Park Slope Goes Back to School

All over Park Slope, kids are returning to school. Some return to the same school they went to last year, transitioning from one grade to another with new classrooms and teachers.

Yet, others have graduated and they are entering an entirely different learning environment: from pre-school to kindergarten, from elementary to middle school, from middle to high school. That means new buildings, new teachers, new administrators and new kids. In other words: it's a big, big deal.

My daughter happens to be one of those former middle schoolers and now can proudly call herself “a high school student.” She started at Edward R. Murrow High School last week and, as you can imagine, the week was fraught with anxiety and excitement. 

A week before the first day of classes, she attended the high school’s orientation, which is located in Midwood, with my husband. The orientation laid down Murrow’s rules, dress code and other codes of conduct.         

According to my husband, the our daughter’s outfit that day, short-shorts and a revealing cut-up t-shirt, did not pass the test.

“She could have been the example of how not to dress,” he told me later.

My daughter came home from the orientation with a boatload of forms and flyers, including one about abstinence and HIV, a brochure about the perils of plagiarism, and a long list of clubs. 

The clubs were particularly intriguing as I imagined my daughter joining the Mock Trial Club, the Creative Writing Club, the Astronomy/Planetarium Club or even the Double Dutch Club. 

There's also a singing group, a chamber orchestra, a concert band, a council for unity, a folk singing workshop, a gospel chorus, a junior math team and much more.

It’s all a bit overwhelming, but still exciting.

The night before the first day of school, she hurried to finish her summer reading. The students were required to choose one book from a list, which included: “Sunrise Over Fallujah” by Walter Dean Myers, “Six Easy Pieces” by Walter Mosley, and, appropriately enough, “Childhood's End” by Arthur C. Clarke. 

On the first day of school there were no classes, just a freshman meeting, where she received her school ID, her student Metro card and her class schedule.

Edward R. Murrow, which serves 4,000 students, is not your typical high school and it has its own way of doing things, which can take a bit of getting used to.

They call terms “cycles,” class periods are “bands,” free periods are called “optas” (which stands for Optional Time Activities), and independent study is called MILE for Murrow Independent Learning Experience. Got it?

There’s also something called SWAT (Success with a Tutor), which is Murrow’s term for math tutors.

Although the school is large and has a slightly unorthodox approach, it manages to send many of its students to good colleges. The leading education scholar, Diane Ravitch, gives Murrow rave reviews.

“It works for academically gifted, for average students and for slow learners,” Ravitch said. “The Edward R. Murrow High School is an example of American public education at its best."

Indeed, the school has specialties up the wazoo, including advanced placement in just about any subject, an accelerated science research specialty program called “Murrow Med,” law studies, mathematics intensives, honors English and social studies, astronomy and planetarium studies.

Murrow also boasts great fine arts programs like drama, photography, performance-oriented music, stage and set design. The school also participates with College Now, a free CUNY-sponsored program to help high school students prepare for college, with courses at local colleges including language classes in Spanish, French, Chinese, Russian and Italian.

My daughter didn’t say much after her first day of being a high schooler. But she didn’t complain, so I took that to be a good sign. Three friends from her middle school are also going to Murrow, so I think that’s helping to ease the transition.

In her middle school, there were about 500 students in grades Sixth through Eighth. At Murrow there are 1,000 kids in her grade alone. The building is huge and she almost needs a map to find her way around. She’ll also need a watch, for the school has no clocks and no bells.

And so begins my daughter’s transition to a new school and a new phase of her life, which is sure to have its ups and downs as she gets used to new ways of doing things and the challenges of the accelerated academic demands.

As her mother, I will make the transition along with her, as we get used to waking up even earlier than last year to catch the Q train to school. 

As my daughter was speed-reading the remaining pages of her summer reading book, I jotted down some words of encouragement for her:

I wanted to say a few things before you embark on this big day. I hope you will enjoy your school and ALL it has to offer. I want you to try new things and take chances. Have fun and give new subjects, activities, and people a chance.

I hope that you'll work hard and do well. Not because it would make me happy, but because it will be more satisfying to be engaged and challenged in your classes. Also, a glowing report card will open doors to the colleges that interest you.

Care about your work. It IS a reflection of you and all you have to offer.

Remember to speak in class at least once a day. Get to know your teachers and let them get to know you.

Know that we are here to help in any way we can. NEVER be afraid to share things with us.

Remember: you can do anything you put your mind to. You are awesome, smart, talented and you have a loving and devoted family behind you at all times.

Enjoy your first day at high school.