I'll save you clicking the link.
Anna Breen - Principal, KAL Middle School
Ms. Breen grew up in Connecticut and graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in Environmental Science. She began her teaching career in 1996 as a Teach for America corps member in Washington Heights, New York. After fulfilling her 2 year TFA commitment, she moved on to KIPP Academy in the Bronx, where she taught 7th and 8th grade science, math, and English for five years. She moved to Virginia and taught math and science in a public school for one year before moving back to Massachusetts in 2004 to help found KIPP Massachusetts as the 5th grade math teacher. In 2006, Ms. Breen was promoted to the role of Assistant Principal of KAL, and recently took on the role of Principal. She lives in Lynn with her husband Nat and baby daughter Serena.
Contact Anna: abreen@kippma.org, 781-598-1609
Contact Anna: abreen@kippma.org, 781-598-1609
Sorry BFF, but if we are gonna hold LPS accountable.
There is more to be a good leader than a degree. Look at Lynn - what is the Mayor's credentials? How about the councilors?
ReplyDeleteKIPP was the best thing that ever happened to my son. He went from public school knowing absolutely no multiplication at the end of 4th grade and they had him on an IEP (still can't figure that one out) to KIPP for 4 years, then honors math at LEHS. Sorry Stanley, I'm with your BFF on this one.
ReplyDeleteTeach for america requires their candidates t o pass the national teachers test before they go out in the field. Very stringent testing...the philosophy is different than public school...the hours aren't for every one. The leadership potential has to be there. Look at the newest schools opening in NYC. Alll Teach for America people. Movie stars and rich people opt to send their kids to them I have a friend who was just hired for a new one in NYC at $100000 for a lead teacher. That would give you all heart attacks! All graduates of the best schools, few education majors. It is a different philosophy and it works but not on the agenda for the small minded. Too much traffic, ruin the neighborhood, buses on the hills...u have all the excuses.
ReplyDeleteOoh, you got me in my soft underbelly, philosophy. I don't disagree with the philosophy. I think public schools should move more toward it. My problem is with the money, statistical manipulations, and the illusion of fairness with the rigged lottery.
DeleteStan - the lottery is not rigged. Maybe when they opened and had to fill every seat - but now you watch the Vice Principals call out your child's name from a slip of paper, you watch the piece of paper go into the lottery and then you watch every last slip pulled. Plus they take a break to make sure everyone's name went in. So if you are in the audience and didn't hear your child's name you fill out a slip, then and there, and place it in. They also videotape it.
DeleteKIPP works ...Teach for AMerica works...
ReplyDeleteI am the first to agree that there is more to knowledge than a piece of paper.
DeleteBUT...,
I still would feel better if my doctor graduated from medical school. Does that make ne a hypocrit?
The lottery is not rigged. I volunteer at KIPP there are plenty of kids there who speak anoth rlanguage at home. There are kids who have learning disabilities. The differene is the parents are held accountable and so are the students. Do what u are expected to do or go. There is no we will get u a better breakfast so u show up on time. Students are expected to be responsible as wellate parents None of this baloney that you try to push. It is school pure and simple Follow all the rules or leave
ReplyDeleteThat's the luxury that you have!! You claim to be a public school, but when the kids don't comply, you boot them back to Lynn PUBLIC Schools and they have to take them back!!
DeleteIf the lottery was not rigged everybody would be eligible. Only kids whose parents are willing or able to make a commitment are allowed to enter the pool. Those kids are going to do better than the rest, no matter where they go. Hence by only choosing from that population,the overall numbers are necessarily skewed.
DeleteDon't you think that Lynn just "boots" children too? I work with Lynn families all the time whose children are tossed aside by the LPS. Don't fool yourself.
DeleteYou buys yourself a lottery ticket and you're in the lottery. You don't go to the store to buy a lottery ticket, don't complain that the lottery is rigged against you.
