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Hanim Samara >ĞƩĞƌĨƌŽŵƚŚĞĚŝƚŽƌ
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^ŚĞůůĞLJ^ĞLJůĞƌ͕^ĞŶŝŽƌ^ƚĂītƌŝƚĞƌ ŚĂƐŐĂŝŶĞĚŐƌŽƵŶĚ͕ĂůďĞŝƚŝŶĐƌĞŵĞŶƚĂůůLJ͕ƚŚĂŶŬƐƚŽWƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚĂƌĂĐŬKďĂŵĂĂŶĚŚŝƐĂĚŵŝŶŝƐƚƌĂƟŽŶ͘
dŝīĂŶLJEŝĐŚŽůƐ͕^ƚĂītƌŝƚĞƌ dŚŽƵŐŚƚŚĞǁŚĞĞůƐƚƵƌŶƐůŽǁůLJ͕ƚŚŝƐŝƐĂůůŽǁŝŶŐŽƵƌǀŝƐŝŽŶĨŽƌƚŚĞŵŽǀĞŵĞŶƚƚŽƐŚĂƌƉĞŶĂƐǁĞ
,ŽůůLJůĞdžĂŶĚĞƌ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞƚŽďĞůŝĞǀĞƚŚĂƚĐŚĂƌƚĞƌƐĐŚŽŽůƐĐĂŶƌĞǀŽůƵƟŽŶŝnjĞƚŚĞĐŽƵŶƚƌLJ͛ƐĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶƐLJƐƚĞŵ͘
Z͘͘ŶĚĞƌƐŽŶ
Jim Barlow KŶDĂLJϭϰth͕WƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚKďĂŵĂĐĂůůĞĚŽŶŽŶŐƌĞƐƐƚŽĂůůŽĐĂƚĞĂŶĂĚĚŝƟŽŶĂůΨϱϮŵŝůůŝŽŶŝŶĨƵŶĚŝŶŐ
Lauren Muscarella ĨŽƌĐŚĂƌƚĞƌƐĐŚŽŽůƉƌŽŐƌĂŵƐũƵƐƚĂƐŝƚďĞŐĂŶĚƌĂŌŝŶŐŝƚƐLJĞĂƌůLJĂƉƉƌŽƉƌŝĂƟŽŶƐ͘^ƵĐŚĨĞĚĞƌĂů
ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵƐĐĞƌƚĂŝŶůLJƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƐƵƉƉŽƌƚƚŽƐŽŵĞŽĨƚŚĞŬĞLJĐŽŵƉŽŶĞŶƚƐƚŽƚŚĞĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚŽĨƚŚĞ
ŵŽǀĞŵĞŶƚ͗ŚĞůƉŝŶŐǁŝƚŚƚŚĞŝŶŝƟĂůĐŽƐƚƐĂƐƐŽĐŝĂƚĞĚǁŝƚŚƚŚĞůĂƵŶĐŚŝŶŐŽĨĐŚĂƌƚĞƌƐĐŚŽŽůƐĂŶĚ
ƉƌŽǀŝĚŝŶŐĮŶĂŶĐŝĂůŝŶĐĞŶƟǀĞƐƚŽƐƚĂƚĞŐŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚƐĂŶĚƉƌŝǀĂƚĞůĞŶĚĞƌƐƚŚĂƚĞŶĂďůĞƐĐŚŽŽůƐƚŽďƵŝůĚ
ĂŶĚƌĞŶŽǀĂƚĞĨĂĐŝůŝƟĞƐ͘
tŝƚŚƚŚŝƐůŝŐŚƚƐŚŽǁĞƌŝŶŐĂƩĞŶƟŽŶŽŶƚŚĞŵŽǀĞŵĞŶƚ͕ƚŚĞďĞĂƚŐŽĞƐŽŶĨŽƌƚŚŽƐĞĐŚĂƌƚĞƌƐĐŚŽŽůƐ
ƚŚĂƚĂƌĞĂůƌĞĂĚLJǁŽƌŬŝŶŐŚĂƌĚƚŽĞĚƵĐĂƚĞƚŚĞŝƌƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐĂŶĚĨŽƌƚŚŽƐĞƚŚĂƚĂƌĞƚƌLJŝŶŐƚŽŐĞƚƐƚĂƌƚĞĚ
ŝŶƚŽĚĂLJ͛ƐĐŚĂůůĞŶŐŝŶŐĂŶĚĞǀĞƌͲĐŚĂŶŐŝŶŐĞĐŽŶŽŵLJ͘/ŶƚŚĞĨĂĐĞŽĨƚŚĞƐĞŽďƐƚĂĐůĞƐ͕ŽƵƌƐƵŵŵĞƌ
Bull Run Media Executive Team ĞĚŝƟŽŶŚŝŐŚůŝŐŚƚƐϯϱƐĐŚŽŽůƐĨƌŽŵĂĐƌŽƐƐƚŚĞĐŽƵŶƚƌLJƚŚĂƚĂƌĞŶŽƚŽŶůLJƚƵƌŶŝŶŐĨĂŝůŝŶŐƐĐŚŽŽůƐŝŶƚŽ
<ĂůĞŶĂůƐƚŽŶͲ'ƌŝĸŶ͕WĂƌƚŶĞƌ ŶĂƟŽŶĂůůLJƌĞĐŽŐŶŝnjĞĚƐƵĐĐĞƐƐƐƚŽƌŝĞƐ͕ďƵƚĂůƐŽƚŚŽƐĞƚŚĂƚĂƌĞƐĞƌǀŝŶŐƚŚĞŝƌĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƟĞƐŝŶƐŽŵĞŽĨ
