At the heart of our anti-racist agenda is our unwavering belief in the power of children and their capacity to learn and achieve. When children have access to high-quality teaching and learning — and positive, supportive adults who hold them to high expectations — almost anything is within their grasp.

We are not afraid to hold our kids accountable because we want them to develop the autonomy and confidence to lead self-determined lives. We prepare them to face challenges and seize opportunities — we don’t let others tell them that their circumstances of race, income, or family environment will limit their life choices. We believe all children deserve adults who believe in them, believe they are capable, and can help them develop the social-emotional strength to overcome whatever is in their way to achieve their dreams.

Empowering our students through education requires a strong focus on inclusivity in what they learn, and we have worked hard to ensure that the texts and topics we study represent the robust diversity of their community, city, country, and global heritage. We don’t shy away from controversial topics; opposing ideas are discussed and critiqued. Our intellectual culture exposes students to diverse ideas, and divergent, provocative thought. We teach students not what to think, but how to think — we don’t inculcate values, beliefs, or prejudices, but instead teach scholars to think critically and determine their own conclusions.

Our goal is to create learning communities where each child and staff member feels respected, empowered, and valued; where they experience daily affirmation of their unique knowledge, ideas, and contributions; and where they receive the support they need to reach their full potential. In pursuit of this goal, we have focused over the past several years on creating a workforce that is representative of the students and communities we serve, and we have achieved a high degree of diversity across our staff. That diversity has made us stronger and created new opportunities for us to grow and learn from each other.

Roughly half of our school staff are people of color and we are committed to ensuring that all staff have equitable opportunities for career mentorship, development, and advancement. We know we have more work to do — representation among school leadership, at the Network office, and among Network leadership is not yet where it should be. We commit to focusing on fostering an environment of inclusion and a sense of belonging across all areas of the enterprise. Creating a warm, inclusive environment takes all of us reaching out and being our most welcoming, unbiased selves.

This year our first cohort of students, those who started with us in 2006, will graduate from college, the first of many more to follow. We will be cheering them on, celebrating their accomplishments, and learning from them how we can better prepare future students. Essential to that effort will be SA’s ongoing education and leadership around DE&I so that our current students flourish, gain the confidence to dream big, and develop the strength and capacity to bring those dreams to life.

At New Teacher Training, a number of our new teachers had questions about classroom management for our founder and CEO Eva Moskowitz. We’re sharing some of their questions and her answers here, to help the SA community understand why establishing a great learning environment is so important at the start of the year.

How did you create the classroom management design for Success?

Classroom management is not something SA invented! It is foundational in the classroom of every great teacher. First-year teachers in most district schools get no training on classroom management and they essentially spend their first year (often their second and third as well!) trying to figure it out on their own. When classrooms are chaotic, teaching is truly miserable and learning can’t take place. I know because I attended a chaotic school as a child: Kids threw chairs and there were daily food fights in the lunchroom. When I founded Success Academy, I knew that I wanted to create schools where teaching and learning were protected from that kind of disorder. 

In our early years, we had a wonderful veteran teacher — he had taught for decades in NYC district schools — who coached our teachers and was a master at classroom management. We modeled our systems based on what we learned from him. Our approach has evolved. Michael Linsin  — who wrote The Classroom Management Secret, a book all of our teachers read — most perfectly and succinctly captures what we are going for in our learning environment and the teacher moves that get us there. 

To sum up his philosophy, great classroom management consists of two parts: creating and teaching your scholars a classroom management plan (expectations and consequences) that you stick to with utter fidelity, and making your classroom and lessons incredibly engaging so that your students absolutely love being part of your class.

As an educator, what do you think is the best approach to correcting student misbehavior? 

It is critically important that corrections are not punitive and don’t feel punitive — they should be absolutely neutral and transactional. When educators teach scholars their classroom management plan and stick to it with absolute consistency — they uphold the expectations and mete out the established consequences with transparency and neutrality — there is not a lot of emotion involved because everyone knows the plan ahead of time and understands that the teacher is simply following it. Kids are acutely attuned to the concept of fairness and they respond incredibly well in classrooms where their teacher consistently sticks to a plan that has been communicated and taught to them clearly and thoroughly.

How do you strike a balance between discipline and making sure teachers are not policing students?

With classroom management, less is more — and when you observe strong teaching, the teacher’s classroom management is invisible. Managing a class should never be about policing students — rather, it’s about establishing a plan and adhering to it with utter consistency. When this is done right, scholars take ownership over their behavior and teachers are just the referees. New teachers at SA receive a lot of coaching and help in their first weeks to ensure they master these skills early on because they are so critical to ensuring they and their scholars have an enjoyable and productive year. Ultimately, the goal is to unleash our scholars’ intellects, and this can only happen in an environment that is orderly, respectful, and predictable.

What classroom management tips do you offer for teachers?

