In Our Schools Today

Chancellor Klein and Mayor Bloomberg kick-off the 2009-2010 school year


Chancellor Joel Klein welcomes a PS 111 student in Queens back to school.

Chancellor Joel Klein and Mayor Mike Bloomberg celebrated the start of the 2009-2010 school year by greeting the students and parents of PS 111 in Queens as they arrived this morning.

They joked with kids and encouraged them to work hard. Mayor Bloomberg asked a few children to guess his age and talked about what it was like when he went to elementary school.

The Chancellor and Mayor were joined by principal Randy Seabrook, Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott, Council of School Supervisors and Adminsitrators President Ernest Logan, United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew, Council Member Eric Gioia, and Assembly Member Cathy Nolan.

Principal Seabrook was praised for turning around PS 111. In 2009, 64% of 4th graders are proficient in ELA, up from 16% in 2005. 63% are proficient in math, up from 32% in 2005. According to the 2008-09 Learning Environment Survey, both parents and teachers are more satisfied than ever.

The Chancellor then headed to MS 144 in the Bronx, PS 142 in Manhattan, and JHS 220 in Brooklyn. He will finish the day with a visit to Staten Island Technical High School.

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