First Group of HS Principals Ask to Go Remote

Brooklyn was first. 216 High School Principals and APs

August 27, 2020 

TO: Mayor Bill De Blasio; Chancellor Richard Carranza, 

As our colleagues in other Districts have expressed in letters sent to you, and in solidarity with our union (CSA), the Principals and Assistant Principals of Brooklyn High Schools are deeply concerned. We are concerned by the lack of readiness for the planned reopening of our schools in just two short weeks. Considering the high risks of COVID-19, we call for you to arrange for 100% remote instruction of our students, as other leaders in cities in our country have championed. We are deeply concerned that until all school leaders are adequately trained and supported with the implementation of the 70 + pages of safety protocols outlined in the First Deputy Chancellor’s Principal Playbook, the first month of school should start remotely. 

The Brooklyn North High School Superintendency, led by Superintendent Janice Ross, and the Brooklyn North Borough Office, led by Executive Superintendent Karen Watts, and the Brooklyn South High School Superintendency, led by Superintendent Michael Prayor, and the Brooklyn South Borough Office, led by Executive Superintendent Barbara Freeman have been supportive around our collective concerns to their best abilities to address the collective concerns of our members. However, Central DOE Leadership has not provided our district and school-level support teams with detailed information for implementable and effective options. 

Our concerns about our ability to safely open in two weeks (on 9/10) are: 

1. None of the models of instruction that schools were required to choose from allow parents to get back to work, which was initially one of the primary purposes of reopening the schools. 
2. Many of the 141 health and safety concerns submitted to Central DOE Leadership by 

CSA have not been addressed. 

3. We are concerned that Central will not be able to provide the necessary quantity and 

type of PPE to staff and students on time. 

4. The models of instruction all call for one teacher for approximately every 11 students in a given instructional period. To make this work, we would need nearly twice as many teachers than we currently have. While there are many pedagogues assigned to District and Central offices, it is not clear if those people will be available to work in schools. Adding to this, hiring freezes that have been put in place will also make staffing difficult. 
5. The custodial staff is being asked to keep hospital-like conditions and are expected to do 

the deep and constant cleaning and sanitizing without more staff and an increased budget. 

6. Our buildings’ ventilation systems are not all operating as designed. Principals who have no expertise in this area should not be asked by the Department of Education to confirm their effectiveness without documentation. Once again, the added responsibility is being placed on the backs of school leaders who have enough on their plates to ensure synchronous and asynchronous learning. 
7. High School students who are in the same grade in the same school have a wide variety 

of program requirements due to varied needs and academic performance. For this reason, it will be impossible for most High Schools to program their students into “pods.” This means that most high schools will have to plan for “student passing” in- between instructional periods. High Schools have received only vague guidance on how to handle the inevitable movement of students throughout the building and maintain the required six-feet social distancing. 

8. High School staff has yet to be given workable guidance as to how to handle students 

who refuse to wear masks and/or refuse to socially distance. 

9. High School staff has yet to be provided workable guidance as to how to handle 

students who show up to school on the wrong day (meaning that the given student shows up on a day that he/she is scheduled for at-home remote learning). Schools are not permitted to deny students entry to the building. However, allowing too many students who show up on a wrong day to enter the building will create a situation where classroom sizes will far exceed CDC guidelines. Staff is already stretched thin, and it will not be possible for most schools to have a holding room that abide by the CDC limits of 8-12 students per room to send these students to. 

Due to the above concerns, we seek the following changes to the current plan to reopen schools: 

1. Start the Year 100% Remote: Designate the first three weeks of September as fully 

asynchronous instruction days so school staff can learn all new safety protocols, set up and inspect classrooms, train staff on trauma-informed instruction, ensure promised building improvements have been addressed, and allow Building Response Teams time to practice safety procedures. 

2. Phase-In Blended Students: Allow schools the option of phasing in blended learning 

students from September 21 to October 18. 

3. Communicate Supply Shipments: Provide principals with guaranteed delivery dates, 

shipments details including items and quantity to be received (PPE, cleaning supplies, etc.), as well as procedures for distribution within the school building and processes for replenishment. 

4. Ensure Building Councils Meet with Custodial Engineers: Ensure custodial engineers 

have collaborated with school Principals to verify physical distancing signage has been posted, classrooms have been adequately set up, excess furniture has been safely stored, and that cleaning schedules are prepared and shared with school leaders. 