Re-read, and re-read again The Classroom Management Secret and stick to the classroom management plan! It is also critically important for teachers to do some self-examination. If they have philosophical hesitations about classroom management — if they think it is mean or disempowering to scholars to be in charge of the classroom — they will not be successful. Of course, the teacher is in charge, but when done well, classroom management is actually empowering to scholars because they know the rules of the road. And managing your classroom should never mean that you don’t treat your scholars lovingly, empathetically, and with respect.

Classroom management is not an end in itself — it is a means for creating a classroom environment where deep, creative thinking and learning can take place.

Classroom management is not an end in itself — it is a means for creating a classroom environment where deep, creative thinking and learning can take place. So it is essential that teachers embrace their role as classroom managers and believe in its importance as a necessary precondition to great teaching and learning.

Isn’t creating inclusive classrooms at odds with classroom management?

In fact, it’s the opposite. An inclusive classroom is one where kids feel their authentic selves are valued and respected by their teachers and peers; where kids have a truly safe space to think, explore, and make mistakes. This is not possible in classrooms that are chaotic, where kids disrespect each other or simply check out when their peers are speaking. In well-managed classrooms, scholars are able to really listen to and learn from each other’s ideas. Scholars feel incredibly valued and empowered when they feel listened to and believe that their ideas have weight. 

At SA, we fervently believe in protecting teachers’ right to teach, and scholars’ right to learn so that deep, creative and unfettered thinking and exploration can take place every day, in every classroom. As counterintuitive as it may seem, it is by establishing a great learning environment at the start of the year through clear systems and routines that scholars and teachers are liberated to have these experiences. To learn more about this feature of our school design, take a moment to hear from SA Harlem 5 Assistant Principal Monica Buress in this video.

Pictured above: Bibi Tran sets the stage for learning at SA Harlem 4

Amanda Urcia, Bensonhurst, Growth

“I recently stepped back a moment to realize that my first year as a Kindergarten teacher was almost over. I was so proud to look around my room and see how much my scholars had grown, not just as people but as accomplished scholars.  They came in August, new to school, with new teachers, and new friends. And now, they’re like little, professional adults ready to take on the world! Everyday when one of them runs up for a hug or tells me I’m the ‘best teacher,’ it can make any stress, or ounce of doubt I had in myself go away instantly.”

Sharonda Taylor, SA Bronx 1, Academic Achievement

“My proudest moment at Success Academy is this present year. This is my first year being a lead teacher for an ICT classroom.  My class had 20% passing on the first Math IA, 70% passing on the second Math IA, and 90% passing on the third Math IA. Seeing the growth my class has made this year made me very proud.  I was feeling discouraged from the first IA, and questioned if I was good enough to teach. From that day, I knew I had to work harder and couldn’t give up. I had 30 precious little ones counting on me.  This job isn’t easy, but I wouldn’t have asked to be in any other profession or organization.”

Albert Nixon III, SA Bronx 2, Growth

“So far, my proudest moment was the time [my principal] Ms. Robtoy emailed my mom to let her know that my work is valued in the BX2 community. I’ve never felt that type of genuine love and respect from an employer, where she actually reached out to my mother to compliment my work!”

Chelsea Marone (Right), SA Lafayette Middle School, Academic Achievement

“It is difficult to name just one, but I would have to say watching my fourth graders walk across the stage at graduation last June. I was with them in third grade and looped with them to fourth grade. It was incredibly rewarding to watch them grow over those two years and extremely emotional to see all of their hard work come to fruition on graduation day. We definitely had some trying times in those two years, but the fact that they still reach out and update us on their middle school experiences make me even more proud to have been their teacher for two years.”

Carleigh Antico, SA Hudson Yards Elementary School, Rookie of the Year

“Although I have not been at Success for a complete school year yet, nothing compares to the feeling of appreciation and gratitude I have received from the parents within my class. It makes me feel proud every day to know that I am positively impacting these young minds and being recognized for it. One of my parents wrote to me, “My scholar has grown so much under your teaching. We are so lucky to have you as her teacher.” It is small gestures like that, that make me proud to be Ms. Antico.”

Ashley Richards, SA Harlem 5, Academic Achievement

“After thinking about this question for a while, I truly cannot say I have one proudest moment. Throughout the day, every day, my happiest and proudest moments are when I get to see a scholar who may have been struggling with a concept, finally get it. The smile on their face when they get it is filled with pride. Being able to give them the tools to be able to struggle and eventually succeed makes me proud every day.”

Kazmira Thomas, SA Bed-Stuy Middle School, Rookie of the Year

“It may seem small, but as a teacher you would hope that someone in the student audience appreciates the hard work, preparation, and love you put into a class. So, when one of my students (who wasn’t doing the best academically) told me my class was his favorite, I was ecstatic. When I asked why, he said it was because it’s fun and he learns something at the same time. All I wanted was to be able to instill a love of English and reading in my kids, and it’s working!”

Brandon Ward, SA Harlem North West, Growth

“I was most proud to see my scholars come together and work collaboratively in the Science Exploratorium. More than any academic successes I have seen from my scholars, I was truly impressed by the initiative, independence, and drive of my scholars as they attempted truly innovative projects.”

