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The embattled interim principal of Manhattan’s Beacon Excessive Faculty is withdrawing his title from competition to change into the varsity’s everlasting principal, he informed the varsity group in a Monday e-mail obtained by Chalkbeat.
Interim Principal Johnny Ventura’s resolution to step apart comes after months of escalating rigidity with mother and father and directors over his dealing with of particular training and communication. The strife spilled into public view after mother and father referred to as for Ventura’s removing in a public assembly final month and a Chalkbeat story detailed the struggles of particular training college students on the coveted Manhattan highschool.
It’s unclear when Ventura will step down and who will exchange him, however he’ll stay in place till his successor takes over, in response to his e-mail. Ventura didn’t reply to a request for remark.
In a letter to Beacon households and employees Monday afternoon, Ventura stated he determined to take his title out of the working “after considerate reflection on my private {and professional} journey.”
He touted “unimaginable milestones” throughout his tenure of simply over a yr and a dedication to placing college students first.
“As I put together to embark on a brand new chapter, I’m assured that the sturdy basis we’ve constructed collectively will propel Beacon to even higher heights,” he added.
Ventura, a former assistant principal at Brooklyn Technical Excessive Faculty, took the helm at Beacon at a fragile second for the varsity.
Beacon was within the midst of a major change in its pupil inhabitants, accelerated by pandemic admissions reforms that introduced in rising numbers of scholars with disabilities and from low-income households. Ventura, who identifies as a Black Latino, was the primary principal of colour at a faculty that has confronted pupil protests over admissions coverage and racial strife in recent times.
Ventura’s dealing with of the varsity’s efforts to help its rising variety of college students with disabilities was on the coronary heart of his battle with mother and father and lecturers. College students with disabilities usually went with out routine lodging and failed programs at larger charges than their friends generally training, in response to a number of mother and father and faculty information.
Many households and educators positioned the blame for the particular training failures with Ventura and Assistant Principal Naisha Baidy, and criticized Ventura’s communication about racist, antisemitic and threatening graffiti.
Ventura stated in his letter he was happy with his work “enhancing methods for our college students with particular wants.”
Lecturers stated a few of Ventura’s efforts to enhance the state of affairs – together with implementing a brand new school-wide grading coverage – solely made issues worse. Some educators stated Ventura didn’t embrace the varsity’s method to pedagogy, which prizes pupil inquiry and tasks over checks, and had pushed employees morale to an all-time low.
However others stated Ventura was unfairly blamed for issues that predated him and suspect his race performed a job within the criticism he acquired.
Ventura’s successor shall be simply the fifth principal within the college’s 30-year historical past, however the third in a five-year span. Founding principal Ruth Lacey oversaw the varsity with only a transient interruption for over 25 years.
The college’s academic mannequin, which permits college students to forgo Regents exams and submit efficiency based mostly assessments like tasks and portfolios, has gotten rising consideration in recent times because the state begins the multiyear technique of eradicating Regents as commencement necessities throughout the state.
Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, overlaying NYC public faculties. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org