West Side Spirit November 17, 2011

November 17, 2011 Since 1985

Pets Holiday Gift Ideas for Pets 5


BIG YEAR FOR BARKINAnother Happy Day Caps Comeback P. 4

A look at some of the city’s great elementary schools P. 16» ‘Outstanding’ P.S. 9’s lessons are not only on the Upper West Side» Bronx Charter’s principal says no one wins unless everyone does» Blue Man’s star keeps rising at the Seaport

A look at some of the city’s

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2 • west side spirit • November 17, 2011 News YOU LiVe BY

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TALKING TURKEY Give the hungry something substantial

(and warm and edible) to feel thankful for this Thanksgiving: the gift of dinner. The Thousand Turkey Challenge, launched by The Society for the Advancement of Judaism and the West End Synagogue, is a drive that hopes to raise 1,000 donated frozen turkeys.

The turkeys will go to the West Side Campaign Against Hunger emergency food pantry and the low-income fami-lies it serves. The challenge is one of the many charitable and philanthropic projects of Jewish Social Action Month, a global initiative that transforms the Jewish holiday-free month of Cheshvan (which occurs between October and November) into a month celebrating vol-unteerism and community building. The initiative is supported by a grant from UJA-Federation of New York.

The synagogues are working with neighborhood churches to promote the drive. To participate, drop off frozen turkeys at the Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew at 263 W. 86th St., in the basement. Donations will be accepted Wednesday through Friday, Nov. 16-18, from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 21-22, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Cash con-tributions can be mailed at any time to WSCAH, 263 W. 86th St., New York, N.Y. 10024. Turkeys no larger than 12 lbs. are preferred, and the cash equivalent of the donation of one turkey is $18.

A CONVERSATION WITH JOAN DIDION

It’s not a lecture; it’s a discussion. On Wednesday, Nov. 30, in Symphony Space’s Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater, you can talk with National Book Award-winning writer Joan Didion. And the aging writer has a lot to say.

In her new memoir, Blue Nights, Didion faces her fears and considers the nature of her memory and of all memo-ry: “Time passes. Memory fades, mem-ory adjusts, memory conforms to what we think we remember,” she writes. In conversation with her nephew, Griffin Dunne, Didion will address the struggles

that plague her life and work.Admission is $25, $15 for those 30 and

under. 2537 Broadway at 95th Street. For tickets, visit www.symphonyspace.org or call 212-864-5400.

BIKE BULBS TO BLOOM THIS SPRING

With a donation from the Columbus Avenue BID, The Columbus Avenue Gardeners Group, along with State Sen. Thomas Duane, City Council Member Gale Brewer, Community Board 7 and students from the Mandell School, planted hundreds of daffodil bulbs in the tree pits lining the Columbus Avenue bike lane. The group hopes to transform Columbus Avenue’s concrete bike lane into a green and gold garden that will bloom this spring.

Individual members of The Gardeners Group have adopted each and every tree pit along the lane. Spring 2012 should spring extra bright and spritely around Columbus Avenue’s cyclists.

RIVER INSPIRATION

Imagine seeing the com-merce and travel history of the Hudson River overlaid on a 63-foot-long model of the river.

The museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) is dis-playing “Up River,” a 63-foot-long, multidimen-sional representation of the Hudson River constructed

of painter’s tarpaulins stitched with the navigational routes used by sailors. The installation is the work of artist Kingsley Parker, associate professor and assis-tant chair of FIT’s communications design department. Parker’s sewn nauti-cal chart is accompanied by vignettes in two and three dimensions depicting life, commerce and activities on the Hudson River.

Parker’s fascination with the Hudson bloomed when, after 37 years of living in New York City, he moved up to Hudson, N.Y. “I’ve come to marvel at the river’s diversity as I commute back and forth by train,” he says. “It’s a working river, with tugs and barges constantly mov-ing up and down, often at night in total darkness.”

The museum is located in FIT’s Shirley Goodman Resource Center on Seventh

Avenue at 27th Street. It is open Tuesdays through Fridays, noon to 8 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Up River” will be on display Nov. 12 though Dec. 10. Admission is free.

WHERE DO YOU WANT YOUR BIKE?

NYCBikeShare is hitting NYC streets this coming summer—the program will make 10,000 bikes available to mem-bers at 600 stations around Manhattan and Brooklyn. And now you have the power to choose: Where should the free bikes be located? To suggest a site, go to http://a841-tfpweb.nyc.gov/bikeshare.

Notes from the Neighborhood RemembeRing the Fallen

It’s your last chance to see the trav-eling Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall on display at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum through Nov. 20.

The wall is a three-quarter replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., on display for the first time in Manhattan. Admission is free to the public at the Museum’s Pier 86, and the wall is available for viewing 24 hours a day.

In 1990, Frank E. Campbell, “The Funeral Chapel,” based on the Upper East Side had the wall built. Since its creation, it has traveled to more than 200 cities.

“It’s for those people who can’t get to Washington,” said Laura Macho, director of public rela-tions at Frank E. Campbell.

The Dignity M e m o r i a l Network of Providers, of which Frank E. Campbell and Riverside Chapel are members, started working to bring the wall to Manhattan more than a year ago.

“With the Intrepid, it was a perfect fit because [the ship] served three tours in the war,” Macho

said.Thousands of people a day have

traveled to the wall before it comes down on Sunday.

“We’re passionate about represent-ing veterans and we hope everyone will come and take a look while it’s here,” Dominique Carella, vice presi-dent of Frank E. Campbell said.

For more information, visit intrepid-museum.org.

Vietnam veteran Donald Ritter, a former Marine Lance Corpo-ral, and his wife, Nancy Ritter, search the memorial wall for the name of Navy Corpsman George W. Riordan (inset). Ritter credits Riordan for saving his life during the war.

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feature

Another Happy Day Caps a Great YearEllen Barkin’s new movie is the icing on the cake of her 2011By Mark Peikert

“Idon’t think I’ve ever said the words ‘I’m proud of myself,’” Ellen Barkin said over cof-fee recently at Soho’s MEET at

The Apt. “But this movie is the greatest accomplishment of my career.”

Barkin was speaking of Another Happy Day, which she produced and stars in, but that statement could have been about any number of projects over the course of this past year. In April, she made her Broadway debut in The Normal Heart, winning a Tony Award in the pro-cess. This summer saw the release of the indie film Shit Year, with its sure-to-be-iconic poster of Barkin in runny makeup, eyes mostly closed, a cigarette dangling from the side of her famous mouth. But it’s Another Happy Day, writer-director Sam Levinson’s first film, that has the for-mer Upper East Sider so uncharacteristi-cally happy with herself.

“Quite frankly, I’m having a very good five years,” she said seriously. “I never say nice things about myself and I get yelled at all the time for not owning my accom-plishments, but I do have to say over the last five or so years… And it has really hit home in the last year.”

Another Happy Day finds Barkin lead-ing a cast that includes Ellen Burstyn, Demi Moore and Kate Bosworth. Her role as Lynne—a divorced and remarried mother of four struggling to get through her eldest son’s wedding day amid family dysfunction—was, according to Barkin,

“the most difficult, rewarding, compli-cated, cathartic role of my life. This was a killer.”

Among other reasons, Barkin found the role challenging because of her char-

acter’s less-than-stellar parenting skills. “To sit up there on the screen and basi-

cally tell the world that I, Ellen Barkin, made some very big fucking mistakes as

a mother…” she said, of how audiences might view her per-formance through the lens of her past. “I’m not a bad per-son, I’m not a bad mother. It could have traumatized my children.”

Some pressure was removed thanks to Barkin’s close relationship with Levinson, son of director Barry Levinson, who gave Barkin her big film break in 1982’s Diner. “As a producer, I was lucky enough to be working with

an extremely gifted and wildly focused, unbelievably well-informed, very strong writer-director who worked really fast,” Barkin said, then grinned. “That writer-director was also a first-time writer-direc-

tor, so anything that was asked of him he thought was normal. And it was fabulous!”

