School closing news: Canarsie added to list

Posted by Philissa at 1:02 PM

Teachers, administrators, and students at Canarsie High School got the news they feared earlier this week: the Department of Education will phase Canarsie out because of its consistently poor performance. It won't accept any new 9th graders in the fall of 2008, and the last seniors will graduate in 2011. Presumably, new small schools will open in the Canarsie building.

With the school scoring an "F" on its progress report and an "undeveloped" rating on its Quality Review, its demise seemed inevitable. But a teacher told the Daily News that news of the closing "came as a shock to everyone," and a Daily News article last week described the school's attempts to stop its doors from closing. Administrators planned to ramp up the level of academic work and tighten security this spring, saying, "We won't go down without a fight." Teachers told the Daily News that they think Principal Tyona Washington is receptive to change -- but she's also experienced in ushering troubled schools to their deaths; after graduating from the Leadership Academy, she was principal of IS 390 in Brooklyn for its final year.