Makeda Southerland, SA Harlem West, ETHOS

“My proudest moment at SA would have to be when I got a call that a scholar was having a rough morning, and said that she only wanted to talk to me because I am always positive and a light in her life. I didn’t know that a simple hug and a smile in the morning when I see her could have such an impact.”

Sophie Herzing, SA Springfield Gardens, Rookie of the Year

“One of my kids came up to me — I can’t remember when or why — and said that he was so happy that I was his teacher. That almost made me cry on the spot. How lucky am I to be HIS teacher.”

Joshua Gerstein, SA Rosedale, Growth

“One of my newer transfer students came up to me recently and said, ‘Mr. Gerstein, I like your class.’ I asked him why and he said, ’You don’t get upset when we make mistakes. You allow us to make them and you teach us how fix it while having fun all at the same time.” That really opened my eyes on what I’m actually doing — sometimes we are blind to it all.”

Amanda Levy, High School of the Liberal Arts, Academic Achievement

“My proudest moment at Success Academy has been watching my students grow into kind, intellectually curious and talented young adults! The fifth-grade students that I started with, in 2012, are now juniors in high school. I was a founding teacher at Harlem East Middle School and after five amazing years there, I decided to come to the High School to reunite with my original students. As an AP World History teacher and this past year, a Verbal SAT coach, I have been pushed to increase my intellectual preparation. Nonetheless, every ounce of work I put into the classroom is for the students’ benefit.  I am so grateful I have had the privilege to grow as a teacher alongside them. I can’t wait to see where college and beyond takes them!

Carolyn Konopka, SA Washington Heights, Academic Achievement

“I let my scholars lead a number story discourse as part of a Friday effort party and they knew exactly what to do — one of them shared, another scholar charted the sharer’s work with precision, and another scholar made sure all the scholars were at 100%. They ended up leading a rigorous debate with the class about the answer — and they reached the lesson goal — I was so proud!”

Isabella Kundu, Bronx 3 Middle School, Growth

“For a year and a half, I worked with a scholar who had been held over and was working to be promoted back to the grade that the rest of his peers were in. Though it took months, together we worked on reading skills, study habits, and self-advocacy until he was able to not only move up to 6th grade with the rest of his friends, but also thrive both academically and socially. My proudest moment at Success is the moment I got to tell this scholar that he was going to be a sixth grader.”

Caitlin Flaherty, SA Rosedale, Growth

“Last year, I was in a 12:1:1. This year, I was able to see one of my scholars move to 4th grade in an ICT class and succeed academically and emotionally. Moments and stories like these make me proud because my co-teacher and I were able to provide him with the necessary tools to be successful this year and the years to come!”

Wendy Diaz, SA Bronx 4, Academic Achievement

“I’ve had so many proud moments at Success Academy that it is hard to express just one. Every time one of my scholars moves up a reading level or does well on an exam she was nervous about is a proud moment. Seeing how much my scholars grow each year, seeing them moving onto the next grade, seeing my scholars happy, smiling and excited to come to school every day or having parents thank me years after teaching their scholars are proud moments. Knowing that I am making a difference in my scholars lives every day are proud moments.”

Taking the microphone, she gave a brief explanation of her interest in the topic at hand — the power of poetry in schools and beyond. “My organization is responsible for putting poems in the subways,” she explained.

The roomful of New Yorkers burst into spontaneous applause. This was exactly the kind of endeavor they had gathered to champion.

The Robertson’s Power of Poetry event convened educators, poets, and poetry lovers to discuss an urgent issue that gets little attention: the dwindling presence of poetry in schools nationwide.

“Poetry is so important,” said Eva Moskowitz, Success Academy’s CEO and Founder, as she opened the event. “It’s a mechanism of social criticism, a mechanism of expressing one’s identity.”

Poetry is so important. It’s a mechanism of social criticism, a mechanism of expressing one’s identity.

From there, the crowd got down to the business of poetry. Kayla Montgomery, a sophomore at SA High School of the Liberal Arts and the youngest poet of the night, read her original “America’s Facade,” a piece about the gap between the America that foreigners see, and the one she experiences as a black teenager growing up in the Bronx. “I am a piece of America,” she said, “yet America is the whole of me.”

Following her lead, acclaimed poet Sir Joshua Bennett, who’s performed at Sundance, President Obama’s White House, and many places in between, gave a reading of Langston Hughes’ “Let America Be America Again,” and then his own “America Will Be.” All three poems told stories about both the speakers individual experiences’ and the nation’s collective one amid a history pockmarked with segregation, inequality, colonialism, and hope.

“We’re exploring what it means to be bound up with a nation that doesn’t love you,” Bennett explained, a believer in the unique, lyrical, thought-provoking avenue for this exploration that only poetry provides.

After the readings, Bennett, Montgomery, and Moskowitz gathered with Dr. Elisa New, creator of PBS’s Poetry in America series, and Success Academy Washington Heights third grade teachers Eunice Kim and Lori Ayanian to talk about how to make sure more students have access to that magic.