After being at Levinson’s side for the three years from writing to filming, Barkin said her need for his input as an actor had already been satisfied, leaving her free to focus on her producing chores. “So I’d have to finish the scene,” Barkin recalled, “and say, ‘OK, that’s an hour you’ve been lighting that. Too long. Kate Bosworth is maybe the prettiest girl in the movies. You don’t need that much time. Save it for me!’ It actually really worked.”

Another Happy Day seems to be the perfect grace note for Barkin to end her year. “I feel inspired, invigorated, ener-

gized,” Barkin said. “I feel brand new, with a life’s worth of experience behind me. And I feel that at 57 years old, I am ready to embrace whatever it is I have to offer as an actor and as a producer. And not to be afraid of it.”

Ellen Barkin produced and starred in Another Happy Day.

“I feel brand new, with a life’s worth of experience behind me. And I feel that at 57 years old, I am ready to embrace whatever it is I have to offer as an actor and as a producer. And not to be afraid of it,” Ellen Barkin said.

Ellen Burstyn, left, George Kennedy, Thomas Haden Church and Demi Moore co-star in Another Happy Day with Ellen Barkin.


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news

By Allen HoustonAn entire city block spanning from

West 44th to 45th Street between 10th and 11th avenues is getting a $520 million transformation.

The Gotham Organization, a real estate development company, broke ground last week on a residential development that will include more than 1,200 residential units, of which 682 are affordable housing units. The project will overhaul a block that was condemned for redevelopment in the 1970s. It’s the culmination of a plan that has been in the works for more than half a decade.

“We’re excited about the ability to have such a big footprint to play with,” said Melissa Pianko, executive vice president of development for The Gotham Organization.

Four towers will comprise the buildings where residents will live. The centerpiece will be a 31-story tower containing luxury apartments.

“We’ve always believed that the Far West Side of Manhattan has tremendous

potential to provide what our growing city needs: more jobs for New Yorkers and more affordable housing for them to live in,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg in a statement. “In the near future, this development will provide homes for some 2,500 New Yorkers, but in the meantime it will grow our economy by creating 2,900 construction-related jobs.”

As part of the development, the block will also contain a 95,000-square-foot K through 8 school that will have room for 630 students. The project will be built by the New York City Department of Education. An existing school on the property, P.S. 51, will be retrofitted into housing.

A 10,000-square-foot residential court-yard will be a centerpiece for those living in the new development. The development is also embracing the biking culture that is growing in the city, with plans for a bike shop as well as a bike concierge on the property.

“We’re taking the landscape and creat-ing a new motif,” Pianko said.

The project will also contain 15,000 square feet of street-level retail and a

200-space parking garage.Pianko said residents will be free to

move in starting in 2014. The new school is expected to open in 2013.

Condemned West Side Block Receives $500 Million Transfusion

A rendering of the 31-story tower that will be the centerpiece of the Gotham Organiza-tion project.

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WestSideSpirit.com November 17, 2011 • WEST SIDE SPIRIT • 7

ARTS

By Ashley WelchThe award-winning illustrator Ed

Young will celebrate his 80th birthday this fall with the release of two new books and the launch of a one-man show about his work on countless children’s books over the years.

Young, who came to the United States from China 60 years ago, recently released the picture book, The House Baba Built, a memoir of his childhood in wartime China.

Trying to shield his family from the horrors of World War II, Young’s father, Baba, built a house to safeguard his wife and children. Soon, four other families were staying in the house with them, including one Jewish family that had escaped Nazi Germany.

Though the harsh realities of war surrounded them, laughter and games often filled the house, which Baba, a structural engineer, had designed in a creative and complex way with “floors between floors,” Young said.

“My father made it so we had an enjoy-able childhood despite the chaos out-side,” he said.

The idea to write The House Baba

Built (Little, Brown, 2011) came to Young over 20 years ago, when he visited Shanghai for the first time since he left in 1951. He began writing notes then and when he visited again in 2004, he decided the book needed to be written.

“I realized I was the only one still alive who remembered the stories from that house and I wanted to put them together in a book that could be read,” he said.

Young illustrated the book in several different media, with torn and cut paper, pen-cil, chalk, pastel, ink, paint and photographs.

“It’s almost like a journal writ-ten in scrapbook form,” he said. “It was really a cleansing experi-ence for me. Through writing it, I got to know myself in ways I never had before.”

Also this fall, Young’s illus-trations can be seen in the new book, The Masterwork of a Painting Elephant, by Michelle Cuevas (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2011). This

chapter book for kids ages 6-12 is about a boy named Pigeon and an artistically

gifted white elephant who set out in search of fame and a lost love.

Young has written and/or illustrated over 85 books and has received numer-ous awards for his work. Young won the Caldecott Medal for Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China and has twice been the U.S. nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. A three-time winner of both the Boston Globe Horn Book Award and the New York TimesBest Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year, his other honors include five School Library Journal Best Books and five Booklist Editors’ choices.

Young will celebrate his 80th birthday at the end of November and shows no sign of slowing down. Currently working on another book, he will launch a one-man traveling show in Texas at the end of the month that will feature 15 of his latest books.

“I’m going to keep doing what I love doing,” he said. “I want to continue to explore different media, the possibility of telling stories in new ways. The future is about the unknown. I want to find new ways to grow and become a more profi-cient artist.”

Illustrator’s Book Captures Horrors of WWII

Ed Young, children’s book illustrator.

Until November 18th we are accepting nominations to recognize a selection of woman who are achieving greatly in their communities, at their workplace, for the public and everything in between.There are five categories for which you can nominate a woman of public and civic mind who has achieved above and beyond: Organized Labor, Government and Public Service, Journalism/Media, Business/Public-Private Partnerships, Community Organizing and Non-Profits.

In partnership with: City Hall will be hosting a panel of dynamic woman from in and around public and private industry to impart their unique knowledge on best practices, lessons-learned and how to excel. The discussion will be focusing on how woman in the public and civic space can achieve successes above and beyond the rest and other important lessons on leadership.

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By Doug StrasslerAt a time when best-selling children’s

books are as dark as Twilight and The Hunger Games, both of which burned up the bestseller lists and landed high-profile movie deals, a beloved childhood favorite has managed to carve a place for itself in the busy New York theater scene with a family-friendly show that offers pure fun—and a few lessons.

The Berenstain Bears LIVE! in Family Matters, the Musical, a stage adaptation of The Berenstain Bears, the nearly 50-year-old series of children’s books created by Stan and Jan Berenstain, continues what was to be a limited sum-mer run of performances with a move to the Upper West Side’s Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater.

This move comes after an initial Off-Broadway production at the Manhattan Movie and Arts Center (MMAC) that exceeded all expectations. “We thought we would have a nice summer run and then that would be it,” explained pro-ducer Matt Murphy. “We had no idea how popular this show would prove to be. We are finding audiences from all

over—Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island, New Jersey—it is even starting to attract a tourist audience now!” Murphy credits positive critical reviews for much of the show’s attention.

With a book by Michael Borton and Michael Slade, music and lyrics by Borton and direction and choreogra-phy from Devanand Janki, Berenstain melds three books—The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food, The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble at School and The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers—to create a live-action ver-sion of Bear Country.

“The Berenstain Bears are superstars,” Janki said. “After all these years, they truly have become part of the American culture. They have great stories with les-sons that everyone can relate to.”

“It can be a tricky thing to adapt some-thing as sacred and well-known as The Berenstain Bears,” Janki said, “but we had a lot of material to go on. We were very careful not to stray too much from the book, but we did have fun adding modern twists to help tell our story.” The company will make very few alterations

to the show in the Marjorie S. Deane space, and will keep the grassy knoll seat-ing section in front at the foot of the Bear Country stage.

Janki says that while there is much for the younger members of the Berenstain audience to learn, the show has some-thing for everyone. “I am very proud of what we have created in the live show. Kids of all ages get to see these iconic characters come to life right in front of their eyes. We have even thrown in some humor for the adults, so everyone can enjoy the show.”

Berenstain offers entertainment beyond the show itself—children also get to have their faces painted and take photographs with the bears following the show. “It makes their memory of the show that much sweeter,” according to Murphy.

