
EL educators from throughout the country to see and experience EL in
that it will open a new school in Queens
action. BCS originally opened as a middle school to provide students
in September, in partnership with the NYC
with more high-quality options in Carroll Gardens. When students
Department of Education. The Metropolitan
he Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies (BCS)—a 6th
through 12th grade school—is proving to be an exemplary
practitioner of Expeditionary Learning (EL). As such, it will host
and families later sought expanded secondary options, BCS founding
Expeditionary Learning School will inte-
Principal Alyce Barr and her staff agreed to add a high school.
grate its theme, sustainability, throughout
the curriculum and culture. Our 10th network
BCS had its first graduating class in June with an on-time graduation
partner will serve grades 6-12 on the newly
rate of 93.4% and a college acceptance rate of 90%. The school con-
constructed Metropolitan Avenue campus
sistently reports high student test scores, attendance rates and results
in Forest Hills, Queens, in a district that also
on citywide assessments. A decidedly diverse school, BCS is known for
includes parts of Jamaica and Kew Gardens.
its dynamic leadership, culture of high expectations and an esprit de corps
Damon McCord and Pat Finley will be its co-
among staff and students “Our students’ success is the result of a collec-
directors; both have extensive administrative
tive endeavor, belief in the possible and sustained effort,” Alyce observed.
and teaching experience, and have worked
continued on page 2
together in our City’s public schools.
President’sPerspective
2
Richard Stopol, center, flanked by Bill Thompson and Arthur
Sulzberger Jr. on his surprise City “tour.”
For the past 20 years I have been a serial invoker of Tom James’
[Teachers College provost and author of NYC Outward Bound’s feasibility study] definition of Outward Bound, and I still consider it the
simplest and best encapsulation of what we are all about. It goes as
follows: “Outward Bound is a form of education aimed at bringing
out the best in people.” With that simple word, “best,” Tom captures the audacity of Outward Bound’s educational vision. We are
W
seeking through our work nothing less than to help every individual
with whom we have contact discover and tap into their best selves,
hen President Richard Stopol marked
as students, as workers, and as family and community members.
his 20th anniversary at our helm in early
We also attract the best—caring, compassionate people who can be
December, he was treated to a surprise
“tour” of the City. The day-long expedition, abetted by
counted on to give their best. I love working for an organization that
tries every single day to coax the best from everyone in its orbit.
board members past and present, appropriately gave him
Bill’s fateful phone call was a great gift. Over the years I’ve repeat-
an interactive walk down memory lane including breakfast
edly been stretched beyond my comfort zone, into completely unfa-
with some key founders, a reunion with fellow Dolomite
miliar territory and situations. I’ve accomplished things I didn’t think
adventurers, a surprise call with early NYC Outward
I was capable of—and we as an organization have reached once
Bound staffers, lunch with students at WHEELS and col-
unimaginable heights. This two-decade stretch has taught me time
leagues from Expeditionary Learning, and a trust walk
across the 59th Street Bridge back to an all-staff meeting.
Recently he reflected on his two decades of leadership:
and again that I can only achieve my best self—and the organization
can only reach its full potential—with the help of others. That’s been
there for me at every turn, for which I am deeply grateful.
For the past 20 years, as steward of our educational approach
The fateful phone call that changes one’s life is not just the stuff
and its values, I’ve been charged with determining how they can
of movies and novels. Mine came on June 30, 1989 from NYC
have the greatest impact on NYC’s young people and their public
Outward Bound’s Founding Board Chair Bill Phillips, who asked
schools. I feel extraordinarily blessed by our success in accom-
me to become acting executive director. I had no idea that it
plishing that task. More than 50,000 young people—many who
would lead to 20 years of professional and personal gratification
are now adults—have benefited from our approach and values,
beyond anything I’d dreamed.
encouraged and otherwise equipped to be their best.
I had doubts about taking the reins, and I imagine the Board’s
I can’t help but conclude that our best years are still to come. In
trepidation matched mine. Still, my concerns were balanced by a
an indication of what lies ahead, President Obama signed an
sense of possibility. I knew that bringing Outward Bound activities
omnibus appropriations bill in December that includes $200,000 of
and approaches to our City’s young people and their public schools
funding for NYC Outward Bound—our first inclusion in the federal
was simply too good an idea to fail—and that the people behind the
budget. Such support, coupled with our unceasing commitment
organization were not about to let it fail. I also believed strongly in
to and passion for this work, tells me that we are poised to attain
Outward Bound’s approach to teaching and learning, and the values
new levels of quality and impact. I am genuinely excited by the
that animate its work, on which the NYC organization was built.
prospect of the shared journey ahead of us all.
continued from page 1
BCS’s Site Seminar will take place May 26-
principal’s school-wide literacy initiative
28 and will provide participants with oppor-
that supports a culture of reading.
tunities for intensive observation and learn-
about NYC schools’ ethnic composition,
visiting schools and interviewing principals to assess the value of integration;
ing, with an optional half day for leaders
Attendees will examine those topics in
and interviewing users to determine
and teams developing new schools. The
focused sessions and meetings with BCS
“The Physics of Playgrounds.” The site
school will showcase its best practices,
teachers, teacher teams, students and
seminar will culminate with “Mad Hot
including high school performance-based
administrators. They’ll also participate in
Ballroom,” an annual, BCS-wide Latin
assessments; use of technology across
fieldwork used in the school’s Learning
Family Dance Party that features a dance
the curriculum; Learning Expeditions that
Expeditions, such as water testing on the
competition and community dancing to a
draw on a rich variety of fieldwork; and the
Gowanus Canal; collecting data online
Cuban band.
