The Anderson School - Principals, Program Coordinators, Anderson Chairs, PTA Presidents

Principals, Program Coordinators, Anderson Chairs, PTA Presidents

Principals when Anderson was part of PS 9

• Ms. Bernadette Castronuovo O'Brien — PS 9 | August 1984 – August 1989 (presided over the founding of Anderson)

1. In 1971, Ms. O'Brien had founded, developed, and directed Learning to Read through the Arts, (LTRTA), a widely used and highly effective program. In 1984, at the urging of District 3 Superintendent Albertha Toppins, Ms. O'Brien sought the position of principal at PS 9, with a mandate to use her LTRTA expertise to turn-around PS 9, a failing school with less than 200 students and a candidate for closure. From 1984 to 1986 there was a great infusion of the arts and humanities in the school with reading and language arts at its core in an experiential, interdisciplinary, integrated, thematic, multicultural curriculum that included the visual arts, performing arts (drama, dance), and foreign languages.
2. She implemented pedagogy that cultivated extended thinking that provided opportunities for open ended questions and answers. For instance, there could be several approaches to finding an answer to a question, several answers to a question, more creative ways to solve problems and reaching for the unknown — all of which challenged students and teachers to go beyond standard replies.
3. In the 1980s, residents of District 3 could enroll their children in any school within the District. Parents, at the time, did not prefer PS 9. There was a budget crisis in the city. Monies were allocated to the schools based on enrollment. So, when an organized group of parents proposed adding a program for highly intellectually gifted children, Ms. O'Brien embraced the idea, thinking that, in many ways, it would benefit all the students in the building; namely, it would advance the learning environment and warrant more funding from the BOE.

• Joan Gutkin, PhD (née Gotlieb; b. 1936 - d. 1997) — PS 9 | 1989–1997
• Ms. Diane Brady — PS 9 | 1997–2005 Oversaw Anderson spin-off (still oversees PS 9)

Principals beginning when Anderson became its own school – PS 334

• Rachel Schnur, EdD — PS 334 | July 2005 – July 2006 (see "Coordinators" below)
• Mr. Brian Culot — PS 334 | July 2006 – July 2009

1. April 2007: the DOE promoted Mr. Culot from Interim Acting Principal to Principal.
2. August 31, 2009: Mr. Culot left Anderson to become principal at an elementary school in the South Orangetown Central School District, Blauvelt, New York.

• Ms. Jodi Hyde — PS 334 | August 31, 2009 – present

Gifted coordinators (directors) during Anderson's era as a program (under PS 9)

• Rena Bonne, PhD | September 1989 - August 1991

1. Dr. Bonne (pronounced "bow NAY"), Anderson’s first Coordinator, inherited the Program as the inaugural 1st grade had reached the 3rd. When she arrived, she observed young, idealistic, dedicated, and energetic teachers devoid of a curriculum. After implementing staff development, Dr. Bonne introduced curriculum mapping, one that was differentiated, not necessarily accelerated, but more than simply "enriched," something that she ardently felt all children deserved.
2. Dr. Bonne valued the critical role of parents, not only in creating the Program, but also for its success. This is something she judiciously balanced with her own role as the first Program Coordinator. Dr. Bonne took steps towards winning the trust of tight-gripped founding parents, allowing her to establish boundaries, transferring responsibilities, such as curriculum development, from grassroots to professionals.
3. Recognizing that the integrity and quality of the assessment process was critical to the curriculum, Dr. Bonne strengthened it and worked to ensure that there was a direct relationship between the admissions criteria and the curriculum. Notwithstanding the notion that all children are gifted, she felt that if a school, for example, screened for musical ability, then the school needed to, at a minimum, offer apropos music pedagogy. In the same way, if Anderson admitted students for having strengths in verbal reasoning and problem solving, then Anderson needed to provide them with opportunities to reach their potential in those areas.
4. Dr. Bonne is an alumna of both Hunter College Elementary School and Hunter College High School. During her post-Anderson career, Dr. Bonne served a stint as Vice Principal of Hunter College High School.

• Ms. Nadine S. Antapole | August 1991–1992
• Ms. Helen Krasnow | 1992 - June 1994

1. Working with the teachers, Ms. Krasnow refined the onsite stage of the admissions assessment. The onsite process involved children meeting in small groups, engaging in free play, listening to and discussing a story, and participating in a teacher directed hands-on activity requiring sorting of small objects and sharing. They were keenly interested in social interaction, cognitive ability, and general demeanor. Mindful of a large developmental span over a 12-month period, the team factored for variances between fractional ages and genders.
2. An important ongoing initiative of Anderson was to retain and build a greater dimension of diversity. In addition to direct and indirect outreach, Ms. Krasnow arranged for prekindergarten applicants to take the Stanford Binet IV test in their native language, which at that time, included Spanish and Mandarin.
3. Ms. Krasnow, a curriculum mapping expert, helped talented teachers strengthen curriculum continuity, both vertically and horizontally, without stifling creativity.
4. In the advent of personal computers, Ms. Krasnow oversaw Anderson's first effort to digitize essential data, particularly that relating to admissions, which, due to surging number of applicants, had become cumbersome for a relatively small program.

• Wynstelle Nicholson | 1994–1998
• Alice Geismar | 1998–1999

1. Geismar initiated an effort to improve the Program’s database with an eye towards enabling longitudinal studies and research.
2. She worked to introduce more science and technology education to the program.
3. Geismar advocated student directed, individualized instruction in the classrooms.