<ĞLJůĂĂƌƌ͕WĂƌƚŶĞƌ ƚŚĞŵŽƐƚƵŶŝƋƵĞĂŶĚŝŶǀĞŶƟǀĞǁĂLJƐ͘
ůŽŶnjŽůůŝƐ͕WĂƌƚŶĞƌ
dŽďĞƐƵƌĞ͕ĂĐƌŽƐƐĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ͕ŽƉĞŶŝŶŐƚŚĞŵŝŶĚƐŽĨƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐĂŶĚĨŽƐƚĞƌŝŶŐĂƐĞŶƐĞŽĨ
Publisher: ĐƵƌŝŽƐŝƚLJŝƐƐŽŵĞƚŚŝŶŐĂůůƐĐŚŽŽůƐŚŽƉĞƚŽĂĐŚŝĞǀĞ͘DĂƌŝƟŵĞĐĂĚĞŵLJŚĂƌƚĞƌ,ŝŐŚ^ĐŚŽŽůin
<ĂůĞŶĂůƐƚŽŶͲ'ƌŝĸŶ͕WĂƌƚŶĞƌ WĞŶŶƐLJůǀĂŶŝĂƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƐĂŵĂƌŝƟŵĞĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶŝŶŽŶĞŽĨƚŚĞĐŽƵŶƚƌLJ͛ƐŽůĚĞƐƚƉŽƌƚĐŝƟĞƐ͘ƐƚĂďůŝƐŚĞĚ
ƚŽƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƵŶŝƋƵĞůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐĨŽƌƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ͕ŽŶƚŚĞŽƉĞŶŽĐĞĂŶĂŶĚŽŶůĂŶĚ͕ƚŚĞƐĐŚŽŽů
Executive Editor: ŽīĞƌƐŵƵůƟƉůĞŚĂŶĚƐͲŽŶůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞƐ͘tŚŝůĞĂĐƌŽƐƐƚŚĞĐŽƵŶƚƌLJ͕:ŽŚŶ,ĂŶĐŽĐŬŚĂƌƚĞƌ
<ĞLJůĂĂƌƌ͕WĂƌƚŶĞƌ ^ĐŚŽŽůŝŶhƚĂŚĐĂƚĐŚĞƐƚŚĞĂƩĞŶƟŽŶŽĨŝƚƐƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐƚŚƌŽƵŐŚĐƵůƟǀĂƟŶŐĂŶĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶĨŽƌŵƵƐŝĐ
ĂŶĚƚŚƌŽƵŐŚƵŶŝƋƵĞůĞƐƐŽŶƐƐƵĐŚĂƐ͞ZŽĐŬĞƚĂLJ͘͟
Design Department:
^ŚĞƌLJǀŽŶŶDĐŽŶĂůĚ͕^ĞŶŝŽƌĞƐŝŐŶĞƌ BothtŝůůŝĂŵƐďƵƌŐŚĂƌƚĞƌ,ŝŐŚ^ĐŚŽŽů in New York and^ĂĐƌĂŵĞŶƚŽŚĂƌƚĞƌ,ŝŐŚ^ĐŚŽŽůin
:ƵůŝĞ,ƵĚĂŬ͕'ƌĂƉŚŝĐĞƐŝŐŶĞƌ ĂůŝĨŽƌŶŝĂƌĞŇĞĐƚƐƵĐĐĞƐƐƐƚŽƌŝĞƐƚŚĂƚƉƌŽǀĞǁŚĂƚŝƐƉŽƐƐŝďůĞǁŝƚŚƐƚƌŽŶŐůĞĂĚĞƌƐŚŝƉĂŶĚĂǀŝƐŝŽŶ͘
Ashish Kansara
tŚŝůĞ^ĂĐƌĂŵĞŶƚŽǁĂƐŽŶĐĞƉůĂŐƵĞĚǁŝƚŚǀŝŽůĞŶĐĞĂŶĚŚŝŐŚĂďƐĞŶƚĞĞŝƐŵ͕ƚŚĞƐĐŚŽŽůŶŽǁŚĂƐĂ
Jay Vandewani
͞tĂůůŽĨ&ĂŵĞ͟ďŽĂƐƟŶŐĐŽůůĞŐĞĂĐĐĞƉƚĂŶĐĞůĞƩĞƌƐĂŶĚĐŽůůĞŐĞƉĞŶŶĂŶƚƐŽĨǁŚĞƌĞŝƚƐƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐŚĂǀĞ
ŵĂƚƌŝĐƵůĂƚĞĚ͘tŝůůŝĂŵƐďƵƌŐ͛ƐĨŽƵŶĚĞƌǁĂƐĂŐƌĂĚƵĂƚĞĨƌŽŵƚŚĞƌŽŽŬůLJŶƉƵďůŝĐƐĐŚŽŽůƐLJƐƚĞŵĂŶĚ
Operations
ĐŽŵŵŝƩĞĚŚŝŵƐĞůĨƚŽŐŝǀŝŶŐďĂĐŬƚŽƚŚĞĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJďLJĐƌĞĂƟŶŐĂƐĐŚŽŽůƚŚĂƚĨŽƐƚĞƌĞĚƐƵĐĐĞƐƐ͘
<ĂƌLJŶŽǁƚLJ͕ŝƌĞĐƚŽƌŽĨKƉĞƌĂƟŽŶƐ
Daniella Gonzalez
Kelly Matlock /ƚƐĞĞŵƐĂƐƚŚŽƵŐŚĞǀĞƌLJĂƐƉĞĐƚŽĨƐŽĐŝĞƚLJŝƐŵŽƌƉŚŝŶŐ͘ŚĂƌƚĞƌƐĐŚŽŽůƐĂƌĞĂůƐŽĂƉĂƌƚŽĨƚŚŝƐ