Principals at kick-off:
Ryan Scallon,
BELHS; Brady
Smith, Validus;
Matt Brown, Kurt
Hahn; Traci Frey,
Gaynor McCown;
Brett Kimmel,
WHEELS; Alyce
Barr, BCS; Elijah
Hawkes, James
Baldwin.
Principal Leadership Initiative
3
A
Fund for the City of New York; Scott Stringer, Manhattan bor-
Learning (EL) schools and in doing so, builds camaraderie and
conclusion Erica Hill, CNN news anchor and correspondent (now
mutual support. Leading an EL school—with time carved out
at CBS), interviewed the school heads about lessons learned that
for crew, for extensive teacher professional development and
day and their individual leadership challenges.
year-long focus on leadership for our nine network
principals, beginning last fall, aims to help them
ough president; and Arthur Sulzberger Jr., publisher, The New
become more effective leaders of Expeditionary
York Times and a founding NYC Outward Bound board member. In
interdisciplinary curriculum planning—brings special challenges.
Principals must manage time closely; they also must sustain
The principals came together again in December for a mini-
their school model by imparting it to new teachers and creating
site seminar at the Marsh Avenue Expeditionary Learning
teacher-leaders.
School, where they observed two areas where Marsh Avenue
has shown considerable strength—differentiated instructional
Our leadership initiative kicked off with an October immersion ex-
practices and teacher leadership— and considered how they
perience. The day featured in-depth investigations into elements
might implement or adapt similar strategies. Network principals
of effective leadership and core values in discussions with distin-
convened again in mid-January for an informal dinner organized
guished leaders from other sectors: Mary McCormick, president,
by NYC Outward Bound. Additional activities for principals, including a national EL School Leadership Team Institute, to bring
them together with their counterparts from across the country,
are planned throughout the year.
China Exchange: BCS
dent translator), staying with a host family and participating
Principal Alyce Barr is part
in a potluck dinner with dishes from many of BCS’ Chinese
of an exchange program
families. In turn, Alyce will visit China for two weeks in April
with schools in China.
and shadow Wang Jue at her school. The program, unique to
Wang Jue, principal of
New York City and New Jersey, provides a rare opportunity
Shanghai Gezhi Junior High
for professional development, personal growth and friend-
School, spent a week at
ship. Sponsors include The China Exchange Initiative, the
BCS in October, shadowing
Shanghai Commission of Education and Asia for Educators at
Alyce (helped by a BCS stu-
Columbia University.
2009-10 Crew Orientations: the Best Yet
A
s our school network grows, our crew orientation
their teacher/advisor, which foster a supportive school culture.
program has expanded coorespondingly to serve
These adventure weeks emphasize Outward Bound’s themes
our growing number of schools and students.
of leadership, service, perseverance and environmental stew-
From September through November, at Sharpe Reservation
ardship that we hope all our students will incorporate into the
in Fishkill, NY, more than 500 incoming students from eight
ways they live their lives.
of our network schools undertook this signature Outward
Bound learning adventure that sets the tone for their entire
For the first time this year, parents followed their children’s
school experience. Additional students from Brooklyn School
progress by emailing the course director and checking a blog
for Collaborative Studies and incoming 6 graders from Marsh
for latest news and updates. The students, as always, expe-
Avenue Expeditionary Learning School will participate in the
rienced deep learning. John Feliciano, a 9th grader at Bronx
course this spring.
Expeditionary Learning High School, remarked: “The crew trip
th
was a big influence on kids, not just me, but a lot of kids... It
NYC Outward Bound W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 , V O L U M E 1 5 , # 1
4
This unique and memorable learning experience helps stu-
influenced me in a big way because I have a lot of personal
dents, alongside their teachers, appreciate the value of team-
struggles, past and present, and I think I can’t do certain things.
work, best effort, responsibility, perseverance and other quali-
But seeing other kids try and pull through, and people telling me
ties they’ll need for success in school and life. It helps them
that I could do it, and me knowing I could do it if I really tried,
build caring, trusting relationships with crew members and
pushed me to accomplish what I did.”
5
WHEELS
Leadership
Recognized
Our Washington Heights Expeditionary
Learning School (WHEELS) is one of just
six Expeditionary Learning (EL) schools
nationwide, out of 165, to serve as a demonstration site in a pilot program this year.
Chosen for its exemplary implementation
of the EL approach, WHEELS will respond
to educators who want to see an EL
school at work by inviting them to observe
up to a full day. A corps of trained student
Photographs by Lisa Berg
ambassadors will assist in hosting visitors.