“If you aren’t familiar with the language of poetry — lines, stanzas, speakers — it can become threatening,” Bennett said. “We need a national commitment to reading poetry together, without worrying about getting it right. It’s not about right. It’s about beauty.”

New added that you don’t need a lot of time or energy to read poetry in order for it to have a big impact. “Poems are short,” she said, “and they tell us how to read them. You can wring so much meaning out of just a couple of lines or even one word in a poem.”

Ayanian and Kim discussed how they implement ‘Poetry First Fridays’ in their classroom, a initiative across Success Academy’s 47 campuses to help entire school communities fall for poetry. The most recent Poetry First Friday fell on the day before spring break, so the teachers had their eight- and nine-year-olds write about their feelings toward spring.

“Some love spring some, we learned, have allergies and hate it,” Ayanian said. “It doesn’t matter if they like the topic or not, it’s about expressing those feelings.”

To help kids who may be hesitant feel more comfortable writing poetry, Bennett suggested giving them a prompt that makes the assignment feel less personal. “Have them write from the perspective of a hippopotamus,” he suggested. “It almost always becomes auto-biographical, but they’ll feel freer to express beautiful things.”

Dr. New suggested clapping a rhythm and having kids write words into that rhythm. Montgomery nodded in agreement at that idea. “Poetry is like a song to me,” she said. “I love music, I love the way it flows, and I love that you can do anything with it. That’s how I feel about poetry.”

That love of poetry has led her to experience the kind of lightbulb moments that give students more and more confidence in their ability to think and learn. In fact, she said, her biggest ‘aha!’ moment yet had come just that morning.

“We read an Emily Dickinson poem in my literature class about death, and I started to recognize the deeper meaning behind the words,” she said. “The poem mentions a house that swells in the ground, and I realized she meant a grave. Once I started making the connections, I felt like I understood the poem on a deeper level.” She grinned. “It was an amazing feeling.”

This post was originally published online at the Robertson Center.

As our scholars, staff, and families enjoy the holiday season and winter break, we want to express our gratitude for everyone who is working together to build magical schools for our kids. You’ve created a community that wants for all children what we would want for our own; in fact, there are almost 60 of you who are so committed to our schools that you are both employees and Success Academy parents!

Years ago, our CEO and founder Eva Moskowitz decided that Success Academy schools were the best choice for her own children. Today, two of her three children attend Success Academy High School, and dozens of other staff members have made the same choice — and many parents were so enthusiastic about their children’s educational experience in SA schools that they decided to come to work here. Today, all of these SA staff/parents are driven not just by the dual mission of of SA, but their own personal dual mission of delivering an outstanding education for the children of all parents seeking great schools and for the people dearest to their hearts — their own children.

We asked our staff/parents to share some thoughts about what it’s like filling this special dual role. Here’s what they said!

Bonnie Shamblin, SA Lead Teacher, SA Bergen Beach

I think being a teacher and parent at Success Academy is a special experience that we both enjoy. My daughter Brooklyn and I can relate to each other more because of these shared experiences. For example, we share the unique SA language and can talk about things like spirals, Interim Assessments, corrections, culture celebrations, time-ins, and number stories in depth. As a parent, I love knowing she is in good hands with the coworkers I love and respect. I know that I am lucky to have a true understanding of the school and work that we both love. Brooklyn has a lot pride in her school and I like to think that I play a big role in showing her how important school is and how lucky we are to have Success Academy.

Tamika Carrington, Community Relations Coordinator, SA Bronx 1

Being a Success Academy parent and staff member is so special to me because I get to be a part of shaping young minds from a professional and personal level! I watch my daughters develop into strong, independent, intelligent young ladies — and I know I didn’t do it alone.  A huge part of who they are is owed to my family’s partnership with Success Academy!

Utopia Mann-Geddes, 1st Grade Lead Teacher, SA Harlem 2

I appreciate that I really know the curriculum so when I am in parent mode, I can be helpful to my son when he finds something challenging. I also appreciate that I can provide a perspective to my colleagues about what it’s like being a parent;  to families, I can bring a perspective that helps them understand my high expectations for their scholars, because I too am having the same experience of helping my child meet the demands of a rigorous school. Success Academy is a great school, but as an SA parent, I have a better understanding of how it can be difficult sometimes for families to follow the vision of our schools, and that helps me work more effectively with them.

Maria Trivedi, Director of Advancement Administration, Network

I feel privileged to be able to experience our mission and model from both perspectives. I get to see the commitment to scholars, the determination and grit of network staff through my portfolio of projects, and from the faculty at SA Bensonhurst when I meet with them to discuss progress and how to better support my kindergartener, Nikhil, and 2nd grader, Surina. I have watched my daughter develop a passion for reading … often finding her reading when she should be brushing her hair! — and a desire to master all types of challenges.  I am watching my son learn to read — expressing curiosity to learn every new word he sees and excited when he recognizes words he’s already learned. I look forward to the years ahead as I get to watch both of my little ones grow alongside SA.

