📚 The State Of Brooklyn Catholic Schools + One Big, Happy Puppet

Hi, Brooklyn. I'm Carlie Houser, your new carrier pigeon for all things BK. Now that we've been properly introduced, let's get you tuned in to today.

The new superintendent of Brooklyn Catholic schools has plans to "keep Catholic education up to date with society's context." Former radio show host and Bay Ridge High School principal Deacon Kevin McCormack has stepped into the superintendent position for Catholic schools in Brooklyn and Queens. Amidst the back-to-school buzz, McCormack is shedding some light on his goals for the year. His main hope? To see that students think critically, imagine positively, and believe in world-changing impact.

What else is brewing?

• 💡 Heat pumps are taking a stand against "stinky" old furnaces.
• 💌 A massive puppet has made it way to NYC to spread some love.
• 📚 Middle and high school admissions season is upon us.
• 📽 A Brooklyn brownstone with cinematic appeal.

---

Is that a 50-something? Fall's knocking:

☀️ Sunny and comfortable. High: 75 Low: 56.

---

Here are the top stories in Brooklyn today:

1. To comment or not to comment? Brooklyn's new Catholic school superintendent chooses his words wisely when asked about how he's balancing culture shifts with traditional Catholic education. Deacon Kevin McCormack toured a number of elementary schools last week as classes kicked off in Brooklyn and Queens. The former radio show host and high school principal noted that he aims to keep Catholic education "up to date" within the current social climate. But, when asked about how the curriculum with approach recent polemics like equal access to abortion or same-sex marriage, McCormack noted that Brooklyn and Queen's catholic schools will maintain a religious approach for educating. His responses remained circuitous, to say the least.

(Brooklyn Paper)

2. Get the best of both worlds: fight fossil fuels and make every shower, a hot shower. As U.S. climate policy aims to speed things up in the cutting down on fossil fuels, New York City is turning to electric heating pumps — and as it turns out, they may fix more than one of your problems. Notoriously unreliable, frustratingly expensive, and in some cases even smelly, oil-fed burners have been haunting the basements of shared apartment buildings for far too long. Not only will a major shift to electric pumps be a step towards greener climate pastures, but it may also be the solution for many a New Yorker's unreliable heating ailments. Hup-hup Brooklyn, winter is coming.

(Subscription/The New York Times)

3. A massive puppet touches down in JFK today. Not-so-little Little Amal is a towering puppet whose journey around the world began from the Syrian-Turkish border in July of last year. Ever since, she's been traveling to countries across the globe spreading kindness and humanity. Today, she's arrived in the Big Apple, and her tour itinerary is quite packed — between balancing the crowds and doing her own sightseeing, Little Amal is unlikely to get much sleep. And, as it turns out, Amal has some theatrical roots in Brooklyn that will bring her to visit borough from Sept. 19 to Oct. 2.

(Subscription/The New York Times)

4. Back-to-school jitters are a little tougher on middle and high school students this year, as admission season looms. Selective admissions have been on the back burner in New York City since the pandemic, but the jury's still out on when they'll return. Currently, tensions are high as students, parents, and teachers wait for the verdict on retiring the full selection process. Unfortunately, Mayor Eric Adams has not highlighted school integration as a priority, instead opting in favoring of screening programs that have always segregated by race, class, and academic performance. Parent-led campaigns across the five boroughs are preparing, pens in hand, for next week's outcome.

(Chalkbeat New York)

5. Spike Lee's "Crooklyn" brownstone is on the market for a whopping $4.5 million. In 1994, the award-winning director and Brooklyn native Spike Lee released a semi-autobiographical film called "Crooklyn." The coming-of-age film follows a young protagonist Joie and her growing up in Brooklyn during the 1970s. Now, the brownstone where Joie grew up, located at 7 Arlington Place in Bed-Stuy, is on the market. Take a look inside at the link below.

(PEOPLE)

---

Today in Brooklyn:

• 🎊 Lalo-palooza in the Park, Old Stone House of Brooklyn, Today @ 10 a.m. | Details
• 🧘‍♀️ Free Virtual Yoga Classes, Exhale to Inhale, Weekly on Wednesdays 11:30 a.m. | Details
• 💜 Brooklyn Brujeria Festival, DUMBO Archway, Sept. 17 @ 12-9 p.m. | Details
• 🎨 Kings Bay Presents: Fall Crafts for Kids, Grand Army Plaza, Today @ 4 p.m. | Details
• 🍗 New Jazz Venue & Smokehouse in Sugar Hill, The Porch | Details
• 🥯 Eat Infinite Bagels (May the Best One Win), Brooklyn BagelFest, Sept. 17-18 | Details
• 🎤 Free Concert to Memorialize Tomasz Stańko, Roulette, Sept. 18 | Details
• 🌯 New Eateries, DeKalb Market Hall | Details

---

🐝 Brooklyn Buzz 🐝

• A Friendly Reminder: Every weekend, we are lucky to be part of the transformation and reinvention of the iconic DUMBO Archway! This past Saturday, it was NYFW's turn with @Marni putting on a magical + spectacular runway show 💫This Saturday, Sept. 17 the flea is closed as DUMBO welcomes the Fifth Annual Brooklyn Brujeria Festival! Drums, DJs, tarot, magic and community. We will be back open on Sunday, Sept. 18. See you then ✌🏽" (Brooklyn Flea via Instagram)
• Grand opening you say? "For this week, we are happy to invite you all to join us at our #NewCampus grand opening, as we celebrate this latest milestone in SFC's history. The program will include special remarks from Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso!" (St. Francis College Brooklyn via Instagram)
• Happy Anniversary Brooklyn Bridge Bike-Lane! "Sharing from our Bridges 4 People campaign: Happy Brooklyn Bridge Bike Lane Anniversary, all! Join us today for a celebratory meet-up at Pier 1 Lawn in Brooklyn Bridge Park at 6 p.m. bit.ly/3Uccsx8 The new bike lane was a historic win for NYC, but we still need more space for pedestrians and cyclists on bridges." (Transportation Alternatives Brooklyn Activist Committee via Facebook)
• Some feel-good material: "At P.S.145 The School of Innovation, BAC Teaching Artist Alicia Ceron guided students in expanding verbal and non-verbal communication with the computer program ComicLife to edit their own images. 'This class was awesome: very participative, creative, full of ideas and enthusiastic. They brought their own worlds into the classroom. For example: the students are Marvel fans and know very well the characters of the multiverse. So, when we did a lighting exercise (playing with the shutter speed) it was very fun to see them trying to embody these characters, simulating for the photos that the rays of light were their superpowers.' Brooklyn Arts Council celebrates Arts in Education Week, Sept. 11 – 17." (Brooklyn Arts Council via Facebook)

---

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Selling In Brooklyn: Everything You Need to Know in September 2022 (September 15)
• "Black Pearl: A Diamond in the Rough" — Stage Play (September 17)
• Pints and Puppies Adoption Event (September 18)
• Perspire for a Purpose! Fitness in Prospect Park (September 18)
• Bereavement Group (September 19)
• Up2Us2022: Strategies and Solutions to Save the Coolest Planet in the Universe (September 19)
• Real Estate Investment Opportunity — Log Home on 30+ Acres in Susquehanna County, PA (September 22)
• Michael K. Williams: A Night of Celebration (September 27)
• 8th Annual ENY 5K (October 8)
• Add your event

Gigs & services:

• Would You Like to Own A Marijuana Dispensary! Be One of the First to Apply! (Details)
• Add your gig or service

---

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday. See you all tomorrow for another update!