• Rachel Schnur, EdD | 1999–2005

1. Dr. Schnur devoted considerable effort towards increasing diversity. She coauthored a paper, Economically Disadvantaged Students in a School for the Academically Gifted, Gifted Child Quarterly (see cite below), 2000. While the Stanford Binet IQ test was available for free for those identified as underserved through a couple of non-Anderson channels, the Friends of Anderson, in 2005, gave financial support for families who needed getting their children tested using the Stanford Binet.
2. Every coordinator that preceded Dr. Schnur worked hard to identify candidates of diverse backgrounds. Dr. Schnur redesigned the final stage of the evaluation — the onsite assessment — ensuring the environment would be welcoming and appropriate for children of any race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background. Dr. Schnur also vetted the DOE's citywide initiatives for their suitability in a highly gifted program, making adaptations where, based on her expertise in gifted education, she felt it necessary.
3. Building on available information about the Program, Dr. Schnur encouraged Anderson parents to fan-out around the City — to talk to preschools, community organizations, daycares, nursery schools, religious institutions — all in an effort to help underserved families learn more about the possible special needs of their children and the opportunities available at Anderson. Using her own channels, Dr. Schnur reached deeply into communities that knew little about Anderson. The upshot was that diversity among admitted students increased.
4. Dr. Schnur oversaw the creation of the Anderson Middle School. Beginning only with a 6th grade in 2003, Dr. Schnur recruited, assigned, and coordinated the first team of teachers for grades 6 through 8.
5. The creation of Anderson Middle School ushered in a particularly busy time in her tenure, as she simultaneously served as Coordinator for the Anderson K-5 Program, Admissions Director for all of Anderson, and Assistant Principal for PS 9, with duties that extended beyond Anderson to PS 9's gifted and Renaissance Programs. Additionally, she presided over The Anderson Program's transition to a stand-alone K-8 school in July 2005.
6. Dr. Schnur is an expert in gifted education with a particularly strong interest and ability in curriculum development and instructional coaching. She spent much of her summers and after-hours on curriculum development; but day-to-day administrative duties demanded much of her time. She was a proponent of sticking close to the NYS curriculum, but with a gifted approach. She identified and implemented enrichment programs from outside the DOE system and was highly selective about the ones she chose. She was especially cautious in allocating enrichment so that it was additive, not alternative, to the NYS curriculum. Her expertise was especially crucial given the fact that Anderson, as part of its gifted pedagogy, accelerates much of the NYS curriculum, particularly mathematics. Dr. Schnur as served as a teaching coach. She was known to say that Anderson was not as much about being a better school as it was about offering a different approach for children who need it.
7. Dr. Schnur read weekly to the kindergartners and introduced Socratic seminars to grades 6 through 8. She introduced Shakespeare into both elementary and middle school grades. She introduced independent study projects, where students were allowed to follow their own authentic interests. She departmentalized fifth grade.

Anderson's assistant principals

• Denise Jordan, Assistant Principal | 2011-12–present

1. Ms. Jordan taught first, second and third grade for 15 years in Brooklyn and in Manhattan's District 2.
2. She has also been a staff developer and literacy coach.
3. Ms. Jordan worked at the NYC DOE's central offices as the Special Assistant to the Director of the Department of ELA, Social Studies and Gifted & Talented.
4. Before joining Anderson, Ms. Jordan worked in a Children’s First Network as Coordinator of Early Intervening Services.

• Rob Schliessman, Assistant Principal, | 2011-12–present

1. Mr. Schliessman has been at Anderson since becoming a stand-alone school in 2005 (after its spin-off from P.S. 9). He developed the physical education and health curriculum, established and grew the middle school sports program into the 16 teams (as of spring 2011).
2. He is the founder and Commissioner of the NYC Middle School Baseball League.
3. Before becoming Assistant Principal, Schliessman was Dean of Students from school years 2009-11.
4. He holds a Masters Degree in Administration and Supervision.

Past chairs, Anderson Program subcommittee of the PS 9 PTA

• 1988-89: Michael Oliver (cofounder and first chair)
• 1989-90: Angela Schmidt (cofounder)
• 1990-91: Carol Kushner
• 1991-92: Angela Schmidt
• 1992-93: Avis Alexander
• 1993-94: Carol Kushner
• 1994-95: Barbara Goullet
• 1995-96: Barbara Goullet, Bea Zagury
• 1996-97: Betsy Armstrong, Robin Aronow, Shelley Tahlor Levine
• 1997-98: Betsy Armstrong, Robin Aronow, Shelley Tahlor-Levine, Stephen Kaminsky
• 1998-99: Stephen Kaminsky, Shelley Tahlor-Levine, Maria Traversa, Janice Berchin-Weiss
• 1999-00: Maria Traversa, Janice Berchin-Weiss, Victoria ("Vicki") Sentner
• 2000-01: Victoria ("Vicki") Sentner, Mary Barnes, Jocelyn Scher
• 2001-02: Melinda Moore, Donna Smiley, Mary Barnes, Jocelyn Scher
• 2002-03: Donna Smiley, Melinda Moore, Jean Hellering
• 2003-04: Christina Clements-Carr, Tom Loftus, Peri Muldofsky, Donna Smiley
• 2004-05: Peri Muldofsky, Christine Cirker, Pat Chmara, Melissa Hall

PS 334 Parents Association presidents

• 2005-06: Christine Cirker, Melinda Moore, Mort Schuster
• 2006-07: Jessica Sabat, Lyron Andrews, Kate Levin
• 2007-07: Mindy Wigutow, Amy Davidson, Christine Cirker
• 2008-09: Mindy Wigutow, Amy Davidson, Christine Cirker
• 2009-10: J.R. McKechnie, Deborah Skolnik Lopez
• 2010-11: Deborah Skolnik Lopez, Sarah Gardner, Joli Golden
• 2011-12: Joli Golden, Roxanne Feeley