5. Provide Schools with Ventilation Reports: Reports detailing which systems have been 

inspected, what repairs, upgrades, or modifications have been made, and how it has been determined ventilation is appropriate in each classroom must be provided to each school principal. 

6. Develop Protocol for Assigning Remote Teachers: Central must develop a procedure for selecting which teachers will teach remote only students if school leaders need more staff for remote learners. 

In Unity, 1 Gill Cornell – Principal, 14K558 

2 Steve Dorcely – Assistant Principal, 21K690 3 Antoinette Martin, EdD – Assistant Principal, 19K660 4 Brandy Huxtable – Assistant Principal, 19K422 5 Rashid Ferrod Davis-Principal, 17K122 6 Joan Mosely, Principal, 17K382 7 Kiri Soares, Principal 13K527 8 Andrea F. Ciliotta, Principal 21K690 9 Bryant Ng, Assistant Principal 21K690 10 Laura Morrissey, Assistant Principal, 21K690 11 Vincenza Mannino, Assistant Principal, 21K690 12 Matthew Katz, Assistant Principal, 21K690 13 Halley Tache, Assistant Principal 18k629 14 Esther Shali – Ogli, Principal 14K071 15 Jason Rosenbaum, Assistant Principal, 14K071 16 Nicole Abrams—Assistant Principal, 17K548 17 Uchechukwu Lawrence Njoku – Principal, 15K462 18 Sharon Evans – Principal 15K463 19 Natasha Jack – Principal 17k531 20 Michael McDonnell – Principal 22K405 21 Eric Newville – Assistant Principal, 32K403 22 ChántAndréa Blissett – Principal, 32K403 23 Nicole Lanzillotto – Principal, 15K497 24 Svetlana Litvin, Assistant Principal, 20K445 25 Catherine Mitchell, Principal, 14K614 

26 Angela Eversley-Milton – Assistant Principal, 19K502 27 Nicole Lanzillotto – Principal, 15K497 28 AAden Stern – Principal, 19k404 29 Sarah Reedy, Assistant Principal, 19K404 30 Alona Cohen- Principal, 15K423 31 Jill Sandusky – Principal, 15K464 32 Adam Goldner, Assistant Principal, 20K505 33 Jeffrey Hammer, Assistant Principal, 19K422 34 Christina Koza, Principal, 19K422 35 Fredrick Manning Assistant Principal 20K505 36 Jane Wharton, Assistant Principal 14K478 37 Susana Giberga, Assistant Principal, 21K525A 38 Michael Bolt, Assistant Principal, 32K549 39 Ann-Marie Henry-Stephens, Principal, 17K745 40 Cicily Humes-James, Assistant Principal 17K745 41 Neil Pergament, Assistant Principal 15K423 42 Pauline O’Brien, Principal 18K633 43 Michael Shadrick, Principal 14K561 44 Tarah Montalbano, Principal 21K620 45 Sean Brandt, Assistant Principal, 15K429 46 Edgar Lin, Principal, 13K265 47 Janan Eways, Assistant Principal, 13K616 48 Veronica Coleman, Principal, 18K569 49 Jacob Baty, Assistant Principal 20K490 50 Natascha Minze, Assistant Principal 21K728 51 Dannielle Darbee, Principal 16K688 52 Sarah McCoy, Assistant Principal 16K688 53 Kimberley Bruno, Assistant Principal 14K558 54 Jennifer Zisler, Assistant Principal 17K600 55 Cluny Lavache, Assistant Principal 13K595 56 Jorge Arias, Assistant Principal, 14K474 57 Mitch Schrager, Assistant Principal, 14K478 58 Kayon Pryce, Principal, 33K891 59 Christine Ingordo, Assistant Principal 21K525 60 Arnold Gottlieb, Assistant Principal, 20K505 61 Llermi Gonzalez, Principal, 32K564 62 Connie Hamilton, Principal, 21K540 63 Thomas Oberle, Assistant Principal, 20K490 64 Maria Sandoval, Assistant Principal, 15K423 65 Victor John, Assistant Principal, 17K122 66 Sage Norman, Assistant Principal, 20K609 