Kendrah Underwood, Assistant Principal, SA Fort Greene

Being an SA parent and staff member is a magical experience. I share a unique bond with parents because I know first-hand how it feels to select a school and create a partnership with them that involves one of my greatest responsibilities as a parent: educating my child. I also have the absolute privilege and pleasure of working alongside the educators who are responsible for the academic growth and development of my child as a lifelong learner. I get to experience all sides of the academic relationship that align perfectly with the mission of SA, which is to provide a world-class education with innovative curriculum and instruction for children from all backgrounds.

Wendy Diaz, 1st Grade Lead Teacher, SA Bronx 4

Being a parent and a teacher at Success Academy has allowed me to see the full impact the curriculum has on scholars. I’ve seen the amazing growth, not only in my scholars in the classroom, but also in my own son. The experience of being a parent at Success has allowed me to be a better educator, and being an educator at Success has allowed me to be a better parent. I am very excited about the future of all scholars at Success Academy, and I am a proud Success Academy educator and parent!

Noreen Cooke-Coleman, Dean of Students, SA Bronx 1

Success Academy is what motivated me to finish college. Without this school, I don’t know where I would have been!

Jeannette Firpo, Community Organizer Harlem/Bronx, Network

This fall my son and I began our Success Academy journey. The transition for both of us has been challenging, only because we have been forced out of our comfort zone and propelled into a world of excellence. We are surrounded by driven and intelligent peers, which in turn encourages us to strive to be our best.

Last week, my organization — The Paper Bag Players — honored Eva Moskowitz with The Susan Newhouse Award

At the luncheon where she accepted the award, Ms. Moskowitz gave a moving speech in which she shared her thoughts about our organization. She recalled that when first approached to found and lead Success Academy, she had asked for three things: Science every day, chess instruction for all her kids, and the opportunity for every Success Academy student to see the Paper Bag Players! I was delighted and amazed to discover the depth of her insight and understanding of what we do. Quite honestly, it is rare to find someone who “gets” the Paper Bag Players in the way that she clearly does.

I discovered that, like me, Ms. Moskowitz grew up going to the Paper Bag Players as a child. She was mesmerized by the lyricism of the performances, the humor, playfulness, and the way they connected abstraction with a concrete vision. (Her mother was so inspired by the performances that each year she made Halloween costumes out of paper bags for her daughter!).

Ironically, when the founders first launched the Paper Bag Players in 1958, they did not intend it primarily for children. They simply wanted to celebrate the active use of imagination and the endless possibilities it created — even out of the most rudimentary materials. Everything they used in the performances — costumes, sets, and props — were made out of paper bags and cardboard. The idea was that by minimizing supporting materials, they could engage the audience’s imaginative capabilities in a way most theater did not.

It wasn’t long though before children became the Paper Bag Players’ most avid enthusiasts and target audience. Children have innate and immediate access to the kind of creative playfulness the company was seeking to capture — they can build a world out of a few empty soda cans or a couple of sticks. To this day, children respond to simple pieces of magic in our performances — a spaceship made out of cardboard, for example, or a winter coat made from paper bags — with screams of delight.

Today, our mission is still to create artistic theater of the highest quality with materials that children can easily get ahold of, so that they can be inspired in the same way that they inspire us. We want to help children develop an appreciation of the arts, but even more, we want to spark their excitement about using creative tools for fun and self-expression. With arts education always endangered in our schools, we seek to reach as many children as possible, so that they can experience theater’s benefits and delights. We are particularly committed to reaching children who have been exposed to the least in their lives: we have found that they are often the most excited and engaged by our performances.

Eva Moskowitz has been a true champion of this mission. Her appreciation of what the Paper Bag Players offer, and her conviction that every child deserves magical musical theater experiences, has allowed us to share our work with generations of Success Academy students. But beyond just Success Academy, her steadfast support has helped our organization flourish as we head into the seventh decade of our existence, allowing us to bring joy and laughter to thousands of children across the Northeast.

Left to right: Judi Rappoport Blitzer (board member), Audrey Reilly (Managing Director), Vicky Kuperman (Assistant), Kevin Richard Woodall (co-director, cast member), Ted Brackett (Artistic director, cast member), Eva Moskowitz, Lily Emilia Smith (cast member), John Stone (musical director, composer), Kathy Mele (former board president). Front: Judy Liss (Founding Managing Director)
Credit: Vensley Greene

Paper Bag Player Photo Credit: Gerry Goodstein

Like so many of you, I am deeply distressed both by the hateful violence in Charlottesville and by President Trump’s refusal to clearly denounce it. Nobody with any empathy for the plight of people of color in this country could respond the way he did.  His comments have left many in our community feeling unsafe and uncertain about their place in society. It’s one thing to have a President with whose politics you disagree; it’s another to have a President who doesn’t even seem to care about your welfare.

