Monday Links
Murray Handwerker, 89, Dies; Made Nathan’s More Famous [NY Times] Demolished Coney Arcade to Rise Again [BK Paper] Blaze in Illegal Bushwick Hotel Kills 2 [NY Daily News] ‘Brooklyn’ 34th-Most-Popular Girls’ Name [NY Post] Debate Over P.S. 9 Co-Location Plan [PH Patch] Hotels Check Into Boroughs [Crain’s] 44 Berry Sells for $27M [TRD]
Murray Handwerker, 89, Dies; Made Nathan’s More Famous [NY Times]
Demolished Coney Arcade to Rise Again [BK Paper]
Blaze in Illegal Bushwick Hotel Kills 2 [NY Daily News]
‘Brooklyn’ 34th-Most-Popular Girls’ Name [NY Post]
Debate Over P.S. 9 Co-Location Plan [PH Patch]
Hotels Check Into Boroughs [Crain’s]
44 Berry Sells for $27M [TRD]
Heather,
It is a lot of things. Don’t get me wrong, there are some great teachers there and some are meh. It just was not a good situation for my child. I think the expiration of the Gates money has also had an impact.
I went to the hearings on the expansion and at first Tish James and Marty Markowitz were strong advocates for delaying the expansion but then something changed between then and the PEP meeting. It seems that this was pushed through while PS 20 was in a vulneralble time since they still have an interim acting (yet excellent) principal. What parents fail to realize is that creating “choice” and “options”doesn’t mean your kid get to go. It is a crapshoot dependent upon whether the principal or the lottery machine chooses your child.
It will be interesting to see the demographics of the incoming Kindergarten class as it is supposed to mirror the demographics of PS 20.
It’s always nice to see benson take the high road. Someone- let me know he does.
imagine being named after bensonhurst.
Gowanusdog, I know. And that is the tragedy. I don’t think there are winning sides in either case. I just wish more people would think about what they are or are nor really supporting.
And now I also admit, am curious– what do you not like about a&l middle school?
Just so we’re clear, before the name becomes too trendy, this is the original Bushwick:
http://celebritymugshots.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Bushwick-Bill.jpg
Dittoburg;
I hear that the new hot trend among Hollywood types is to adopt a kid from Africa and name him or her “Bushwick”.
Heather,
My child will be graduating from Arts & Letters in June and neither of us can wait as it has been much less than a positive experience. I opposed the expansion for a variety of reasons but more importantly, the PS 20 parents opposed it. It seems that PS20 is starting to really grow.
Naming your kid Brooklyn does have cachet, its better than calling your twin boys Queens, but if you want to scream classy you should be spelling it Breukelyn.
So, to summarize:
PS 20’s Arts & Letters expansion = wonderful new choice for neighborhood families.
PS 9’s charter school expansion = unasked for and unwanted intruder into successful neighborhood school.
I really do understand both sides here, I just wish that the same people who supported one were consistent. Either you work towards your local schools or you celebrate the wealth of school choices.