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JULY 2004


Celebrating Outstanding Teachers of the Year 2004

by Joan Baum, Ph.D.

In only its second year the annual Outstanding Teachers of the Year Awards breakfast ceremony, conceived and inaugurated by Education Update (EU) with the generous assistance of well known corporate and education foundation sponsors, seemed like a long-time, well-established event. The program moved smoothly—and joyously—from welcoming speeches by EU publisher Dr. Pola Rosen and Dr. Augusta Kappner, President of Bank Street College of Education; to a keynote address by Dr. Matthew Goldstein, Chancellor of CUNY; to words from special guest Schools Chancellor Joel Klein; to a music recital by children from Opus 118, the Harlem Center for Strings, conducted by Roberta Guaspari; and finally to the presentation of certificates and medals to the 38 winners, chosen by EU’s Advisory Board from a wealth of nominees. The feeling in the air was anything but pro-forma, as speaker after speaker not only declared, as President Kappner said, that “teachers matter” more than anyone else, but that a particular teacher—a Mrs. Goldberg for Chancellor Goldstein, a Mr. Harris for Joel Klein—made the critical difference in their lives. Close to 300 people spontaneously applauded in recognition of this truth.

Prompted by the upbeat spirit of the occasion, speakers informally and often humorously reaffirmed the “unique” partnership between the NYC Department of Education and CUNY. Chancellor Goldstein, who has been at the CUNY helm since 1999, noted the difficulties faced by NYC teachers, both K-12 and CUNY, which at last count noted 167 different languages spoken by its student body numbering more than 240,000. Over 60% of CUNY graduates come from NYC high schools, he pointed out, many of them bearing witness to the success of Department of Education—CUNY partnership programs, such as College Now, high schools on CUNY college campuses (18 sites going to 28), and the CUNY Honors program. Acknowledging that CUNY had “lost its way” in the late 70s and 80s, the Chancellor proudly listed accomplishments of the last several years, including recent initiatives such as a New School of Professional Studies, under the aegis of the Economic Development Corporation, where students can pursue custom-made programs, and the new Graduate School of Journalism, to open in 2005, which will be the only public J-school in the metropolitan area and will have as its mission an urban focus, low cost tuition, and a commitment to diversity. Challenges remain, of course, and none more pressing, the Chancellor added, than the need to involve more African American males in completing their educations, a project already under way as a model program at Medgar Evers.

Chancellor Klein also emphasized the “intertwined” nature of K-12 and CUNY, pointing out that their mutual goal is to have a “seamless” set of programs that will reinforce strengths. Then, recognizing the teacher awardees as those “at the top in New York City,” he added that that meant they were at the top “nationally.” But he, too, like Chancellor Goldstein, acknowledged challenges, particularly the continuing drain of highly qualified young teachers who leave the system within 3--4 years.

Sponsors of this outstanding event who took turns awarding certificates included Austrian Airlines (which awarded a trip to Vienna to lucky lottery ticket holders), Con Edison, The Council for Supervisors and Administrators, The Everett Foundation, Lindamood-Bell, McGraw-Hill, Mercedes-Benz, The Frederick P. & Sandra P. Rose Foundation, Scholastic Magazine, Laurie Tisch Sussman, Time Warner Cable, and Regent Merryl Tisch.

A final note. Spurred by the rousing reception given to Opus 118 students, who delighted the audience with Shoshtakovich, a Spanish tango, some blues, a Telemann, and “The Star Spangled Banner,” offered in tribute to the victims of 9/11, Dr. Rosen asked that anyone who had suggestions for a new headquarters for the group contact EU.#

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