Just why does the Berenstain team think their characters have proven so enduring? “A number of reasons,” Murphy said. “First of all, Stan and Jan Berenstain deserve a lot of credit for creating a lov-ing family of characters that people from all walks of life can relate to. Second,

the message in the show about living a healthy lifestyle by exercising and eating healthy foods has really resonated with the New York community.

“Last,” he added, “the upbeat music and colorful choreography make for a great musical theater experience for young boys and girls. Parents love our show because it keeps kids’ attention for the whole hour-long story. With kids these days, that’s not an easy thing to do!”

For more information and a perfor-mance schedule, visit www.berenstain-bearslive.com.

Berenstain Bears Live! Makes a New Den Hit children’s musical extends into 2012

Scene from The Berenstain Bears LIVE!

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arts

By Doug StrasslerThe play’s the thing, or so claims the old

adage from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. And yet, after centuries, there are still many who feel trepidation at the thought of experiencing one of the esteemed play-wright’s many canonical works. In the mid-1990s, one group of actors decided to perform Shakespeare’s works in a way that both involved their audiences and still made the work accessible.

Frog & Peach Theatre Company emerged from a mutual frustration shared by married couple Lynnea Benson and Ted Zurkowski, both Actors Studio mem-bers, about the way Shakespeare’s pro-ductions were—and more to the point, were not—being performed.

“We had some very definite ideas about what Shakespeare had to offer a modern audience, but we weren’t seeing it on stage,” said Benson.

Since 1995, Frog & Peach has mounted more than two dozen productions, usually one in the fall and one in the spring. Their current production, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, runs until mid-November at the West End Theatre on 86th Street.

“Ted and I had been lucky to find

Shakespeare at a young age, and we were determined to pass that love on to our com-munity,” Benson explained. The company uses First Folio versions of Shakespeare’s original scripts, which lack any changes or improvements that modern editors might have added to the works. The Folio edi-tions find the actors breaking the fourth wall, directly addressing and even making eye contact with the audience.

“It’s a tender, complicit, sometimes scary relationship,” Benson acknowl-edged. “But the audience response has been phenomenal, especially among young people and working families in our neighborhood.”

Zurkowski, who composed the musi-cal numbers for Verona, concurs. “Our shows are about clarity, simplicity and entertainment value,” he stressed. “We are about entertaining instead of edu-cating—if people are entertained, that’s when their minds open and they take things away from the show.”

Both Benson and Zurkowski agree that a fundamental requirement to enjoying any of Shakespeare’s works is to break down perceived boundaries about them and realize how universal his characters

and stories are. “He’s not an elitist playwright at all,” Benson maintained. “The problems facing his char-acters are very modern, from bullying to difficult stepfamilies to emotion-ally scarred war veterans.

“We stay true to the plays,” she added. “The tragedies are filled with comic moments and the comedies have scenes of real heartbreak.”

Plenty of local perform-ers agree. The Frog & Peach staff numbers around 50, and the company has attracted such big theatrical names as Karen Lynn Gorney, Earl Hyman, Catalina Sandino Moreno and Austin Pendleton. An Oct. 4 benefit reading of Julius Caesar at The Players Club featured Shirley Knight, Tom Noonan, Estelle Parsons and Rip Torn.

And even a popular musical talent helped write songs for the Caesar fun-draiser and Verona with Zurkowski: Ian McDonald, founding member of the bands King Crimson and Foreigner. “I’d never been involved in theater before,”

the musician admitted, “but we became good friends and I’d like to work with them again.”

Clearly, Frog & Peach has made good on its goal. “It’s unfortunate that so many people buy into the idea that Shakespeare’s plays are inscrutable or just for Big Smarties,” Benson said. “Frog & Peach is putting an end to that notion, one production at a time.”

For more information and a perfor-mance schedule, www.frogandpeachthe-atre.org.

Frog and Peach Presents Bold Take on the Bard

Erick Gonzalez, Eric DySart, Vivien Landau and Amy Frances Quint in The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Jim B

aldassar

e

50/50 The buddy comedy genre faces cancer.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is helped through crisis by Seth Rogen. Decent emotions get cheated of depth by blithe, nonspiri-tual approach. Dir. Jonathan Levine.

The Descendants George Clooney shakes off the snark,

but filmmaker Alexander Payne puts it back on in this Hawaii-set story of how Americans squander their paradise and advantages. Adultery, greed, family dys-function and death go unenlightened by the film’s stupefying visual banality. Dir. Alexander Payne.

Drive Fake toughness, fake sentimental-

ity, fake style infected by Michael Mann. Brooding existential stuntman and pet-ty criminal Ryan Gosling is so laconic and cool he’s inadvertently comic. This second-rate actor occasionally drops his Steve McQueen impersonation and lets slip Mickey Rourke’s old smile. Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn.

Gainsbourg: A Heroic LifeAn inventive political, cultural, ethnic

defense of France’s ’60s pop icon and rebel Serge Gainsbourg shows a carica-

turist’s whimsy—especially in the Jewish self-consciousness subtext, psychopo-litical anime effects and Eric Elmosnino’s lead performance. Laetitia Casta does a worthy, knockout Brigitte Bardot imper-sonation. Dir. Joann Sfar.

Jack and Jill Adam Sandler, the least abashed comic

actor outside the Borscht Belt, tackles Jewish self-deprecation in this sibling rivalry laff fest. Playing both male and female twins, Sandler show tribal affec-tion by turning bad vibes into good. Al Pacino’s cameo as Jill’s suitor is both cra-zily romantic and a brilliant professional salute. Dir. Dennis Dugan.

J. Edgar Using the

career of long-time FBI director J. Edgar Hoover to promote a gay sympathy ought to be subversive (that’s the intention of screen-writer Dustin Lance Black, who wrote Milk). But despite Leo DiCaprio’s eager-beaver empathetic performance, this grim, humorless exercise, featuring lousy old-age makeup, turns out ghoulish and

self-congratulatory—just like Milk. Dir. Clint Eastwood.

Melancholia Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte

Gainsbourg play Eurotrash sisters waiting for the end of world—literally: A planet named Melancholia, symbolizing their depression, comes crashing toward Earth. Another Lars von Trier prank, this is apoc-alypse for nihilists. Dir. Lars von Trier.

Puss in BootsMore Shrek dreck, this time losing what

little appeal the Puss in Boots character (voiced by Antonio Bandera) brought to previous episodes of the franchise. At least there are fewer human facile gro-tesques, but all the fairy tale/pop culture satire (from Humpty Dumpty to Jack and Jill) and feline cuteness becomes a jum-bled-up overload. Dir. Chris Miller.

Real SteelHugh Jackman’s Lost Father and his

Estranged Son (Dakota Goyo) come together in the near future of robot box-ing—a metaphor for mankind’s displaced emotions in the digital age. This surpris-ingly touching footnote to producer Steven Spielberg’s A.I. is a fairytale of archetypes. Dir. Shawn Levy.

The Rum Diary Another try-and-miss attempt at putting

Hunter Thompson’s fevered journalism on screen. Although Johnny Depp’s too old to play the young Gonzo writer, the dissolute story ignores optimism and innocence. It is dully cynical. Dir. Bruce Robinson.

The Skin I Live In A fairy tale using sexual anxiety as

identity crisis. Mad scientist Antonio Banderas falls in love with his human guinea pig (Elena Anaya) in a narrative as convoluted as it is engrossing. Twisted yet ultimately humane, it gloriously refutes Lady Gaga. Dir. Pedro Almodóvar.

Take ShelterMidwestern laborer (Michael Shannon)

becomes unstable, sensing apocalypse in the changed wind (as Bob Dylan would put it). Political paranoia takes elemental, eschatological form, driving wife (Jessica Chastain) and blue-collar buddy (Shea Whigham) to the edge. Tipping into hor-ror movie cliché, the political tension gets unbearably overwrought. Dir. Jeff Nichols.

Tower Heist Eddie Murphy’s sharp, profane deliv-

ery can’t save this witless high-concept heist movie about a team of luxury apart-ment workers (led by Ben Stiller) seeking revenge on their Madoff-Trump boss. Dir. Brett Ratner.