In addition, Principal Brett Kimmel will
join the 2010 Cahn Fellows Program
for Distinguished NYC Principals at
Teachers College, Columbia University.
Only 12% of all NYC principals were
nominated for the program, and less
than a third of nominees were chosen as
Fellows. Congratulations, Brett!
Many Thanks
New York City Outward Bound is deeply grateful to our many friends
and supporters. The list below reflects contributors in our most recent
fiscal year, from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009. Without the help of everyone on this list, we could not fulfill our mission: to effect positive and
lasting change in the lives of New York City’s young people and in their
public schools.
$100,000 and Above
Jeffrey J. Feil
The Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation
Lone Pine Foundation
New York City Department
of Education
New York City Department
of Youth & Community
Development
New York State Office
of Children and Family
Services
The Tiger Foundation
$50,000-$99,999
NYC Outward Bound W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 , V O L U M E 1 5 , # 1
6
Tim Armstrong
Bank of America
Carnegie Corporation of
New York
The Frances L. & Edwin L.
Cummings Memorial Fund
Barry Diller
Lucius N. Littauer Foundation
Maverick Capital Charities
The New York Times Co.
Samuel I. Newhouse
Foundation Inc.
Carroll and Milton Petrie
Foundation
Verizon Communications
$25,000-$49,999
Anonymous
Mark and Gretchen Biedron/
The Elm Foundation
The Arthur M. Blank Family
Foundation
Bloomberg
Cablevision Systems Corp.
Dave Dase
The Durst Family Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey R. Gural
The Interpublic Group of
Cos. Inc.
Jeopardy!
JPMorgan Chase Foundation
William E. Phillips
Jonathan Sackler and Mary
Corson
Arthur Sulzberger Jr.
$15,000-$24,999
Bloomingdale’s
Con Edison
The Walt Disney Co.
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Alexander M. Goren and
Brooke W. Kroeger
Home Box Office
Richard and Christine
Leggett
Jonathan D. Miller
Robert and Marta Jo Miller
The New York Times Co.
Foundation Inc.
New York Yankee Stadium
Community Benefits
Fund Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Mark
Newhouse
Reinventing American
Schools
Mr. and Mrs. Julian H.
Robertson Jr.
Terri Santisi
Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett
Thomas Weisel Partners
$10,000-$14,999
The Barker Welfare
Foundation
John Catsimatidis
CB Richard Ellis Inc.
Edison Learning Inc.
Forest City Ratner Cos.
LaRue and Doreen Gibson
John R. Gordon
Fiona Hollands and Ethan
Berman
Kevin P. Maloney
Lisa V. Moran and Scott
Ainsbury
News Corp.
Philadelphia Stock Exchange
Steven Rattner and P.
Maureen White
Daryl and Steven Roth
Sony Corp. of America
The H.O. West Foundation
Geoffrey F. and Virginia M.
Worden
$5,000-$9,999
.406 Ventures
Joseph and Sophia Abeles
Foundation
Mark and Joan Abramowitz
Summer and Clyde
Anderson
Carole A. and Norman
Barham Family Foundation
Elizabeth M. Brown
CIMA Inc.
The Estee Lauder Cos.
Meyer S. Frucher
General Atlantic
John and Gillett Gilbert
Edwin Gould Foundation
Jane and Charles Greenman
S. Henrietta Jones and Paolo
Pelligrini
Kenneth Lerer and
Katherine Sailer
Gifford Miller
William J. Moran
The Port Authority of New
York & New Jersey
Kenneth and Ellen Roman
Stephen M. Sander
Edwin Schlossberg
Richard and Carolyn Stopol
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas
Thomas
Vanneck Bailey Foundation
$2,000-$4,999
Anonymous
Peter and Susan Bernard
Marjorie and Walter Buckley
Paulette Cole
The Durst Organization
Eastern Mountain Sports
Jonathan and Maria Harber
George and Mariana
Kaufman
Laura Shapiro Kramer
Jules and Lynn Kroll
Andrew and Meredith
Lipsher
Joel Perelmuth
Jane Rosenthal and Craig
Hatkoff
Ralph Schlosstein and Jane
Hartley
Marcie L. Setlow
William E. Simon Foundation
Sanna Randolph Thomas
Peter Thonis
Theodore R. Wagner
Carl Weisbrod
Lucille Werlinich
White House Fellows, Class
of 1993-94
Reggie Williams
Peter and Carolan Workman
$1,000-$1,999
Barbara Ann Abeles
Laurie Abramowitz and
Robert Doherty
Ariel Investments
Len Camber Grantor Trust
Michael A. Capasso
Linda and John Clarke
Kevin Debbs
John Densmore
Gary Duberstein
R. Bradford Evans
Ron and Frayda Feldman
Bernadette and Randy Fertel
David Fisch
Abraham Fuchsberg Family
Foundation Inc.
Lex N. Gamble
Hachette Filipacchi
Magazines
Benjamin and Rita Holloway
Mr. and Mrs. Jarrod Kahn
Robert M. Kaufman
Michael Kearns
Mr. and Mrs. Lee P.