One of our greatest weapons in fighting the kinds of injustice, violence, and moral confusion we have seen over the past few days is ensuring that we have schools where our children are safe not only physically,  but also emotionally and morally, and are taught the values to which we aspire.  We must renew our commitment to instilling high moral character in our students, to teaching them to  treat each other with kindness, to stand up for what is right, and to respect the diversity of backgrounds and experiences that strengthen our country. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Like many of you, I have found the Trump presidency distressing, and I want to candidly share with you the struggles I’ve faced in dealing with it.  As I explained when I announced that I was turning down a potential opportunity to serve as Secretary of Education, I voted for Hillary Clinton and was sorely disappointed she didn’t win. I am a Democrat and disagree with virtually all of President Trump’s policy positions including those on healthcare, LGBTQ rights, civil rights, immigration, global warming, gun control, and tax “reform.” I chose not to speak publicly about these disagreements, however, because I feel my responsibility as CEO of Success Academy is not to advance my personal beliefs on a broad range of political issues but instead to focus all of my energies on advocating for our kids and public policies that expand educational opportunity and parent choice.  This is the approach I’ve taken for the last 11 years, working with elected officials from both parties including Presidents Obama and Bush,  Governors Cuomo, Patterson, Spitzer, and Pataki, and Mayor Bloomberg.

Unfortunately, our nation has become so polarized in the Trump era that some have perceived my silence as tacit support of President Trump’s policies. This is particularly upsetting to me because opponents of charter schools in general, and of Success Academy in particular, have sought to take advantage of this confusion to undermine our schools and the work we do for children.  I apologize to you for allowing this to happen. I thought the approach I’d previously taken would work in this new era; I’ve learned it doesn’t, particularly in light of President Trump’s horrifying response to the violence in Charlottesville. In retrospect, I should have been more outspoken so that no one would possibly think that either Success Academy or I was tacitly supporting President Trump’s policies, which are contrary to the values of respect, caring, and concern that are central to our mission.

Moving forward, I hope that we can redouble our efforts to protect our children from the terrible hatred and violence that still plagues our nation and work to make our country a place in which there is greater tolerance, equality, and love for one another.

Warmly,
Eva Moskowitz

Hi Eva,

My name is Molly (formerly Choate) Gaines, and I had the privilege of teaching at SA Bronx 1 for the past 3 years. Last summer I moved back to Nashville to be closer to my family. I first taught in a Turn-Around DOE school for 2 months and am now back in a charter.

Since moving back, I am continually reminded of how thankful I am for Success and you.

Here are things that I am thankful to you for on a daily basis.

1. Thank you for providing me with some of the most talented educators from whom I learned – Jess Sie, Michele Caracappa, Liz Vandlik, Michelle Cooper, etc.

2. Thank you for showing me the importance of state testing. It does matter. It is powerful.

3. Thank you for teaching me to balance joy and rigor in my classroom.

4. Most importantly, thank you for proving that any kid can succeed. Through your belief in kids in NYC, kids around the nation’s lives are drastically changing for the better.

I know that you probably receive emails like this all the time. I just thought you should know what a difference you have made in my life. I would not be the same teacher or woman if it weren’t for Success.

Thank you.

Below are a few of the many letters and emails.

Charter schools are the best thing that has happened to the communities of the South Bronx. The supply of seats cannot meet the demand. In three months of schooling, my kindergartener is reading, adding, subtracting and willingly trying to learn. Charter schools believe in positive reinforcement and rewarding great kids. It makes kids strive to do better because teachers actually care. They are not zombies protected by a complacent union but career-driven, educated educators. Public schools in minority communities are failures due to failed tactics. Get it right: Students go to school to learn but education begins at home!

Michelle Nieves, SA Bronx 1 Parent
New York Daily News, 11/16/15

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten’s comparison of Success Academy’s discipline policies to the South Carolina police officer’s assault on a high school student was disgusting and unwarranted. My child attends Success Academy and it has been a wonderful experience, with science five times a week, chess and after-school sports, all taught by a staff of caring teachers. Weingarten should learn a thing or two about how children can flourish by observing Success Academy rather than spouting such dishonest rhetoric.

David Turner, SA Union Square parent
New York Daily News, 11/16/15

As the parent of two students at a Success Academy elementary school, I am outraged by Randi Weingarten’s comparison of a violent act by a police officer to a piece of paper, albeit one with egregiously inappropriate content. She makes sweeping generalizations about the entire network based on the acts of an individual. But having visited my children’s school many times, I know that our dedicated teachers and staff work hard to create a safe environment that is conducive to education and allows all children to learn. They do not simply resort to suspensions or expulsions with difficult children. I also understand the inevitability of some students being expelled in extraordinary cases — just as they are in DOE-run public schools. Not one parent or teacher I know approves of the “Got To Go” list, but we know it is an anomaly. When the teachers union and its leadership stand up for anything other than the rights of their constituents, I view it with skepticism. Weingarten’s sudden interest in racial inequality in education appears to be yet another veiled attempt to attack charter schools.