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new york family

By Veronica Torok

As if negotiating the special educa-tion process isn’t daunting enough, frequent reorganizations to the NYC

Department of Education and recent changes to local procedures may leave city parents wondering where to begin, especially when it comes to kindergarten and elementary school enrollment. For answers to some key questions, New York Family sat down with two experts, Nina Lublin and Jean Mizutani of Resources for Children with Special Needs (RCSN), an independent, nonprofit organization committed to helping families of children with disabilities.

As RCSN’s early childhood special-ist, Lublin demystifies the special needs referral process and helps families of young children with special needs secure the services their children require. Meanwhile, teaching families how to access appropriate education programs is part of Mizutani’s job as the organiza-tion’s educational advocacy team leader and Bronx Special Education Parent Center program coordinator.

Here, they explain the latest changes in the special education community in order to help guide parents’ decision making. The good news? When it comes to what may be right for your child, par-ents know more than they think.

What are the primary functions of RCSN?

Nina Lublin: To empower parents of children with special needs. In NYC,

as you know, fewer than 20 percent of youth with special needs graduate with a diploma and thousands lack essential afterschool programs and support servic-es. RCSN is here to create bright futures for the city’s at-risk children and youth by empowering parents with the knowl-edge, skills and confidence to advocate for their kids.

We also advise and collaborate with educators, mental health professionals and all levels of government to bring a family perspective to the systems that are designed to help children.

We’ve been funded as a federal Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) for about 20 years. We are also funded in part through a New York State Department of Education project called the Special Education Parent Centers. Our PTI work is citywide. We work with families of chil-dren from birth through [age] 26, whose children have special needs.

What should parents know about the Turning 5 guidelines and the pro-cess of transitioning a student from preschool to kindergarten?

Jean Mizutani: The whole process has changed, and next year it’s going to change even more. I think the bottom line is this: There is a focus on inclusive educa-tion and the goal is to educate typical stu-dents and students with disabilities side-by-side. In order to achieve that…schools are supposed to have a wide variety of supports and special education services that can be provided to enable the child with a disability to participate in these local schools.

If I had a child with a specific disabil-ity, such as autism or PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorders), I would ask, Is the staff in the school trained in working with students on the spectrum? Is there a behavior specialist that the teacher could go to if she needs support or assistance? I would try to find out how much support is there.

Do you see the recent changes that make the kindergarten registration process the same for all children, those with special needs and those without, as an advantage?

JM: Parents who have children with special needs should not rely exclusively on schools for information. First, parents

should gather a good balance of informa-tion by attending the NYCDOE’s Turning 5 information sessions that are being held this month, followed by “Transition to Kindergarten” trainings conducted by RCSN or the Early Childhood Direction Centers.

All parents must participate in the kindergarten application process, so full advantage of open house opportunities should be taken. This is important since the majority of students with disabili-ties will be educated in the community schools that accept them and the school will have the explicit responsibility to provide the individualized supports and services that are needed.

In certain cases where a school that accepts a child cannot provide an appropriate program, the DOE’s Office of Student Enrollment will provide an offer of placement for a specific school. For the most part, this will occur primar-ily for students who require a District 75 placement (a specialized, citywide, full-time special education program) for children who have significant cognitive or emotional challenges, sensory impair-ment or autism. If a preschooler has been attending a program of that type, parents should ask for a list of District 75 pro-grams to tour, which is available at the NYCDOE’s Information sessions.

What advice do you have for par-ents about choosing between public and non-public or private schools?

NL: As kindergarten keeps changing and as both school reform and special ed reform move forward, many families are concerned about what kind of kin-dergarten experience awaits their child. Some parents are thinking about charter schools, others are thinking about pub-lic school kindergarten and indeed more than a few parents are thinking about pri-vate schools—also, some of our little ones

may be eligible for some of the funded non-public schools. It’s a gigantic research project for families that starts very early, and I think many families will opt for a public kindergarten experience. As we have seen in the past couple of years, not all public school kindergartens seem to be created equal, even though they all must meet city and state standards.

My background suggests to me that, wherever possible, we should encour-age families toward public school kin-dergarten, which is voluntary by the way, with whatever supports and services the child needs. I usually recommend that to families.

What are some good ways for par-ents to get involved?

JM: I think it’s more important for special needs parents to be front and cen-ter; to be known by the school and to get involved—in a bake sale, if there is a book drive, whatever it is. While the parent is doing that, I think they should also ask if there is a Special Education Parent Teacher Association. There is such thing as Special Education PTA, and that’s been relatively rare in the past, but the reason I bring it up now is because now we’re talking about including children with disabilities in regu-lar community schools in large numbers.

What steps should parents take if they suspect their child may have special needs?

JM: You know more than you think. You know your child better than anyone else. Our new training tagline is “When it comes to your child, the expert is you.” If you have a concern, check it out, follow your own instinct… I don’t think there’s really any downside to having your child evaluated if you have a concern.

For more information, visit resourcesnyc.org.

Where Your Child Fits InTwo experts pull back the curtain on the world of special needs education in NYC

For space lovers, Beyond Planet Earth: The Future of Space Exploration opens this Saturday at the American Museum of Natural History. Walk through a recreation of the surface of Mars, see a replica of a lunar habitat and check out authentic equipment from past space missions. You’ll also hear from scientists on what the future holds for exploring outer space. For more information, visit amnh.org. And for even more family fun, visit newyorkfamily.com.

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WESTSIDESPIRIT.COM

14 • WEST SIDE SPIRIT • November 17, 2011 NEWS YOU LIVE BY

DINING

By Josh PeriloI shook my head as I walked down the

“seasonal” aisle of our local CVS. Natali sighed heavily, knowing I was about to sound off on something insignificant again. She was right.

“I mean, really?! Christmas already?” I huffed. “Halloween was yesterday.”

“Good lord,” I muttered. “Has every-one forgotten about Thanksgiving?”

I happen to think it’s the ultimate holiday. First, for selfish reasons, because it’s all about food. The focus of the day is on the meal and the meal alone. Second, its mes-sage is a tremendous one. True, the origins of this day are more than a tad shady, but the evolution of the holiday’s meaning is undeniable: Give thanks for what you have.

So in honor of my absolute favorite holiday of the winter season, I would like to pick some American wines to pair with some of the typical courses of this great American feast.

A side dish that I make every Thanksgiving, while not part of the typical Turkey Day menu, is Israeli couscous with chanterelles. Mushrooms, in one form or another, usually find their way into the Thanksgiving meal, whether in a green bean casserole, as part of the stuffing or sautéed and served all by themselves.

My go-to wine for all things ’shroomy is a full-bodied California chardonnay. A great example of this type of full-throttle chard is the Arcadian Vineyard “Sleepy Hollow” Chardonnay 2006 ($33.99 at Astor Wines, 399 Lafayette St. at E. 4th St., 212-674-7500). This wine’s fermentation happens in French oak barrels. Because it’s fermented in oak, there are overt notes of oakiness, but because it is French oak, there’s more finesse and less of those

“chewing on Ikea furniture” flavors. It has major scents of tangerine and biscuits on the nose. The finish is honeysuckle, all-spice and burnt sugar.

Then, of course, there’s the turkey. No matter how you prepare it—roasted, grilled, fried or braised—I always reach for the same varietal: zinfandel. And what could

possibly be more appropriate than serving, arguably, the most American of grapes with the most American of

main courses? Zinfandel is bold, strong and makes a real statement. What’s more American than that?

A wonderful example is the Rosenblum Harris Kratka Zinfandel 2006 ($17.49 at Morrell and Company, 1 Rockefeller Plz. at 48th Street & 5th Ave., 212-688-9370). The Rosenblum brand is well known for reliable and affordable zins, but the Harris Kratka really showcas-es the best winemaking that this producer has to offer. Blueberry compote and cin-namon are the major scents on the nose. Deliciously aggressive notes of blackberry jam, currants and mace lead through to a peppery middle and a finish that goes long with lingering flavors of earth and cassis.

