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Catonya Withers, mother of four children at Harvard, chairperson of the Local Advisory
School Council:
I opposed the turnaround. I’d made friends with the teachers and had a bond with them. Then we had a meeting with the AUSL people and they said, “If we don’t do this right, you let us know.”
They gave me their business cards, and said to contact them directly. I emailed Dr. Feinstein and he got back to me. By July of the turnaround year, I was sold because of the interaction, and how they said “Hold us accountable.”Before the school opened the staff walked through the neighborhood and the first stop was my house. Our children only have one chance at education.
Before the turnaround, every day there was a police paddy wagon, a fire truck or an ambulance at the school. Kids would throw books out the third story window. Seventh and eighth graders ran the school. On a daily basis you’d see blood.
The change, it seemed like overnight. It was amazing.
My daughter on a daily basis used to get put out of the classroom. The first week after the turnaround she got detention, but since then I haven’t had any problems and she’s more of a leader now. She couldn’t make up her mind, there’s so much stuff to do here now. Basketball, reading after school, girl scouts, college-bound clubs, science club. Before she was only in pee wee cheerleading. That was all there was.
When my eighth grader was in fourth grade, she was struggling, but was passed into the next grade. I asked the school, “Why not hold her back?” and they said, “She’s too nice.” After the school turned around, and she was in seventh grade, she got extra help after school. The teachers worked with her and she went up 20 percent on her scores. |