Manisha Shah, SA Upper West parent
New York Daily News, 11/16/15

It is frustrating to have so many outsiders like Randi Weingarten constantly attack Success Academy schools. I am a single mother raising two boys, and Success has been a blessing from the sky. I was afraid to have my kids in a public school because, after doing my research, I realized how poorly most public schools are doing — and I couldn’t afford private school. My kids are getting an extraordinary education at Success. My 9-year-old son is in fourth grade and reading at a high-school level. Success parents are not complaining. We are happy and thankful for this wonderful opportunity.

Ana Vasquez, SA Harlem 1 and SA Harlem West parent
New York Daily News, 11/13/15

This is the fourth year I sent both my kids to a Success Academy. The animosity toward these schools is difficult to understand. I asked my children what they thought of their teachers. They said, “We love them. They give us hugs, they help us, and they let us have parties at the end of the week if we are good scholars.” Charter schools are publicly funded. They are free; children get in through a lottery system. They provide by far the best education available for free in New York City. Most of the criticism towards Success Academy comes from people who have never even ventured inside their classrooms. I’ve spent time in the science classes. I was blown over by the kids’ grasp of the fundamentals. They approached a question with a hypothesis and predictions at the tender age of 5. My children are very different, but both love school. They’re thriving, curious learners.

Lucy Norcliffe-Kaufmann, SA Upper West parent
New York Daily News, 11/13/15

I am generally reluctant to react to remarks in written form as I don’t feel comfortable in my skills as a writer to express my thoughts eloquently. However, Randi Weingarten’s Op-Ed compels me to say something. She writes that “Staff and peer mediators should work with students on restorative practices through which students assume responsibility for their actions.” This is exactly what Success Academy practices and encourages in every aspect of a student’s education and life. They strive to educate all their scholars academically as well as nurture and guide them into becoming curious, productive, open-minded individuals. As a parent and frequent volunteer at my daughters’ school, I see this first-hand on a regular basis. Moreover, to compare the suspension or expulsion of elementary students to the assault of an African-American student in South Carolina is not only offensive but ludicrous.

Maria Gargano, SA Williamsburg parent
New York Daily News, 11/13/15

Parents also wrote letters of support to other publications or the principals at their schools:

My daughter wasn’t the most studious child; however, after her acceptance to this exceptional school, I have seen a love of learning from her daily. My child was a scholar at a very good public school, but when she was accepted to SA, I decided to give it a try. I am extremely interested in my child’s learning and the environment she is getting that from, so I made it my duty to be in school very often. What I saw made my heart feel lifted. The school and the learning environment make me feel safe. The teachers and leadership team expect nothing more than our scholars can give. It’s not an environment of harsh treatment; rather, it is an environment where children are expected to be the best child they can be and are rewarded when they displayed such mannerisms. It is bringing tears to my eyes when I read such nasty remarks by persons who don’t appreciate order. I’d rather my child receive discipline now than leave her to her will and have the city Correction Department apprehend her later in life.

Success Academy has been proven to bring out the best in our scholars. I have personally seen some scholars on a bad day, and the love, care and patience the teachers and leadership team have shown surpass my expectations. How dare journalists and others who never stayed a day within the school doors comment on things they know nothing about. Personally, I believe that the parents of children who left because of displeasure with the school are people who refuse to accept the truth and work with the teachers, leadership and, most importantly, their children. My child is my number one priority, and if she is distracting the learning of other scholars and herself, I would work with my child to resolve that. It is repulsive that anyone should be upset with Success Academy’s educators. I salute all Success Academy teachers and I salute Ms. Moskowitz for enduring all these darts that are coming their way. Only when something is great would others try to bring it down. But I am one voice among many families who are very proud to have our children enrolled in such an amazing school. Keep up the great work!

Jernique Webb, SA Bergen Beach parent

Earlier this week, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten published an op-ed in the Daily News that was misguided and deeply offensive. It equated the high expectations that Success Academy has for all children with a South Carolina police officer’s assault on a high school student. Furthermore, it proposed that schools must simply focus more attention on “the need for social, health and psychological services to address students’ needs” to ensure school safety.

With all due respect, Ms. Weingarten’s views and proposals are nonsense. Her characterization of Success Academy and its discipline policies is a cheap form of political pandering that does not remotely mirror the reality I see every day in my child’s school. In my child’s classroom, there is no militaristic “zero tolerance.” Instead, there is a well-defined and well-understood set of expected behaviors and consequences to ensure all children are learning. The consequences for misbehavior escalate gradually and logically. No child is punished or suspended for arbitrary reasons.

I know the behavior system at Success works from seeing my child’s classroom. The quality of education is amazing, and the camaraderie among the students is terrific. The teachers foster a joy for learning that helps my child embrace the rules and consequences. It is so amazing to hear a 6-year-old discuss the school’s values. (How many kids, in kindergarten or first grade, even learn about values?) Being critical of Success Academy is fine; the organization is receptive to continuous feedback and committed to improvement. But, as my English grandmother would have said, baseless attacks are just poppycock.