The ubiquitous pumpkin pie can be a tricky one to match, wine-wise—unless you have a bottle of Osborne Pedro Ximenez Sherry on hand ($17.99 at 67 Wine, 179 Columbus Ave. at 68th St., 212-724-6767). This thick-as-syrup meal-ender has enough unctuous notes of molas-ses, dates and caramel that coffee may become an afterthought.

So, instead of bringing the candied sweet potatoes this year, bring a bottle of vino! I guarantee you’ll be more popular.

Follow Josh on Twitter: @joshperilo.

By Josh Perilo

The painters had arrived with their ladders, buckets and loud radio music. Escaping the chaos, I needed a place where I could sit and have a simple dish that would set my skewed day to rights.

I found it at Spices and Tease, a new purveyor of loose teas, blends and spice mixes with a small case of quiches and pastries. A few egg-yolk yellow chairs front a counter—there I waited a while for my tomato, spinach and ricotta quiche ($5) to heat up in a tiny oven. Still, it was pleasant to sit in a fragrant spice shop, hearing the lilt-ing voices of the French staff. Cousins Bruno Benzacken and François Athea hail from a European spice dynasty and began selling spices and teas eight years ago at street fairs, but whether they can make a go of it with a shop so specialized remains to be seen.

I was happy that my quiche had only the faintest traces of pep-per and sel de Guérande and no “omelet mix” of the sort being sold in the shop! Each forkful of creamy cheese, spinach, butter-laden crust and chewy sun-dried tomatoes said, “You will find comfort in this simple sustenance.” Other quiches on offer are goat cheese, mushroom and truffle oil and French blue cheese, cara-melized onion and walnut.

* * *This column is, alas, my last “Snack

Attack” for West Side Spirit and Our

Town. In the past four years, I’ve enjoyed searching for the perfect satisfying savory snacks—all under $5 and even-tually $6. From Swedish smørrebrød

sandwiches in the café of a pristine church to empanadas from a hid-den drawer in a Parks Dept. cart, snacks have more than filled an appe-tite—they have often given a welcome fillip to

an otherwise mundane day and taken me to ever new corners of my beloved New York City.

You can be sure I will continue snack-ing and telling. Please keep up with my writings—on food and other topics—at http://www.nancyjbrandwein.com. Thanks to my loyal, hungry readers and to photographer Daniel S. Burnstein for making all the snacks look so scrumptious!

—Nancy J. Brandwein

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WestSideSpirit.com November 17, 2011 • WeSt Side Spirit • 15

pets

Gifts for Those Likely to Chew the StockingBy Jackie Kostek

This holiday season, the dog days are most definitely not over.

According to a new AP-Petside.com poll, more than half of all pet owners will buy a gift for their pet this holiday season. And some pets may get more than one.

Naresh Jessani, co-owner of New York Dog Spa & Hotel on the Upper East Side, said he often sees an increase in business around the holidays.

“Pets are part of the family,” said Jessani. “Pretty much everyone buys a Christmas gift for their pet and puts it under the tree.”

Jessani said many of his clients bring their pets in for holiday grooming.

“They want to deck their dogs out in Christmas gear,” said Jessani. “Reindeer antlers, jingly collars and Santa coats are popular.”

Sandy Robins, a pet lifestyle expert based in California, said the economic recession shouldn’t put a stop to a pet’s holiday bliss.

“If people do have a little bit of extra money, they’re going to splurge on their kids,” she said. “Whether their kids have two legs or four legs.”

Robins said the market for holiday-themed pet gifts has exploded in the past five years.

“If you’re someone who goes for walks at night a lot,” she said, “maybe you’ll buy your pet a collar with a reflector or one that lights up. Your pet gets something new that is also functional.”

The trendiest pet gifts this year are puzzles, Robins added. She likened the puzzles to board games for adults, except that the pet doesn’t play against anyone and she gets a treat when she wins.

“Puzzles will keep the pet very, very

busy,” she said. “They also offer great mental and physical stimulation.”

The winter holiday season is a time of food, festivities and fun, but there are important things to keep in mind to ensure that pets remain healthy and safe.

“Pet parents should remember that holly, evergreens and mistletoe are tox-ic,” said Dr. Mark Verdino, vice presi-dent and chief of veterinary staff at North Shore Animal League America. “Poinsettia, though not poisonous, can cause gastric upset if ingested, pine nee-dles can damage intestines and holiday

trees can be knocked over by curious pets.”

Verdino said, “‘People’ food can sick-en pets and cause severe illness. Pets should not eat chocolate or anything containing xylitol.”

Other safety tips include keeping tin-sel and ribbons away from pets. If swal-lowed, these can cause stomach upset or stick to pets’ intestines, which may require surgery. Also, anything with a flame should be kept far from pets’ reach and never be left unattended.

Keeping Pets Safe this Season

Holiday Pet eventS “Rosie’s Toy Drive.” Not every

dog or cat has such a fruitful holiday season—donate your pet’s gently used toys or purchase something new. All donations will go to Bideawee. The New York Dog Shop, 46 W. 73rd St., thenewy-orkdogshop.com, 212-595-0800.

PetCo Santa. Sitting on a mall Santa’s lap before Christmas isn’t just for chil-dren anymore. Pups get some lap time and owners get a chance to shoot away! PetCo Union Square, 860 Broadway, 212-358-0692, Nov. 25-27.

Holiday Adoption Extravaganza. Not all pets have a home in which to celebrate the holidays. Two rescue orga-nizations will host the two-day week-end event, where families can also take photos with one of the organization’s mascots: Santa Maddie, a six-foot-tall miniature schnauzer. The Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St., 212-463-0200, Dec. 18-19.

Thanksgiving Dinner in a Can. Instead of passing your pet a few left-over turkey scraps under the table on Thanksgiving, treat your pet to dinner made from all the classic Thanksgiving fixings: turkey, sweet potatoes, green beans and Granny Smith apples. www.MerrickPetCare.com.

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Elementary Schools

By Laura ShinEvery morning, students at P.S. 9 arrive

at school eager and excited to learn. What makes these kids love their school? They say it’s the community.

“I really like the teachers and all of my friends,” said Adelaide, a 4th grade stu-dent who is new to the school this year. “I was at my old school for a long time,

so being the new girl was new for me, but everyone made me feel really comfort-able here. I’m glad to be here.”

There are more than 600 students from kindergarten through 5th grade at P.S. 9, also known as the Sarah Anderson School. Parents, faculty and other sup-port staff are all committed to making sure each one of those students is wel-comed and succeeds.

“It’s a community that’s committed to high expectations and the willingness to do what it takes to make sure those expectations are met,” said Diane Brady, the principal, who is in her 14th year at

the Upper West Side school.

A visual arts class at P.S. 9 is not your typi-cal art class—it is an art literacy class in which students are taught how to view and understand art.

“You can come in on a lesson in kindergar-ten and they’re learn-ing about form, con-struction and shapes,” said Brady. “They learn new theoretical terms in visual arts as they move through the grades.”

The school also takes full advantage of its New York City backdrop, Brady said. Classes take trips to the city’s museums, apply-ing what they have learned in class to what they see.

A large number of the school’s activi-ties are based on tradition, Brady said. For example, there is an annual Spirit Day for 5th graders, based on elements learned in gym class, in which students from different classes compete with one another.

They also have affiliations with many different organizations, such as the New York City Ballet. Third grade students at P.S. 9 visit the ballet the-ater at Lincoln Center each year and are even taken backstage. Back at the school, they create a ballet of their

own based on a unit of study, such as a social studies theme.

“Not only do they have the opportunity to choreograph and dance, but by apply-ing it to social studies, the kids didn’t realize how much they were learning

Wise Young Students Say They’re in a Good School

Outstanding

Elementary School

There is no singular way to educate elementary school children, as is clear from the profiles in this week’s Blackboard Awards special section.

One of our honorees, The Blue School, a private school founded by Blue Man Group, is still growing and thriving in its new location at the Seaport, while another, principal Charlene Reid of Bronx Charter School for Excellence, is like a great coach inspiring students and teachers to do better. Meanwhile, at P.S. 9, a traditional public school, students often venture out to find there is much to learn in the “classroom” of New York City.

