New School Superintendent for District 17 (basically PH, CH and PLG)

crownheightster

Chancellor Farina replaced 8of the District Superintendents yesterday, one of whom was District 17 Superintendent Buffie Simmons. Many of you may know that Buffie was a polarizing figure (see here, here, here, and here), and I am thrilled with her departure. We may actually have a District Superintendent who will advocate for us, and get the ball rolling on supporting our great schools and shaking things up at our stagnant schools. My dream is for Arts & Letters II to come to Crown Heights!

Our new District Superintendent is Clarence Ellis, who sounds pretty great.

Clarence Ellis
has served the students of the NYC Department of Education for the past
28 years. He has served in the following positions: Sixth Grade
Teacher, Staff Developer, Dean, Assistant Principal, Principal, Local
Instructional Superintendent, Senior Director of Youth Development, and
Deputy Network Leader. Clarence is presently supporting 300 schools
citywide in Cluster One as an Executive Director of Student Services on
the Deputy Cluster Leader line.

His responsibilities include: Youth Development, Safety, Suspensions,
Attendance Management, Facilities/School Construction, Summer School
Coordination, and 311 Escalation Liaison. During the last several years,
Clarence has helped develop programs that have provided essential
services to students in need (SIMBA – Safe In My Brother’s Arms &
ASET – All Sisters Evolving Together), bolstered student achievement,
reduced violence, and encouraged staff support creatively. Clarence has a
B.S in Finance/Economics from Long Island University, an M.S. in
Special Education from Brooklyn College, and a P.D. in Education
Leadership from Brooklyn College.