Klingenstein
L & S Soll Fund
Charles J. Maikish
Shammy Mishaan and
Jennifer Colyer
Dr. Robyn A. Newhouse
River Terminal
Development Co.
Linda K. and David L. Roscoe
Richard and Nancy Rubens
Howard J. Rubenstein
Ronald and Marcia Rubin
Anthony M. Saytanides
Adam Shapiro and Terryl A.
Decker
Silverleaf Foundation
Larry and Carol Stopol
Philip and Connie Stopol
Brooks and Kiono Thomas
Robert L. Tofel
Bob and Peggy Turner
The Stanley Family Fund of
the Community Foundation
of New Jersey
Turning Star Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Ron Walter
Denise and Bill Welsh
Yoswein New York Inc.
$500-$999
Lilyan H. Affinito
Dwayne M. Andrews
Glenn August
Sheila Baird
Tom and Tosh Barron
Ethan Berman
Cathleen Black
Mitchell and Annemarie
Bredefeld
Jeff Brown and Catherine
Hagney Brown
Rosanne Cash
Carolyn Chin
Jacqueline H. Dryfoos
Thomas Martin Events
Carole Ference
Lawrence P. Fraiberg
Friedman LLP
Alan E. Garcia
Morton Goldfein
Brian Harris
Marian S. Heiskell
Alfred Kingsley
Marc Kirkeby and Mindy
Tarlow
David Kuperberg
Christine LaSala and Ellen
Lipschitz
Kirsten Meadow
The Miller Family
Endowment
Hee-Jung and John Moon
Heather Moosnick
Leslie Moran
New York Community Trust
Nancy Nielsen
Annette Pell
Richard Plepler
Dr. Leonard Polonsky and Dr.
Georgette Bennett
Kathy P. Robbins
Irwin Russell
Barbara Saltzman
Carolyn Setlow and Andrew
Shapiro
Kate and Tom Shattan
Irene and Howard Stein
Henry K. Snyder
Deborah and Gustavo
Szulansky
Arielle Tepper
Frank Thompson
Mr. and Mrs. James Treacy
Seran and Ravi Trehan
Jeanne T. Varrone
Dr. and Mrs. Filippo Vita
Alberto and Gioietta Vitale
Robin Wachenfeld
Mark Wasserberger
Katherine Worden
$100-$499
Bill and Judy Abelow
Jane and Eran Ashany
Harold Augenbraum
Cindy and Paul Augustine
Gil and Bonnie Bach
Michelle Barnes
Neil Baron
David Bassett
Ellen Beldy
Thatcher Bell
Lisa Berg
Lois Bianchi
William Birnbaum
David Black
David Braun
Jane Bushey
Scot Campbell
Dr. Michael A. Carrera
Jim Carroll
Christopher Cerf
Lori and Sean Chaitman
Julia Cheiffetz
Connie Chen and Andrew
A. Pieper
Kathleen M. Chrisman
Mary C. Churchill
Robert Cohen and Jill
Goldhand
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cole
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Collier
Jane M. Conlon-Muller
Carol Connelly
Andy Cook and Juli Horn
Daniel Curtis
Benjamin Dattner
Fred Davis
Avin Domnitz
Robert N. and Nancy A.
Downey
Jane Dystel
Stanley Fertig
Alana Fishberg
Sandra Fisher
Frendel, Brown & Weissman
LLP
Michael Fricklas
Don Friedman
Jane Friedman
Carol L. Futterman
Ellen Galinsky
Alisa Galperin
Johnson Garrett
Jane Gelfman
Stephen D. Goddard
Mark Golovcsenko
Elizabeth Gordon
Stanton Green
Richard G. Grisaru
Benjamin Hanani
Mr. and Mrs. Yehuda Hanani
Donna Harkavy and Jonathan
Price
Thrae Harris
Frances B. Hatch
Eric Hippeau
Courtney Holt
Mr. and Mrs. Terry A.
Hummel
Dianne Hurley
Bill Isler
Bruce Johnston
Robert Johnston
Margaret Elaine Jones
Jennifer Josephy
Brenda Karickhoff
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Keeney
Sarah Kernochan
Christopher Kerr
Brett and Aleida Kimmel
Ellen Kimmel
Jennifer Knapp
Ahovi G. Kponou
Lois and Max Kraus
John F. Lambros
Lisa Landstein
Ilene H. Lang and H. Neil
Berkson
Stephanie Lang
Kathy LaPier
Mr. and Mrs. Lear Levin
Charles and Mimi Lieber
Kate Liebhold
Elizabeth S. Lonsdale
Daniel Louis and Helen
Grimard
Harvey P. Mallement
Adrian Mangan
Carol Mann
Alice Martell
Deirdre McDonald
Barbara McGhie
Ryan McKeon
Seth Meisel
Patricia Merritt
Beth Miller and Thomas
Hallock
Suzanne Miller
Todd Miller
Douglas Minor
Amy Moran-Moberg
Betsy Morgan
Howard Morgan
Joan Morse
Maria Nebres
Lora Nelson
Kevin Nicholson
Joe M. Norton Jr.