Blackboard Awards are in no way a school ranking, but they are a way to pay tribute to a few of the great schools and principals in the city. The awards are selected by editors from Manhattan Media, publisher of Our Town, West Side Spirit and New York Family, who work closely with education experts.

Next week, we close the 2011 Blackboard Awards with a look at some of the city’s exemplary middle and high schools.Josh Rogers

Blackboard Awards contributing editor

Elementary School Honors

and

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Students work together on a computer project at P.S 9 on the Upper West Side.

continued on page 22

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Elementary Schools

Blue School’s Performance Keeps Soaring on Bigger Stage By Dan Rosenblum

During a meeting earlier this month near the Seaport, architect David Rockwell went to meet some of the cli-ents for his new project. Some of them wanted more tools or shelving. Another asked for a jackhammer.

These may have been unusual requests for a construction lab at The Blue School, but the group of kindergartners, 1st grad-

ers and parents were an unusual group of collaborators.

“That’s the Blue School moment for you—kids just turn their fascinations loose and you see this architect—a world-class architect—getting so excited about that imagination and the next gen-

eration of architects,” said Don Grace, the school’s interim head.

The Blue School is trying to create a generation that isn’t afraid of thinking big, which shouldn’t be a surprise for a school founded by three members of Blue Man Group.

It offers children a creative place to learn with a focus on progressive meth-ods of education. Students have space to play, learn problem solving and use creative expression to foster their own learning style.

“We’re still getting questions on whether this is a training ground for the next generation of Blue Man,” Grace said.

The school opened in 2006 as a par-ent-run playgroup for 2- and 3-year olds. Since then, the school has taken on 20 teachers, received state accreditation and has nearly 200 students. The school plans to expand to teach 4th and 5th graders over the next two years.

To accommodate its growth, the school, which used to rent space around Manhattan, has spent $15 million to buy the former Water Street headquarters of the Seamen’s Church Institute. Now, The Blue School is looking to expand its mis-sion in one of Manhattan’s fastest grow-

ing residential neighborhoods. “We’re trying to figure out what it’s

like to be a larger school, because over the last two years, we have doubled,” said Grace. “Communication systems that used to work when we were half the size

somehow just aren’t working in the same way.”

Grace said part of that adjustment comes with moving from a two-floor building on Astor Place to a vertical cam-pus with classes spanning five floors. In an effort to meet the challenge, Grace said the school is planning to put togeth-

er a student-run postal system that will allow kids to send physical letters to oth-er students or staff members.

The school is getting a fair number of curious people. Grace said since late September, the school has held four open houses for 80-100 prospective parents and educators.

“I’m not entirely sure we won’t have to create another one,” he said.

Grace said many Blue School students often go on to public schools or other pro-gressive schools like the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Village Community School or Brooklyn Friends School.

Full-time tuition costs are $28,000, and even though it offers tuition aid and financial assistance, The Blue School will be out of reach for some students. But Grace said he hopes other schools across the country will recognize and infuse chil-dren’s wonder into education.

“We believe that sense of wonder doesn’t have to be flipped, compromised or put in a box as early as it is, and as long as it is, in schools,” said Grace. “We believe that The Blue School is succeed-ing in part because we have faith in that curiosity and passion for learning and wonder.”

Rising Star

Elementary School

because they were having so much fun,” said Elisabeth Austin-Page, a 4th grade teacher and the teachers union leader at the school.

Making the most of what the city has to offer is crucial, Brady said. “We have the greatest resources in the world and these programs expose the children to what’s available in the city. They build and enrich them in all kinds of ways,” she said.

One student remembered a class trip she took last year to Pennsylvania.

“It was fun because we were learning but having fun at the same time,” said Camille, a 5th grader. “We talked about the Revolutionary War and what hap-pened with the Native Americans. It was nice because I never thought we would go on big trips like that.”

None of these opportunities would be possible without the dedication of parents and staff, Brady emphasized. Even while riding out budget challenges, parents and staff have been committed

to activities like fundraising and volun-teering to ensure the children still have access to the best.

Julie Castellano, a 4th grade teacher who is new to the school this year, said the commitment of those she works with has helped make her first two months of

teaching at the school a great experience. “The community is outstanding,” she

said. “The teacher relations, the respect for one another, the administrative sup-port and the collaborative nature are all just outstanding.”

Austin-Page agreed that the strong

sense of community is something that makes P.S. 9 stand out from other schools.

The best of part of her job is the stu-dents, she said. “They’re all so excited about learning; they get excited to read and learn a new math strategy. To see them excited helps me to be excited.”

“We’re still getting questions on whether this is a training ground for the next generation of Blue Man,” Don Grace said.

P.S. 9continued from page 20

Reading together in the P.S. 9 library.

Principal Diane Brady.


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Elementary Schools

By David GibbonsSuccessful schools are built on a

strong sense of community and an effective partnership between stu-dents, teachers and parents. Without a person of outstanding character and leadership ability at the helm, however, the vessel can easily veer off course.

Founded in 2004 in the working-class neighborhood of Parkchester, the Bronx Charter School for Excellence was struggling. In 2007, Charlene Reid was hired to turn it around.

Reid began by revamping the school’s staff. She promoted high standards as the norm, set performance goals for teachers and students and instilled a culture of communication, support and accountability.

Within a year, the school was truly living up to its name. Under Reid, its 440 students (kindergarten through 7th grade and expanding) have consis-tently averaged at or near the top of all New York state schools in English and math proficiency. It is now widely rec-ognized as a top 10 charter school.

“It’s all about leadership,” said Joyce Frost, chair of the school’s board. “Charlene has high expectations for everyone around her. Underperformers, both students and staff, are quickly identified and given extra support. She cultivates her staff by continually cre-ating leadership opportunities. They are constantly asking, ‘How can we do this better?’—whether that’s curricu-

lum, an enrichment program or a teach-ing methodology.”

If Reid has a motto, it is her firm belief that excellence can be achieved by all. “We really function as a team,” she said. “We gain power from each other. Your success is based on other people’s success. Typically, schools can be very isolating. Teachers go into their classrooms, close the door and teach. But the successful schools are team-oriented.”

At Bronx Charter, each grade is assigned a five-teacher team, including specialists (music, gym, etc.). All five teachers lead small group sessions in basic skills such as reading; all are held equally account-able for the success of each of the roughly 56 students in their grade.

“Charlene has that rare ability to see the big picture and be reflective,” said Krista Dunbar, director of the Cahn Fellows Program for Distinguished Principals at Teachers College, Columbia University. Reid was one of 20 school leaders and the only charter principal selected for the program’s

2011 class. “She sees herself as a coach and approaches her work from a performance perspective: How can each person be at the top of her or his game?”

Reid, 36, is accustomed to leading the pack, and her team approach to the “individual sport” of teaching comes as no surprise. A star sprinter at James Logan High School in her native Union City, Calif., she was recruited by UCLA and named to the NCAA All-America team there. She earned a master’s degree in elementary education at UCLA while teaching 1st grade in Watts.

Enamored of New York City’s “educational reform environ-ment,” she enrolled at Teachers College. After a rocky start—her first day teaching at P.S. 46 in Harlem was Sept. 11, 2001—things started to work out. She met her husband-to-be, fellow Columbia student Denniston Reid; switched from studying policy to leadership; completed her second master’s; and was hired as an assistant principal in the Bronx.

In 2007, after five years of dealing with red tape in the Board of Ed, she was ready to move on. Encouraged by her husband, who supervises five schools for a charter foundation, she

applied to Bronx Charter. “Of the four finalists, Charlene was a complete standout,” recalled Frost. “I remember the interview to this day.”

It was a day that would change a school—and the lives of its many students—forever.

University Educates the City on How to Fund a School

Struggling New Charter Was Saved by Determined Principal

By Jermaine TaylorThis fall, Columbia’s Teachers College

opened its doors on the Upper West Side. In partnership, the Teachers College Community School, “a university-assist-ed, non-selective, community school,” admitted the first crop of kindergart-ners into what the principal, Jeanene Worrell-Breeden, called “the school of my dreams.”