ĞdžĐŝƟŶŐĞǀŽůƵƟŽŶĂŶĚŐůŽďĂůůLJŝŶƚĞŐƌĂƚĞĚĐƵůƚƵƌĞ͘dŽƚŚĂƚĞŶĚ͕ĐŚĂƌƚĞƌƐĐŚŽŽůƐĂƌĞĂŶƐǁĞƌŝŶŐƚŚĞ
Advertising Sales ĐĂůůƚŽƉƌŽĚƵĐĞƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐƚŚĂƚĂƌĞĐƵůƚƵƌĂůůLJĂǁĂƌĞĂŶĚĨŽĐƵƐĞĚŽŶŝŵƉƌŽǀŝŶŐĂŶĚƐĞƌǀŝŶŐƚŚĞǁŽƌůĚ͘
& Marketing Department: /ŶƚŚĞƐĞƉĂŐĞƐ͕LJŽƵǁŝůůƌĞĂĚĂďŽƵƚƐƵĐĐĞƐƐƐƚŽƌŝĞƐďŽƌŶĨƌŽŵĞdžƉĞĐƚĞĚĨĂŝůƵƌĞ͖ĂŶĚƐĐŚŽŽůƐƚŚĂƚ
Bjorn Michals ƚƌƵůLJĂƌĞƉƵƐŚŝŶŐƚŚĞĞŶǀĞůŽƉĞĨŽƌƚŚĞďĞƩĞƌŵĞŶƚŽĨŝƚƐƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ͕ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƟĞƐ͕ĂŶĚƚŚĞĐŽƵŶƚƌLJ͘
William Lee Yin
~CST
|3
Contents
Cover Story
Improving Education in Broolyn
Williamsburg Charter High School
page 31
Features
7 Teachers Unions & Charter Schools 53 Encouraging Diversity
The Argument for Joining Forces Creating a Multicultural Classroom Environment
Working with kids in the after school hours was fulfilling, but
it brought into sharp reality the failure these young people were
encountering during their school-day hours. With that in mind, Mr.
Calderon-Melendez took on the challenge of school reform in his
neighborhood, attempting to transform the notoriously dysfunctional
Van Arsdale High School into a smaller, better school. However, the
bureaucratic challenges to achieving change within the Department of
Education’s existing parameters were formidable, and with deep regret,
Mr. Calderon-Melendez stepped away from that effort.
| 31
32 | Charter Schools Today Summer 2009
Calderon-Melendez’s own alma mater, New York University.
| 33
North
Need a loan?
level in math. All freshmen are enrolled in
Freshman Seminar, an introductory course
focused on critical thinking and writing. By
| 35
North
schools will be launched—Believe Northside Charter High School
and Believe Southside Charter High School. Both are modeled
after WCHS, and hope to replicate its many successes. All of these