On-Ramps
Siv Paumgarten
Julius and Ursula Pearson
Christiane A. Pendarvis
Alice and Fred Perkins
Jeremy Perler
Julia Pershan
Michael Petsky
Jeffrey A. Potash
John E. Prunier
Alice Radosh
Katy and Rod Rahe
John and Alex Read
Michael A. Rebell
Lisa Revere
Jessica and Andrew Rich
Alan Rinzler
Margaret Riordan
Gerard Robinson
Elizabeth and Robert
Rodgers
Edward Rogoff
Jerry and Dorothy
Rosenberg
Bernard Ruderman and
Marlen Golia
Louisa Ruffine and Benjamin
Widiss
Paul Ryneski
David Saperstein
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Sarig
Donna Satow
Deborah Schneider
Pat Schroeder
Anthony Schulte
Marian Lapsley Schwarz
Rebecca Schweiger
Suzanne K. Schwerin
James F. Shanley
Lorraine Shanley
Neal Shapiro
Robert Shepardson
Lawrence Shire
Anne Sibbald
Marc A. Siegel and Abby L.
Spetalnick
Mark Siegel
Jonathan Silverblatt
Christian Stahl
Richard and Pam Stebbins
Debbie Stier
Jeanne and Gavin Sturges
Dr. Judith P. Sulzberger M.D.
David Sussman
John and Linda Booth
Sweeney
Brenda and Peter Swords
Suzanne C. Tillman
Keith Titan
Elizabeth M. Toll
Richard Traum Ph.D.
Tara Treiberg
Glenn Tyranski
Alexandra Buckley Vovis
Stephen and Sheila Wald
Helen S. Ward
Sheila and William Walker
Ann and Ed Wayne
Andrew Webber
Mark Weiss
Gretchen Werwaiss
Brenda and Jason Wilensky
Harry S. Williams
Jill and Richard Furman
Willis
Seth and Jody Wilson
Fred Wistow
Xinhua Yu
Arturo Zampaglione
Edward M. Zimmerman
Under $100
Anonymous
Quemuel Arroyo
Emily Axford
Caroline Bailey
Brett Bedrin
Jose Beltre
Doug Bernheim
Sonay Bhatti
Brian Bishop
David Blackman
Beth Blumenthal and Ron
Corwin
Michele Bove
Mr. and Mrs. Martin
Buchalter
Christine Buurma
Consuelo Campuzano
Cynthia Cannell
Katherine Carter
Nani Cha
CIBC World Markets
Brenda Copeland
Nicole F. Cosby
Amanda Dempsey
David DeVries
Ditmas Park Association
Duben Duckworth
Jennifer Dunn
Amy and Peter Eisen
Robert Feldstein
Irina Firsanova
Nick Foden
Jorina Fontelera
Richard Forman
Frederick Foy
Jeanne Fu
Liccy Fuentes
Ruth Gallego
Michael Gansl
Nelsa Gidney
Marion M. Gilbert
Craig M. Glantz
Sean Gray
Dorothy Gribbin
Gloria Guillo
Mrs. Alice Guzik
Larry and Gwen Hamberg
7
Jaswinder Hayre
Joga Hayre
Joel Hirschtritt
Carol Hoffman
Dr. and Mrs. Herbert B.
Holtzman
William Huang
I Do Foundation
Felicia Isabella
Chris Iversen
Mark Jacobson
Lloyd J. Jassin Esq.
Jason John
Joe Josephs
Andrea Katz
Michael Katz
David Kider
Kristina Kloberdanz
Catherine Langer
Lori Lee
David Levin
James Levine
Jacob Levy
Carolyn Lewis
Yunhui Lo
Maurice Loebl
Wendy Louie
Al Macchioni and Laura
Cardello
Gioia Macey
Shelley Mazor and Bernard
Schneider
Karen Miller
Sherrinicole Miller
Marcia Moosnick
Arindam Mukherjee
Carlos Munoz
Heather Myers
Hing Ngai
Molly O’Connor
Kerry J. O’Hearen
James Olam
Maren Olson
Ivan Perevozov
Barbara Peters
Ruth Pikitch
Samuel J. Politziner
Aron J. Ponticelli
Robert Quinn
Christine Ragasa
Matthew Ray
Sharon Richter
Daniel A. Riegel
Michael Rossetti
Dan Saferstein
Vicki Santello
Erin Shea
Howard Sherman
Don Silver
Mindy Stern
Sara Sternberg
Deb Stevens
Christopher A. Taylor
Joe Tessitore
Sam Toto
Andrew Turchin
Gayle Tzemach
Janet Tzou
Serge Vecher
Elaine and Marvin Vipler
Mr. and Mrs. Steve L. Walker
Hope Weiner
Vera and Myles Weintraub
Dela Yador
Debra L. Zvanut
Gifts In Kind
Board Of
Directors
CHAIRMAN
Robert S. Miller
VICE CHAIRS
Terri M. Santisi
Peter W. Thonis
Carl Weisbrod
—————————
Mark Abramowitz
Dwayne M. Andrews
Mark Biedron
David Dase
Preston A. Davis
Meyer S. Frucher
LaRue R. Gibson Jr.