“The resources we have just by vir-tue of our connection to the university make this school unique,” said Worrell-Breeden. “We have access to everything Teachers College has to offer. So if I need help with anything—from social work to counseling—I can rely on TC to support me in those ventures.”

The college, for example, sponsors all

of the elementary school’s after-school programs, which run every day from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. During that time, students can participate in workshops on topics such as music, nutrition, physical educa-tion—even robotics.

Their “plethora of resources” means the school is shielded from many of the budget stresses that often plague public schools.

The school is comprised of 50 kin-dergartners in two classrooms with four adults present in each class—a certified classroom teacher, a paraprofessional, a student teacher and an intern. “That gives us the ability to give children who need it specialized attention,” Worrell-Breeden said.

Next year, the school is moving from

130th Street to Morningside Avenue, where it will eventually expand to cover through the 8th grade.

Worrell-Breeden said the school received 125 applications for its first 50 seats, despite late approval from the Department of Education.

Teachers College students, who all

hail from Districts 5 and 6, “reflect the diversity of the Upper West Side,” said the principal, a former Wall Street portfo-lio manager who has lived in Harlem for 20 years.

Ultimately, she said, the school’s suc-cess will depend on the commitment of both the staff and parents.

“We didn’t just want to say, ‘Here’s your school, take it or leave it,’” she said. “We wanted them to feel like they were a part of the process as well.”

Overall, Worrell-Breeden is happy with how the school has fared so far and is excited about next year’s move.

“We’re building the foundation this year,” she said. “We want to be a resource for other schools and for the Harlem com-munity. We want to share the wealth.”

New and Noteworthy Elementary

Schools

Observers say Charlene Reid, principal of Bronx Charter School for Excellence, is like a great sports coach. “Teachers go into their classrooms, close the door and teach,” Reid said. “But the successful schools are team-oriented.”

Principalof the Year

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rew

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LEgAL NOTICESnoticE is hErEBy givEn that a license, number Pending for Beer & Wine has been applied for by the undersigned to sell Beer & Wine at retail in a restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 102-16 43rd Ave., Corona, NY 11368 for on premises consumption. El Madrono Corp d/b/a Restaurante Gaby.

noticE is hErEBy givEn that a license, Number 1257500 for Beer, Wine & Liquor has been applied for by the undersigned to sell Beer, Wine & Liquor at retail in a restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at: 1756 E Tremont Ave, Bronx, NY 10460 for on-premises consumption. Liquid Lounge LLC

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PuBlic noticE noticE is hErEBy givEn, Pursuant to laW, that the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs will hold a Public Hearing on Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. at 66 John Street, 11th floor, on a petition from C.S.L.L. Rest. Corp. to continue to, maintain, and operate an enclosed sidewalk café at 1271 Third Avenue in the Borough of Manhattan for a term of two years. Requests for copies of the proposed revocable consent agreement may be addressed to: Department of Consumer Affairs, ATTN: Foil Officer, 42 Broadway, New York, NY 10004.

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By Alan ChartockAs belts tighten in New York state

government, the question of whether to continue New York’s charter schools becomes even more controversial. those who favor charter schools argue that too often, in the state’s inner cities, children receive inferior educations. A lot of peo-ple, including many of the state’s conser-vative thinkers, have embraced charter schools as a way out of the cycle of sub-standard, regimented education.

Many middle-class parents have traditionally avoided New York City’s public high schools for their kids, tar-geting special schools like stuyvesant, LaGuardia High school of Music and Art and performing Arts, Brooklyn tech and Bronx High school of science, to name a few. these were the alternatives for the middle class—among those who have the least, a few got into the special schools, but for many reasons too few were admitted.

When pro-charter George pataki was governor, he controlled the sUNY Board of trustees. He appointed its members, who were mostly in favor of charter schools. pataki made a deal with the Legislature stipulating that there would be not one but two main authorizers of charter schools in the state. since he con-trolled the sUNY trustees, he gave that group the right to approve new charter school applications.

(in the spirit of disclosure, my son Jonas was once one of the executive directors of that organization. it was not

surprising that the sUNY Charter schools institute was at the forefront of open-ing these schools—that was what pataki wanted and that was what he got.)

As democratic governors were elect-ed, they slowly changed the composition of the sUNY board, but david paterson, eliot spitzer and Andrew Cuomo all had a pro-charter orientation. this is one of the few times that traditional New York politics has been laid aside, as democratic governors con-tinued to support the concept of charters despite the fact that the powerful teachers unions were not happy about them for a list of reasons too long to go into here. it was also thought that the other major authorizing group, the New York state department of education, was not nearly as aggressive as the sUNY board in authorizing charters. some suggested that the regents were “in bed” with the teachers unions.

the remarkable and generally won-derful outgoing chair of the sUNY Board of trustees, Carl Hayden, was a charter school advocate who believed that as long as traditional public schools were not being hurt, charters were a good idea. At the end of Hayden’s term, Carl McCall, the former U.N. ambassador, state senator and New York state comp-troller, was appointed sUNY chair.

A lot of people had the impression that McCall was not a fan of charters. the outgoing chair, Hayden, said so in a frank interview with the Legislative Gazette,

but McCall claimed it wasn’t so. He gave good reasons for supporting charters, including their innovation that would find its way into other, more traditional public schools. this argument put him in line with Cuomo, the man who appointed him. in sUNY board meetings, McCall went on record questioning whether it should be sUNY’s role to authorize char-

ters in the first place.the big issue now is whether

the state will supply charters with space. in this tough eco-nomic time, will New York build charter school buildings or give them existent space?

pro-charter advocates argue that without the state provid-

ing the space, charters will be at a dis-advantage as they try to turn things around. those on the other side say we can’t afford it. some also argue that the wealthy people who have been giving huge amounts of money to set up and run charters will stop doing so if the state takes over.

it can’t be denied that charters have made innovations that are being copied by traditional public schools and that badly run charters that don’t make their required “numbers” have been closed, as they should be.

so far, so good.

Alan s. Chartock is president and CeO of WAMC/Northeast public radio and an executive publisher at the Legislative Gazette.

Capital ConneCtion

L E T T E R S

Charters Meet Economic RealityWill the state supply charters with space in tough financial time?

Voice for the VoicelessTo the editor:

thanksgiving is almost here and it’s time to give thanks to community people and writers for sharing their talents. Bette dewing is one of those people whose col-umn i’ve read for years because, as one friend put it, “she writes about issues that concern me and my neighborhood.”

Another friend said, “she gives voice to the voiceless.”

And when doctor’s Hospital (Beth israel North) closed several years ago, her account was the only one that captured the rage and despair many of

us Upper east side residents felt. she also wrote about the closing of the res-taurant Le Boeuf a la Mode, which is very much missed.

Our town’s 40th anniversary issue contained so much important Upper east side history along with Bette’s thoughtful memories—because she has attended many civic and other community events, she really knows who we are!

thank you, Bette, for giving voice to what i feel. Can’t wait to read your next column.

Rosalind PanePanto

E. 82nd StrEEt

Letters have been edited for clar-ity, style and brevity.


Healthy Manhattan: Sweet Cooking From Diabetic Top Chef Page 23

WEST SIDEWEST SIDE

PAGE 9

A look at some of the city’s great preschools P. 15

PHO

TO: A

ND

REW

SCH

WAR

TZ

11-year-old gymnast Alexandra Chau.

+UpperWest Side 2465 Broadway (Between 91st & 92nd) 212-721-2111Weekdays 8am-10pm Weekdays 9am-9pm

(Late October)GRANDOPENING

www.CityMD.net

WestSideSpirit.com November 17, 2011 • WeSt Side Spirit • 27

By Christopher Moore I won money in the lottery.Talk about a first. I never win any-

thing, but somehow my big moment came last week.

I didn’t even realize my good fortune during the appropriate week; I finally got around to checking the lotto numbers for the previous Wednesday during the fol-lowing week. This delay is hardly unusu-al. On the rare occasions when I actually purchase a lottery ticket, I somehow for-get to see whether I have won.

