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What’s In a Name?
Charter schools are have been a flashpoint in education, especially with our recent federal changes. But when all charter schools are so different, what does Harlem Link's Charter School status really mean?
Under New York state law, charters are independently run public schools contracted, or “chartered”, by local school districts, the State University of New York (SUNY) Charter Schools Institute, or the state Board of Regents. New York’s charters operate under five year contracts, and must meet exacting standardized testing metrics each year in order to qualify for renewal. In exchange for these standards, stricter than those faced by traditional public schools, charters enjoy greater independence. That’s why at Harlem Link we are free to handpick staff, create programs, and make other crucial decisions based on our students’ unique needs. We are not allowed to select our students, and we are in every sense a public school serving the community. The difference between our school and a district public school is that this charter contract gives us the autonomy to make mission-driven decisions in the critical areas noted above.
If a charter school fails--and many have closed during our 12 years of operation--there is no outside force or ready excuse for pointing fingers; it's all on our shoulders. In the end, Harlem Link is about offering our scholars and their families a creative connection to learning - thinking outside the box to transcend boundaries.
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Testing the Waters of the ELA
The halls of Harlem Link were surprisingly quiet last week, as school was out for Presidents' Week, but students and staff were hard at work practicing for New York State’s English Language Arts test. Armed with the knowledge that “high scores open doors”, students rehearsed for their middle school placement exams and honed the standardized testing skills they’ll need to succeed throughout their education. Harlem Link’s staff pulled out all the stops, some even staying late to sharpen pencils so the students had every tool necessary, and in the end it was worth it. Our scholars shone their brightest, achieving exemplary scores on the practice test and building confidence for the real thing in March. We’d wish them luck, but with their skills, luck doesn’t have much to do with it!
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Middle School Interviews - From Start to Finish
Our fifth graders leave us next year - but most will land in under-performing neighborhood schools unless they interview to gain entrance to a better public middle school. Those interviews can be a daunting prospect, but it’s crucial that our scholars ace them. Just as a supportive and rigorous elementary experience leads to middle school success, a high quality middle school education is key to future achievement in high school and college. Luckily, Harlem Link’s students have Mrs. Van Auken and her team in their corner. Through this process, our history has been that our students attend some of the most competitive middle schools on Manhattan's Upper West Side.
From October 26 to Jan 20, small groups of fifth graders met weekly during lunch and recess. In each session, volunteers from across Harlem Link’s staff and wider community worked with them to prepare for the interviews ahead. Many students began the process with no idea that they’d need to interview for middle school admission, let alone what to do in the interview once there. But through weekly lessons on public speaking, articulating goals, body language, and dealing with nerves, they became seasoned professionals. By the end, students were shaking hands and introducing themselves confidently, answering questions like “what are you passionate about?” thoughtfully and with specific schools in mind. Their next stop: interviews with some of the top middle schools in the city.
We are grateful to all the staff and community members who provided interview coaching: Aviva Buechler, Dan Steinberg, Ramelle Brown, Steve Evangelista, Andrew Group, Valerie Babb, Eugene Campbell, Josh Breidbart, Marianne Van Auken, Chrisann Goad, Susan Heath, Kathleen Whitehead, Daniel Gilland, Matt and Meggie Belisle. Their work was made possible by Harlem Link’s Start to Finish initiative, which focuses on supporting education from birth through middle and high school placement, all the way to college through our involved alumni network. (In fact, we’ve just heard from our first alumni to be accepted to college. Congrats!)
Start to Finish’s next event is our 2nd annual 11th grade reunion the evening of March 9. To join us, or for more information on Start to Finish, please reach out to MVanauken@harlemlink.org.
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