Robert Stevens, SA Union Square parent

Dear Ms. Waldman:

Thank you again for giving Daisy the opportunity to join the second grade. While it took some adjusting, last night she told me she was very happy there, for which I am so grateful. Her teachers are wonderful (as have been all of her SAUS teachers) and she is in a challenging learning environment, as it should be.

I just wanted to write a quick note about today’s New York Times article. It’s a shame that they are pushing this agenda, continually trying to publish what they believe will be an earth-shattering exposé about the schools. Clearly, they failed at their intentions, as the majority of comments on today’s article made clear.

In these various pieces, this is the first time I have seen Union Square mentioned. For what it’s worth, I just wanted to send a note in support of you and the policies of the school. We are so glad Daisy is here and are grateful for the hard work and dedication shown by you and your entire team.

Jennifer Hampton, SA Union Square parent

To The New York Times:

Discipline and rigor are not the enemy of Success.  

I grew up with very clear guidance from my parents on their expectations for my school performance: Respect your teachers, work hard so you can get good grades, and expect to be held accountable for the results.  Being held accountable took on many forms, from giving me money for every “A” on my report card to being grounded or occasionally getting a whooping for lying to them about studying, homework, or if my behavior caused them to be called to school.  My parents never graduated from elementary school (5th grade at best), but they knew that not only did I have to work hard in school, but they had to work hard to make sure I took advantage of the opportunity.  They would go to every parent-teacher conference, reviewed my test scores through high school (they didn’t necessarily understand the test but did want to see the scores), and if they saw me struggling, they would enlist my older sister or a neighbor to give me a little tutoring.  In short, my parents were engaged in their children’s education.

That was over 40 years ago.  When did we, as parents, decide that providing a quality education to our children was someone else’s responsibility?  Why are we satisfied to merely hope that life opens the right doors for our children, instead of lacing up our big heavy boots and kicking those doors off the hinges and inviting our children in?  If my child is disruptive or called to the principal’s office for any reason, should I roll my eyes and say “welcome to my world of unruly behavior”?  Or instead, should I get spitting mad that my child thinks that school is a joke and that he doesn’t have to try too hard because society owes him opportunities, a job, a career, and a safety net?  We have become so accepting of mediocrity and drunk on the elixir of just being average that we react with shock and revulsion when anyone pushes us, or our children, toward excellence. Those poor kids—they can’t take the pressure.    

In my opinion, pushing is essential to educating children. That’s what my parents did, and when I gained some momentum, they pushed me a little more. Children are not fragile. They crave knowledge and skills in order to continuously amaze themselves at what they are capable of doing.  Excellence requires hard work: just ask anyone who performs at a world-class level, from musicians to chefs to neurosurgeons and registered nurses. They didn’t stumble on excellence; they put in thousands of hours of practice, rigor, learning from mistakes, and dedicating themselves to a high standard.  

As parents, we must put in the time and hard work to get engaged in our children’s education to ensure that they, in turn, are making the effort to take advantage of the opportunity for a world-class education.  It doesn’t matter if your kids go to a district school, a charter school or an expensive private school. The effort to achieve excellence is the same.  And more often than not, what allows an underserved child in an average or subaverage school (like the one I attended) to succeed, is every bit as much about parent engagement as it is about working hard.  We need to get engaged every single day.

Evaristo and Mariann Barrios, SA Hell’s Kitchen parents

I’m also excited to hear the inspiring Jennifer Hudson, along with DJ Jazzy Jeff and Aloe Blacc, uniting with us to stand for the right of every child to have access to a great school. I know last week’s rescheduling was inconvenient and disruptive to many families’ schedules, and I appreciate your support and flexibility. I am certain that your participation will make a difference as it has so many others times before.

By standing together with families from across the city, we will send a powerful message to our city leaders: The profound and appalling education inequality that divides our city must end.

For 50 years, New York City has perpetuated a system that is separate and unequal and failing our children of color. There are half a million children in failed schools — not learning to read or do math at a basic level. This is an urgent problem, and we need immediate solutions. One of the most compelling solutions to racial and socioeconomic inequality is to open more charter schools. But we also cannot continue to force families to send their children to schools that have been failing our city’s kids for decades. We need real change, not just the announcement of a new program of reading specialists or coding for all.

Indeed, the only way to solve this problem is to honestly face the facts — and the facts clearly suggest there is a Tale of Two School Systems:

• The top quarter of NYC schools are improving twice as fast the bottom quarter.
• The bottom quarter of schools enrolls students who are 96% black and Hispanic.
• More than 200,000 black and Hispanic students failed either the math or ELA exams last year.
• The number of black students who passed the math and ELA exams actually declined.
• Citywide, 41 percent of black students and 43 percent of Hispanic students are failing to graduate high school on time.

The truth is undeniable: there are 478,000 children of color trapped in failed schools. These are children just like ours. They are the brothers and sisters and neighbors of our kids. We know these children could achieve academically, but they are stuck in an educational system that is fundamentally unfair and discriminatory.

On Wednesday, we will take a stand and demand changes that will impact tens of thousands of children. Separate and unequal is unacceptable. We will stand with our families and their right to choose a better option and have access to excellence.