My custom has been strange. I get the ticket, put it in my wallet and then find myself surprised each time I see the slip of paper. Eventually, checking whether I won the lottery becomes an item on one of my to-do lists.

Lists, literally. This last time, I began to make notes on paper and then on my phone that I needed to see if I had scored. I meant to visit the cute little lottery section of the

daily papers—instead, days late, I went online and studied NYLottery.org. Within an hour, I was standing in a little bodega near 104th Street, claiming my prize.

Being a winner, I have to say right here and now, has not changed my life. I am still working multiple gigs, living in the same small space, committed to the same partner and enjoying the same circle of friends. All of this is either because I was raised with the right values, like a passion for work and a deep appreciation for the people in my life, or it’s because I only won a dollar.

Yup, one dollar. I had three numbers that matched.

Granted, the young fellow manning the lottery machine on 104th Street did not appear impressed with my victory. He ges-tured to his machine, suggesting silently that the sensible move would be for me to invest my dollar back into the lottery’s next round. I demurred. I wanted my buck.

I told him I was heading out to celebrate.

He did not smile at the joke. He did not look like he ever smiled at a joke. Maybe that’s just his person-ality. Maybe manning the lottery machine does not make one the keeper of dreams. Or maybe there was now a deep divide between us. I was, after all, a winner. Jealousy is ugly.

My dollar went immediately into a special place in my wallet, not where the single dollar bills usually go. I put it back with the twenties (there were not, alas, many), promising to myself to pay atten-tion to this one dollar. Of course, within a couple of days I had mindlessly slipped the dollar in with the other singles. The dollar went. I can only hope I did not spend it all in one place.

I have always had mixed feelings about gambling in general and the state-spon-

sored lottery in particular. Both seem problematic to me. I worry about the most vulnerable in any enterprise where most people lose, like the lottery or the

current American economic system. As a Jersey boy, the bad neighbor-hoods of Atlantic City are always in my brain when arguments abound about how one form of gambling or another will save us.

Whereas fans of the lottery think it encourages dreaming, I suspect it feeds fantasias. Ideally, people

should live their lives like they’ve already won the lottery. No, really. I used to be idealistic enough to believe that. Now I see that millions of Americans are trying to count of the number of jobs they need to pay their bills, instead of the numbers they might play in the lottery.

Tough times make the manic energy known as lotto fever ever more preva-lent. Perhaps the guy at the bodega was right. I should have invested my winnings in another ticket after all.

Christopher Moore is a writer who lives in Manhattan. He can be reached by email at [email protected] and is on Twitter (@cmoorenyc).

citiquette

By Jeanne MartnetFor me, one of the benefits of being

a freelancer is not having to take mass transit during rush hour. Nevertheless, last week I found myself on the 79th Street crosstown bus at 5:30 p.m., which is a bit like being stuffed inside a can of sardines—live, irritated, smelly sardines. There was the usual friction between the people standing toward the back hoard-ing their personal space and the people trying to get on who were calling out, “Move back, people!” And, of course, there was the continuous vying for seats.

I happened to be sitting in a side seat, near the front, under the sign that reads: “Won’t you please give this seat to the elderly or disabled?” At Fifth Avenue, an older man got on. He looked as if he was in his early 70s, though he did not seem in any way infirm or unsteady on his feet. After struggling for a moment with the selfish desire for my own comfort, I offered him my seat.

The man waved me off with a stiff “no thanks.” I looked up at him. He stood

right over me; there was no place else to go on the packed bus. I could see he was annoyed.

“I’m not that old yet, I hope,” he mut-tered at me in a sarcastic tone. That was when I understood that I had, unwittingly, emasculated him. That, according to his old-school mentality, he’s supposed to get up for me, not the other way around. Still, I wondered, how could anyone misinterpret such a simple common courtesy?

Then I thought back to the time a few years ago when someone gave me his seat on the subway, winked and said, “You should not be on your feet in your condition.” I realized with horror he had thought I was pregnant! I did not enjoy getting that seat (and I never wore that dress ever again).

The problem with offering up your seat, which we all know is the right thing to do, is that the etiquette is not always black and white. You could, of course, relinquish your seat for everyone, which at rush hour would mean you would never sit down at all. But most of us are

tired enough at the end of a day that we can’t pass up an emp-ty seat. And unless someone unmistakably “seat-needy” gets on—someone elderly; someone with a cane, a cast or a brace; someone who is pregnant, blind or sick; or someone who is carrying bulky packages or a baby—we tend to think, “First come, first served.”

As sexist as it sounds, it would be simpler for everyone if strong young men were willing to offer up their seats more frequently. (It’s not that young men are any more capable of standing than young women are, but let’s face it: most young women these days are wear-ing heels.) On the other hand, I try not to judge every young man harshly for not doing this—it isn’t always easy to tell who has a physical problem. When I was in my early 30s, I had a herniated disk, and it wasn’t obvious to others how much pain I was in.

Maybe the seemingly oblivious guy playing games on his iPod does, in fact,

have a bad knee. Maybe he’s got heel spurs. Maybe he’s an exhausted hospital intern who just worked a triple shift and saved the lives of three people with gun-shot wounds. Okay, probably not. But you never know.

For those of us without hidden gun-shot wounds, there are basically three ways to offer someone your seat:

1) Look inquiringly at the person. Shift as if you are about to get up, placing one hand on the back of your seat. Watch to see if he looks grateful/hungry for a seat. He will make a move toward you if he wants to accept. This is known as the “Edge of My Seat” method.

2) Vacate the seat before he figures out you are moving because of him. For all he knows, you are nearing your stop. (This method is not recommended on a very crowded bus, as someone else is likely to pounce on the seat before your chosen beneficiary can get to it.)

3) Ask: “Would you like my seat?” This is the “Direct Approach,” which, as I have shown, can sometimes backfire. But it’s by far the most civilized, so it’s worth the risk.

Macho 70-year-olds notwithstanding.

Jeanne Martinet, aka Miss Mingle, is the author of seven books on social inter-action. Read her blog at MissMingle.com.

MOORe tHOuGHtS

Being a Standup GuyAnd why it’s sometimes harder to be a standup girl

Life Lessons from the Lotto?You have to be in it to win—well, not all that much, as it turns out


GARDNER DUNNAN

ACADEMIC DEAN AND HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL, AVENUES

Former Headmaster, The Dalton School

WWW.AVENUES.ORG

WHAT MAKES A GREAT HIGH SCHOOL?

TO LEARN MORE, OR TO SIGN UP FOR OUR PARENT INFORMATION EVENTS, VISIT AVENUES.ORG OR CALL 212.935.5000.

“All students need a realm in which they can feel ‘expert.’ That takes time, attention and hard work. But in developing that interest, students gain a capacity to succeed that you don’t get simply by having broad coverage.”

A commitment from Avenues: The World School. Avenues was

conceived to provide a rich K-12 education with a global perspective.

To that end, grades 9 to 12 represent the culmination of our school’s

many unique features.

“It is in the Upper School that the World Course,

the Avenues mastery program and the utilization of

the incredible resources of our neighborhood and

greater New York City will come to full fruition,” says

Gardner Dunnan, academic dean and head of Upper

School at Avenues. “The Upper School will give

our students the opportunity to study at Avenues

campuses abroad and to host visiting scholars—in

person and via our connecting technologies.”

The advantage of mastery. In addition to an advanced program of

broad academic study, Avenues students will develop mastery of

a subject for which they have a particular passion. That could be

anything, from science to language to athletics to art.

“The pursuit of a passion will take hard work and

will also impart an important lesson about achieving

excellence,” says Dunnan.

Preparation for college and beyond. Upper School

students will learn in a collaborative environment that

reflects the world in which they will soon live and work.

They will graduate with advanced proficiency in a

second language, as well as with the credentials sought

by the world’s leading colleges and universities.

Avenues-ManhattanMedia_Gardner.indd 1 11/10/11 4:52 PM

West Side Spirit November 17, 2011

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Transcript of West Side Spirit November 17, 2011