67 Melanie Katz, Principal 20K505 68 Nathalie Jufer, Principal, 20K609 69 Candace Hugee, Principal 19K764 70 Anna Tabet, Assistant Principal 19K764 71 Lauren Urrico, Assistant Principal, 20K505 72 Holger Carrillo, Principal, 14K478 73 Valerie Girard Ward, Assistant Principal, 13K605 74 Christine Imbemba Assistant Principal 20k505 75 Marissa Olivieri, Assistant Principal 18K629 76 Costas Constantinidis, Assistant Principal 15K519 77 Cristina Santiago-Campbell, Assistant Principal 13K430 78 Kelly Nottingham, Assistant Principal 13K430 79 Johnny Ventura, Assistant Principal 13K430 80 Jess Rhoades Bonilla, Assistant Principal 13K430 81 Kelly Lovelett, Assistant Principal 13K430 82 Rosabeth Eddy, Assistant Principal 13K430 83 Lourdes M. Cuesta, Assistant Principal 13K430 84 Richard Fisher, Assistant Principal 13K430 85 Maureen Goldfarb, Principal 20K445 86 LaToya Kittrell, Principal 15K698 87 Tanisha Brown, Assistant Principal 19K404 88 Virginia Izzo, Assistant Principal 20K490 89 Kelly Ann Witkowski, Assistant Principal 14k561 90 Todd Gerber, Assistant Principal 21K620 91 Louis Garcia, Principal 18k566 92 Franklin Encarnacion 19K507 93 James O’Brien 13K412 94 Michael A. Repole, Assistant Principal 20k445 95 Jorge E. Sandoval, Principal 32K552 96 Joseph Termini, Assistant Principal 14K561 97 Deanna Torres, Assistant Principal 32K168 98 Rachel J. Hill, Assistant Principal 17K122 99 Stephen McNally, Principal 21K344 100 Marie Prendergast, Principal 17K537 101 Gail Murray, Assistant Principal 23K514 102 Annamaria Mule, Principal 15K519 103 Allen Barge, Principal 21K525 104 Joe Arzuaga, Principal 13K605 105 M.T. Fernandez, A.P. 22K405 106 Jodie Cohen – Principal 22K425 107 Kristin Ferrales, Principal lA 13K483 

108 John Christakos, Assistant Principal 20K490 109 Sean Rice, Principal 17k546 110 Giovanni D’Amato, Assistant Principal, 14K558 111 Valerie Vu, Assistant Principal 32K552 112 Lisa Grevenberg, Principal 17K751 113 Risa Bockler, Assistant principal 17K751 114 Leotha Harry, Assistant principal 17K751 115 Dawn Meconi, Principal 15K429 116 Evan Schwartz, Principal 07×600 117 Tamika S. Matheson, Principal 23K514 118 Michele Tran, Assistant Principal, 22K425 119 Marisa Boan, Assistant Principal 17K546 120 Anthony Veneziano, Assistant Principal 18k563 121 Heather McNamara Assistant Principal 18K633 122 Frank Whelan Smith, Assistant Principal 14K474 123 Philip Gill, Assistant Principal 19K615 124 Jackie McAllister, Assistant Principal 14K478 125 Alexandra Stahl, Assistant Principal 19K618 126 Xhenete Shepard, Principal 20K485 127 Rosemarie Tartaglione, Assistant Principal, 21K620 128 Nicole Woodham, Assistant Principal, 19K618 129 Rosemary Vega, Principal, 14K477 130 Mary Minucci, Assistant Principal 20K490 131 Fern Bren-Cardali, Assistant Principal, 22K405 132 Pascal P. Licciardi, Assistant Principal, 21K525 133 Jamie Weyerbacher – Assistant Principal, 18K617 134 Matthew Meyerson, Assistant Principal 17K600 135 Adaleza Michelena, Principal 18K617 136 RoseAnn Torre, Assistant Principal, 22K425 137 Carmen Simon, Principal, 23K697 138 Dara Kammerman, Assistant Principal, 22K611 139 Meghan Lynch, Principal, 19K618 140 David J. DeCamp, Principal, 22K630 141 Evan Goldwyn, AP Administration (17K543) 142 Alexandra Hernandez, Principal, 19K583 143 Nicholette Apap, Assistant Principal, 21K540 144 Marc Engel, Assistant Principal, 32K545 145 James Anderson, Principal, 19K502 146 Amy Yager, Principal, 19K659 147 Yee Wencelao, Assistant Principal, 14K449 148 KInsley Kwateng, Principal, 16K670 

