BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — A Brooklyn principal is trying to raise school spirit, not just for students but for fellow educational leaders and teachers.
Lena Gates, principal for Bedford-Stuyvesant’s P.S. 5, is hosting an “educator pep rally” in September to jumpstart the year while drawing attention to poor performances in the neighborhood’s schools.
Elected officials, parents and community members have long called attention to the “sorry state” of education in District 16, which covers the majority of Bed-Stuy.
Critics have cited the area’s lack of resources, the absence of gifted-and-talented programs and a significant number of students in temporary housing or shelters.
“We want to have this event to bring principals back into an environment where we can sit down and come up with solutions to change things step by step,” Gates said.
“When things seem like they’re not doing well, people begin to feel like the hope is minimal. This is to bring it back and let people know our community can work with us and people are supporting us.”
Seventeen percent of the district’s third through eighth graders met proficiency standards on this year’s state English Language Arts exam, according to data from the Department of Education.
That’s compared to 30 percent of students citywide.
In math, 16 percent of students met proficiency standards, compared to the city’s 35 percent.
While the number of students passing in the district has increased from last year, more work has to be done to provide a “well-rounded” education for kids, Gates said.
The principal attributes the prevalence of charter schools in the neighborhood to low enrollment in traditional public schools, saying some middle schools in Bed-Stuy serve less than 100 children.
Gates also pointed out the DOE’s former “network” structure system, which she said may have caused a divide and hindered collaboration between local schools.
Under the network, support teams were created to meet school and community needs. Principals could partner with one of 55 networks to share instructional resources, receive training and help schools across boroughs collaborate.
“While some of the Networks were successful, many were not and it was difficult for schools to know which ones worked and which didn’t,” DOE spokesman Harry Hartfield said in a statement.
“The result was a patchwork support structure where many schools did not get the help they needed.”
The system allowed principals and administrative members to choose networks that would best meet their needs, but different teams provided varying levels of resources, leading to a disconnect.
Schools could also be in networks based out of other boroughs, which made face-time difficult and left little room for collaboration between neighboring schools, Gates said.
“We were separated and sort of an island, functioning as a school within our own schools,” Gates added. “We lost touch with each other and didn’t have an opportunity to talk.”
Now the DOE has switched over to a streamlined approach as well as Borough Field Support Centers, according to a DOE spokesman. Superintendents can also work directly with their schools and hold them accountable for performance.
The new system will be geographically located and bring resources closer to schools and families, he added.
The regional approach better serves schools in District 16 and the change is starting to bring principals together, Gates said.
Still, she adds, community support is crucial and the Sept. 1 pep rally aims to fuel the conversation on what can be done to address students’ struggles.
Administrators will encourage residents to volunteer at local schools, whether it’s reading with students or spending time after class, Gates said.
She hopes the event will address issues such as homelessness among students and possible resources available to better provide for the population.
“We want our teachers to feel like we support them as well, and we need to talk about how we can save this district.”
Gates has already collaborated with a local church to encourage community partnership, and earlier this year, the group sponsored an Education Day to highlight students’ works.
Elementary and middle school principals, elected officials, and education administrators are invited to the private September event, which will be held at Canticles Lounge on Lewis Avenue.
Editor's Note: The September gathering is a church initiative spearheaded by Antioch Baptist Church, and the event is meant to serve as a back-to-school reception for district principals.
