elementary public school principal

Posted on: 2008-03-06

Judith Menken 91 Payson Ave. #2H New York, NY 10034 (212) 567-7744 (917) 208-3437 [email protected] OBJECTIVE: mature, experienced educator looking to use curriculum and leadership skills in a progressive, child-centered learning environment EDUCATION: Leadership Academy NYC Dept of Education Summer 2004- June 2005 Masters of Science in Educational Leadership Bank St. College of Education granted May 1998 Post-graduate work Computers in Ed. Masters program Bank St. College of Education Spring 1992- June 1996 30 post- graduate credits City College of New York completed May 1975 Masters of Science in Early Childhood Ed. City College of New York granted June 1973 Bachelor’s of Science in Early Childhood Ed. City College of New York granted June 1971 LICENSES/CERTIFICATION: New York State Supervision and Administration August 1998 NYC Board of Education Early Childhood teacher File # 444484 granted Sept. 1971 NYS Permanent Certification Nursery-grade 6 teacher granted Sept. 1971 Elementary Science Teacher National Science Teachers Association granted June 1991 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Muscota New School/ PS 314 CSD6, Empowerment Schools Initiative Principal July 2004- present Teacher-Director Sept. 1998- June 2004 The Muscota New School is a parent-founded small progressive school of choice in District 6 serving a diverse population of families from Northern Manhattan. The founding director served for the first 4 years of the school; the school ran as a teacher cooperative for the 5th year; I was hired as head-of-school in 1998, expanding the school from 9 to 12 classes and led the ever stabilizing program through several Dept. of Education reorganizations, from program to Academy and, finally, to full school status in 2004. During that time I was responsible for a wide range of duties, encompassing seven strands of work, much of it done in collaboration with staff, parents or both. While there was no piece of every child’s school day that did not come under my scope, duties included the following: Administrative work: establishing and maintaining routines and schedules, budgeting, overseeing payroll, ordering and keeping inventory of books and materials, coordinating and hiring substitute teachers, overseeing admission processes for new families, coordinating bussing and class trip procedures, supervising office staff, coordinating with UFT and DC37 on contractual and organizational expectations and requirements, working with principal of second school in building, autonomous on-site after-school program, custodian and all building personnel to share space resources and responsibilities for safety and order Student/Instructional work: assisting in developing emergent curriculum models, providing demonstration lessons across grades and subjects following child-centered practices, being available to students’ concerns, overseeing disciplinary situations, establishing safe and nurturing environment, working with guidance and school-based support personnel to provide appropriate learning environment for special needs students, preparing student reconfiguration and class organization plans from year to year to accommodate changing student needs, demographics and teacher expertise, establishing and supervising arts and tutorial after-school programs, developing working relationships with area middle schools Staff work: organizing and conducting weekly staff meetings, supporting and supervising teachers and other personnel, arranging for and/or conducting staff development sessions, arranging for and monitoring the work of student teachers, hiring and mentoring new staff, performing staff observations, model progressive teaching techniques as “principal teacher” Accountability work: setting standards for and coordinating student assessment processes, coordinating family/school conferences on student progress, working to set learning goals and curricular standards, guiding narrative reporting documentation system, expanding archive system for long-term recording of authentic learning evidence, School-as-community work: compiling and distributing weekly calendar, establishing and communicating a school ethic and community identity, becoming familiar with all students and their circumstances, representing school’s mission to community organizations and progressive educational organizations that school is a member of, establishing open communication with community leaders, organizing all-school outings and events, speaking as educational advocate for Muscota’s philosophy of teaching and learning to DOE and other political agencies Parent work: coordinating outreach to perspective families, school tours, orientation, developing models for parent curriculum workshops, recruiting and involving parent volunteers, scheduling time to hear and respond to parents’ issues, supporting and guiding the work of the Muscota Parents Association, working with parents to support articulation process to middle school and IEP services or special education placements as needed Public Education work: coordinating and supervising state and federal testing mandates, participation in Empowerment Network meetings, meeting fiduciary and accountability deadlines and requirements, complying with city, state and federal guidelines for meal documentation, ESL and special education services, coordinating with city agencies on transportation, food services, student registration, child protection services, health issues, overseeing secure documentation of student and financial files and records During this period: • annual participant in fall conference Prospect Archives and Center for Education and Research • annual participant Elementary Teachers Network (ETN), Lehman College • Board Member, Center for Collaborative Education (CCE) • Member Progressive Educators Network of New York (PENNY) Midtown West, small progressive public elementary school founded in collaboration with CSD2 and Bank St. College of Education Classroom teacher, 2/3 grade Joined MTW in the school’s 3rd year and served as lead teacher in developing emergent, child-centered, thematic curriculum design, authentic assessments and accountability, hiring, collaborative governance between staff and parents, and mentoring of new teachers and student teachers 1991-1998 Program Director, Midtown West Extended Day Program Planning, scheduling, hiring, registration and supervision for Parent-run afterschool program serving 100+ students 1997-1998 Creator and Director Midtown West Clubs Program weekly whole-school electives program serving 280 K-5 students and all school personnel 1994-1998 During this period: • recipient UFT/NYCTCC Mini-Grant, “Portrait of the Learner,” to prepare electronic portfolio for student assessment • recipient of the Bank Street College of Education Early Childhood Award • recipient Noble Foundation Teacher Scholarship (Bank St. College): participant in Earthwatch Field Expedition • school representative Institute for Responsive Education Conference, Boston East Harlem Block School CSD 4 Teacher: Primary Unit (grades K-2) 1981-1991 This very small school was the first “alternative school” to be adopted by Superintendent Anthony Alvarado circa 1970 from the larger community based East Harlem Block Schools when federal funding was cut. My 10 years at Block School accompanied an explosion of small, teacher-initiated “schools” in District 4. I had the benefit of helping to “grow a school” under the tutelage of the best staff developers working in progressive education in the city at that time. It was a joy to be immersed in the heyday of developmentally based mixed grades, constructivist math instruction, inquiry based science curriculum, and balanced literacy. My own children attended Central Park East II during this time, providing a further model of progressive, value driven, schooling along with an extended collegial network. During this period: • featured as cover story for Teaching K-8 magazine, “Class Act in East Harlem” • teacher consultant for “Math Tech,” a collaborative project between Playing to Win, a community computer center and CSD 4; developing math and computer curricula • Teacher as Researcher, Writing Project, Teachers College • Recipient Impact II Grant on implementation of computer programs in early childhood classrooms Published Work: • “Sanity and the Single Computer” (parts 1 and 2), The Logo Exchange, published by ISTE, University of Oregon, Winter 1991, Spring 1992 • “Lego, the Curriculum and Children,” The Logo Exchange, February 1991 • “On Behalf of the Working Parent,” Teacher/Parent Partnership Handbook, Impact II, NYC Board of Education, Fall 1989 Additional Professional Experience: • YM & YWHA of Washington Hgts. & Inwood Nursery School Head Teacher: 3 and 4 year olds • PS 173 CSD 6 classroom teacher grade 1, grade 3 References available upon request