Alexander M. Goren
Jane Greenman
Jonathan Harber
Fiona Hollands
Richard Leggett
Andrew B. Lipsher
Charles J. Maikish
Gifford Miller
Lisa Moran
Mark Newhouse
Joel Perelmuth
Richard Plepler
Brad Raymond
Marcie Setlow
Arthur O. Sulzberger Jr.
S. Reginald Williams
Geoffrey F. Worden
2009 Compass
Rose Awards
A
t our holiday party, President Richard Stopol bestowed this annual
staff award on Badari Ambatti, manager of customized programs,
and Jeff Grinnell, an instructor and manager of our climbing programs.
Badari and Jeff have given 10 and five years of service, respectively, to NYC
Outward Bound. The Compass Rose Award goes to individuals selected by their
peers as best embodying our mission and exemplifying the core values. “With
bottomless generosity and compassion, they have stood for our values—high
achievement for all, community and character,” Richard said of the recipients.
Teaching Laurels
M
egan McMahon, an English teacher at WHEELS,
received the 2009 R. Gaynor McCown Award
for Excellence in Teaching. Three of Megan’s
students presented the award at our June 2009 dinner, noting
the challenges she presents to students and the help she of-
Advisory
Council
Lisa Berg
Truda C. Jewett
Laura Shapiro Kramer
William E. Phillips
Jane Rosenthal
Richard Traum
Robin Wachenfeld
PRESIDENT
Richard Stopol
fers in meeting them. “She created a classroom where kids
feel safe to share, even when they are wrong,” said one of the
presenters, Randy Lopez. “She helped me find my voice in class.” The award was
established in 2006 to honor the memory of R. Gaynor McCown, a longtime board
member, teacher and champion of the teaching profession.
Recommended Reading
M
eg Riordan, regional director for Expeditionary
Learning Instruction and an NYC Outward Bound
school designer, is a co-author of Going to Scale
with New School Designs: Reinventing High School, pub-
lished in 2009 by Teachers College Press. The book examines a
Michael Crehore
key issue in national education reform—how to replicate qual-
Corporate
Matching Gifts
ity on the scale that true school reform demands. It’s a process Meg knows
AIG
AllianceBernstein
Apax Partners
Bank of America Foundation
The Capital Group Cos.
Charitable Foundation
Deutsche Bank
FX Concepts
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Google
United Services Automobile
Association
The New York Stock Exchange
The New York Times Co.
Foundation, Inc.
Risk Metrics Group
Verizon Communications
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extremely well, as a key player in our work to establish a great network of
Expeditionary Learning Schools.
With Joseph McDonald, professor of teaching and learning at NYU, and Emily
J. Klein, assistant professor, Department of Curriculum and Teaching, Montclair
State University, Meg and her co-authors researched The Big Picture Co. for
three years as it replicated its school model from Providence, RI, in other parts
of the country. “We reflected back to them what we saw as the challenges of
growing—‘scaling up’—their school design, and the strategies we observed
them using to overcome those challenges,” Meg said of the process. The book
also includes commentary from Greg Farrell, founder of Expeditionary Learning
Schools Outward Bound.
tory of civil rights, racism, immigration and cultural assimilation
Expeditions. A cornerstone of the Expeditionary
in America, making a service trip to a soup kitchen and exploring
Learning model, they are the major vehicle for
Ellis Island. “Incredible investments from our teachers combined
School Briefs
A number of our School Briefs refer to Learning
delivering curriculum in our schools network.
The 6-10 week units engage students through
compelling historical, scientific or literary topics
that align with State and City standards; integrate
our students,” said David Ward, BELHS instructional guide.
James Baldwin Insights
Robert Reyes, English teacher at the James Baldwin School,
the teaching of content, concepts and skills
led 21 students in grades 9-12 in a Learning Expedition last fall
across content areas; and draw on fieldwork and
entitled “Baldwin: Art and Soul,” following the school’s practice
professional experts throughout the City.
of exploring works of its namesake. Robert was joined by an
BELHS Seminar Week
accomplished working artist, Renaldo Davidson, who helped
illuminate Baldwin’s writings—If Beale Street Could Talk, Go
The pre-
Thanksgiving Seminar Week at Bronx Expeditionary Learning
High School (BELHS), which focused on Global History initia-
tives and U.S. History topics, was a great success. Freshmen
explored stories of individuals who have had profound impact on
the world, including peacemakers Oscar Romero, late archbishop of El Salvador, and the Dalai Lama. Social Studies students
created Facebook pages for their change agents and discussed
questions such as “What Facebook groups would Gandhi join?”
Sophomores honed in on human evolution and its historic impact,
8
to make the week informative, educational and meaningful for
the Crusades and religion’s influence on the formation of nations,
South Africa and apartheid, and the role of trade and commerce
in shaping regions of the world. Fieldwork took place at the
Museum of Natural History’s Silk Road exhibit and the Cloisters
site of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Juniors tackled the hisTeacher Marie Leblanc coaches a James Baldwin School student in
preparation for her Performance Based Assessment Task (PBAT)—
an alternative assessment to the State Regents Examinations.