DeleteEP, I am a little disappointed in your lack of logic. Perhaps you've been left out in the sun too long. The point is that not everyone gets to go to the store to buy a lottery ticket. That in and of itself I have no problem with.
DeleteWhat I do have a problem with is the fact we are comparing apples to oranges except when it comes time to beg for state monies, charter schools try to convince everybody that their oranges are really apples.
I thought EP maybe the fruit comparison might be a little easier for you to relate to.
I think you've gone bananas SW. Please do not speak in fruit metaphors to me. I would never compare apples to oranges.
DeleteI'm sorry I didn't realize you would find the fruit analogy too draining. Perhaps I can illustrate my current point to you a little better by relating to current. Surely this will put a charge in you.
DeleteThere are 2 kinds of electric current AC and DC. Both can get the job done but travel different paths to get there. There is no 3rd type CC that gets to act like one sometime and the other the rest of the time.
Kinda like FM radio stations on an AM radio.
I hope all of this talk didn't drain your batteries too much.
If you had a kid who wanted to learn and the class was being distrusted all day by discipline problems or held back because kids go to the Dominican for 2 months during Christmas and need to catch up...wouldn't you want to be looking for an alternative public school If your child could have an an opporttunity to learn and thrive wouldn't you take a chance and go into that lottery for kipp. Some people believe that education is the key and they pass that on to their kids, some people don't feel that way...this isn't socialism . Why can't opportunities be out there ...not everyone who applied to be on that Lynn Youth Council was picked...is that fair, that is an excellent resume builder for college. Not everyone is the quarterback on the football team, is that fair, not everyone wins the spelling bee and gets a trip to Washington...hey not everyone gets to go on a field trip to Boston, is that fair...
ReplyDeleteThe lottery is not rigged. Why would you deny a child a chance to a better education. If my child was in a classroom that was constantly being disruptive by a disciline problem or held back by a students who just spent 2 months on vacation in the Dominican why shouldn't a parent have a right to seek a better venue. This isn't socialism, the same opportunities are not available to all. Not everyone gets to be on the new Lynn youth council...is that fair, some parents couldn't be bothered to help their children apply . Some parents think education is the key and seek out opportunites like scholarships and better schools, some parents don not care, their priorities are different and that is the way it is.
ReplyDeleteNot everyone got into Lynn Vocational Tech this year...that is a public school...no lottery, they picked who they wanted. How about that? ???
ReplyDeleteOoo - great point.
DeleteYeah Stan - what about Lynn Tech? That is a "public" school that you have to apply to get into. Salted!
Now BFF, while you got the seasoning out, how about weighing in on the certification issue. I mean, you seem to have no problem criticizing LPS for it.
DeleteThere is a waiting list for 9th graders to get in for next year. And what about when kids pick the shop they want to get into sophomore year...some do not get the shops they apply for... It is a process where best students get what they want first then the rest and sometimes there is no room , sorry shop filled go to another whether you want it or nor. OR go to some other public school... PUBLIC SCHOOL
ReplyDeleteBy your own argument, charter schools are a way to get away from the public. Fine, I just have a problem with the masquerade. Public monies going into private pockets and feeding the masses kool-aid so they don't see the deception. That's how Ross Perot made his Billions - government contracts
ReplyDeleteLet me think...advanced degrees from the best colleges...not Salem state..national teacher certifications... Working 11 months a year ..going to professional development ...working until 5 pm and on call to any parent until10 pm. .. Visiting students homes..etc etc etc you think they are getting
ReplyDeleteRich on their salaries. ...just talking about what they do at kipp,exhausts me.
All worthy accomplishments but you still haven't addressed the funding thing. And I'm not too sure about the advanced degrees either.
DeleteYou haven't address the funding thing either Stan. What about Tech? That is a school funded on public monies that not every child has access to. How is Tech's funding different then KIPP's?
ReplyDeleteYes Anna Breen doesn't have an advanced degree, but she's doing one hell of a job over there that contrasted with the lack of advanced degrees in LPS plus LPS not doing such great work - and you've got no argument.