schools are expected to operate under the umbrella of the Believe High Your source for Classic,
Schools Network, a charter management organization set to launch in Foreign Language and
July 2009. ESL Publications.
A Place to Call Home 1-800-662-0301
www.bastosbooks.com
WCHS, along with the Believe High Schools Network, will be moving
to a new home come autumn 2009. That new facility, at 116,000
square feet, is the largest, privately developed charter facility in New Bastos
Book Company
PUBLISHING
DISTRIBUTION
York State, will be home to a school of nearly 1,000 students (projected bastos@bastosbooks.com
to grow to 1,250), and will provide state-of-the-art educational P.O. Box 770-433, Woodside, NY 11377
opportunities while still hewing to WCHS’s rigorous, college-focused
curriculum. The two new schools will inhabit the space being vacated
by WCHS. with the availability of theater, dance and studio art space. And parent
engagement is expected to increase as well, given that WCHS will now
It is not only students who will benefit from having a “home of have a home of its own.
their own,” but teachers as well. The strong and ongoing emphasis
at WCHS on professional development will be enhanced by having Eddie Calderon-Melendez began his own educational journey in
appropriate facilities for seminars, workshops and other faculty Williamsburg. With the success of WCHS, and the opening of two
learning opportunities. Students and faculty from the new schools new high schools, he is giving back to the youth of his community
will also have a chance to engage in cross-school learning, further what was given to him so many years ago: the chance to excel in
reinforcing the connection among all stakeholders at the three schools. an educational setting that cares about students as learners and as
Opportunities to showcase student talent will be greatly enhanced individuals.