Tell It on the Mountain and various essays—and the students’
explorations of them, and of themselves. The essential questions considered who James Baldwin was, as a person and
artist, and the person and artist within each student.
Renaldo, who teaches in a City middle school, learned of the
James Baldwin School and, as a fan of the author, called with an
offer to be involved. Coincidentally, Robert had seen his installations in uptown venues and tried to find out more about him
before the artist phoned. “It was very fortunate, a funny coincidence,” Robert said.
An artist working in pastel, photography and mixed-media collage, Renaldo teaches artistic techniques to the students, who
use them to illustrate their interpretations of Baldwin passages
and their own writings. Examining Baldwin’s thematic concerns
in “Fifth Avenue Uptown,” about Harlem in the 1960s, students
relate them to their own neighborhoods. They’ve also studied
Romare Bearden and his collage techniques. “The art component engages a lot more learning styles than typical classroom
work does,” Robert observed. As their final product, students attempted through writing and art to
convey Baldwin’s soul, inspired by the semester’s
readings, and their personal connections to it. Final
student work is on display through February at the
Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building art gallery, West 125th Street and Seventh Avenue.
Kurt Hahn’s Film Focus
The Kurt Hahn School for Expeditionary Learning
has been prominent in our network in using digital
and new media in its classrooms. In collaboration
with the Urban Arts Partnership (UAP), four students
from Kurt Hahn joined other young New Yorkers to
work on an ambitious summer project with UAP’s
digital media lab. Sotonye Douglas, Craig Wallace,
Dequane Jeffreys and Omar Cyrille worked with
several City students to write, film, edit and produce
a short documentary on the word “ghetto.”
continued on page 9
9
As part of a Learning Expedition, Marsh Avenue Expeditionary Learning School 6th graders apply the concepts of simple machines—force,
motion, energy and friction—in their design of a roller coaster.
continued from page 8
Using a survey provided by Amnesty International, students
“The students screened it for a documentary filmmaking class
interviewed local diamond dealers about their inventories and
at NYU’s graduate center last fall, and got a tremendous re-
got a range of responses. Some jewelers refused to answer
sponse,” said Principal Matt Brown. “I was so impressed by
students’ questions, while others provided important informa-
their work and how creatively they had advanced our school’s
tion. A profound learning experience came from those who
civic mission by bringing a little-known but important is-
denied the conflict’s existence and professed ignorance of
sue—how the word ‘ghetto’ is used—to light.” The film, which
related environmental, social and political issues. Students
debuted February 9 at the school, has been accepted by the New
also consulted with an expert in blood diamonds at Global
York Independent Film Festival and submitted for consideration
Witness, using Skype to connect remotely to his London of-
to the Tribeca Film Festival. As a thought-provoking piece that
fice. The Expedition’s final products, student research papers,
inspires viewers to make a difference, the film’s topic is in keeping
were mailed to the largest, most infamous companies that keep
with the Kurt Hahn School’s civic leadership mission. The school
blood diamonds in their inventories.
continues to partner with UAP in its afterschool program.
Marsh on a Roll
Leaders Weighs Diamonds
Fresh from a three-
month Learning Expedition on simple and complex machines
English teacher Tanya Thurman’s 10th grade students at the
focused on roller coasters, Marsh Avenue Expeditionary Learning
Expeditionary Learning School for Community Leaders un-
School 6th graders hosted an exhibition of their final projects in
dertook research last fall on the controversial issue of “blood
December. The work was exhibited in the school’s hallways and
diamonds”—gems that are products of human exploitation
cafeteria, which became the “Marsh Avenue Amusement Park”
and conflict, mined primarily in Africa. Students in the Learning
complete with cotton candy and popcorn. It included student-
Expedition examined various documents and research on blood
designed and -built roller coasters and water flumes that dem-
diamonds, and did fieldwork that took them to Manhattan’s re-
onstrated scientific principles the students had studied, such as
nowned diamond district.
kinetic and potential energy and friction. The presentation also
featured examples of student writing from Expedition work in
continued on page 10
School Briefs
continued from page 9
English and Social Studies classes, and included a video of a student Socratic seminar. Two 6th grade boys proudly shared that
“most kids don’t get to participate in Socratic seminars until high
school or maybe even college.”
Fully 90 percent of parents attended the Marsh exhibition, according to Maureen Hussey, assistant principal and instructional
guide. “It was fun presenting and showing everyone how we built
Validus the Great!
In its July
2009 issue, Reader’s Digest touted Validus Preparatory
Academy as one of “10 Reasons to Love Our Country.”
“Discover our country’s strength, spirit and goodness
through these amazing individuals,” the magazine proposed. The article named Validus “The Best Twist on
Outward Bound.”
our roller coaster,” said 6th grader Jason Fallon. “It was cool to
be the teacher for the day and explain what we learned over the
last three months.” A popular evening at a popular school: Marsh
received 1,200 applications for its 140 6th grade seats this year.
