Editor’s note: To read a long-form story with profiles of all 15 2014-2015 Blackboard Awards honorees, click HERE!
EAST SIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL
PRINCIPAL: DAVID GETZ
6-8
331 East 91st Street
esms.org
AWARD: OUTSTANDING PRINCIPAL
Describe your school’s core educational philosophy.
Our first goal at East Side Middle is to give each of our students the opportunity to develop the thinking skills that will be necessary for them to become successful adults and engaged citizens. Our second goal is to help our students discover and develop their “element,” which Ken Robinson defines as “the meeting point between natural aptitude and personal passion.” We believe these talents, skills, and interests will help our students lead vibrant, rewarding and creative lives. Our third goal is to help our students develop the empathy that will enable them to appreciate the lives of others and to engage with others in their communities to make the world a better place.
Tell us about a few of the school’s achievements or distinguishing programs.
Our academic program helps our children develop the habits of mind of the disciplines they are studying. Our students learn to think as members of the disciplines they are studying. They practice making decisions as epidemiologists, mathematicians, historians, professional writers, theater directors, visual artists, constitutional lawyers, archaeologists, and Spanish speakers. Our athletic program is both rigorous and inclusive and extensive, offering a wide variety of opportunities for students to develop their athletic skills, compete, and learn how to be a member of a team… We also offer a wide variety of opportunities for our students to engage with and make a positive impact upon their world.
What’s new?
Our rocket club, which is a student-run engineering program that is currently building a robotic arm; our international cookbook program, which is bringing students and their families together to share recipes from around the world; our afterschool program; and our Kenya Mom’s Alliance program, which pairs mothers from our school with HIV+ mothers in Kibera.
What do you love about your school?
I love going to work every day. I love sitting in the classrooms of our teachers and participating as a student and a coach in their lessons. I love planning with our teachers and learning from them. I love working with our student council on their various projects, and I love watching the Rocket Club members build a robotic arm and program it in my office. I love working with our terrific parents and leading our book clubs. I love facilitating our Principal’s student book club and our teacher book club. I love our weekly cabinet meetings and working together to make this school such a vibrant, creative community.