149 Dawn Hadley, Assistant Principal 21K525 150 Kaye Houlihan, Principal, 20K490 151 James Maguire, Assistant Principal, 19K420 152 Timothy Gilroy, Assistant Principal, 15K462 153 Jason Raymond, Assistant Principal, 14K561 154 Grecian Harrison, Principal, 16K455 155 Patricia Lazo, Assistant Principal, 22k405 156 Angelo Marra, Principal, 18K576 157 Georgia Serves – Principal, 13K616 158 Robert Hornik, Assistant Principal 19K409 159 Danielle Cardarelli-Badio, Assistant Principal 13K483 160 Christine Ciccarone, Assistant Principal, 20K490 161 Patrice Arrington, Assistant Principal, 18K567 162 Linda Vales-Paulin, Assistant Principal, 19K660 163 Steven Sclavos, Assistant Principal, 22K535 164 Tara Bringley, Assistant Principal, 23K644 165 Jasmine Pena, Principal 14K474 166 Theresa Buchhalter, Assistant Principal, 21K344 167 Annie Annunziato, Assistant Principal, 13K527 168 Jamila Henry, Assistant Principal, 21K540 169 Michael A. Repole, Assistant Principal, 20K445 170 Catherine Reilly, Principal, 32K556 171 Kyleema A. Norman, Principal 03M415 172 Terence Victor, Assistant Principal, 19K660 173 Frank Smith, Assistant Principal, 14K474 174 Nicole Tancredi, Principal, 19K683 175 Jelley Danielle, Assistant Principal, 17K548 176 Michael Repole, Assistant Principal, 20K445 177 Nicholas Como, Assistant Principal, 20K445 178 Torianna Murray, Assistant Principal, 19K615 179 Jocelyn Badette, Principal, 19K660 180 Marisa Martinelli, Assistant Principal, 20k445 181 Edgar Rodriguez, Principal, 30Q301 182 Ingrid Roberts-Haynes, Assistant Principal, 18K578 183 Bill Boyce, Assistant Principal, 13K616 184 Yelena Shtyrkalo, Assistant Principal, 15K462 185 Jason Cantor, Assistant Principal, 21K344 186 Victoria Antonini, Principal, 15K667 187 Daphne Rivera, Principal, 32K554 188 Scott Hughes, Principal, 22K535 189 Tom Mullen, Principal, 21K572 

190 Michael Beaudry, Assistant Principal, 22K611 191 Pamela Randazzo, Principal, 17k548 192 Kathleen Rucker, Principal, 13K439 193 Richard Forman, Principal 17K600 194 Camille Rhoden- Stephens, Assistant Principal 14K071 195 Peter Ng-A-Fook, Assistant Principal, 19K583 196 Gayle Zeitlin, Assistant Principal, 21K525 197 Christina Mednick, Assistant Principal, 20K485 198 Eleanor Vierling, Assistant Principal, 20K485 199 Elizabeth Rodriguez, Assistant Principal, 15K519 200 Andrew Sosnick, Assistant Principal, 22K425 201 Walleska Lantigua, Assistant Principal, 20K485 202 Catrina Williams, Assistant Principal, 20K505 203 Carolyn Gabriel Green, Assistant Principal, 32K556 204 Vernon Johnson, Principal, 16K498 205 Priscilla Chan, Principal, 15K448 206 Imani Matthews, Assistant Principal, 15K448 207 Keith Marine, Assistant Principal, 20K445 208 Spyridoula Kontarinis, Assistant Principal, 21K5125 209 Gayle Zeitlin, Assistant Principal, 21K525 210 Jean Paul Max, Principal, 18K578 211 Vera Leykina, Assistant Principal, 17K600 212 Suzannah Taylor, Assistant Principal 17K524 213 Jodie Cohen, Principal, 22K425 214 215 216 

Olivia Duran, Assistant Principal, 22K425 Anne Gambino, Assistant Principal, 22K425 Vasilis Psoras, Assistant Principal, 13K605