McCown Goes to Town
The Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School is finding
much to study just beyond its front doors. Ninth graders enjoyed
an interdisciplinary Learning Expedition last fall called “Staten
Island: Trash to Treasure Island,” led by Devin Sprague, Living
Environment teacher, and Alex Orloff and Christina DiMartino,
English Language Arts teachers. Students examined the controversy surrounding Fresh Kills Park, discussing it with a Park
expert who came to McCown, and presented final products on
Staten Island Food Webs.
10
Left to right, Juliris De La Rosa, student; Principal Brady
Smith; Andrea Hines, social worker; students Ahmed Hunt
and Thaddius Mcfarlan, as featured in Readers Digest.
Meanwhile, U.S. History teachers Joe Rodriguez and Jessica
Agbonifo designed an Expedition focused on Staten Island during the Revolutionary War. After a workshop on building background knowledge, students built an interactive word wall and
WHEELS at Work
WHEELS’
College Pathway Internship Program gets going in
did fieldwork at historic Richmond Town, compiling fieldwork
February, when 10th graders will begin spending a day
journals. As a final product, they weighed whether slaves on
each week at a private-sector worksite. Entry-level
Staten Island were justified in joining the Loyalists, which includ-
internships allow students to hone skills that can lead
ed 99 percent of Islanders.
to college and vocational success. Internship hosts
are asked to make tax-deductible donations, in lieu of
“salaries,” to the WHEELS
Scholarship Fund to assist their
interns with college costs. If you
know of a company that might
participate, contact Michelle
Shor, internship coordinator, at
[email protected] or
212-781-0524.
Gaynor McCown
Expeditionary
Learning School
teacher Anne Marie
Dellegrazie (far
left) with her crew,
students she has
been advising daily
since they started in
the 9th grade.
NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein presents our
Educational Leadership Award to U.S. Secretary of
Education Arne Duncan at the 2009 benefit dinner.
Student ambassador Brendis Gonzales (second from left) wrote of
her schoolmates: “We seek to be role models and leaders, not just
for fellow students but for others in our community. Our teachers,
parents and family members encourage us to follow the ‘WHEELS
Ways to Be.’ Those are essential behaviors that we, as young
adults, need to master in order to mature: Be prompt, prepared,
responsible, respectful, open-minded and present. The rules get
simpler as we get older because we practice them so much. We
expect to succeed by trying our best.”
11 Davis Joins Board
P
reston A. Davis,
president, Broadcast
Operations and
Engineering at the ABC Television
Network, is our newest board
member. Serving in this position
since 1993, Preston has won
multiple Emmy awards and
accolades from his industry, public service organizations and
the media. Currently he is guiding his network’s transition to
digital media, and overseeing its leadership in championing
the high-definition format. A Vietnam War veteran, Preston
is on the board of the Foundation of Minority Interests in
Media, and is an advisor to Junior Achievement of New
York and the Harlem YMCA. He and his wife Michelle live
in New Jersey with their two children.
“
Let me thank Outward Bound
for the incredible work you are
doing in our schools… building
these partnerships and bringing
capacity and talent into the
school system is simply essential
to the transformation... The
more NYC Outward Bound
wants to do, the more grateful
the children of New York will
be….it is an organization doing
great things for the children of
New York.”
—NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein
“
What NYC Outward Bound
is demonstrating is that
regardless of where students
come from, regardless of their
socioeconomic status, regardless
of their background… Children
from poor families who go to
great schools graduate from
high school, they graduate from
college, they go on to great jobs.
… what you are doing is defying
the lie, defying the myth,
defying the stereotypes about
what children can and cannot
do.” —Arne Duncan,
U.S. Secretary of Education
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Help Us Grow!
Yes! I want to support NYC Outward Bound’s efforts to bring
high-quality education to NYC public school students.
Customized Programs
As a Department of Education vendor, NYC Outward Bound offers
customized leadership, character, teambuilding and academic
enrichment programs to NYC public schools, private schools,
universities and other youth-serving organizations. Our pro-
■ $2,500
Support a student’s participation in a 2-3 week
Outward Bound wilderness course
■ $1,000
Support a year of Expeditionary Learning professional
development for a teacher
from our 5-story climbing wall in Queens to the Hudson Valley and
■ $500
Support a student’s participation in a week-long
Outward Bound school orientation
or adults. Among our clients, 93% indicate that they would hire
■ $250
Provide a day of rock climbing for a crew of 10 students
■ $100
Support a student’s participation in a learning expedition
grams take place in urban, retreat and wilderness settings, ranging
the Catskills. They vary in length and can be targeted to youth and/
us again, and many have worked with us for over five years.
One of our unique offerings—the Urban Expedition—uses the
streets and neighborhoods of New York City to introduce students
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to new experiences such as spoken word poetry, food from a variety of cultures, service, movement workshops such as Tae Kwan
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aligned with the school curriculum for an experiential approach
clude a community service component and adventure activities.
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Participants improve their student-teacher relationships, skills in
trust-building and conflict resolution, appreciation of diversity and
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physical fitness. Costs vary by activity, group size and duration.
For more information, contact Badari Ambatti, manager,
customized programs: [email protected].
Editor: Pamela Bayless
Design: Van Gennep Design
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